Knight Architects

Bridges

Bridges are an important component of the built environment – highly visible forms that have a significant impact on their locality. The bridge designer has a responsibility to consider a broad range of ‘architectural’ issues that are as applicable to bridges as to buildings.

The architectural approach to bridge design is complementary to that of the structural engineer. Context, composition, scale and function are juxtaposed with fundamental engineering demands for safety, efficiency, economy, durability and constructability as the basis for lasting quality.

Bridge design unites two sets of values that underpin modern architecture: the ‘romantic’ view of external appearance and the ‘classical’ understanding of underlying form. Beautiful, efficient bridge design should satisfy both artistic and scientific analysis to be visually legible and structurally truthful. Resolving the relationship between the two is the key to every project.

Although scope varies between projects the architect’s involvement begins with, and is most valuable at, the inception of a project. By generating the design concept in a collaborative process with the structural engineer a project can truly benefit from the naturally suited skills of these closely related design disciplines.