The Trinity Trust hosts surprise visit with bridge designer Santiago Calatrava

by PegNews wire

Mr. Calatrava reportedly loves the warmth of Dallas.

DALLAS — On March 25, Santiago Calatrava, internationally known award-winning architect, artist and engineer, made a surprise visit to Dallas. The Trinity Trust Foundation hosted a special reception for Calatrava to meet with 200 of The Trinity Trust’s board members, supporters, Rat Pack and River Rats with Spanish tapas and fine Texas wines.

Dr. Gail Thomas, president of The Trinity Trust, welcomed everyone. “Our city is better because Tina and Santiago Calatrava came to visit us this week. They love the warmth of Dallas, and Calatrava’s bridges will change the Dallas skyline very soon.”

Mary McDermott Cook, chair of The Trinity Trust Foundation, introduced Calatrava. “Santiago is a talented and brilliant architect and artist, having designed the Olympic Sports Complex in Athens, one I recently saw, and many buildings of great artistic significance. He’s also designed award-winning bridges around the globe, and he’s building the first [of] two vehicular bridges in the United States right here in Dallas, including my mom’s bridge, the Margaret McDermott Bridge.”

As the designer of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge—currently under construction—Calatrava shared his excitement about the arrival of the steel in Texas and urged everyone to work together to show the community what Dallas is building.

Calatrava said, “The Trinity River Corridor Project is historically a pioneer project, just as Texas was with medicine in the 1940s, and look where you are today with medicine. You’re one of the most important centers in the world right now.” About the bridges, he said, “What makes the bridges unique is that they will be a part of the skyline of Dallas. They are the first steps of centering the city, with the Trinity River on both sides, and calling the city back to the river as part of a Central Park.”

He added, “The two bridges speak the same language with the arches. There are two different relationships—one with one arch, and the other with four arches—and they complement each other.”

The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, along with the Margaret McDermott Bridge (I-30), are the first vehicular bridges designed by Calatrava in the United States. The Hunt Hill Bridge will eventually connect Woodall Rodgers (SH Spur 366) in downtown Dallas to Singleton in West Dallas across the Trinity River.

Source: The Trinity Trust