I totally support an artistic and iconic bridge. Some say an artistic bridge would cost too much, but I'll counter and say, "how much tourism dollars does the Golden Gate Bridge attract?"
However, there are new "artistic" bridges out there that I think are duds including the Bunker Hill bridge in Boston. It is visually interesting, but its usability is limited. It does not appear to be inviting to pedestrians-- in fact, pedestrian paths are in the middle of the bridge away from viewpoints of the Charles River. Clearly, the bridge was designed for cars with little concern for pedestrians or bicyclists.
My thoughts of the bridge imaged above are while it is visually stimulating, it lacks the eloquence of traditional bridges such as the Golden Gate or the St. Johns or a modern bridge like the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in London. But, I will only say that of Gateshead during the day because at night it looks like the bridge above, which I liken to a Techno music hall... too much energy for a bridge!
The big question I would like to ask, whatever happened to brick and stone? Another criticism I have of the bridge imaged above is that there is too much cement! Or, too much cement of the same color. I need layers; I need depth! Variation never killed anybody.
But, most importantly, if Portland is to become a sustainability leader in the world, designers of the new I-5 bridge should go for Platinum LEED, i.e. the new I-5 bridge needs to be a living bridge. Perhaps that is one way for the additional traffic on the new bridge to be carbon neutral, as there is plant life on the bridge-- community gardens, eco-roofing, etc. I would also encourage the use of cob. Cob is a sustainable building material that sadly is getting very little respect in the sustainability movement. So, perhaps City Repair should be consulted on the design of the bridge. There should be a MAX stop on the bridge itself so passengers can exit onto viewpoints. Or better yet, what if the bridge were to be a mixed use community with shops and living spaces? Perhaps the bridge in essence takes the form of a totem pole telling a story about our region's history, Portland today, and the future that needs to be.
A living bridge
I totally support an artistic and iconic bridge. Some say an artistic bridge would cost too much, but I'll counter and say, "how much tourism dollars does the Golden Gate Bridge attract?"
However, there are new "artistic" bridges out there that I think are duds including the Bunker Hill bridge in Boston. It is visually interesting, but its usability is limited. It does not appear to be inviting to pedestrians-- in fact, pedestrian paths are in the middle of the bridge away from viewpoints of the Charles River. Clearly, the bridge was designed for cars with little concern for pedestrians or bicyclists.
My thoughts of the bridge imaged above are while it is visually stimulating, it lacks the eloquence of traditional bridges such as the Golden Gate or the St. Johns or a modern bridge like the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in London. But, I will only say that of Gateshead during the day because at night it looks like the bridge above, which I liken to a Techno music hall... too much energy for a bridge!
The big question I would like to ask, whatever happened to brick and stone? Another criticism I have of the bridge imaged above is that there is too much cement! Or, too much cement of the same color. I need layers; I need depth! Variation never killed anybody.
But, most importantly, if Portland is to become a sustainability leader in the world, designers of the new I-5 bridge should go for Platinum LEED, i.e. the new I-5 bridge needs to be a living bridge. Perhaps that is one way for the additional traffic on the new bridge to be carbon neutral, as there is plant life on the bridge-- community gardens, eco-roofing, etc. I would also encourage the use of cob. Cob is a sustainable building material that sadly is getting very little respect in the sustainability movement. So, perhaps City Repair should be consulted on the design of the bridge. There should be a MAX stop on the bridge itself so passengers can exit onto viewpoints. Or better yet, what if the bridge were to be a mixed use community with shops and living spaces? Perhaps the bridge in essence takes the form of a totem pole telling a story about our region's history, Portland today, and the future that needs to be.