Architecture firm Dialog has built a wooden pedestrian bridge, glass elevator and a tiny railway into a sloping terrain in Canada to lead from downtown Edmonton to the North Saskatchewan River Valley.

The Mechanized River Valley Access project by Dialog provides accessible entry to the network of trails and nature of the North Saskatchewan River Valley, the largest urban park in North America. Downtown Edmonton is cut off from the 18,000 acres of protected land because of an incline and busy highway.
"The large elevation difference and steep slopes of the river valley are part of its great beauty, but also makes access difficult for users with mobility challenges," Dialog said.

Thanks to the small railcar, known as a funicular, and a glass elevator any visitor, regardless of mobility, can enjoy the scenery. In just five minutes, on foot, or three minutes if using the mechanics, visitors can go "from the vibrant urban core to nature and the river valley". To limit the ecological impact the Dialog closely monitored the environment during construction and used materials that matched the existing infrastructure of the river valley system.

This included rot-resistant Kebony wood, which will reduce the need for constant maintenance. Additionally the glass clad funicular cabins and elevator shaft are designed to minimise the structure's visual impact on the surrounding landscape.
A challenge of the project was finding an orientation that would engage with th...