Gregory Stock, AIA
Dec 31, 20141 min
27 students of UCF School of Visual Arts and Design explored the idea of a bridge as art. From the practical to the sublime, their solutions wrestle with the architect’s challenge to infuse the structures of our lives with a beauty that reaches our souls. But there were deeper reasons the class took on this assignment.
Brooke Dawkins was one of two UCF students who died since February while trying to cross roads near campus. She’s one of 10 people to die that way in the last seven years. Brooke Dawkins’ parents were among those who stopped by UCF to take a look at an exhibit of 27 bridge designs and one underground tunnel dreamed up by UCF art students. “The whole purpose behind this was to create community awareness,” said art professor Robert Reedy.
There was a bridge enclosed by a giant lighted spiral. One featured an enormous stained-glass Pegasus. Another walkway was enclosed by a glass honeycomb design. There was a monumental draw bridge with sculptural geometry. Several proposed to mark the main entrance of the university with a circular bridge that would allow walkers to access all four points of the intersection without once stepping into traffic. The students studied different ways to climb from grade to bridge level, with many elegant proposals.
Read the article and view a Fox35 video report by Beth Kassab, columnist, Orlando Sentinel, there is a slide show of all 27 designs farther down on the page:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ucf-pedestrian-bridge-beth-kassab-20141202-column.html