Letter from London

摘要

There is a mythical image of the structural engineer as a sensible, pipe-smoking chap who keeps a low profile and goes around making sure things don't fall down. These days, especially in the UK, the role of the engineer is far more proactive, frequently working with the architect as part of a creative coalition. Nowhere is this more true than bridge design, but all is not happy in that part of the engineering world which still believes that dreary Freeman Fox box girders were all that were ever required.