Part 2 – British Bridges of the 19th Century
Lecture Summary:
The 19th century was a transformative period for bridge construction in Britain, driven by advancements in materials like iron and steel and the rapid expansion of the railway network. While railway bridges such as the Forth Bridge and Britannia Bridge highlight engineering milestones, other types of bridges, including pedestrian, vehicular, and canal structures, played essential roles in urban and industrial growth. Engineers like Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Robert Stephenson revolutionized design and construction, creating structures that were both functional and aesthetically significant. These bridges not only connected regions and boosted economic development but also symbolized the era’s spirit of innovation and progress.
Speaker: Dan Cruickshank
Biography
Dan Cruickshank is a London-based architectural historian, author and broadcaster who has made numerous programmes for the BBC, particularly about culture under threat. These have included a series entitled Under Fire: that looked at the clash of culture and conflict in Afghanistan, Iraq and Israel and the Occupied Territories. He has also returned recently to Syria after the cultural terrorism of ‘Islamic State’, focusing on Damascus, Homs and Palmyra. His books include Bridges: Heroic Designs that Changed the World (HarperCollins, 2010) and Skyscraper: pioneering high rise buildings in Chicago and New York, (Head of Zeus, 2018).
