The term Structural Art was popularized by Professor David P. Billington of Princeton University in his 1983 book "The Tower and the Bridge." Professor Billington studied great works of engineering from the late 18th century to the modern era. These structures were developed with a conscious effort to create aesthetically pleasing, imaginative, and elegant designs, while meeting safety and serviceability requirements. A work of structural art seamlessly integrates elegance and efficiency, and is an honest representation of the forces flowing through a structure. With this, a paradigm shift is emerging with the belief that structural engineers can become artists in the design process by cooperatively integrating three tenets: economy, efficiency, and elegance. Structural Art can be approached from a various avenues that will appeal to fields of study other than engineering.
Structural art can be interpreted on scientific, social, and symbolic grounds.
Scientific: How is the structure designed to safely transmit loads to the ground and what materials are used?
Social: What are the short and long-term costs of the structure to society? What role does the structure play in the functioning of society?
Symbolic: What feelings does the structure inspire? What meaning does the structure carry for people interacting with it?