zubizuri bridge in bilbao, spain
image courtesy of hélder cotrim

lately, spanish architect santiago calatrava has been having some issues with a few of his bridges.
last year, some tourists injured themselves on his constitution bridge which crosses over
venice's grand canal. individuals were either tripping or falling, causing twisted ankles
and other minor injuries. now calatrava's design for the trinity river bridge in dallas, texas,
which has already faced controversy, is hitting another obstacle with the army corp of engineers,
who claim the bridge design would be unsafe during a possible 100-year flood. plans to re-do
the bridge, which was originally set to be completed by mid-2010, are pushing the completion date
possibly as far back as 2016.

recently, the spanish architect received 30 000€ in damages for a walkway, designed by
japanese architect arata isozaki, that was tacked onto the end of his zubizuri bridge in bilboa.
the extension was constructed as a way of connecting the bridge to the isozaki towers nearby.
calatrava saw this addition as an infringement of his intellectual property rights. he has donated
the money to la casa de misericordia who is dedicated to caring for the elderly in residential
care homes in san mamés.


arata isozaki's walkway extension from calatrava's zubizuri bridge in bilbao, spain
image courtesy of happy pontist

the constitution bridge in venice

the shallow steps tourists have tripped and fallen on
image courtesy of elisabetta carattin


a model of the trinity river bridge in dallas, texas