Buildings uploaded on July 2, 2007

Here are today's entries. Enjoy!

Sydney New South Wales, Australia

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Description
Completed in 1932 after nine years of construction, the steel arch bridge spans 503 meters over Sydney Harbour. The main span is the 4th longest arch in the world, just one meter shorter than the Bayonne Bridge in New York, NY. The bridge was designed by John Bradfield who took the design idea from New York's Hell Gate Bridge. The steel arch was Sydney's tallest structure from 1932 to 1967 and is still the World's tallest arch, towering 134 meters over the waterline. The clearance below from highest point of the deck to the waterline is 49 meters. The deck has eight road lanes of which two were tram tracks until 1958, two rail road tracks, a pedestrian lane on the eastern side and a bicycle lane on the western side. The steelwork of which 79% was imported from England, weighs about 39,000 tonnes and is held together with 6 million rivets. The pylons are 89 meters tall and made of concrete and granite. The pylons have no significant structural purpose, other than providing extra force to keep the arch's anchoring points stationary, and prevent the arch from collapsing. The approach ramps are modeled very basically, because I didn't have sufficient photos of them and the main span is already complex enough.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Harbour_Bridge

Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Rotterdam Seaport Police HQ

Description
Rotterdam-Rijnmond Zeehavenpolitie (Seaport Police) has been responsible for safety and security in the port of Rotterdam since 1895. The service is responsible for border control, emergency response to collisions and accidents, enforcing environmental legislation and navigation rules, in addition to tackling serious, organized crime. The East District station is at St-Jobsweg 6, 3024 EJ Rotterdam.

Sevilla, Spain

Galia Nervion y Novohotel


Brussels, Belgium

CIBA Brussels


Connexion Brussels


Leuvensesteenweg Brussels


Reflexion Brussels


Helihaven Brussels


Rittwegerstraat Brussels


Waterside Brussels


Lima, Peru

another house


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Benjamin Franklin Bridge

Description
Completed in 1926 after four and a half years of construction, the steel suspension bridge spans over Delaware river, connecting Philadelphia to Camden NJ. The main span is 533 meters long and its center point is 41 meters over the river surface. The bridge was designed by Paul Philippe Cret and engineers Ralph Modjeski and Leon Moisseiff made sure the design would actually hold together. Named originally The Delaware River Bridge it was the world's longest suspension bridge at time of its completion and held the title for three years until surpassed by the Ambassador bridge in Michigan. The bridge's deck carries seven road lanes, two rail tracks and two pedestrian lanes. The deck is hold up by two 30 inch (~76cm) thick cables that consist of 18,666 individual wires, each. The steelwork weighs about 61,700 tonnes and the whole structure including the anchoring points and approaches, about 720,000 tonnes. Many thanks for Matt @ Google for providing me the photographs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin_Bridge