The odyssey of intuition : a non-reductive interpretation of technology through a case study of bridges

Abstract

Between the idea and the reality lies the realm of the "creative act." The theme of this thesis deals with the realm in between abstraction and conception, knowing and doing, art and science, theory and practice. By using the particular realm between the architect and the engineer as the point of departure, the varying perceptions and definitions of the " bridge" are established. Two levels of definition are proposed: first, the architects' and engineers' framework for defining "bridge," and secondly, the ontic-ontological dimensions of the "bridge." The case studies provide the facts to which these definitions can be applied. Using the constraints of a historical time-frame, changes in bridge-building are documented and evaluated to provide the basis for the interpretation of technology.