Mr. Stewart also disagrees with my characterization of the Esplanade Riel Bridge as expensive and of its load path as indirect, yet he likewise provides no factual evidence to counter these points. For reasons given previously, I disagree with his characterization of the inclined tower as a “simple and effective” load path.
I thank Mr. Stewart for pointing out that the Esplanade Riel Bridge was the outcome of a comprehensive process of public consultation. This is an important dimension of the bridge that I did not mention in my article. The public is right to insist on high standards of quality in infrastructure projects as well as sensitivity to their concerns. Given the broad acclaim and recognition that the bridges of Maillart, Menn, and other engineers working in this tradition have earned from scholars, artists, and lay people, however, it is incorrect for Mr. Stewart to suggest that bridge that achieve both economy and aesthetic significance through technological innovation are only capable of satisfying civil engineers.
Finally, we need to have realistic expectations of what can be achieved through public involvement in the planning and design of bridges. The public consultation process can be an effective means of building consensus within communities on specific design decisions. This usually involves finding a solution that is acceptable to a majority of community member. Although this process is fine in itself, it is often at odds with the creation of works of aesthetic significance, which can require making decisions that go contrary to conventional notions of what the majority considers to be acceptable. All of Maillart’s significant bridges are located outside of major cities because his bold visual forms did not conform to contemporary notions of what bridges should look like. As one engages in a process of public consultation, therefore, one should be mindful that popularity is a quality that can change dramatically over time.
罗伯特•马亚尔1930年建在瑞士的塞金纳特伯桥集中体现了传统力量有效流动的桥梁设计，它的施工成本低，这座桥丰富的审美意义主要体现在一个单一的结构。这座桥不按照普遍接受的信念，需要花更多的钱来使桥梁优雅，即那个美丽的东西已经被添加到一个以最低成本来建造的骨架功能。相反，在该桥的设计，马亚尔回应通过创造一个全新的结构体系，最大限度地降低成本的挑战，这创造的经济价值远远超过了他试图在传统的结构体系中提炼材料数量。这个技术创新在视觉表达上给了马亚尔新的机遇，在创建塞金纳特伯桥中显然可见他是一个很有天赋的设计师。因此，在马亚尔的桥梁中这个技术创新所提供的关键环节在于经济需要和审美意义之间。
    马亚尔不仅是通过工程创新将设计桥梁连结经济和审美的工程师。他是戴文•比灵顿（2003）称之为“大传统”的结构设计的一部分，其中包括如托马斯德福，古斯塔夫埃菲尔工程师和奥斯马•安曼（比林顿1983）。在所有的这些工程师的作品中，我们认识到他们拥有大胆的创新，在充满挑战的经济条件下创造了独特的可见形式。相对于他们的同龄人，他们的技术得到了显著的提升。重要的是所有的设计师在这个传统里都是工程师，因为我们承认，技术创新是需要成本最小化和审美表达之间的联系，因此，可以定义为只有那些了解桥梁技术方面的人遵循的创作过程。
    不管塞金纳特伯桥花了多少钱，它的视觉冲击足以保证桥梁的美学意义是广泛认可的。事实上，它从来没有以最低成本的选择来建立的，然而却丰富了它的意义并将其从一只美丽的桥变成一个生动的人的创造精神力量的象征。事实上，它的设计没有建筑师或其他创意顾问的任何干预，这对土木工程师来说是个特别有意义的事情。 桥梁工程英文文献和中文翻译(7):http://www.youerw.com/fanyi/lunwen_41394.html