Features
The 25 – Miguel Rosales
Recognized internationally as an expert on bridge aesthetics and design, Miguel Rosales has raised awareness of the importance of preserving and restoring these historic structures during a career that has spanned 30 years.
Many historic bridges are beloved by nearby communities as they have become part of their heritage and local culture,” says Rosales, who restored the 1904 historic Como Park Pedestrian Bridge in Como Park in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Boston’s Longfellow Bridge, which is considered one of the most architecturally distinguished bridges in New England and the most significant in the city. “It is important to try to save these structures and give them a new purpose. For example, an out-of-date vehicle bridge could be converted to pedestrian and bicycle use to promote sustainability and connectivity.”
Because of Rosales’ work, more communities are becoming aware of preserving their historic architecture, which is propelling the future of traditional design.
Rosales, who won a Palladio Award for the Longfellow Bridge project, has been a passionate preservationist since childhood, when he frequently visited Antigua, a well-preserved Spanish Colonial city in his native Guatemala that is a UNESCO site.
His sees his legacy as giving longevity to landmarks that make a difference in daily life.
“As bridge architect for the Longfellow, I had the opportunity to experience the transformation and enhancement of a structure that had been neglected for decades,” he says. “The beautiful bridge has been in use for over a century, and after the restoration, it continues to attract great admiration and civic pride.”
