PROFILE: The Peace Bridge in Calgary, Alberta

http://www.journalofcommerce.com The Peace Bridge, a pedestrian and cycling bridge crossing the Bow River in Calgary, Alberta is both a bold project in terms of aesthetics and design and a magnet for controversy. Originally named the Calatrava Bridge after Santiago Calatrava, the elite architect responsible for the design of the structure, it was renamed the Peace Bridge after continued criticism of many aspects of the ongoing project. The project hit numerous delays, with completion originally set in 20120, then in 2011. The lack of bidding and the use of a single source for the design and some of the building of the bridge also came under fire. Public ire only intensified when it was found that segments delivered from Spain had not been welded properly, forcing extensive reworking. But despite criticism, the bridge is also an ambitious, distinctive piece of urban artwork, with a unified tubular structure, distinctive red and white colors, and a glass roof. Completion is currently estimated for early 2012. JOC DIGITAL MEDIA