User:Elinor Walwork

Introduction: La Puente del Alamillo, also known as the Alamillo Bridge, was erected in preparation for the Universal Exposition of Seville (Expo '92). In accordance with the theme of the Expo, "The Age of Discovery," the Alamillo Bridge, as well as the three other bridges that were constructed, each encapsulated the notion of modernity in their respective designs.

Structual Descriptions: The bridge was designed by noted Spanish arquitect, Santiago Calatrava. A self-declared 'master of all trades,' in regards to his artistic skill, Calatrava is known for his aesthetically pleasing and innovative designs. The bridge was intended to service the people attending Expo '92 as well as illustrate the innovation in the city. Construction began on the bridge in 1989 and was completed in 1992 in time for Expo '92. The most notable feature of the bridge, of course, is its asymmetrical form. Instead of the traditional two-pylon design, the Alamillo Bridge consists of only one pylon, which, in turn, contributes to its harp-shaped form. The pylon, which is 142 meter tall, is a very strong support, as it is filled with concrete and covered in steel. It acts as a counterbalance for the bridge deck, which has a 200 meter span. The bridge deck, then, is connected to the pylon through thirteen steel pairs of cables. In order to balance the horizontal pull of the cables to the right, the pylon had to lean to the left. Careful calculations showed that the pylon had to lean at an angle of 58 degrees away from the deck in order to ensure that the bridge was balanced. At this angle, the steel-filled pylon was enough to support the deck without the need for any counter-stay cables or other means of support. That said, the most praised feature of the bridge is in its aesthetic design, thus suggesting that the structure functions largely as a piece of structural art and perhps embodies more elegance than it does efficiency.

Qualifications as Structural Art: According to civil engineer and author of "The Tower and the Bridge," an analysis of a structure, and debate on whether it is to be considered structural art, should be done through the three dimensions: scientific, social and symbolic. As such, to determine whether the Alamillo Bridge can be classified as structural art, it is important to analyze the 3 S's.

In certain respects, the Alamillo Bridge is successful in the scientific dimension in that it achieves its fundamental purpose, which is to create a stable structure that can combat loads and the environment. The structure is designed to be able to support the weight of the loads, and does so through the suport in the pylon and the cables. Calatrava built a bridge deck without the need for any intermediate support, as the support coming from the pylon was sufficient on its own.

Despite the fact that it is supported by only one pylon instead of the traditional two, however, it is argued that the structure is not particularly scientific, especially when measured by efficiency. Calatrava wanted to create a striking design, not merely a design that served its fundamental purpose of connecting two places. With that, the design was more detailed and elaborate than it needed to be, thus causing it to lose some of its status as an efficient structure. Ultimately, however, the fact that the bridge is still intact today and has had few, if any, structural issues goes to show that, in general, it fits the scientific dimension.

In considering the structure through a social perspective, it is clear that the bridge plays a fundamnetal role socially through its practical purpose. As mentioned earlier, the bridge was constructed in preparation for Expo '92. When Spain chose to host Expo '92 on the large island of La Cartuja, building several new bridges connecting the island to the mainland became a priority. The building of the Alamillo Bridge was among the infrastructural improvements and creations that the city of Seville was to make. The bridge crossed the Guadalquivir River and connected the island to the mainland. Its completion allowed a means of travel between the two locations and was a critical part of the success of the Expo.

That said, the concept of the social dimension is also connected to economy, as he considers the social dimension to consist of a cost-benefit analysis. Billington notes that, "It is argued that innovative ideas will cost more when first put into practice and only with time will come down in price." (Billington, 90) Even so, it is estimated that the Alamilo Bridge cost around $40 million dollars, demonstrating that it was by no means an innovative project. Without the funds to do these projects, innovation cannot occur. Thus, though successful in certain respects of the social dimension, it was relatively unsuccessful in terms of its economic cost.

The project is most known, however, for its striking appearance, and its symbolic representation for the city of Seville. Here, in what Billington refers to as the symbolic dimension, is where the Alamillo Bridge is most successful. The bridge symbolically bridges the gap between the past and present of the city ad it leads from the old town to the island where Expo '92 took place. By bridging the gap, it meshes the city's history and future into one. Moreover, it's single-pylon design allows for an unobstructed view od the old town, as it would have been blocked had the bridge been composed of the two towers. The bridge even has a lookout where one can see the view, so, in a way, the structure highlights the old town section of the city. This unification of the old and new is skillfully achieved through the design of the bridge and has led it to become one of the most symbolic structures in the city.

The symbolic dimension is best represented by the elegance of the structure, a feature which is undeniably present in the Alamillo Bridge. Much of the elegance, as well as innovation, of the structure is achieved through its asymmetric shape. The shape not only highlights the view of the city, but also is innovative in its form and its simplistic design evokes elegance.

In conclusion, while the Alamillo Bridge is most known elegance and beauty, it also posses a certain level of efficiency and is generally seen as socially successful. As the first of its kind, the bridge was crucial to the future design of modern bridges and structures and can be seen as an overall success.