Calling all Architects and High-Schoolers

[Bunk]

Ha ha ha. Genius.

Originally Posted by Barnes

Okay, I am about ready to hand in my proposal but wanted to solicit feedback from all the bridge experts on here first.

This is a cable stay bridge consisting of two bridge towers shaped in the forms of cowboy boots at each end of the bridge.

Each main cable is connected to a giant cowboy hat in the middle of the bridge that people will actually walk through. Both the boots and hat are subtle allusions to the history of Calgary.

Because bridges are hard to make and are best left up to the experts I added a supporting column on the island because I have no idea if my cables are strong enough to hold. It is a brick cube that represents the architecture found in and around Calgary.

The entire deck is enclosed in chain link fencing so that it can not be vandalized and so crackheads don't fall in the river.



Whadya think?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by jammies

Does the hat have a set of levers underneath that can tip it forward when rafters pass underneath as a sort of "howdy"?

Interesting idea. If you make it a moving suspension bridge, it could "howdy" all on it's own, all the time (the more people on it, the more it would move, therefore more howdy-ing). Plus with the hat always rocking randomly, it would be reminiscent of a cowboy riding a buckin' bronco. The word's first rodeo bridge!

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by fotze

It would also fit the natural surrounding more like the banff bridge, they may have to add some scultures of homeless people taking dumps along the shoreline but it could work.

Couldn't they just carve some homeless bums into the side of the bridge, like they did with the fish on that Glenmore underpass? Crackheads deserve to be immortalized properly.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Okay, I am about ready to hand in my proposal but wanted to solicit feedback from all the bridge experts on here first.

[...]

Whadya think?

That's a fantastic sketch that really captures Calgary's Western heritage and character; however, I have some concerns. What's your cost estimate? Banff can build a bridge for $2M, so Calgary taxpayers shouldn't expect your bridge to cost a cent more than that. Also, while I love the design, I'm not keen on the location -- nobody I know will ever use a pedestrian bridge near the core. Is there any chance you can build it to McKenzie Towne instead?

[jammies]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Interesting idea. If you make it a moving suspension bridge, it could "howdy" all on it's own, all the time (the more people on it, the more it would move, therefore more howdy-ing). Plus with the hat always rocking randomly, it would be reminiscent of a cowboy riding a buckin' bronco. The word's first rodeo bridge!

I'd be all over this - I love the swinging bridge out near Drumheller that goes over the Red Deer River, although there are those who object to the swaying and being able to see directly down through the steel to the river below. Adding a hat would just make it that much more a special experience for those of us not afraid of a little teetering about in high places.

[Barnes]

Thanks all!

I added the giant lever for hat tipping and will house the machinery in the centre support. I also added a row of port-o-potties and some pay phones.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Thanks all!

I added the giant lever for hat tipping and will house the machinery in the centre support. I also added a row of port-o-potties and some pay phones.

That's pretty sweet. And with the money you saved us we can afford to deck out all the bums in cowboy hats and chaps.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Thanks all!

I added the giant lever for hat tipping and will house the machinery in the centre support. I also added a row of port-o-potties and some pay phones.

Will the "hat-tipping" machinery be gravity-powered or will it require electricty? If the latter, I don't want my tax dollars having to pay for the on-going operational costs of a bridge I personally will never use.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

That's a fantastic sketch that really captures Calgary's Western heritage and character; however, I have some concerns. What's your cost estimate? Banff can build a bridge for $2M, so Calgary taxpayers shouldn't expect your bridge to cost a cent more than that. Also, while I love the design, I'm not keen on the location -- nobody I know will ever use a pedestrian bridge near the core. Is there any chance you can build it to McKenzie Towne instead?

Hey! You guys are the tax payers, you should decide where this bridge should go.

Here is the bridge crossing Inverness Pond in Mckenzie Towne.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Couldn't they just carve some homeless bums into the side of the bridge, like they did with the fish on that Glenmore underpass? Crackheads deserve to be immortalized properly.

What if we take it one step further and make the bridge out of the bones of homeless people. I'm sure that Locke sits on his basement steps every morning and wonders what to do with all of the corpses in his basement.

It would be artsy, avante Gard, probably fairly inexpensive. The bones would have to be re-enforced due to a lack of calcium in the homeless diet. People would come from countries along the world to see Calgary's unique murder bridge, or quartermile of death bridge, or the hobo-con bridge.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Will the "hat-tipping" machinery be gravity-powered or will it require electricty? If the latter, I don't want my tax dollars having to pay for the on-going operational costs of a bridge I personally will never use.

Duh.. Can't believe I didn't think of that! Waterwheels added!

[Barnes]

Okay guys, I have to put this project on the back burner for the afternoon and get back to designing the new Flames 3rds.

Keep the suggestions coming though.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Duh.. Can't believe I didn't think of that! Waterwheels added!

That looks pretty good, but is there some way you could 'think of the children'? Someone always has to think of the children.

[Bigtime]

This thread delivers.

[Tron_fdc]

WTF? no spurs on the boots? They could be windmills too, generating electricity to feed into the grid, which would help cover the cost of the bridge within the next 425 years

[octothorp]

I like where you're going with it, but I'm going to reserve judgement until I see some nightime renderings. Are you going for LEDs in the deck, or will you have big spotlights on top of the boots? If you really wanted to go all out, you could have Calgary-tower style flames that get lit up at special times, like the playoffs or Canada Day.

[Rhettzky]

MOD EDIT: Removed at user's request

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by flameswin

That looks pretty good, but is there some way you could 'think of the children'? Someone always has to think of the children.

It not only needs to think of the children, it needs to be thought of BY the children. Because I believe the children are the future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.

[Bunk]

Can't it have a middle finger facing towards those evil "easterners"? Or at least a plaque commemorating when Ralph Klein famously proclaimed 'let those eastern bas***ds freeze in the dark'.

I also needs a geographic metophor representing the rockies.

[Bigtime]

I would rather have the Ralph Klein "Get a job you bums" line commemorated.