Transportation Research Record 1696
Paper No. 5B0137
Bridge Aesthetics
Guidelines for the New Millennium
Holger S. Svensson
The design of attractive bridges does not happen by chance, nor does it
exclusively depend on some elusive feel that is only given to a chosen
few. Constant conscious examination of existing bridges to nd out why
they are beautiful or ugly educates aesthetic awareness. Aesthetic guide-
lines can help to nd a good shape or to check the shaping of bridges.
Important aesthetic criteria are clear structural statements; good pro-
portions; order; compatibility with the surroundings, including coloring;
and, above all, simplicity.
Attractive bridges contribute favorably to the appearance of a city
or a landscape and are admired by many people. Ugly bridges dis-
turb the environment and cause many people to wish that they had
never been built or could be demolished.
Why is one bridge beautiful and another one ugly? Many people
argue that one cannot agree about taste and that beauty is in the eye
of the beholder. That is a supercial answer.
It is a fact that the majority of people will judge one particular
bridge in a group to be beautiful and another one to be ugly. Bridges
or other familiar objects have, therefore, aesthetic values that have
a common effect on people. The impact of this effect or aesthetic
value depends on the sensitivity and sensibility of the individual.
PERCEIVING BEAUTY
Aesthetic values can be perceived consciously or act in the subcon-
scious eld. The competence to judge aesthetics, which is called
taste, develops only by repeated evaluation, weighing of consciously
perceived values, and training in visual appreciation. Therefore,
taste requires self-learning and self-education.
The formation of taste or the competence to judge aesthetic val-
ues has been severely neglected in this age, with the result that much
ugliness has been built that now disturbs us. If the causes for such
negative results are traced, we must admit to a lack of education in
those elds that affect the psychological health of human beings. It
is mainly a lack of education in aesthetics and ethics, which are
closely related.
Bridges belong to the built environment. If one recognizes the
value and the importance of aesthetic qualities of the built environ-
ment, it is necessary to make every effort to design bridges resulting
in a pleasing appearance.
AESTHETIC GUIDELINES
The design of attractive bridges does not happen by chance, nor does
it exclusively depend on some elusive feel that is only given to a
Leonhardt, Andr und Partner, Consulting Engineers, Lenzhalde 16, D - 70192
Stuttgart, Germany.
1
chosen few. In order to achieve an aesthetically pleasing design, one
must rst analyze why one bridge is considered to be beautiful and the
other one to be ugly. If we ask this question, we nd guidelines that
are not only valid for bridges but also for buildings of all types, the
beauty of which is generally acknowledged independently of cul-
tural differences. We shall try to formulate 10 guidelines for the aes-
thetic design of bridges. The often-heard opinion that a statically
correct structure will simultaneously be beautiful is not valid if such
guidelines are not applied.
Guideline 1: Clear Structural System
A clear and simple structural system should be chosen like a beam,
an arch, or a suspended structure. The bridge must look trustworthy
and stable.
The Schierstein Bridge (Figure 1) is a continuous girder that spans
the Rhine River on sturdy piers. Haunches accentuate the main span.
Only two structural elements are used, the beam and the piers.
The slender arches of the Roosevelt Lake Bridge (Figure 2) in Ari-
zona carry in compression the roadway, which is supported by hang-
ers. Three structural elements are required: arches, beam, and hangers.
A cable-stayed bridge like the Flehe Bridge (Figure 3) in Ger-
many carries the load directly in tension from the stay cables of the
main span to the backstay cables at the end of the main bridge. Three
structural elements are used: stay cables, towers, and beam.
Guideline 2: Good Proportions
There should be good proportion in all three dimensions between the
structural members or between length and depth of bridge openings.
The attraction of a three-span haunched girder results to a great
extent from the favorable beam-to-depth ratio of 2 to 1 over the piers
and in the main span.
For the 91-m (300-ft) main span of the U.S. Naval Academy
Bridge in Annapolis (Figure 4), a haunched three-span steel com-
posite central girder and constant-depth side spans were chosen.
This clear system accentuates the main span and gives a certain
dynamic expression to the otherwise quiet bridge.
For an arch bridge the structural depths of beam and arch must be
clearly different. In the case of the Tangermnde Arch (Figure 5) in
Germany, the bending stiffness is in the composite girder, whose
depth is the same in the main span as that required for the approaches.
The steel arch carries only compression and can therefore be slender.
By connecting the two single diamond-shaped towers of the twin
Fred Hartmann Bridge (Figure 6) at deck level to a double diamond,
a frame is created that carries transverse wind loads not in bending,
but in tension and compression. The tower legs can thus be very
slender transversely. Although 137 m (450 ft) high, they appear light.
FIGURE 1 Schierstein Bridge, Germany. FIGURE 4 U.S. Naval Academy Bridge, Annapolis, Maryland.

