Frame and Form

“You only need to be moderately familiar with the design of structures to realize that it is always possible to resolve functional, structural and economic problem in several ways”. Riccardo Morandi.

The bridge design is a creative act; the quiera admit the, is influenced by the will of the designer in choosing their form and structure. A bridge is only “frame and form”? Of course not, There are many other aspects of design: construction, materials, function, colors and contrasts, symbolism, entorno, environment, and, among many others, economy why not?.

The good designer (or design team) studies and attempts to define all aspects. But in this new section, “bridge of the week”, designers will not discuss, engineers, architects, sculptors, or artists. Not talk about people, but their works.

With great enthusiasm and passion for everything from bridges, We try to approach these works without prejudice, and for the sole purpose of learning from them. What? Let each reader to his plea: To admirarlas, to visit, for fun, influence as the inspiration, to study, or just for fun.

As a first example, we chose the Gateway of Lake Austin (Texas). It is a work designed by the office “Miró Rivera Architects”.

He has been awarded in many competitions: 2008 Finalist-London International Creative Competition, 2006 Architectural Review Awards for Emerging Architecture and some other.

The gateway takes a leap of 24 m above the lake to join the main house with guest house (also designed by Miro Rivera Architects) which is located on a peninsula.

Its structure is an arch that is embedded in the stirrups on the edge, but the most notable are the finest steel vertical bars are on the sides of the catwalk.

They say its authors, who used steel bars (the same type used for reinforcement of concrete structures) that mix and mingle with reeds from the bank to conceal the catwalk, making it a symbiotic link, almost invisible. Both the bars and steel pipe arch with an outer layer of oxide ("Corten steel?) to obtain a more natural appearance.

At first glance it may seem that the gateway is uncomfortable (dysfunctional) because the floor is done as a discontinuous succession of bars. It might be inconvenient calculated. The designers say the design of the footbridge (referring to the formal inspiration in the local vegetation and finishing slightly oxidized polished steel) aims to highlight the access, that is, the entrance to this natural area.

It's an interesting idea that deserves reflection. If the runway was in the Amazon, ¿Pensaríamos not functional?

Recall that the guest house has a main entrance by land, it is on a peninsula. So probably have a recreational gateway, (understood as a stroll to communicate the main house with guest house), and in these conditions, designers decided to form the roadway through the bars.

Photos: www.archidose.org