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OVERVIEW

Professor David Billington defines structural art as a new art form that arose with the Industrial Revolution and the introduction of new materials—industrialized iron, then structural steel, then reinforced concrete, and finally prestressed concrete. He considers its development to be symbolic of free democratic societies. The goals of structural art—efficiency, economy, and elegance—correspond to those of societies based upon conservation of limited resources, accountability of public funds, and responsibility for encouraging the creation and preservation of art. The finest structural artists, like Maillart, Ammann, Isler, and Menn, are able to balance economy and efficiency with a desire to find new forms of aesthetic expression.

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