Publisher's Synopsis
Cultural icon, daring engineering spectacle, and controversial structure, the Alamillo Bridge stands almost 150 metres tall, with an inclined pylon whose own weight balances that of the deck and traffic. Built for the 1992 Univeral Exposition in Seville, Spain, the bridge immediately received great international attention.;Santiago Calatrava received a direct commission to design the bridge and seized the opportunity to create a harp-shaped bridge that defies traditional bridge design. Along with the inclined pylon, cantilevered roadways, and elevated walk-ways, the obvious abscence of symmetry in the Alamillo Bridge prompts the observer to wonder anew "what is a bridge?".;In this book, Spiro Pollalis describes each step of the bridges design and construction, explaining the architectural intentions that motivated Calatrava's work decisions along the way. He presents the contructed bridge element by element, along with the relevant engineering calculations and technical issues. The book is both a story of the intricate process of creating architecture in contemporary society and an accessible technical reading of an unprecedented feat in bridge design and engineering.
