The Chicago Botanic Garden Trellis Bridge

There is exciting progress on the Trellis Bridge at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Construction began this past fall and with the stone piers and steel beams in place, the bridge is ready for wood decking. The Trellis Bridge is the third in a series of bridges designed by Oehme, van Sweden at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Each bridge was designed with classic elements of the garden in mind. The Serpentine Bridge recalls the gentle meandering form of a garden path. The Arch Bridge and adjacent plantings were inspired by Monet’s famous bridge paintings and an Impressionist color palette. The new bridge features a cable trellis to guide vines planted on the shore out past the water’s edge and along the span of the bridge, providing a contemporary take on the traditional garden trellis.

Once completed, the Trellis Bridge will link Evening Island to CBG’s Plant Evaluation Garden and the new Plant Conservation Science Center. The Plant Conservation Science Center is a LEED Gold Certified 38,000 square foot facility housing state-of-the art laboratories and teaching facilities to support the garden’s ongoing mission of plant conservation. The building’s viewing gallery and green roof (designed by OvS as well!) are open to the public and offer visitors a unique opportunity to get a firsthand look at the science and study of plants.

Stay tuned as construction on the Trellis Bridge progresses!