The tower and the bridge : the new art of structural engineering

What do structures such as the Eiffel Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the concrete roofs of Pier Luigi Nervi have in common? According to this book, now in its first paperback edition, all are striking examples of structural art, an exciting form distinct from either architecture or machine design. Aided by a number of stunning illustrations, David Billington discusses leading structural engineer-artists, such as John A. Roebling, Gustave Eiffel, Fazlur Khan, and Robert Maillart. A New Tradition : Art In Engineering -- Pt. 1. The Age Of Iron. Thomas Telford And The New Art Form ; Brunel, Stephenson, And Railway Forms ; Gustave Eiffel And The Crescent Bridge ; John Roebling And The Suspension Bridge ; The Bridge And The Tower -- Pt. 2. The New Age Of Steel And Concrete. Jenney, Root, And The First Chicago School ; Big Steel Bridges From Eads To Ammann ; Robert Maillart And New Forms In Reinforced Concrete ; Roof Vaults And National Styles ; The Directing Idea Of Eugene Freyssinet ; Discipline And Play : New Vaults In Concrete ; New Towers, New Bridges -- Epilogue : The Idea Of Structure As Art. David P. Billington. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "This book is devoted to the idea that structures, the forgotten half of modern technology, provide a key to the revival of public life."