What Is a Bridge? The Making of Calatrava's Bridge in Seville [Paperback]

Spiro N. Pollalis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 2002

Cultural icon, daring engineering spectacle, and highly controversial structure, the Alamillo Bridge stands almost 150 meters tall, with an inclined pylon whose own weight balances that of the deck and traffic. Built for the 1992 Universal Exposition in Seville, Spain, the bridge immediately received great international attention that continues to this day.Santiago Calatrava received a direct commission to design the bridge and seized the opportunity to create a design breakthrough -- a stunning, harp-shaped bridge that defies both gravity and traditional bridge design. Along with the inclined pylon, cantilevered roadways, and elevated walkways, the striking absence of symmetry in the Alamillo Bridge prompts the observer to wonder anew, "What is a bridge?"In this book, the first to document Calatrava's work in depth, Spiro Pollalis describes each step of the bridge's design and construction, explaining the architectural intentions that motivated Calatrava's decisions along the way. He presents the constructed bridge element by element, along with the relevant engineering calculations and technical issues. The book is both a fascinating 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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...copiously illustrated with architectural sketches, photographs, and the relevant engineering calculations." Bert Civil Engineering

"Here is a case study to read and treasure." W. J. Harvey The Structural Engineer

"This is a fascinating and thorough account of one of the world's greatest engineering feats." Science News

About the Author

Spiro N. Pollalis is Professor of Design Technology and Management at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 199 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (September 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262661349
• ISBN-13: 978-0262661348
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 10.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,779,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A complete description of the bridge construction, April 8, 2001

By 

"archigr" (Sao Paulo, SP Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Is a Bridge? The Making of Calatrava's Bridge in Seville (Hardcover)

This is an useful and complete book describing the construction of Alamilo Bridge in Seville, Spain, for the Universal Exposition in 1992. With step-by-step descriptions from the project to the finished bridge, full of pictures, graphics, calculations, structural and design analysis, costs, detailed drawings showing the assembly details drawn by Alberto Diaz-Hermidas; a complete publication including description of the local government tramitation. This book written by Spiro Pollalis is a must for students and graduated architects and engineers with interest in construction of unconventional bridges like Santiago Calatrava's works, now finishing an expansion project for Milwaukee Art Museum (inauguration probably by Oct. 2001)

1.0 out of 5 stars For civil engineers only, August 27, 2011

By 

Anthony Thompson (Big Lake, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: What Is a Bridge? The Making of Calatrava's Bridge in Seville (Hardcover)

It's strictly a technical manual. There are other, better books available to admirers of Santiago Calatrava and his creative and dynamnic bridge designs.

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book about excellent bridge, January 15, 2010

By 

Mentor Lunji "MSPROJECT" (Ulcinj,Montenegro) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: What Is a Bridge? The Making of Calatrava's Bridge in Seville (Paperback)

..Congratulations to authors..topic,presentation, graphics, photos..all together are excellent...This is a book which gives an in-depth presentation of design/construction process of Alamillo Bridge.Detailed structural drawings, structural analysis-design and its construction ..everything is in this book..in detail.....Very useful for structural engineers and everyone interested in bridge design.