Bridging the gap: hand built by volunteers, this new structure in China bridges more than a physical gap.

In the Gansu province of north-west China, the Po River separates the humble village of Maosi into two parts. This has a significant effect on its inhabitants, especially during floods. Crossing the river is an essential ritual of daily life, forming the route for many, including that for children between home and school. When the water rises above ankle depth, the only means of crossing it has been to build a primitive bridge from mud, straw and tree branches--exploiting the limited means available within the Loess Plateau region.

Historically, each year, after the autumn harvest, the villagers gather materials to rebuild the structure, taking on average 15 days to complete it. Despite this seasonal effort, the summer rain would always return to wash it away. At best, crossing the bridge was precarious, with the children adopting excellent acrobatic skills, balancing as they tiptoed across its narrow and uneven deck; at worst, it was lethal.

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A solution came when a number of academics from Hong Kong considered the problem; the end result representing a collaboration between the Chinese University in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Xi'an Jiaotong University. Earlier this summer, project volunteers travelled to the remote village and built this new bridge by hand in just five days. Sited 1.5m above the river-bed it will be accessible 95 per cent of the year, and is easy to maintain. The 80m long bamboo deck has already survived a freak 4m flood, and an 80 year old villager recently reported that, after 20 years, he could now visit his friends on the other side. R. G.

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