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RapierFugue -> RE: Cool bridges! (6/28/2011 6:13:19 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: GreedyTop
ooh.. thats pretty, RF!! Thats the one that is across a really wide valley, isnt it?
That's the badger, yes. Hence viaduct, not bridge. It really is one of the modern wonders of the world, and well worth a detour if you're going anywhere near it. The first time I went I drove 300km out of my way to see it :) And it was worth every second of the trip.
And, being French civil engineering, they've got a (very nice) shop and visitor's centre on both sides of the thing. None of which mention that is was designed by an Englishman, and the French president, when he opened it, also conveniently forgot that fact, claiming it as "the best of everything French". Even Sir Norman Foster's design was said by the French to have been "drawn by Sir Norman, but designed by Michel Virlogeux, head engineer at the Ponts et Chaussées", which is stretching it a bit. A lot, in fact.
Bless em :)
But the French do fantastic civil engineering projects. Whereas we Brits tend to just chuck in whatever’s cheapest, and take forever to build it, the French really appreciate the aesthetic element, and will bias their decision towards what looks good, as well as working properly. I admire that mentality – it’s going to be there for decades, maybe even hundreds of years, so why not have something that looks good as well as doing a job? Then, once they've approved the design they chuck huge resources at it to get it finished - they did the Millau Viaduct in slightly under 3 years, which considering the scale is beyond belief. At one time it was estimated that fully 25% of all the heavy civil engineering workers in all of France were working on the project. I admire their sense of grandeur, and their efficiency at putting things up so fast.
Guess it comes of being invaded by the Germans every few decades - you've got to get your skates on :)
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