Unseen hands - 100 years of structural engineering

London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 17 March - 7 September 2008

Beijing National Aquatics Centre © PTW + CSCEC

Marking the centenary of the founding of the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), this exhibition celebrated the importance of engineering in creating some of the most iconic buildings of the past 100 years. 

Using three themes (towers, bridges and large enclosures) the exhibition brought to life the design and construction of structures including New York's Empire State Building, Switzerland's Salginatobel Bridge and Poland's People's Hall - as well as more modern projects including the Millau Viaduct, the Eden Project and the still-rising Burj Dubai.

Through a variety of media - models, drawings, CAD imagery, video and photographs sourced from all over the world - the ambition and ingenuity of these structures was revealed. Developments in material, form and technique were also explored.

The exhibition was curated by architectural writer David Littlefield with the support of the IstructE.