Santiago Calatrava: Calgary "Peace Bridge" designer

Aug 22, 2010 Update: My new thoughts about the bridge, “War of words over Calgary Peace bridge“

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I admire the artistic vision of the architect Santiago Calatrava, and found his Turning Torso stunningly beautiful as I had the pleasure of watching the 2006 documentary “Socialist, The Architect, and the Twisted Tower“. (Now, the Twisted Tower’s cost is another matter.)

So I consider myself a fan of Santiago Calatrava and it pains me even more to say that it is fiscally irresponsible for the Calgary city hall, the let-them-eat-cake politicians, to agree to a $24.5 million bridge! Are they crazy?

This is a foot bridge. Not an office building nor an art gallery. I have yet to hear someone wanting desperately visit a city because of a footbridge!

While Santiago may be eloquent in this Calgary Herald interview, I am not persuaded of the high price tag when city services are cut and city employees are fired. And reading Vancouver Sun taking time and space to reprint “Calgary’s $24.5M footbridge unveiled to cheers, jeers” just shows how out of touch Calgary City Hall politicians are.

Let me requote Mike at AM770 CHRQ Calgary Today,

“As with most bold architecture, there will be some people who love it and some people who don’t love it. I think it’s beautiful, elegant.” -Alderman Druh Farrell

“Sometimes there are people who vote against sunshine.” – Mayor Dave Bronconnier

Mr. Farrell, at what price?

Mr. Bronconnier, if you have to defend a misuse of millions of city funding with this kind of meaningless point, then you are more out of touch than I think you are.

Mike may have a point in saying, “Despite waves and waves of public backlash and opposition to the bridge, the mayor and other members of council are stubbornly defending this foolishness. Come election time, this may be their bridge to die on.“

P.S. As some CBC commenters pointed out, the bridge does look like a Chinese Finger Trap. And Chinatown is very close to the bridge.

P.P.S. Again, I like Santiago the person and his work but not the price tag and not now! Here is a video of him on Charlie Rose,

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