Cycle path offers 360° views of the forest in Belgium

Aerial view of cycle path in the middle of the forest in Belgium.

(Toerisme Limburg/CASACOR)

Is there a better place to cycle than in the middle of nature? For Belgian studios BuroLandschap and De Gregorio & Partners , perhaps not! The architects have created a circular track called "Cycling Through The Trees" as part of the network of cycle paths in the province of Limburg, Belgium.

Aerial view of a part of the cycle path.

(Toerisme Limburg/CASACOR)

As its name suggests, Treetop Cycling is an elevated path that takes cyclists up to 10 meters above the ground so they can cycle through the treetops. Measuring 100 meters in diameter, the track was built to be part of the of the "Visit Limburg" tourist attraction in the Pijnven nature reserve in Belgium. The three-meter-wide path is almost 700 meters long and climbs on a gentle slope to a height of 10 meters before descending back to the ground.

(Toerisme Limburg/CASACOR)

Architects BuroLandschap and De Gregorio & Partners came up with the idea for the circuit to allow people to engage more with nature, but were aware that the attraction should have as little impact on the environment as possible.

The structure was erected using a single crane that was mounted in the center of the circle. The weather-resistant steel structure was built on screw pile foundations, meaning no concrete was used at any point.

View of the cycle path in the middle of the forest in Belgium.

(Reprodução/CASACOR)

"The trees were of course the most important part of the project," said Pieter Daenen, founder of BuroLandschap. "After all, cycling through the forest would no longer make sense if the trees were damaged or destroyed after the structure was built," he continued. it. The frame's deck and supports are made of aged steel, which has a brownish-orange color that is similar to the color of the pine trunks in the forest.

"Brown is the color of the earth, after 'green'. This is the most common color in nature," Daenen explained. "The poles are like tree trunks. You have to get really close to see the construction in its surroundings. From 100 meters away, you can hardly see the building." The architect hopes that Cycling for the Trees will attract people who don't normally come to the forest, and that this movement will draw attention to ensuring that the environment is preserved.

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