Jan 10, 2014 6:30 AM

Gallery: How Leonardo DiCaprio Inspired a Stunning Bridge That Doubles as a Park

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If architect [Thomas Heatherwick](http://www.heatherwick.com/) has his way, the River Thames will soon have a new plant-filled pedestrian crossing inspired in part by Leonardo DiCaprio. *Image: Arup*
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The Garden Bridge will span the 1,204 foot-wide river and contain 2 million pounds of soil, giving root to 270 trees, as well as innumerable shrubs, bushes, and flowers. *Image: Arup*

Elia Rinaldi
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Heatherwick was inspired by the scene in *Titanic* when DiCaprio took Kate Winslet to the bow of their doomed ship and proclaimed "I'm the king of the world!" So he designed semi-private "balconies" that allow couples to reenact the scene. *Image: Arup*
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"We need to hold up this large weight, complete with worms, rainwater and decomposing leafy mulch, without letting the bridge structure become visually more important than the garden," says Heatherwick. *Image: Arup*

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The project is led by actress Joanna Lumley, star of the cult favorite *Absolutely Fabulous*. Inspired to commemorate Princess Diana's death, she labored for over a decade establishing a [trust](http://www.gardenbridgetrust.org/) to secure financing and political support. *Image: Arup*
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"We will only be using plants which we feel will cope with the special challenges posed by a garden in the middle of a river," says landscape designer Dan Pearson, who also promises that there will be species that thrive in each season. *Image: Arup*

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The concept is conceptually similar to other elevated gardens like New York's [High Line](http://www.thehighline.org/) or Paris's [Promenade plantée](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promenade_plant%C3%A9e), but the technical challenge is ratcheted up given its location over the river and the new construction that's required. *Image: Arup*
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The Garden Bridge is expected to cost $245 million and could be ready by the spring of 2017. *Image: Arup*

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