Bridge Design as an Art Form

What are the roots of our aesthetic enjoyment of bridges? This presentation answers that question by first looking at what are the roots of our aesthetic enjoyment of other art forms, like painting and sculpture. From that base we will examine what make the enjoyment of bridges different. Those differences are based on our intuitive understanding of structural shapes, derived from our knowledge of the structural function of our own bodies and of the natural structures around us. We will move on to review means of improving the aesthetic appeal of bridge piers and towers. Finally, we will finish with an application of these ideas to the impending project to widen the American Legion Bridge over the Potomac River in Washington, DC.