Located a mere mile and a half from the famous Raffles Hotel and the skyscrapers that line downtown Singapore, the Benjamin Sheares bridge crosses over the Singapore River, connecting the East Coast Parkway to the densest parts of the city. Traffic in and out of this area can become very congested, inspiring one architecture firm to seek a creative solution to the island city-state’s transportation gridlock.

The Singapore-based studio OOZN recently unveiled its plans to add a new pedestrian footbridge below the 5,905-foot-long Benjamin Sheares bridge, while also devising several tropical gardens within the concrete islands supporting the bridges weight. By allowing direct access to the city’s busy business district, the footbridge would effectively boost the number of pedestrian commuters and decreases traffic load on the bridge above.

The appeal of using the existing Benjamin Sheares bridge instead of developing an entirely new crossing is evident for several reasons. Not only would the linked footpath be less expensive to construct, but the current concrete deck above would offer built-in weather protection; the harmonious design would also create less clutter along the beautiful Singapore River, which feeds into the Marina Bay.