40 Designs That Show The Beauty Of Well-Planned Infrastructure

Let’s appreciate brilliant infrastructure designs for a moment. Throughout history, various examples have proven that bridges, roads, dams, power plants, and other forms of infrastructure can successfully blend beauty with functionality. Combine perfect timing with the right angle, and you’ll be treated to breathtaking imagery.

On Reddit, there’s a community that loves aesthetic infrastructure. The 713k members of the group share everything from soaring bridges that span great chasms to towering skyscrapers that pierce the sky.

If you’re seeking something visually pleasing, this fresh compilation of pictures we’ve curated could be what you’re after. Upvote your favorite ones and drop a comment on the ones that genuinely satisfy your aesthetic craving.

01. Banff Wildlife Crossing Project, Banff, Alberta, Canada. Combined With Fencing To Keep The Animals Off The Road

The structures have reduced animal-vehicle collisions in the area by more than 80%

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Brilliant infrastructure is a showcase of human creativity and hard work. It includes incredible engineering and design that can change how areas look, bring people together, and push us forward. Think of famous bridges over large bodies of water or modern transit systems that make cities easier to navigate – these are examples of how people working together can make incredible things happen.

02. Thought You Would Be Interested In This Skew Bridge In Scotland

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03. Dedicated Bus Lanes In The Middle Of The A40 Autobahn In Essen, Germany

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These structures do more than just their jobs; they also make our surroundings look better. How they’re designed combines their look with what they do, making them attractive and practical. Each piece of brilliant infrastructure tells a story of big ideas, careful planning, and lots of effort to make things perfect.

04. Heatherwick Rolling Bridge – Paddington Basin, London, England, UK

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05. Suspension Railway – Wuppertal, Germany

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06. The Falkirk Wheel, A Rotating Boat Lift In Scotland. It Replaces The Original 11 Locks On The Forth And Clyde Canal Junction With The Union Canal

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Infrastructure is like the backbone of strong economies. It helps things move, like goods and people and provides essential things like energy and water for businesses. It’s also needed for services we rely on, such as electricity, clean water, internet, transportation, healthcare, education, and protection from natural disasters.

07. A Cycle Path That Goes Through A Lake In Bokrijk, Belgium

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08. Royal Gorge Bridge – Fremont County, Colorado

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09. Storseisundet Bridge – Norway

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According to the OECD website, “Infrastructure currently contributes to 79% of GHG emissions globally. We must examine how public and private infrastructure can contribute to respecting the Paris Agreement and achieving the SDGs and that we determine the standards and policy guidance that can guide countries to achieve these outcomes.”

10. Temporary Road Build Around A Landslide In Fukui Prefecture, Japan

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11. Devil’s Bridge – Bulgaria

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12. 3D Model Of Tokyo’s Subway System

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Our choices about infrastructure today will shape the kind of future we all share. Building a foundation that paves the way for a better tomorrow is in our hands. The changing economy requires us to rethink infrastructure: make it more digital, sustainable, and fair. This covers everything from better internet access to new bike lanes, marking a significant infrastructure evolution.

13. Magdeburg Water Bridge – Magdeburg, Germany

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14. Jacksonville, Florida Interchange

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15. Utrecht, The Netherlands: 50 Years Ago, This Canal Was Filled And Converted Into A Highway. Now It Has Finally Been Transformed Back, With Space For Cyclists And Nature As Well

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In the past, infrastructure was constructed to address particular problems, like local concerns such as sanitation, flooding, or travel needs. Often, there was limited consideration for future requirements due to short-term politics. This has led to inadequate and overwhelmed infrastructure as it rapidly reached its limits.

16. Bastei Walking Bridge – Germany – 1851

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17. Tram From 1926 Still In Active Traffic On The Streets Of Stockholm, Sweden, November 2022

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18. Elevated Metro Line Integrated Into Park It Passes Over In Kolkata, India

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AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity are changing infrastructure, showing it’s going digital. Green infrastructure is also in demand. There are intentions to invest in urban spaces for walking, cycling, socializing, and dining. In the future, infrastructure needs better planning, using improved predictions for demand and weather changes. People will want more innovative infrastructure that saves energy, improves buildings, and eases traffic. This improvement should come from using intelligent systems and data to make better decisions and predictions.

19. Gigantic Bridge In Germany, 158 Meter Tall, 1702 Meters Long

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20. The Ancient Roman Aqueduct In Segovia, Spain – Standing Since The 1st Century

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21. The Canals Of London

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We sometimes don’t realize the value of what’s right in front of us – the hard work and talent that make our cities great. These new insights might help us appreciate outstanding infrastructure more. Keep scrolling for amazing infrastructure pictures, and for more, check out our previous coverage on the topic here.

22. The Stockholm Telephone Tower With Approximately 5,500 Telephone Lines, 1890

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23. No One Does Train Stations Like China

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24. Peljesac Bridge, Croatia, Night Before The Opening Day

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25. Jacob’s Ladder On The Remote Atlantic Island Of St. Helena Is One Of The Longest Straight Stairways In The World, Rising 183m

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26. Elevated Tram At The Detroit Metropolitan Airport

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27. The Entrance To What Once Was The Longest Railway Tunnel In The World. Northern Line, London Underground

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28. Bharati Research Station Of India In Antarctica

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29. Due To The Destruction Of A Certain Russian Bridge, The Vasco De Gama Bridge In Lisbon, Portugal, Is Now The Longest (Usable) Bridge In Europe

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30. Millau Viaduct

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31. This Is The Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel. It Will Fill With Water To Protect Tokyo From Flooding. The Concrete Support Towers Are 18m Tall

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32. Road Cut Through Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

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33. Three Trains Passing At A Time Through Mukundara Hills National Park. Rajasthan, India

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34. A Novel High Voltage Electricity Pylon Called ‘Bog Fox, In Estonia By Part Architects

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35. Worli-Bandra Sea Link, Mumbai, India

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36. Train In Argentine’s Patagonia (Esquel, Chubut Province)

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37. Viaduct 13, Brazil. It Is The Tallest Viaduct In The Americas And The Second Tallest In The World. It Is 143 Meters High And Was Built In The 1970s

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38. FedEx Superhub Memphis, Tn – Over 90 FedEx Aircraft In This Picture Alone!

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39. Boston

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40. USB Type Shaped Port, Rheinhäfen Karlsruhe, Germany

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