Unseen Hands: 100 years of structural engineering

Littlefield, David

Abstract

As part of the Institution of Structural Engineers’(IStructE) Centenary Celebrations, structural engineers, and their role in shaping the modern world, is celebrated in a special display at the V&A.

Titled ‘Unseen Hands: 100 years of Structural Engineering’, the display has been organised by the V&A and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Trust in association with the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE).

The display showcases the significant achievements and sometimes overlooked contribution structural engineers have made to the built environment. It will feature an impressive collection of models, photographs, original drawings and videos of iconic structures from around the world. Focusing on three themes ‘Building High’, ‘Enclosing Space’ and ‘Spanning Voids’, the display will bring to life the design and construction of edifices including New York’s Empire State Building, Switzerland’s Salginatobel Bridge and the Eden Project.

Located in the V&A’s Architecture gallery, Unseen Hands has been specifically designed to appeal to the widest audience possible including experienced engineers as well as school children. The images and models have been carefully selected to maximise the display’s visual impact, illustrating the science and ingenuity that defines structural engineering.

• Exhibition Performance Type: Exhibition
• Conference Name: Unseen Hands: 100 years of structural engineering
• Start Date: Mar 8, 2019
• End Date: Sep 1, 2008
• Deposit Date: Jan 17, 2011
• Keywords: structural engineering, architecture, structure
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1014635
• Publisher URL: http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/architecture/unseen_hands/index.html
• Contract Date: Nov 15, 2016