Da Vinci

At the risk of overreaching the intention of this post, it must be stated up front that good design, whether it's architecture, typography, or consumer products, always stands the test of time. Over in Oslo, Norway yesterday, that theory was put to the test (literally) as white cloths were dramatically lifted to reveal a brand new footbridge designed not by a modern day architect, but Leonardo da Vinci -- five centuries after its original design. The bridge is astonishingly modern, subtle, and very pleasing to the eye. It's not as large as da Vinci's original sketch, and is made of wood instead of stone, but it's a testing ground for further architectural projects based on his half-century old ideas. Undoubtedly, an old bridge like this would never have been considered if da Vinci's name wasn't attached to it, but the thrill of seeing old world designs, very old designs, come to fruition in physical form in the twenty-first century is nonetheless exciting, and worth celebrating in these bizarre times.