e-mosty December 2018 e-mosty December 2018 | Page 8

My design allowed new techniques to be
developed and brought to a new country.
The understanding of design and
construction brought not only a low cost,
but also a structure that works effectively.
Its universal acceptance as a landmark
structure is in its elegance, attributable to
the intrinsic clarity of the structural form
without any cosmetic treatment to
enhance its appearance.
Figure 2: Completed Wadi Abdoun Bridge
bridge, transferred knowledge to the local engineers
and showed the public that good design is achievable
economically.
I used concrete as a material which can be moulded,
textured and formed into dramatic shapes with ease
and without unnecessary cost.
It is an engineering driven structural response to the
constraints and criteria but done in a way which is
innovative, expressive and elegant. It is this that
makes my structure truly unique.
It is an expression of my ideals in promoting
prestressed and in particular segmental concrete
bridges, in many areas of the world over a career
ranging over 50 years. I have pioneered the use of
segmental bridges into the Middle East and India, in
many cases having to change outdated national
design standards in the process.
The Wadi Abdoun Bridge provides a social and
physical link in the Jordanian Capital, Amman,
connecting a previously disadvantaged area to the
centre of the city, and reducing chronic traffic
congestion.
I developed a unique structure, the ‘S’-shaped bridge
and sculpted Y-shaped piers responding to the
engineering demands but also gives a dramatic
exciting aesthetic. The structure has become a
symbol of the city in a very short period of time being
shown in adverts, cartoons and even inspiring
jewellery.
An innovative use of a saddle developed specifically
for this project to allow replacement of the stay
cables enable me to provide very slender towers.
4/2018
The structure is efficient, economic, safe
and visually attractive in an urban
environment. Structural elements are to a
human scale, in tune with the surrounding
buildings and the local environment.
The structure was used as an exemplar project by the
jury for the US/Canada Peace Bridge in 2005. It was
awarded a High Commendation in the UK Structural
Awards.
The Project was one of those that earned the designer
the Milne Medal for Design Excellence from the IABSE
British Group, and the lead engineer the fib Medal for
Younger Engineers 2007.
I found particular enjoyment in taking a small, highly-
constrained project and guided the contractor to
produce an outstanding project at a low cost, to
enable its people to develop and improve their
environment.
The structure responds to its environment, is
functional while instilling a sense of comfort and fun
in the end users.
As a designer I feel the bridge has produced a good
balance between creating an iconic presence in the
city without dominating the skyline.
As one of my later works, it is a repository of years of
experiment, with a feast of detail and texture
available for viewing up-close and from all angles.
It derives a myriad of visual interest as no two views
of the structure are the same.
In this is an expression of my signature approach:
attention to detail and dynamic forms ensure that
both at day and at night the structure provides
interest, and drama as well as an extremely economic
solution to a complex engineering problem and a
structure which has become a symbol of the city.