Show us some bridges!

[Brian Moore]

Where I live, Calatrava's name is a joke. The pedestrian bridge he built in Venice between 2003 and 2008 exhibited design errors that led to huge cost overruns. Calatrava himself went through a trial as he was found guilty of gross negligence and convicted. Today when you walk across that bridge you have to tread lightly because it is slippery and certainly the uneven steps are a threat to your health. And yes, there are hundreds of centuries-old bridges in Venice from which the architect could have learned something. In Europe, I read that Calatrava has had to appear in court for other projects with similar outcomes (Oviedo, Amsterdam, Bilbao).

Oh that is very interesting Gianluca. I think I've only photographed one of his designs (the Quadracci Pavilion at the Milwaukee Art Museum) and it is quite an interesting structure. I didn't know of his reputation for bridges in Italy.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Oh that is very interesting Gianluca. I think I've only photographed one of his designs (the Quadracci Pavilion at the Milwaukee Art Museum) and it is quite an interesting structure. I didn't know of his reputation for bridges in Italy.

I do not doubt the beauty of Calatrava's designs, but how do you build a smooth glass-floored bridge in Venice, one of the wettest cities in the world? Did he plan to design a monument to himself or something useful to people?