Since its acquisition by the Forestry Commission in 1956, visitors to the National Arboretum at Westonbirt, Gloucestershire, have only been able to enjoy the park’s verdant surroundings in the more traditional way: from the ground up. Now the newly opened STIHL Treetop Walkway, designed by Glenn Howells Architects and constructed in collaboration with engineers Buro Happold, allows attendees to take in the park’s 15,000 trees and picturesque green surroundings from a breathtaking bird's eye view.
The Friends of Westonbirt raised an impressive £1.9m to help make this striking project a reality. Their intention was to provide visitors with a better understanding of the Arboretum and its landscape. The 300m walkway, which starts at ground level, snakes up between the trees providing glorious views over the historic Downs. At points along its path the bridge ‘bulges’ out, creating four resting and observation points, along with a ‘crow's nest’ which wraps itself around a 36m tall black pine, offering another opportunity for travellers to enjoy the stunning vistas.
Working with advanced computational parametric methods, Glenn Howells Architects opted for materials, which would complement their surroundings. Each of the walkway's timber legs is distributed evenly throughout the full length of the structure. This allows for a continuous visual flow with each post located so as to not disturb the existing trees. The steel balustrade is strong yet light, minimising the overall volume and consequently reducing its visual impact on the surroundings.
‘Focusing on visitor needs and materiality, the walkway is designed to disappear as a sinuous silver ribbon that meanders between trees and canopies,' says Howells. 'The aim is that this new feature will greatly enhance visitor experience and help to ensure Westonbirt's popularity for many years to come.’
This walkway is in fact the second addition to National Arboretum by Glenn Howells Architects. The firm is also behind the Biffa Award Welcome Building, a timber-clad centre, which was completed in 2014 and acts as an entrance pavilion for the arboretum.
The walkway gives visitors the opportunity to take in the park’s some 15,000 trees and picturesque surroundings from a breathtaking bird’s eye view
The Friends of Westonbirt fundraised an impressive £1.9m to make this project happen. Their intention was to provide visitors with a better understanding of the Arboretum and its landscape.
The 300-metre walkway, which starts at ground level, snakes up between the trees, providing glorious views over the historic Downs
Working with advanced computational parametric methods on the overall shape, Glenn Howells Architects opted for materials, which would complement the verdant surroundings
INFORMATION
For more information visit Glenn Howells Architects’ website
Photography: Rob Parrish
-
Rio Kobayashi’s new furniture bridges eras, shown alongside Fritz Rauh’s midcentury paintings at Blunk SpaceFurniture designer Rio Kobayashi unveils a new series, informed by the paintings of midcentury artist Fritz Rauh, at California’s Blunk Space
-
New York restaurant Locanda Verde’s second outpost will transport you to a different time and placeLocanda Verde’s expansive new Hudson Yards osteria exudes a sophisticated yet intimate atmosphere overflowing with art treasures
-
LVMH watch week 2025: everything we know so farOur guide to LVMH Watch Week 2025, taking place in New York and Paris, starting 21 January; keep an eye out for our updates
-
This elegant infill project slots beautifully into the London streetscapeIn this infill project, a row of garages in Blackheath, south-east London, has been replaced by a contemporary family home by local practice Mailen Design
-
Don’t Move, Improve 2025: the 14 London homes adding design oomph to the everydayThe shortlist for Don’t Move, Improve 2025 has been announced, revealing 14 residential projects across London that add value and pizazz to their inhabitants’ daily lives
-
Space House: explore the brutalist London landmark’s new chapterSpace House, a landmark of brutalist architecture by Richard Seifert & Partners in London’s Covent Garden, is back following a 21st-century redesign by Squire & Partners and developer Seaforth Land
-
Fire-damaged Walworth Town Hall shows off majestic transformationWalworth Town Hall gets a much-needed reimagining by Feix & Merlin, who transformed the heritage building into a contemporary workspace and a hub of its local community in south London
-
Hanif Kara on building materials, the transition from old to new, and a healthy dose of realismHanif Kara, co-founder of structural engineering practice AKT II, discusses building materials and the future of sustainability
-
Year in review: the top 12 houses of 2024, picked by architecture director Ellie StathakiThe top 12 houses of 2024 comprise our finest and most read residential posts of the year, compiled by Wallpaper* architecture & environment director Ellie Stathaki
-
A brutalist garden revived: the case of the Mountbatten House grounds by Studio Knight StokoeTour a brutalist garden redesign by Studio Knight Stokoe at Mountbatten House, a revived classic in Basingstoke, UK
-
An eco-conscious reconfiguration of space revives a London homeAn eco-conscious reimagining of a Victorian terraced home for a growing London family, THISS Studio’s Hartley House offers sustainable, spacious living
