Design for a frontier brige between the U. S. and Mexico

S. T. TH-SIS

DEWI & POR A EoNTIER RTG -EWiNE ThR U. s# ANP i

.M ..SSA"7" AC M S INST , T T•I•L."T

ivi~B 1Ji3.

MITLibraries

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Several years of unsettled conditions

between the United Sates and Mexico have at

last resulted in a state of neutrality and friend-ly lations, a in desirable" fzrther means of comuni eation bet een te two comintries. 1,s a

re-sult it has finally been agreed upion that a new Lbrid½. sha1 be is:t across the 2io iGrnde; the

work to be tmirt&:eu by the United Sattes and according to their plans.

This bridge apart from its impressive scale

and imonumrental character is to serve a Wto-fold

purpose, first ti-t of an hospitable and inviting hiUway b etwee the two countries in times of Peace;

seconaly that of a protective post in case of

possi-ble tro esl•tbs. Accordingly, thi.ler -1the general eff-ect is to be one of friendliness shown in the spa-ciots open placed, cool shaded arcades and broad

stairways, tfee wUll also be a sterner note seen

in theit g•xard towers, ibig gat3eways, and solid subý-stru•-ctu;re of the ,whol e

.

The _{site chosen is one where the river is}

about 400 feet wide, flowing *etween rather steep hill sides " l ls built hige _{above the ordinary} ·e~o~or~ t~p be ~c~r·B;arreP~1 bg· %-he P,~iteB Sa.tes slYnd

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p:na~pose, firs-~ t~_at i;$ a~n ~~as ~7i·

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water level will guard against its sudden risings. The bridge itself is generous in width; its walls of reinforced concrete covering a steel

constriction of four great trussed arches which

cross the river in a single span. A heavy band

sapborted by deep Irackets runs across the top, formingn _{a rail for those on the bridge, otherwise}

the

At each end of the bridge there stands a reat manumental arc hway; these are the dominant featutires of the entire sch.t'eme. _{Built of concrete,}

solid an.d enrring, with plain unbroken surfaces crowned y a Lheav _{band of ornament and arched} openings, their towers capped by brilliant tiled domes-- _{these two archways rise conspiclousl a bove} the low b-ulildings of the surro-nding country; neargr the center of the bridge two octagonal gulard houses keep watch over the travel and before these stand

ornatmenta _{flatsta.ffs shsi-w-in f-s the u,- • •olor}

n thie ,Yexican shore, the bridge .idens

out to f1or. _{a sort of opjen plraza afboult which runs}

a shady aret ;the; _{cr•er of each wing being} m*ar-ked by a decorativetbe _{l-head, •1aror• which the} natives gather to sell their wares. From this space themne do t 4

o treat flights of steps leading to

ig a i

1

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one corner o: te square, eac c ace snowing a ereata

cl oc. A wpiindA stair leea(s t p to the roof frorm wAich a superb view of the courtry may be had.

Parallel to the river and catting direcly through this pyrk space runs a main road. Its entrances

(3)

the highway which runs along the banks of the

river and under a separate archway of the bridge. A boat ladAing at the foot of one stairrway

corres-ponds to a similar laniing on the opposite shore, Ett!her inland another main road runs under the

rbridge parallel to the line of the river. The road

across the bridge itself leads directly out into the texien Country w•hereW tire is a scattering of native haouses and t tos.

Cn ta opmsite bak, the United

States--the design is worked o•t on a rach larger scale,

and here iTh bridge leads not into the oun tr bunt

into the center of a military post and m settlment, Accordingly, the bridge wiidens out beyond the arch-way to for eman open spa:..ce ,facing which are two long

low builainigs-- these to be used for Govenmrwental and. miitary pnrrposes. This squyare opens further

on1 to a largi pubnlc park, in the ctnter of o hIch

is a ecorait,'ve fonaina rlorn g•o.i he couas .try

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uAr ToIse, sZ connU H ud y auzOreaes r::)I 2cng pro-tection frokL the eaher an.-•' a passage for sentries. From. tke suny plaza b orered by lawns and flower

adexns thrxe &de road' s shadeed by aveues of trees

1.rn o0t, s~rig as the at roa-s of the tow

T antiCe sccee is marked by t he greatest

simplicity of execution The ildings, like the brid~ are deveope in concrete, the red tiled

roofs forming a brilliant contrast to the white

:S-7raP Sv ; tTe .rn. asipreading ± 4- and milinaa:i 'ry

:- buildings C maki-ng +the archways• a-nd campanile seem,

t~e-mre? irmpue, ssive.

Consideration of the nei.hboriD g ln couitry

and of tue styie of buildings seen there has led to the adoption of a design in hichx is seen the influence of the ndssions of lower .California,

'"-'4Ž.~&t-.

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f`41

are g~areted by a governn•ent block consisting of a main _{uilcing pierced by a grat arehway, and a} lar~ conrtyard. _{This latter is surroi~nded by a} high ;vall with great vrought-iron gates,

the

one marked by two gitrd hoases. From these

oiurt-yards road flights of steps lea d duon to the water's

edge, and the road running beside it.

T'e entire igroup, including these 0

uild-ings, the tower, military builduild-ings, Percha"ys an - --- ---ir.hw --- _ s, a

T•he UChUarhes of Lexico and i:re especially of he palaces and torvers of Sp ain. A study of the

Cathed-ral and oeloisters of .,qso Certain houses of

Salamanca, the Puerta del Sol and the ospitatl

of Toleld, and other bilding of Spain rs siuggested

al sho onlf ae~ ~th azs i Tnts ih tN the

nderlyinsg sme entire t estia •:erte lies the a oble

ait ,the same tiret, r nd s uoradinated, cbe a rtin

o- thie, -stre-ngth and power thait controls it.

-. n

DRAWINGS

suMIrrrt

Getneral plan and elev io 1/64 incl scl e,

Plan, elevation, tCan elevatiorn an

<ecirns Of Arch i/S inch scaie,

Birds eye view of brider i/3a inch scale.

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