A 33-metre-long suspension bridge, built from more than 260,000 LEGO® bricks, will be on display at the Qatar National Library beginning this Wednesday, 28 November, until 6 January next year. The bridge was first exhibited by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) – Bridge Engineering, and is considered the longest of such structure in the world.
Entitled Qatar’s Little Builders: Bridging Communities, the exhibit intends to ignite a passion for engineering, mathematics and architecture in the library’s young visitors. The bridge also symbolises the strong cultural ties between Qatar and the UK, as part of the fifth edition of the 2018 Qatar British Festival, organised in collaboration with the British Council and the British Embassy in Qatar.
The bridge will be half-built when it goes on public display this week. Over the following week, visitors will be able to help assemble the bridge, with engineers providing the necessary instruction. Experts from Bright Bricks and ICE will also hold workshops for students visiting the library on school tours.
According to QNL Executive Director Dr Sohair Wastawy, the suspension bridge is a remarkable feat of engineering, and they are proud to offer families and children the opportunity to engage in a single activity that truly fits all ages.
The bridge building activity will also allow them to appreciate the relationship between engineering and architecture and, hopefully, consider pursuing careers in these fields.’
Sam Ayton, Director of the British Council in Qatar, said they are proud to bring the fifth British Festival to Qatar, to connect the local audiences with some of the best contemporary British art, and let families discover the fun side of culture and learn something new.
We are delighted to partner with QNL, and we are looking forward to more collaboration in the future.’
The bridge was designed by ICE fellow Dr Robin Sham. Bright Bricks, a UK-based builder of large-scale LEGO® structures, and LEGO® Certified Professionals constructed the replica of the 2016 bridge with AECOM engineers and volunteers.
Learn more about this event through this link.