Bridges as City Landmarks: A Critical Review on Iconic Structures

Abstract

This paper investigates bridges from ‘landmark of cities’ point of view under aesthetics theme. In fact, bridges gave many samples at history with high aesthetic qualities; constructed with diverse materials and vernacular traditional construction methods of the region and era they had been built. Bridges, however, known as engineering products, today it is expected from them to accommodate high aesthetic qualities as being perceptual productions of their environment. It is this ‘construction and aesthetics’ combination that makes them landmarks, which will be demonstrated in the paper by selected cases include both high structural and aesthetical qualities, transforms them to landmarks and icons of their city. On the other hand, by the development of new materials and construction styles, aesthetic consideration come forward by productions of sculptural steel construction bridges in cities. Basically paper consists of two parts, which first one is literature review that introduces aesthetic values in design, landmark features, classifications of iconic concept and 2nd part includes general mapping on bridges from past to present with different functional and constructional styles. In the article, aesthetics in design and landmark concept have been introduced strongly in order to understand the meaning of ‘icon’. Thus especially the design content of Enzio Manzini have been introduced in the article with his work ’21.th Century Values of Design’ which he explains the importance of aesthetics in design. In addition, at this part, design elements as an architectural language formed by ‘point, line, plane’ and visual elements such as; ‘shape, form, color and texture’ have been introduced. In order to continue, design principles such as rhythm, balance, emphasis, scale & proportion, hierarchy have been introduced in the study to reach landmark concept. At second part approximately fifteen unique bridge design and construction have been investigated from all around world such as; Florence, Singapore, London, Sydney, San Francisco, France, Amsterdam, China, Australia and Turkey. All of these selected bridges accommodate iconic features uniquely and differently from each other which transform them to a landmark of their city or environment. The uniqueness of the bridges depends on superiority of some features such as; the length, the height, type, function, construction, material, form, referring the construction system design such as; helix, space frame, steel tensegrity, cable stayed steel swing bridge, single arch and hangers, pods steel high tech materials, steel, pylons and abutments, suspension bridge, steel through arch bridge, wave form made up of seven undulating curved steel, stone build, a three stage pointed arched stone bridge. As indicated, all construction systems are unique and in addition they show highly aesthetic criteria. Thus, when a unique structure meets with technology and/or high aesthetic qualities such as design principles and color, the structure of a building becomes an icon for its city. Then, at 3rd part, four iconic bridge cases have been investigated through their aesthetic and landmark values. At the end, important keys will be collected for aesthetically designed future bridge constructions. To sum up, in the article, it is aimed to reveal landmark concept in the cities over bridge cases which are very aesthetical and flexible structures by their forms, construction styles, materials and functional diversities.