FIGURE 2 Roosevelt Lake Bridge, Arizona. FIGURE 5 Tangermnde Arch, Germany.

FIGURE 6 Fred Hartmann Bridge, Houston Ship Channel, Texas

FIGURE 3 Flehe Bridge, Germany. (crossing overview).
Svensson Paper No. 5B0137 3

Guideline 3: Good Order

There should be good order of all lines and edges of a structure that
determine the appearance. The number of directions should be
minimized.
In a truss there should be only rising and falling diagonals, which
also give an orderly impression if viewed from a skew angle.
For the haunched steel-composite Nantenbach Railway Bridge
truss in Germany ( Figure 7), with a record span of 214 m (700 ft),
the inclination of the diagonals is kept constant, and there are no
cross frames in order to reduce the number of different directions to
a minimum of two.
The cable-stayed concrete bridge across the Columbia River in
the United States ( Figure 8) uses the stay cables in an economic fan
arrangement, by which all stays radiate from the tower tops. The
visual intersection is mitigated because the many cables give the
impression of a veil. FIGURE 8 Pasco Bridge, Washington State.
If the tower legs are inclined to an A-shape and all cables are
anchored closely together at the tower top, the impression of a
single cable plane is approached and the number of visual inter-
sections is strongly reduced, as shown by the Huntington Bridge sides. Therefore the new bridge was also designed in the shape of a
( Figure 9). series of arches. The bridge terminates on both sides in half arches
to provide space for the riverwalks.

Guideline 4: Integration into Environment

There should be compatible integration of a structure into its envi-
ronment, the landscape, or the city as well as with regard to the
scale of the structure compared with the scale of the surroundings.
In 1989 the state of Maryland sponsored a U.S.-wide design com-
petition for a replacement bridge across the Severn River in Annapo-
lis in front of the famous U.S. Naval Academy. The basic idea was to
design a bridge as simple as possible in order to respect the historic
academy buildings in the background ( Figure 10).
For the parapets of the U.S. Naval Academy bridge (Figure 11),
an inner red brick lining was used, recalling parts of the 19th cen-
tury Annapolis architecture. The lighting standards are shaped like
those in front of the historic Georgian courthouse.
Discovery Bridge ( Figure 12) is located in Columbus, Ohio, in
the United States. Two other arch-shaped bridges span the Scioto
River between the developed riverfronts, with riverwalks on both
Guideline 5: Choice of Materials
The choice of materials has considerable inuence on the aesthetic
appearance.
For heavy piers and abutments, stone masonry is often preferable
to regular concrete. The heavy piers of the Bonn South Bridge across
the Rhine River in Germany (Figure 13) give a oating impression
to the steel superstructure with its distinct support pedestals.
For the higher navigational clearance needed for the U.S. Naval
Academy Bridge, slender octagonal concrete piers without struts
enhance the lightness of the bridge. They rest on solid granite-clad
foundations (Figure 14).
For the Helgeland Bridge in Norway (Figure 15), the compression
resistance of the beam was the governing factor, and concrete was
used. The very slender beam depth of 1.2 m (4 ft) for a 425-m
(1,400-ft) main span gives a record slenderness ratio of 1 to 355.

FIGURE 7 Nantenbach Railway Bridge, Germany (skew angle). FIGURE 9 Huntington Bridge, West Virginia.
4 Paper No. 5B0137
FIGURE 10 U.S. Naval Academy Bridge (aerial view).
Guideline 6: Coloring
An important element for a pleasing appearance is the color.
One should not be afraid to color concrete by painting or admix-
tures if its regular gray color would disturb the harmony with its sur-
roundings. In the case of the Schattenring Bridge ( Figure 16), the
coloring has been chosen to t the surrounding forest.
FIGURE 11 U.S. Naval Academy Bridge: parapets.
Transportation Research Record 1696
FIGURE 12 Discovery Bridge, Columbus, Ohio: elevation.
Sometimes strong colors may be used for slender members, as with
the steel truss at the side of an open tunnel and for the cable-stayed
tower of the Ravensburg Bridge (Figure 17), which are bright red.
Different colors have been used for stay cables: the Great River
Bridge (Figure 18) across the Mississippi at Burlington, Iowa, has
off-white stay cables like several other cable-stayed bridges. Other
colors used for cable stays are red and yellow.
Guideline 7: Space Above Bridge
The space above the bridge should be shaped in such a way that the
driver experiences the bridge and gets a comfortable feeling.
The piers of the new South Havel Bridge in Berlin ( Figure 19)
were extended upward on both sides like a string of pearls for a
slow inner-city bridge. The bridge is used mainly by pedestrians.
At each end of the U.S. Naval Academy Bridge in Annapolis two
columns above the deck are built as gateways ( Figure 20). Their
classical shape is reminiscent of the colonial (Georgian) architecture
of old Annapolis.
For cable-stayed bridges two planes of cables are preferred. A dri-
ver experiences these two cable planes as an enclosure, which gives
a comfortable feeling of safety when one is crossing the bridge. This
FIGURE 13 Bonn South Bridge, Germany.
 FIGURE 16 Schattenring Bridge, Germany.

