Created by Emmy award-winning producer Judy Kelly, this 20-minute educational outreach film followed local public and private school students who were selected to become engineers for a day and to construct a 20-foot long replica of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge with cables and roads at The Trinity Trust office where actual models and maps reside.
In May 2011, Ms. Kelly first documented the students’ visit to the bridge site, where they met with City of Dallas Trinity River Project Director Rebecca Rasor, and VSL’s Cable Installation Manager Jim McTaggart. Upon their return to The Trinity Center, David Abbondanzio, Managing Director of the Study Center, taught the students using a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) framework.
Kelly said, “The classroom and the model construction processes were captured in the film in the hope that students throughout the DFW area could learn how the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge works. The most dramatic moment came when the false work was removed and the finished model, complete with the 8 foot high signature arch piece and all 58 cables, floated on its own—an engineering marvel.”
In between film screenings, an esteemed panel of engineering and construction representatives who built the actual Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, answered questions and provided insight as to its architecture and construction.
Melanie Ferguson, director of outreach and development for The Trinity Trust, moderated the panel discussion. She asked each of them their highlight of the project, some of whom have been working on it for more than a decade.
Bill Doreen, Williams Brothers Construction, said, “One of the emotional highs was the day when Cimolai (Italian steel company that fabricated the steel and welded most of it) dropped in the center section of the arch. When you think about it, 500 feet off the floor in 15 minutes, it was a testimonial to the Italian fabrication and engineering.”
L.C. Tubb, MICA Corporation, said, “My high was when we turned all the lights on that brought together the 5 or 6 years of work. It gave you a rush when you could look at the bridge at all angles and see it lit up. It’s going to be a wonderful view for Dallas.”
Duane Milligan, Texas Department of Transportation, said, “When we had finished assembling the arch, part of my job was to go up in a crane and inspect it from the top of the arch. That was definitely the best.”
Rebecca Rasor, Trinity River Project/City of Dallas, said, “It was both my high and low. When we first had the bridge bid, it was too high. But then we rebid it and getting that second bid, which was half of the original bid, was great.”
Charlie Quade, Huitt-Zollars, Inc., said, “My high was when the arch fit together. Seeing it go from paper to fabrication, the stay cable going up. It’s been a good project. This is a cable stayed bridge, and it’s the only one that VSL has built in Texas.”
Jim McTaggart of VSL—the company responsible for hanging the 58 cables—said, “Getting the last cable installed was the highlight for me.”
Through the generosity of the SMU Talented and Gifted program, a scholarship to the TAG program for summer 2011 was awarded to Simon Cohen, now a Booker T. Washington freshman, who recently spoke about his experiences at TEDxKIDS@SMU. Cohen said, “The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge is like a dream. When you look at it, the final version, it's breath-taking and it almost seems magical… but once taken through the step-by-step process, you can really understand the complexity, but also why it fits together so well.”
The Trinity Trust presented Calatrava Student Constructors in partnership with SMU’s Summer Youth Program of the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, SMU’s Talented and Gifted Program and The Study Center, Inc.
Additional co-sponsors of the film premiere included American Council of Engineering Companies of Dallas; Dallas Architectural Forum; Dallas Center for Architecture; Dallas CityDesign Studio; Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce; The Real Estate Council; Texas Society of Architects/AIA; West Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
The star students included the following:
Roland Baumann, Dallas International School
Kalen Beacham, Greenhill School
Simon Cohen, W.B. Travis Academy
Ali de Jong, Ursuline Academy
Star Jackson, North Mesquite High School
Jaylin Knight, Agnew Middle School
Ricardo Mojica, Conrad High School
Gabrielle Munoz, The Hockaday School
Rubi Perez, Irma Rangel YWLS
Claire Richey, North Hills Prep
Angelica Sanjuan, Townview School of Science and Engineering
Rachael Shima, Bishop Dunne Catholic School
For those interested in sponsorship or underwriting the Calatrava Student Constructors film for educational distribution, contact The Trinity Trust at 214.740.1616.
