ARCH 3605 - Bridge Design

Fall or spring. 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ARCH 2613 or equivalent. Not offered every year. Co-meets with ARCH 6605. Limited enrollment.

M. Cruvellier.

The major visual impact of bridges on the built environment cannot be denied. And yet, during the past century, architects have virtually abandoned their historical role in the design of these structures. Engineers, on the other hand, have claimed bridge design as their responsibility and have hailed it as evidence of structural art. Are the basic principles of bridge design such that this situation makes sense for our society? Or is a rethinking of the manner in which bridges are designed called for? Students examine and experiment with the design of bridge structural forms, not only in terms of what is technically feasible but also, with equal emphasis, in the context of aesthetic, historical, and social considerations. Weekly meetings include lectures, discussion seminars, and studio-type design reviews.