China's first glass suspension bridge offers daredevil tourists exciting new experience
by Tom Anstey | 02 Oct 2015
The first glass suspension bridge in China has opened above a canyon in Hunan's Shiniuzhai National Geological Park, offering bold tourists a chance to cross a 180m (590ft) deep chasm between two cliffs.
Dubbed Haohan Qiao – Brave Men's Bridge – the 300m (984ft) long bridge was originally designed to be wooden before developers opted for a transparent glass floor 24mm thick, but 25 times stronger than usual. The glass bridge also incorporates a steel frame, ensuring safety even if the glass did break.
The bridge is the first of several planned by architects and urban designers, Haim Dotan, to give access without intruding on exquisite local landscapes.
Plans for an even grander glass bridge are now underway, with the Israeli architecture firm’s 380m (1,246ft) long Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge – the world’s highest and longest glass bridge – also coming to China. It has been designed to be as “invisible as possible” and is set to open later this year.
Architects Haim Dotan used glass which is 24mm thick but 25 times stronger than usual Credit: Haim Dotan
The bridge is the first of its type in China, but more are in the pipeline Credit: Haim Dotan Haim Dotan
A 180-metre-deep chasm sits below the glass suspension bridge Credit: Haim Dotan
Plans for an even grander glass bridge are currently underway, with Israeli architecture firm Haim Dotan’s 380-metre-long Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge Credit: Haim Dotan
12 Feb 2015
Sunrise workouts take yoga to new heights at Purcell Architects' Tower Bridge glass walkway
25 Nov 2014
Glass walkways give visitors bird's eye view of Tower Bridge
The first glass suspension bridge in China has opened above a canyon in Hunan's Shiniuzhai National Geological Park, offering bold tourists a chance to cross a 180m (590ft) deep chasm between two cliffs. Dubbed Haohan Qiao – Brave Men's Bridge – the 300m (984ft) long bridge was originally designed to be wooden before developers opted for a transparent glass floor 24mm thick, but 25 times stronger than usual. The glass
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Wellness care hospital opens in Vilnius with innovative spa and hospitality concept
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Shedd Aquarium upgrades its visitor experience with new Immersion Theater
by Liz Terry | 22 May 2026
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional revenue opportunities.
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MCR is planning a luxury hotel for London's BT Tower
by Helen Andrews | 21 May 2026
Hotel owner-operator MCR Hotels is inviting the public to provide feedback on development plans for London’s iconic BT Tower as a luxury hotel and mixed use project. Public access to the tower – for the first time in 50 years – will also be part of the scheme. In February 2024, British telecommunications company BT Group sold the BT Tower for £275 million (US$347 million, €321.3 million) to MCR Hotels.
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by Helen Andrews | 20 Apr 2026
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by Helen Andrews | 04 Mar 2026
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A new floating wellbeing destination with a public park, residential and wellness facility is planned for a 12-hectare stretch of water within London’s Royal Docks, in the UK. The development is part of a wider regeneration of the Royal Docks to create a diverse waterfront, backed by £5 billion (US$6.35 billion, €5.85 billion) of investment over the next 20 years. The aim is to make the area a mixed-use development
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by Helen Andrews | 03 Mar 2026
Janu, a brand by the Aman Group, will open its second location in 2027, in Dubai, UAE – with a wellness and fitness space measuring 1,700sq m and a separate inaugural private members’ Janu Club. Developed by Dubai-based developer H&H, the 150-key hotel and 57 private residences will be located in a mixed-use development that measures 1.3 million sq ft in the heart of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
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