Where Structure and Architecture Are One: Design Collaboration Lessons from Pedestrian Bridges

Pedestrian bridges are a rare example where structure and architecture can truly become one. You see, experience, and touch all parts of the same bridge, so integrating design thinking with true collaboration becomes essential.

Drawing on several examples—ranging from the United Kingdom’s pedestrian bridge boom era of the 1990s to multiple projects in the United States—this webinar will cover how structural engineers who care about design and form can work alongside architects who understand structural system approaches to produce a wide range of unique bridges that not only connect communities but also become a delight to cross. Consider this a masterclass in collaborative design thinking, or a structural systems class like you were supposed to learn at school (but didn’t). Through examples like the Lockmeadow Bridge, the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, and the famous wobble of London’s Millennium Bridge, we will look at how bold structural and architectural thinking can shape cities and communities. The talk also makes a case for engineers to think more like designers, and for designers to embrace structure as a creative medium.