Brisbane-based architecture studio Mode has released a striking new concept design for the long-awaited Toowong to West End green bridge, reimagining the future crossing as a vibrant public destination called the Bougainvillea Bridge.
Inspired by Brisbane’s subtropical identity, the design proposes a twisting, petal-wrapped pedestrian and cycle bridge that celebrates movement, culture and community. Far from a standard piece of infrastructure, the proposal imagines the bridge as a civic space in its own right, complete with garden lounges, shaded viewing decks, event zones, and spaces for pop-up retail and hospitality.
According to Mode, the concept is about more than just getting from A to B. “The Bougainvillea Bridge is designed as a symbol of Brisbane’s progressive identity – a space for celebration, culture, education and relaxation, seamlessly integrated into the river landscape.”
The most eye-catching feature of the concept is its sculptural form, which curves fluidly across the river with an almost botanical rhythm. A sweeping ribbon-like spine supports a series of elevated platforms wrapped in flowering bougainvillea, referencing the city’s iconic purple blooms and the nearby South Bank Arbour.
The bridge appears to rise and dip in a figure-eight shape, creating large areas for social interaction and shelter. Transparent canopy structures would provide weather protection while still maintaining open-air views across the Brisbane River.
At its West End landing, the concept integrates an open amphitheatre and river stage designed to host festivals, markets, performances and educational programs. This includes tiered seating, a central performance zone and interactive lighting to support night-time events. The proposed area has been titled Cranbrook Place and is envisioned as a new cultural node on the riverfront.
Meanwhile, the central span of the bridge incorporates areas for pause and relaxation—places to sit, meet, eat, and enjoy the city skyline.
The proposed location for the bridge aligns with Brisbane City Council’s preferred alignment, linking 600 Coronation Drive, Toowong to Orleigh Park, West End. The bridge is one of five pedestrian and cyclist crossings identified under the Council’s ‘Bridges for Brisbane’ program.
While detailed planning work was previously paused, the Council has kept the Toowong to West End alignment on its future priorities list, noting it would provide a vital link between two growing precincts and help reduce car dependency.
Mode’s concept also integrates key sustainability features, including integrated solar panels, rainwater harvesting, green roof elements, and an emphasis on low-impact construction. Planting is used extensively, not just for aesthetics but to reduce heat, improve amenity and encourage biodiversity.
Several zones are earmarked for pop-up retail and hospitality, suggesting a curated mix of small-scale vendors could operate from the bridge, creating a dynamic and changing experience for visitors.
It’s important to note that unfortunately, Mode’s Bougainvillea Bridge is a concept only at this stage, not tied to an active development application or construction timeline. However, with Brisbane looking ahead to the 2032 Olympics and broader goals around green mobility, it’s exactly the kind of imaginative thinking the city may need.
For more on the concept, visit: modedesigncorp.com
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Now this is more like it!
If Brisbane is going to create pedestrian (and cycling) only bridges, they need more human-scale oriented features. And this concept design has delivered.
This is an important crossing not just for pedestrians, but cyclists as well. Remember: the Brisbane-to-Uni-Qld bikepaths are the most used cycling infrastructure within Brisbane. This bridge will form a greater inner-Brisbane cycling (and tourist scooter) loop. So it’s great that this concept plan has fully separated out cyclists from pedestrians.
Even if the final plan is a bit less grand, the final design should look at this model on how to do pedestrian-level greenery: not just some vine-covered cables to duplicate the South Bank Arbour, but actual shade trees throughout the mid-span rest areas.)
I especially like the winding pathway and generous observation & rest areas on the bridge as well. It’s this idea of the bridge as it’s own destination (rather than just a simple connector) that really sets it apart from the other river crossings.
Nice design and the people at West End and Toowong will benefit from that being in place. Keeping in mind there is a bridge approx 3 klms from Regatta Hotel to the Go Between Bridge to utilise. A bridge from Bulimba to Tenerife should be the priority. It’s been discussed for many years on and off and needs to be at the forefront of the next bridge proposal. The ease of getting from Bulimba to the Tenerife / Newstead area via a bridge would be a massive help for the residents that live / work between those areas. As a resident of Hawthorne working in Newstead, it would be a bike ride of no more than 15 mins. It needs to be seriously considered.
This seems like bad design, if *ever* we are to expand West End to St. Lucia, (which would bypass ‘the dead-zone’ near Toowong shopping center where bikes mix it up with apartment driveways and then are on-road on non-dead-end streets, over some steep hills.)
The Toowong-St. Lucia area is a big gap, and switching riders over to West End to ‘skip’ a lot of it was an inelegant solution, but it worked. Now it feels like there’s no solution, and with this design it shunts all riders toward the CBD, sort of ‘surrendering’ on that ever being possible- even 30+ years down the line, which seems like an oversight.
A straighter bridge is cheaper, easier to build, and a lot faster to get across, which is the main utility of the structure.
I like that its very generous with the cycling / active transport path width. Its a stunning piece of people centric infrastructure and the best deign yet. I hope the BCC makes the decision to go ahead with it and soon. This practical art. If I was to add anything, it would be some shade over the cycling path. Well done whoever designed this.
This bridge is a beautiful design and such a great idea to feel like an interactive space and not just another liminal space with a boring feeling to it. In reply to Joel up above who thinks it should just be a straight bridge because it’s “cheap”, that is a terrible idea and one that so many politicians and councils use. It’s the difference between having an inviting walkable space like places in Europe that create cool areas for people to bike and walk around or another boring satellite town with a flat block of land development, big car parks and nothing inviting like many American towns. They create them cause they’re “cheap”. Sure it’s functional but in the long term it only becomes a matter of boring practicality rather than something that invites people to be outdoors, walk, enjoy social gathering and spaces to sit and relax. It’s an investment in the community, more than just “getting from A to B”.