History, Structural, Architecture, Art, Civil Engineering 

David Billington is the late, famed professor of Civil Engineering at Princeton University who, in his later career, advocated for the recognition of a new kind of art: "structural art". "The Tower and the Bridge" is his primary thesis for validating the existence and describing the characteristics of this new art form. Billington begins by drawing primarily from the examples of bridges as these are, in his eyes, decidedly separate and different from the category of "architecture" which tends to pertain mostly to buildings. Through a linear narrative starting from Telford and continuing on through to Brunel, Stephenson, Eiffel, Roebling, Jenney, Eads, and Maillart, Billington creates a taxonomy of structural art and demonstrates how key works by each of these engineers satisfies his criteria of structural art.

In addition to being a compelling argument for the existence of structural art as a unique art form, Billington introduces the reader to the works and life of many somewhat lesser-known structural engineers who have created structural art throughout the 20th century. This kind of historical overview is valuable for all practicing structural engineers in order to enlarge one's structural vocabulary and understanding of historical context. The creative act of engineering benefits greatly from the knowledge of the great works of engineering's past.

From the back of the book:

What do structures such as the Eiffel Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the concrete roofs of Pier Luigi Nervi have in common? According to this book, now in its first paperback edition, all are striking examples of structural art, an exciting form distinct from either architecture or machine design. Aided by a number of stunning illustrations, David Billington discusses leading structural engineer-artists, such as John A. Roebling, Gustave Eiffel, Fazlur Khan, and Robert Maillart.