The Brooklyn Bridge of New York and the Golden Gate Bridge of California are both huge architectural and engineering accomplishments of the United States. Both of the bridges are beautiful, complex and incredibly useful and impressive. Since the two bridges were built at different points in time, in different places, and by different people, the structural design of the two bridges are each unique in their own way.

The Brooklyn bridge was completed in 1883. It is a suspension/cable-stay bridge. It was 50% longer than any bridge of that type that had been built before. I think that says a lot about the time in which this bridge was created. People were wanting to stretch the bounds of what they knew to be as bridges, and they wanted it to be astonishing. A lot of pain, hardship and suffering was endured by those who wished to see the success of the construction. I think that may be a large part of the reason the bridge stands as a symbol of pride, hope and awe to the people who live around it and to those who travel to come see it. The style of the bridge is dark like the color scheme they chose for it. The cables are what amaze me the most. The photography that has been captured of the bridge seems to really show the complexity of all the cables and wires and how they cross and connect.

The Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937. The structural design of the bridge is very similar to the Brooklyn Bridge. The big issue with the construction of this bridge was the natural weather patterns in the San Francisco area that could be hazardous to the design like super strong wind and fog. The bridge itself is much slimmer than the Brooklyn Bridge. This probably means that a bit more knowledge concerning bridge building was circling around at this time, and they knew how to make a bridge more efficient with less material. One of the designers suggested a thin roadway that would flex with the wind and allow the bridge to be more stable. The huge towers and bright orange color reveal that the people wanted it to be iconic, and it sure is. Photos that are taken of the Golden Gate are angled to showcase the bright color and the height and size of the bridge.

The Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge are two of the most iconic bridges in the United States. They both located on opposite sides of the country from each. These two bridges share quite a few similarities, but they are also very different. They are both cable suspension bridges with overall design very similar. Both of these bridges were built during two different time periods so there is going to be some major differences.

The Brooklyn Bridge was built in the late 1800’s and it kind of give you the attitude of the gothic era. The bricks and structures used are just a dark in color. The arch ways are what really set it apart from different bridges. They are large opening in which vehicles travel through but the design and texture of the arch ways is what set it apart from other bridges. When you picture the bridge across the Hudson River, those brick arch ways is always the image that sticks in my head. I believe those arch ways is what makes the bridge so iconic and standout.

The Golden Gate Bridge was built in the 1930’s which about 40 years later from when the Brooklyn Bridge was built. A lot had changed within those years. Technology advanced largely and structural designs were completely different. Looking at the Golden Gate Bridge I just see how extravagant it truly is. I believe when the architect designed this bridge they wanted it to be tall bright and iconic. That is exactly what this bridge is. When you think of San Francisco you think of the Bridge. One of the things that sets the Golden Gate Bridge apart in my mind is the color. Its a bright redish orange that you can see for miles. The beams that hold the bridge are a lot taller than those of the Brooklyn Bridge. I feel as though they wanted them to be extremely tall and show our architecture abilities. In the photo I was looking at, it feels as though the photographer wanted to capture the beautiful color of the bridge and just pure imagine of the bridge itself.

They have remodeled both bridges numerous times, but not once have they ever changed the overall appearance. These bridges are so iconic to their cities that they are something you just can’t alter. They are the hope and symbol of the cities. I strongly believe both of these cities value their history and value their iconic symbols that have helped shape their cities.

1. Reading through the information on both bridges it seems as if they are both suspension (cable) bridges. Both designed to withstand wind, and allow movement. The Brooklyn Bridge is classified as Neo-Gothic style and has beautiful archways. It looks very old and classic. The Golden Gate Bridge looks more modern and has become iconic due to its orange paint color. I found very interesting that one of the reasons they painted it this color was for it to be more visible when fog is present. It seems that would be an obvious reason, but I didn’t even think about that until it was mentioned. Both bridges are exposed to harsh weather, but the weather can vary due to the different locations; New York and San Francisco. New York has four seasons and experiences snow, heat, wind and rain. San Francisco doesn’t usually encounter snow but has dense fog, high winds and rain. Both cities are coastal and can experience hurricanes and earthquakes. Both bridges are depicted iconically in photos that I saw online. I have never seen either of these bridges in person, but looking at photos they seem enormous. I would be intimidated to drive across either of them! It is also common to see these bridges in movies and t.v. shows because they are so well known and respected.
2. The Brooklyn Bridge was built in 1883 and took years to complete because they obviously did not have the technology and equipment we have today. After looking at early photos of this bridge being built, I couldn’t help but think how dangerous it must have been to have been involved in the construction (cables, painting) as a worker. One thing I found fascinating about this project is the engineer (designer) John Roebling sustained a foot injury and decompression sickness during the early stages of the project and had to supervise from an apartment overlooking the bridge. But even more interesting is that he had his wife help by running information back and forth from the job site and she eventually helped their son oversee the construction. I wonder what that was like for her? As a women in the late 1800’s was she respected? The Golden Gate bridge was built in 1937 by Joseph Strauss (and many other engineers). This was much later in time compared to the Brooklyn Bridge, so I wonder if there was better technology available to them? Before construction began it seemed as if there was a lot of opposition from government and the Navy to build it. One piece of information that stood out to me is that during the build of the Golden Gate bridge, Joseph Strauss innovated safety nets to catch workers if there was an accidental fall. It seems this would have been a safer work environment than that of the Brooklyn Bridge.
3. Both bridges are still standing today because of the quality of construction and ingenuity of the engineers and designers of both projects. Both cities are very proud of these accomplishments and have worked hard to keep the bridges open and safe to drive on.