Subject: Arts: Architecture

Art and Architecture Series

Santiago Calatrava's Sundial Bridge: Angle of Inspiration

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The World Trade Center Transportation Center in NY; The Chicago Spire; The Milwaukee Art Museum; The Atlanta Symphony Center -Santiago Calatrava, Architect
"Highly Recommended. State Standards approved, this program shows how Calatrava developed his artistic intent and followed it through to the completion of the bridge; it also shows the community's response. Viewers will discover Calatrava's vision for the bridge; see the unique features of the structure, and discover the difficulties and opposition that occurred during the construction." - California Learning Resource Network (CLRN)
"Recommended. Beautifully filmed and well narrated, this documentary examines the controversial Sundial Bridge in Redding, California, designed by world-renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. What makes the film so interesting is the many different ways people look at and feel about the Sundial Bridge. Opinions about the bridge vary widely, some feel it is an architectural wonder bringing spiritual and artistic splendor to the area; others feel it was an unnecessary extravagance that is completely at odds with the environment. Calatrava kept environmental issues clearly in mind throughout the project - the suspension bridge was designed to avoid the salmon-spawning habitat on the river." -EMRO Review
"It is hard to describe genius at that level. Santiago Calatrava is the hands-down best in his field. When a community welcomes an architect like Santiago Calatrava into its midst, I think it's life-transforming; it's the kind of experience for which there is no substitute." -Herbert Muschamp, NY Times Architecture Critic
"Calatrava sees with a very big vision. I view him first as an artist, then an architect and engineer - in that order." -Tracy Wierman, Turtle Bay Museum
"Calatrava has this great imagination and the desire to do something completely different; this is not just a bridge; it is a unique piece of art." -Walter Gatti, Tensor Engineering
San Francisco has its Golden Gate and Florence has its Ponte Vecchio, and now Redding, California, has its Sundial, the first bridge designed in America by the world-renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava. Narrated by actress Jill Eikenberry (LA Law), this beautifully made program not only documents the process of turning this brilliant architect's vision into a one-of-a-kind bridge, but also has the courage to ask, is the river crossing a project of pride or genius or folly? Like other grand works of public art, the Sundial Bridge at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park, although considered by most an architectural wonder, has generated some opposition. It is in presenting this balance of opinions this documentary convincingly proves how this bridge celebrates human creativity and ingenuity. Here we not only learn about the history of this area, which included much resource extraction, and played an important role in the decision of making this an environmentally sensitive bridge, but also we get to view behind the scenes how construction crews overcame difficulties associated with creating what is now considered an engineering marvel. We discover this unique suspension bridge was designed to avoid the nearby salmon-spawning habitat; also its 217-foot pylon, literally, acts as a sundial, telling time on a tile-covered garden border on the north side of the bridge. As John Mancasola of the McConnell Foundation, the organization that donated the $23 million to build the pedestrian bridge, says, "At the end of the day the bridge provides inspiration to all in the community to think bigger, to think more is possible." Overall, we come to learn that our perception is derived from the angle at which we view something new. And as architect Calatrava says, "When you build a bridge, there is a desire of connection, and because you make this connection both sides will change." Produced by the Mill Valley Film Group. 07/10DE JSCA 30 min. 16:9
Also See: Domenico Trezzini (Builder of St. Petersburg); Italy: Florence - Old Bridges, New Friends; The Bridges Series; The Bridges of Madison County and Winterset