Space-age island
There are a lot of cool bridges in the world, but Aiola Island (or Mur Island) in Graz, Austria, is pretty spectacular. Crossing the Mur River, it provides not only a way of getting from A to B, but it plays host to a bar, coffee shop and sunbathing/performance deck.
Built in 2003 based on shell-like designs by New York-based artist Vito Acconci, Aiola is named after one of the islands Greek hero Odysseus visited, home to Aeolus, the god of wind. This modern island was created as a temporary project when Graz was Cultural Capital of Europe, but it proved so popular that no-one could bear to remove it.
Interestingly, the bridge/island is in fact a boat. The structure is tethered by an anchor, and the two walkways attach it firmly to both sides of the river. Apparently it’s also strong enough to withstand the severe floods which hit the Mur River every hundred years or so. So it should be around for quite some time. RM
2008 Mar 8
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