Aesthetic Explorations: The Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge

 

The Golden Gate Bridge is a famous aesthetic that sits in the San Francisco Bay, connecting the city of San Francisco to Marin County. This aesthetic is actually characterized as one of the Wonders of the Modern World.

A birds eye view of the Golden Gate Bridge

It was finished and opened in 1937 standing with a length of about 4,200 feet.

Grand Opening in 1937

The main reason the bridge was built was to connect two important pieces of land, because at the time the fastest way to get from Marin to San Francisco was by ferry.

The engineer behind the Golden Gate Bridge.
Statue of Engineer Strauss

The bridge was designed by Joseph Strauss, who fought for over a decade to have the bridge built. Strauss also had to have a professional architect help him co-lead the design, because he was only good at engineering. The architect who helped him was Leon Moisseiff, who also designed the Brooklyn Bridge.

The aesthetics of the bridge were influenced by safety and natural appeal. The bridge received its orange color to make it stand out with the fog that often inhibits San Francisco. The orange color was also meant to enhance the beauty of the bridge’s surroundings. At one point, this bridge was the longest of its kind, but it has since influenced many other bridges to be built around the world. It has also influenced and been in the center of many films and books.

The view of the Bridge from Baker Beach

 

Sources:

“Photographing the Golden Gate Bridge.” California Beaches. N.p., 25 May 2016. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.

“The Grand Opening of the Golden Gate Bridge.” CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2017

“Golden Gate Bridge.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2017.

“Joseph Strauss Biography Engineer – California.” Writequick. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2017

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2 Comments. Leave new

  • Levi Cortright
    January 29, 2017 1:09 pm

    I really like how you used facts to introduce the topic and draw the reader in. What are some more descriptions of the aesthetics that are not utilitarian, but more based on the feel and message of the aesthetic?

    Reply
  • The Golden Gate bridge is so iconic and large- yet with beautiful aesthetics. The color choice for the bridge makes it unique from all others, and I like how I learned that it was chosen to stand out from the fog. Great post!

    Reply

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