A bridge’s beauty matters differently to the person trying to cross it in bad weather.

How a structure looks and how it behaves are judged from different places. Wind, rail height, a slippery surface and the length of the walk are what the crossing feels like at seven in the morning in the rain, and none of that appears in the view from the far bank. Admiration comes from outside, and use comes from inside.

When you assess anything by how it looks, ask what it is like in its worst conditions. That question applies equally to buildings, to plans, and to arrangements that work beautifully as long as nothing goes wrong.