World’s Longest Glass Bridge | Haim Dotan

World’s Longest Glass Bridge

Consider this scenario, where you are walking on solid ground safe and secure with two feet on clearly defined earth. Then you walk out onto a manmade structure and you look down at 590 feet of nothing but air and a thin piece of glass to hold you up.

Set to open to the public this month in China, now there is the longest glass bottom bridge in Zhangjiajie National Park. 590 feet in the air and spanning over 1,400 feet, this bridges was designed to be as invisible as possible to blend into the natural surroundings, so not to be too intrusive. The design is spanning a large valley in the park being supported by large rock formations creating a very surreal site. The bridge is meant for public use and designed to hold up to 800 people on a completely glass deck and bungee jumping platforms.

Needless to say this bridge is not for the faint of heart, suspending people 590 feet in the air with a material that is know for being brittle in most circumstances and completely transparent. While a lot would think this is impossible, this concept has been done before with another bridge in Shiniuzhai China, with just  24 mm or about 1 in thick glass. Similarly, the concept of glass flooring has been used in skyscraper viewing decks in the United States such as Chicago’s Sears tower, which have a glass balcony at its viewing deck. This bridge will be the longest glass bridge to be constructed in the world and means to become one of the great wonders of the world and is set to open October 2015.