Skip to main content

Building the impossible: Golden Gate Bridge - Alex Gendler

  • 640,456 Views
  • 6,686 Questions Answered
  • TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Stretching 227 meters tall, two towers were assembled to support California’s Golden Gate Bridge. They were just one of the challenges facing engineers Charles Ellis and Joseph Strauss. Even before construction began, many thought the project impossible: the strait was home to powerful winds, constant fog, and earthquakes. So how was this iconic bridge created? Alex Gendler details the feat.


Customize this lesson117

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Alex Gendler
  • Director Anton Bogaty
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Music Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio
  • Sound Designer Nirana Singh, cAMP Studio
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editor Dan Kwartler
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Take a deeper dive into the design and structural elements of the bridge, or check out these documentaries on its construction. The official Golden Gate Bridge site has a wealth of resources and primary sources, while NPR has an interview about the bridge’s iconic color. You can also read about the structural design and history of suspension bridges.

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Alex Gendler
  • Director Anton Bogaty
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Music Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio
  • Sound Designer Nirana Singh, cAMP Studio
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editor Dan Kwartler
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam

More from Inventions that Shape History