The Urban Development Institute (IDU) has launched Green Columns, an urban gardening project that integrates vegetation into bridge pillars and road structures to add nature to Bogotá's everyday landscape. The proposal seeks to balance public works and the environment, fostering a more friendly city image without neglecting functionality.
The plan started as a pilot at the bases of the curved bridge of the 68th Avenue and 26th Street, within group 5 of the 68th trunk road, following a directive from the Mayor's Office to connect infrastructure projects with nature-based solutions. According to the IDU, the idea is that these interventions do not remain merely aesthetic, but provide ecological connectivity and attract pollinators.
What are the Green Columns and how are they cared for?
The columns are covered with a two-meter plastic mesh which serves as support for climbing plants such as nasturtium, Mary's mantle, and passionflower. At the base, a concentric garden is installed with non-climbing species—benzenuco, salvia, and dietes—arranged in circular rows to create a recognizable visual pattern and facilitate management.
The selection of species and their management is designed so that they reach height without interfering with the seismic isolators of the bridges, a key point for maintenance and structural safety. Additionally, some nearby surfaces incorporate nature-themed graffiti to reinforce the overall character.
Under normal conditions, the plant colonization process is estimated at about 10 months From planting: during which time the climbing plants will gradually cover the surface of the trunks. The goal is not only to "green" the concrete, but to turn each column into a small ecological connector between urban areas.
The care plan is monthly and includes pruning and orientation of foliage, phytosanitary management, weed control, mesh adjustment, and irrigation. With this guideline, the IDU seeks to ensure the sustainability of the plant component and maintain the landscape interpretation of the design over time.
The pilot is already seen in seven columns from the curved bridge at 68th Avenue and 26th Street. From there, the intervention will extend to other strategic points in the capital to consolidate a network of green landmarks in high-traffic corridors.
- Bridge bases from the North Highway with 94th Street.
- Intersections of the Boyacá Avenue with 127th Street and El Rincón Avenue.
- Bridge of the 68th Avenue and Third Street.
- Elevated roundabout of the trunk road of Ciudad de Cali Avenue with Las Américas Avenue (group 4).
The action is part of a broader line of landscape renewal that the IDU has been deploying with nature-based solutions: planting native trees, expanding green areas, installing gardens, and using Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS). Between January 2024 and June 2025, the entity accounts for more than 2.400 trees planted, 14.824 m² of gardening, 16.475 m² of green areas and 122 active SUDS in different projects.
In parallel, during 2024 they were managed responsibly 461.866 tons of C&D waste (construction and demolition waste), and for the period 2024-2027 the municipal objective is to exceed the 20.000 trees and develop more than 202.000 m² of new gardening areas, with production of native species in the La Florida nursery in agreement with the Botanical Garden.
The District is also studying scaling up similar measures in other infrastructures, such as the Bogotá Metro, whose structures reach up to 14 meters, as well as promoting vertical gardens in facilities and artistic walls to reduce vandalism and improve the perception of the urban environment.
Regarding the progress of the work, the 68th Avenue trunk road The project has a completion rate of 71,43% (October 2025), along 17,07 kilometers distributed in nine groups. Key sections and new elements such as the bridge on the Third Street, the western side of the bridge over 26th Street and the bridge on 100th Street with Suba Avenue, which allows for the connection of mobility, public space and vegetation.
With this intervention, the IDU seeks to consolidate a greener and more coherent urban identity: columns that add biodiversity, recognizable designs and regular maintenance to harmonize civil works and nature in key points of the city without losing sight of the functionality and care of public spaces.