Switzerland has a very long and glorious bridge making tradition. Richard Coray, Robert Maillart, Othmar Ammann, Christian Menn, Jürg Conzett designed and built some of the most daring structures across rivers, valleys, and ravines. As Christian Menn clearly stated in this recent book: "a bridge cannot be built by one man alone. It is the work of many hands." By providing a link between two points, it connects people and sometimes countries and cultures. Bridge making is a collective undertaking, therefore a public concern.
Letziwald Bridges at Avers, 1959. Photos © Ralph Feiner
Switzerland's daunting topography has provided countless challenges to engineers. For a sparsely populated nation with so many remote valleys separated by high mountains, building an efficient road and rail network is instrumental for development. And bridges are a key element. A builder of bridges has to satisfy all applicable standards without them impeding progress, and has to design structures that are safe, durable, economical, environmentally sustainable and beautiful. Christian Menn's bridges are works of art.
Biaschina Viaduct at Giornico, 1979–1983. Photo © Ralph Feiner
Achieving such goals depends on the active involvement of public agencies and private interests. Today more than ever, the study of projects whose implementation has been possible only by balancing the needs of parties with opposite concerns is of the utmost importance.
Sunniberg Bridge, Klosters, 1996–1998. Photo © Ralph Feiner