FIGURE 14 U.S. Naval Academy Bridge: single piers.

FIGURE 15 Helgeland Bridge, Norway. FIGURE 17 Cable-stayed Ravensburg Bridge, Germany.

6 Paper No. 5B0137 Transportation Research Record 1696

FIGURE 18 Great River Bridge, Burlington, Iowa. FIGURE 21 Baytown Bridge, Texas.

feeling is enhanced when A-towers with converging cable planes

are used (Figure 21).

Guideline 8: Recognizable Flow of Forces

A structure must be designed in such a way that the ow of forces is

evident even to the casual observer.
The haunches of a major river bridge should visually rest safely
on substantial piers. The piers should extend beyond the bridge
beam. For the Torgau Bridge across the Elbe (Figure 22), one haunch
only was used. The force concentration there is emphasized by using
a different, sturdy pier shape with stone cladding.
At the ends of a cable-stayed bridge the highest concentration of
forces takes place because the backstay cables carry the unbalanced
main span loads back to the anchor piers (Figure 23). The stay cables
are taken through the beam and anchored underneath, and the uplift
FIGURE 19 South Havel Bridge, Berlin. forces are transferred via a substantial pin into the pier (Figure 24).
This ow of forces is clearly recognizable.

FIGURE 20 U.S. Naval Academy Bridge: end piers. FIGURE 22 Torgau Bridge, Germany.
Svensson
FIGURE 23 Baytown Bridge: backstay arrangement.
Guideline 9: Lighting
Aesthetic lighting can enhance the appearance of a bridge at night.
The Heinola Bridge in Finland ( Figure 25) looks beautiful at
dawn. The towers are oodlit in the drivers view and marked with
individual lights for river navigation.
The Fred Hartmann Bridge across the Houston Ship Channel
(Figure 26) uses warm oodlighting for its towers. The cables are
also lit from the beam level using the same type of light.
The stay cables and towers of the Great River Bridge at Burling-
ton are lit in a pale blue, to which the traditional yellow-white street
lighting forms an interesting contrast ( Figure 27).
Guideline 10: Above All, Simplicity
Simplicity and renement to the pure structural shape are most
important.
All additions, like ornaments, decorations, or architectural extras,
should be used only as exceptions. The shape of a bridge is mature
FIGURE 24 Backstay anchorage detail.
Paper No. 5B0137 7
FIGURE 25 Heinola Bridge, Finland.
if nothing can be left out. The bracing between the Tangermnde
arches is reduced to a minimum (Figure 28): instead of the usual truss
diagonals, only a Vierendeel system with transverse tubes is used.
The inner piers of the Weitingen Bridge in Germany (Figure 29)
are simplied to one single circular column 122 m (400 ft) high,
which supports a 30-m (100-ft) wide steel deck.
This remsbridge for pedestrians (Figure 30) has only one struc-
tural memberan arch embellished with a light red railing. It shows
an absolute minimum of structural elements. Although small, it is
one of my favorite bridges.
SUMMARY
An aesthetically pleasing bridge will have a clear structural system,
it will have good proportions in good order, it will be compatible
with its surroundings, and, above all, it will be as simple as possible.
To design a bridge is a task that requires special knowledge and
experience. Therefore, not every civil engineer is qualied to design
a major bridge, but specialized bridge engineers are given the task.
The same is true for architects: specialized bridge architects are
capable of improving a design. In Germany bridge architects initially
gained their special knowledge during collaboration with bridge engi-
neers on the bridges for the autobahnen. Famous bridge architects
 FIGURE 28 Tangermnde Arch: user-level view.

FIGURE 26 Fred Hartmann Bridge, Houston Ship Channel, Texas.

FIGURE 27 Great River Bridge, Burlington, Iowa. FIGURE 29 Weitingen Bridge, Germany.
Svensson Paper No. 5B0137 9

were Tamms, Tiedje, and Bonatz, to name only a few. Later their
work was continued by Lohmer. Experience shows that the collab-
oration on bridges between engineers and architects often fails
unless both have the required special knowledge and experience.
The collaboration between bridge design engineers and archi-
tects can show good results if both are prepared to listen to one
another. The architect has to be aware of the special requirements
for bridge design. The engineer must be the lead designer because
the design of a bridge is more governed by technical than aesthetic
requirements. A well-designed bridge will, however, satisfy both
requirements.
In design competitions, the jury should include a majority of engi-
neers. Otherwise a design may be awarded the rst prize but can
later not be built because of technical difficulties or excessive cost,
or both.
Technical and economic requirements need not be contradictory
FIGURE 30 Waiblingen Arch, Germany. to aesthetic excellence.