A stunning example of Art Deco design and engineering, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, was opened in May, 1937. The art deco elements including the towers, walkways and lighting were designed by a residential architect, Irving Morrow. The trademark color (which is actually international orange rather than red) was part of a sealant and not originally intended to be the color but locals asked to keep this distinctive look and it has stuck all these years. It carries both US 101 and California Highway 1 traffic across the bay to Marin County. Before the bridge, this trip required a 30 minute ferry to cross. It has been surpassed as the longest suspension bridge in the world many times over now, but it’s still a iconic bridge that represents San Francisco and California to people around the world. This gorgeous photo was taken on an overcast morning. You can see sunrise on the horizon and the photographer has captured street lights and car lights still aglow on the bridge. A really excellent image for anyone who loves architecture or the San Francisco Bay area.
Saturday July 31st 2010