Functional Shaping of Piers and Pylons

Two principles have been asserted for effective bridge design. Bridge concepts should not be based on architectural ideas. The conceptual design of bridges with exceptional dimensions should not be based merely on an extrapolation of existing structures. The true art of bridge design calls for bridge concepts to be developed exclusively from the functional requirements and the special boundary conditions with regards to the most important shaping criteria. This procedure almost always leads to convincing forms, which may be refined in cooperation with an architect or an industrial designer.