Happy 86th Birthday, Golden Gate Bridge!

The Golden Gate Bridge celebrates its 86th birthday today!

The bridge is a supremely iconic image of San Francisco, and indeed one of the images that people think of when they think of California, and even of the United States. Construction started in 1933 and the bridge opened on May 27, 1937. It is still one of the largest Art Deco structures in the world. The Golden Gate Bridge's signature color, an orange vermillion called "international orange," was chosen by the architect of the bridge because it complemented the natural surroundings and because of its high visibility in fog.

By contrast, I was born on May 27th, twenty-seven years later. While considered iconic to only a handful of people, I am not painted any particular shade and am not very visible in fog.

Take a look at the opening day of the bridge in this glorious, moving footage from the past.

And here I am on my opening day with my dad.

Coming Soon: The Illuminated River

Light artist Leo Villareal, who created the spectacular The Bay Lights on the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, is lead artist for the winning team of a design commission competition to light all 17 Thames-spanning bridges in London.

The Illuminated River site states the concept:
"Leo Villareal, the artist who created The Bay Lights (a monumental public art installation on San Francisco’s Bay Bridge), architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and curators Future\Pace present a transformational artwork, in three stages, designed to enliven the Thames using dynamic light. First, Villareal’s ambitious composition integrates light and colour on the 17 bridges, from Tower Bridge to Albert Bridge, creating a sensitive, interactive and site-specific interplay with the river. Second, a strategic scheme along both banks will control commercial lighting and introduce the setting for future cultural projects. Third, additional proposals include a ground-breaking partnership between the MBNA Thames Clippers and artists Random International, immersive installations by Japanese technologists teamLab and other opportunities that foster community and diversity."

I can't wait to get back to London to see this!

http://illuminatedriver.london/
http://villareal.net/

There wasn't always a bridge...

BEAUTY: Architecture--Aurland Lookout

Created by the Norwegian architecture firm of Saunders Architecture, the Aurland Lookout is startling. This vertigo-inducing lookout seems as though one could walk right off the edge and plummet into the valley floor, but the lookout is secured by a wall of glass which affords awe-inspiring views of the Aurlandsfjord. Wow...

http://www.saunders.no/

Over The River And Through The Woods...

High Trestle Trail Bridge

Designed by RDG Dahlquist Art Studios, the High Trestle Trail Bridge is part of a paved scenic recreational trail that runs through four counties in Iowa. The bridge is near mining shafts that were worked by Italian immigrant families and others who settled in the Des Moines River Valley. David B. Dahlquist, the creator of the upper bridge sculptural elements, used the idea of mine shafts for his twisting-square design. Walking across the bridge mimics the act of looking down a mine shaft. At night, the iron squares are lit with blue LED lights...

http://rdgusa.com/high_trestle_trail/latest_news/
http://rdgusa.com/