Link Space

Alright so lets get back to a bit of architecture again. This is the bridge that connects the Old Mutual Building to the  parking building across the road.

It is a phenominally detailed piece of architecture. It's significance lies in its awareness of architecture as community rather than just isolated buildings. This can be termed pragmatics or how buildings speak to each other. Each building is now a significant counterpart because of the bridge rather than just becoming part of the surrounding fabric.

I once read that two river banks become important to each other as a 'place' because of a bridge. Where one bank would have been where you walk and the other would have been scenery the bridge makes them relatable and they are then both significant to you because you can access them both. In a sense the bridge creates the banks and the river because now they are all important to you. It also creates a destination to arrive at and to proceed from. This is what this link does too.

If this is too theoretical for your liking enjoy the wonderful pics I've posted of this brilliant piece in Cape Town.

Lovely frameless glass connected to a steel frame with a type of spider clip. And that little kinic in the bridge just adds a bit of interest even though it was done for pragmatic and spatial reasons i.e. you don't want a narrow bridge but the hole it needs to respond to in the Old Mutual building is small.

Light in weight and in atmosphere with lots to keep your eye entertained. 

Spatially this a gold. It opens your eyes to a new space in the city being the negative space between the buildings. Where usually one is focused on the buildings that one is travelling between one now becomes aware of the great space between the buildings a breathing space in the density. The bridge's being high up also helps not to pollute the space beneath it making an unimposing structure that does not create a feeling of dead space beneath (because everyone avoids it because its dark and seemingly menacing).  

Just a look that the city through the structure of the bridge. 

Beautiful context looking from an unfamiliar perspective at the surrounding buildings.

So this post has been quite architectural in the text but I just thought I'd explain the significance of these structures and why they excite me.  There are going to be future blogs about other link-spaces in Cape Town but next will be the Old Mutual building a total surprise so keep an eye out for it.