Bridges to Somewhere

Ask most architects of a certain age about Columbus, Ind., and you'll probably notice a flash of recognition. It's the headquarters of Cummins Engine Corp., and 50 years ago its chairman offered to pay the architects' fees for new public buildings in the town. The result was a steady stream of top design talent to the town of 39,000 in southern Indiana, a veritable who's who of 20th century architects. They designed schools, churches, post offices and other buildings, and in 1991 the American Institute of Architects declared Columbus one of America's most important cities in terms of architecture.

Fast-forward to 2004, and the town of Redding, Calif. In July of that year, the 700-foot-long Sundial Bridge over the Sacramento River opened, designed by the renowned Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava. One of more than a dozen striking bridges designed by Calatrava, its main structural support doubles as a sundial, and it serves as a focal point for the state park where it is located -- not to mention an attention-getter for the city itself.

Since the Guggenheim Museum opened in the sleepy Basque town of Bilbao, Spain, in 1997, cities have recognized the impact of eye-catching buildings designed by celebrity architects, and Calatrava is in the first rank of designers today, currently working on projects in Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Europe and around the world. With his background in structural engineering, his buildings look like giant sculptures, often white, airy and almost delicate in appearance.

As talented as Calatrava is, we are fortunate to have many superb architects, engineers and artists right here in our area, as well as a wonderful opportunity for just such a project to enhance our city's identity. In the coming years, the N.C. Department of Transportation is planning to replace the bridges across Business 40 through downtown. On Tuesday, Winston-Salem's DADA Center will open its "Creative Bridge Design" exhibit, with proposals for how to "transform functional bridges into works of art representing the city of Winston-Salem."

Wouldn't it be great to have the new bridges across Business 40 be eye-catching examples of innovative technology and reflections of our commitment to the arts? More than 70,000 motorists travel this stretch every day, and it is truly a gateway to our city. Think how colorfully decorated or strikingly modern bridges could enliven the drive through Winston-Salem and raise our profile as an exciting place to live. As the downtown area is book-ended by the new ballpark on the west and the research park on the east, the new bridges could provide added elements of imaginative design in between.

Perhaps it is a measure of how much we take our transportation infrastructure for granted that we expect highway overpasses to be plain, functional and almost invisible. There's nothing wrong with that, to be sure, but why not aspire to something arresting, be it an unexpected structural design or a festive artistic treatment? The old bridges need to be replaced, so the new ones may as well be "state of the art" -- pun intended. The DOT is anticipating that there may be efforts to improve the appearance of the Business 40 corridor, so it seems at least somewhat receptive to this initiative.

With the price of gas rising and the economy hurting, some may scoff that the last thing we need is to drive up the cost of the bridge replacement by incorporating a bunch of design frills. But it is a hallmark of great architectural design that it is often no more expensive than the run-of-the-mill alternative. And remember, this is an opportunity that won't happen again for decades. Surely we as a community can agree that any nominal extra costs would be more than made up for by the added value these designs would provide to our built environment and how it is perceived by visitors as they drive through. This would not be art for the amusement of the few at the expense of the many, but rather something the entire community could take pride in. After all, the main purpose of both art and technology is to enhance the quality of our lives.

Fifty years ago, Cummins and Columbus showed that a small town in the middle of nowhere could put itself on the map by using a public/private partnership to create top-notch buildings. Surely we in Winston-Salem, the City of the Arts, can do as much. I urge you to check out the designs on display at the DADA Center and to support the architectural and artistic enhancement of the new Business 40 bridges.

■ Russell DuBois is a staff architect in facilities planning for the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.