INNOVATION AND AESTHETICS

Throughout engineering history, innovation and aesthetics have been intertwined. The introduction of new materials inspires the creation of forms that exploit their structural capabilities. These forms generate new aesthetic responses and create new opportunities for aesthetic pleasure. Although the acceptance of new ideas and forms is often slow, new materials and thus innovations are constantly on the horizon. Eventually the public recognizes and appreciates the beauty of them. Thomas Telford proved this with his development and use of iron. Telford's breathtaking proposal for a cast iron bridge in London was denied, but by the mid-19th century his ideas were standard for major metropolitan areas. Today we look forward to a similar but, it is hoped, faster acceptance of the innovations made possible with high-performance steel, high-strength concrete, and composites of the two. Furthermore, with the new load and resistance factor design (LRFD) specifications, designers will have greater flexibility in creating more efficient and aesthetic structures. With today's methodology and experience, it is possible to provide engineering solutions to issues tailored to the specifics of the bridge at hand. The challenge for designers of these structures is to develop forms that exploit and display the inherent advantages of laciness and transparency while at the same time addressing modern criteria of simplicity and the expression of structural forces. The structures that result will evoke new aesthetic reactions. We will see then how long it will be this time before general public acceptance follows.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/conf/1995/cp7/cp7v1-006.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309061091
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Gottemoeller, F
  • Buchwalter, A
• Conference:
  • Fourth International Bridge Engineering Conference
  • Location: San Francisco, California
  • Date: 1995-8-28 to 1995-8-30
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 47-56
• Monograph Title: FOURTH INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE ENGINEERING CONFERENCE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AUGUST 28-30, 1995. CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, 2 VOLUMES
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Conference Proceedings
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 1073-1652

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aesthetics; Bridge design; Bridges; Conferences; History; Innovation; Structural design
• Old TRIS Terms: Future concepts
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; History; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00711672
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309061091
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 5 1995 12:00AM