The engineer's Structure or Sculpture?

Agocs, Zoltan

Ever since man began building he has been constructing bridges. The state of development of a civilisation is characterised by the technical, technological and aesthetic qualities of its bridges, from the simplest beam, frame, and suspension bridges to the most advanced oblique cable types. A few Japanese examples of the most advanced steel rope-structure bridges reflect the technological level of the country. The typical bridge designer of today is less of an engineer than his predecessors, indeed, nowadays designing a bridge is a multidisciplinary team task.
Next, the lecture overviews the aspects and factors to be considered in the construction of a new bridge. Function, location, environment and tradition are all important factors. Finally, the lecture deals with the events leading to and the implementation of the reconstruction of the Mária-Valéria Bridge at Párkány, which connects Slovakia and Hungary. Not merely were there complex technical elements but political and economic factors competing with historical traditions, moreover the exceptional location of the bridge - the proximity of the Basilica of Esztergom - had to be borne in mind.

About the lecturer