About The Trinity Trust:
The Trinity Trust’s mission is related to activating the Trinity River Corridor and city pride for the 20 miles of green space that belongs to Dallas citizens. The Trinity Trust is charged with raising public awareness through community outreach and private funds that enhance the quality of the project and contribute to an overall distinct and dynamic urban design.
More information can be found by calling 214.740.1616, by emailing info@thetrinitytrust.org, or by visiting www.thetrinitytrust.org.
About the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge Celebration, Bridging The Trinity For The Love Of The City
The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, artfully engineered by world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, is transforming our relationship to the 20 mile green space that belongs to Dallas’ citizens and is known as the Trinity River Corridor. The bridge's signature arch and 58 cables mesmerize as they span the Trinity River and connect West Dallas with the heart of downtown. The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge joins over a dozen downtown bridges, all overlooking the Trinity River that runs beneath them.
Bridges reinforce connectivity between neighborhoods and over rivers. The Trinity Trust hosts the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge Celebration Bridging The Trinity For The Love Of Our City, March 2-4, 2012. More information can be found at http://www.mhhbridgecelebration.com/
Once the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge opens March 2012, the adjacent Continental Avenue Bridge will be transformed into a pedestrian plaza and park space connecting West Dallas with the Design District and downtown. The Margaret McDermott Bridge, replacing the I-30 Bridge, begins construction in 2012 as does the new Sylvan Bridge.
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Calatrava Student Constructors Quotes
“We are bringing ourselves back to nature with something manmade.” –Roland Baumann
“Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge is like a metaphor because it connects people, neighborhoods, and ideas.” –Kalen Beacham
“As the cables intertwine to hold up the bridge, ideas are coming together. The bridge holds up the city, making it strong and lively.” –Kalen Beacham
“Up close, it was awe-inspiring. I heard 400 feet off the ground, but when you first look up at it…it touches the sky” –Simon Cohen
“The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge is like a dream. When you look at it, it’s breathtaking and almost seems magical.” –Simon Cohen
“It’s not only going to pull people together but hopefully people from other places to come see it, too.” –Ali de Jong
“Teamwork definitely does help get something like this off the ground. I can’t imagine the amount of people and teamwork that it took to do that.” –Ali de Jong
“I’ve driven by the bridge in the various stages of construction, but seeing it up close brings a whole new meaning to it.” –Ali de Jong
“I just hope other people appreciate the bridge as much as I do.” –Star Jackson
“It overwhelms me every time I look at it.” –Star Jackson
“Whenever we started building the model, I was amazed that we could actually build it that big.” –Jaylin Knight
“It’s a thing you must see when you come to Dallas. It’s something you can’t miss.” –Ricardo Mojica
“When you look at the cables of the bridge and they have their spinning motion, you get this sense of feeling that they’re just like celestial wings from angels.” –Ricardo Mojica
“One day, I want to design a bridge that would help other people and inspire them too.” –Rubi Perez
“When people cross the bridge, I want them to look around and say, ‘This bridge is beautiful and we must keep everything that surrounds it beautiful.’” –Ricardo Mojica
“You get this sense of feeling that they are just like celestial wings from angels.” –Ricardo Mojica
“It looks like it’s either a butterfly or dragonfly because it has wings.” –Gabby Munoz
“Previously I had only seen the Calatrava Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge from the highway into Dallas, but today I was able to see it close up and truly see the beauty of it. I’m going to carry this day with me for many years, every time I travel over this bridge, and every time it is mentioned I’ll remember this awesome day.” –Claire Richey
“Everything about this project is awe-inspiring, but I think what appeals to me the most is the math and science (engineering) that goes into it. I guess the best way to describe it is WOW.” – Angelica Sanjuan
“I cannot wait until the bridge and all the features are put up and opened. I look forward to having it as one of our attractions in Dallas.” – Rachel Shima