The Golden Gate Bridge

An architectural marvel, the Golden Gate Bridge has been one of San Francisco’s key features for more than 75 years. The fascinating landmark spans almost two miles across the San Francisco bay and stands 746 feet tall above the water. Tourists flock from all over the world to witness this masterpiece because seeing a structure in a picture and then seeing it in reality are two completely different experiences.
The most astonishing aspect of the Golden Gate Bridge is that it has but two vertical supports, leaving most of the bridge suspended between them. Because of this, the bridge appears as a physical impossibility due to the restrictions of gravity. However, the design of this bridge allows it to be incredibly stable while retaining its splendor. This gives the structure an extremely perplexing quality, as if it were constructed by God himself and thus too perfect to understand.
In terms of the aesthetics of the design, the structure is organized using the horizontal axis onto which the road falls as a datum. The two towers comprise the vertical axis. As a whole, the bridge is very symmetrical, as the towers are equidistant from the center, but even smaller parts of the bridge have symmetric properties. For example, along both sides of the base of the bridge, there is a repeating pattern of right triangles. This motif can also be found just below the horizontal axis on the supporting towers. Here, the triangular pattern has been transformed so that instead of two triangles sharing a hypotenuse and thereby forming a square, the right angles point inward and the hypotenuses form the outside of the square.
The idea of contrast is also ever present in this magnificent structure. The two cables that run over the top of the towers and are secured at either end form a giant parabola in the middle of the bridge. Symmetry comes into play again since the two cables run parallel to each other. This implies complete perfection; from a side view, the bridge is just as symmetric as it is from an aerial view. Under the cables, there are poles that vary in length for support. These poles draw attention to the vertical axis, consequently forcing the viewer to contemplate the space beneath the bridge that is not directly supported. Another instance of contrast can be found in the towers, which contain spaces shaped like rounded rectangles. The rounded shapes break up the linear focus of the rest of the bridge and add variety to the design.
The Golden Gate Bridge is as awe-inspiring as it is confusing; the design in incredible, yes, but the real feat lies in its functionality and durability. As a symbol, this bridge establishes San Francisco as a majestic city and beckons outsiders to become part of it. If such a grandiose and seemingly architecturally impossible structure can stand in the San Francisco Bay, then who’s to say that their dreams will not be fulfilled in the city?