Raised walkways give people a practical way to get from point A to point B.
Raised walkways are elevated above the ground, often at the second story level or higher. Often they are called footbridges. They often give people a way to walk directly from one building to the other, or across a courtyard, without walking to the ground floor. In ancient buildings and modern cities, raised walkways have improved traffic flow and made spaces more visually interesting.
Cross a Garden
Extend a raised walkway across a courtyard garden to let people interact with the space on different levels. The walkway can give them a sense of being suspended in the air and immersed in the greenery around them. Hanging ivy and flowering plants will give the garden a vertical dimension and make the space compelling from above and below.
Add a Seating Area
Adding a seating area in the middle of the walkway will create an even more inviting area in a multi-story garden. The seating area could be a circular space with a built-in seat on each side, encouraging people to stop and relax in a peaceful spot with a central view.
Extend Through a Forest
Similarly, a raised walkway could run through part of a forest, letting people view the forest at the height of the canopy. The Southern Living website points out that such a walkway can help people confined to wheelchairs to travel around a natural area more easily. This gives people a different perspective of the forest, too, often letting them see wildlife and nests more closely.
Create a Boardwalk
In a wetland area, a boardwalk or higher walkway will help people to move around the space without damaging the environment and getting wet. This works well whether in a yard, park, university or other public space.
Add Steps
A walkway doesn't have to stick to one height. Steps arching upward give the walkway an interesting look, making it artistic as well as functional. This can encourage people to walk more slowly and enjoy the view.
Add Curves
Likewise, a walkway doesn't have to lead directly from Point A to Point B. Many gardeners like to design paths that meander to create intrigue, as Vanessa Gardner Nagel says in her book "Understanding Garden Design." An elevated path can do the same, winding around points of interest to encourage people to slow down and smell---or at least see---the roses.
Cross a Street
With a high flow of traffic between two buildings separated by a busy street, installing a raised walkway makes sense. Rather than descending to the ground floor, crossing through sidewalk traffic and waiting for traffic lights to change, people can simply walk across the footbridge.
