Seven Wonders: Engineering Feats
The American Society of Civil Engineers presents seven modern engineering marvels, stretching from South America to Europe.
1. Delta Works
Image: Adapted from Vladimír Šiman (CC BY 3.0).
The Netherlands | 18.5 mi (30 km) long | 1950–1997
In 1953, catastrophic flooding, resulting in over 8,000 deaths, made the Netherlands’ vulnerability to ocean storm surges tragically clear. The solution: a massive infrastructural project called the Delta Works.
This system of dams, dykes, levees, locks, and other components enables the modulation of tides flowing in and out of the country’s numerous estuaries. Not only have the works opened some 900 square miles (2,330 km2) of dry land, they have also secured freshwater sources against seawater inundation, and provided new bridge and highway routes to island communities.
2. Channel Tunnel
Image: Adapted from Jaguar MENA (CC BY 2.0).
England & France | 31 mi (50 km) long | 1988–1994
The so-called “Chunnel” is the longest undersea railway in the world, connecting Folkestone, England with Calais, France. Operated by Eurotunnel, the rail carries high-speed Eurostar passenger trains, road vehicle shuttles, and freight trains.
While casual day trippers enjoy an easy 35-minute train ride, the tunnel also has a rather daunting second use—since its opening in 1994, cyclists have occasionally been allowed to ride the 72-mile (100-km) round-trip route through the tunnel’s service passages.
3. Empire State Building
Image: Adapted from Pedro Lastra (Unsplash).
New York, New York | 1,454 ft (443 m) high | 1930–1931
While it may no longer be the tallest building in the world, the towering art deco structure at the intersection of 5th Avenue and West 34th Street still endures as one of the best-known icons of New York City.
Climbing into the Manhattan skyline within 13 months, the skyscraper made history as the tallest building in the world, and retained that title for the next 40 years. Now, however, it is less than half the height of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building existing today.
Regardless, the New York emblem of engineering remains a fixture in popular culture, and continues to attract some 4 million visitors per year.
4. CN Tower
Image: Adapted from John Salvino (Unsplash).
Toronto, Canada | 1,815 ft (553 m) high | 1973–1976
Built by the Canadian National Railway as a communications platform, the CN Tower held the record of “tallest free-standing structure” for some 30 years.
This peculiar superlative comes from the fact that the tower’s habitable space is concentrated inside the iconic bulb of the SkyPod—the structure otherwise contains no floors and hence is not technically a “building.”
Nevertheless, 2 million visitors swamp the CN Tower each year to enjoy its observation decks, restaurant, and trademark EdgeWalk (a $200, harnessed, hands-free stroll around the 5 ft. [1.5 m] wide ledge atop the SkyPod).
5. Golden Gate Bridge
Image: Adapted from Oliver Plattner (Unsplash).
San Francisco, California | 4,200 ft (1,280 m) long | 1933–1937
This famous icon may surprise some visitors with its clearly not gold but red-hued “international orange” protective paint—the bridge actually inherited its name from the Golden Gate straits.
Today the bridge is celebrated as an innovative feat of modern engineering. But in the 1930s its design was met with a host of opposing voices ranging from ferry companies to the War Department. Engineer Joseph Strauss’s original concept and Irving Morrow’s art deco design ultimately won out, producing one of the most recognizable public works in modern history.
By foot, by bicycle, and by car, commuters and visitors take over 112,000 trips across the bridge every day.
6. Panama Canal
Image: Adapted from Panama Canal Authority (Public Domain).
Panama | 48 mi (77 km) long | 1881–1914
The opportunity was captivating: obviate a 10,000 mile (16,000 km) one-way voyage around South America—and its hazardous Cape Horn—by excavating a handful of miles through the Isthmus of Panama.
Work on the Panama Canal began under the French; the United States assumed the lead role in 1904. Opening in 1914, the route turned a months-long journey into a mere 12-hour jaunt, transforming global commerce.
It also created a geopolitically priceless region of concern. The United States steadfastly maintained control of the area for decades, but handed all responsibility for the canal—and its annual traffic of 15,000 ships—to the Panama Canal Authority in 1999.
7. Itaipu Dam
Image: Adapted from Henri Bergius (CC BY-SA 2.0).
Paraguay & Brazil | 3 mi (5 km) long | 1975–1984
Operated jointly by Brazil and Paraguay, the Itaipu Dam is the largest hydroelectric complex in the world.
Straddling the Paraná River, the dam’s construction displaced thousands of families and inundated Guaíra Falls—previously one of the world’s largest falls by volume. Nevertheless, the Itaipu Dam’s generation capacity of 14 gigawatts—and its 2016 world record of 103,098,466 megawatt hours generated—remains an invaluable resource.
Explore all seven engineering feats in the map below
That wraps it up for a tour of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World
Public interest in naming top lists of remarkable sites is of timeless popularity. Keep reading to discover more wonders from the ancient, modern, and natural worlds.
