Let’s appreciate brilliant infrastructure for a moment. Throughout history, various examples have proven that bridges, roads, dams, power plants, and other forms of infrastructure can successfully blend beauty with functionality. Combine perfect timing with the right angle, and you’ll be treated to some breathtaking imagery as well.
On Reddit, there’s a community that loves aesthetic infrastructure. The 713k members of the group share everything from soaring bridges that span great chasms to towering skyscrapers that pierce the sky.
If you’re seeking something visually pleasing, this fresh compilation of pictures we’ve curated could be just what you’re after. Upvote your favorite ones and drop a comment on the ones that truly satisfied your aesthetic craving.
#1 Temporary Road Build Around A Landslide In Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Image credits: biwook
Brilliant infrastructure is a showcase of human creativity and hard work. It includes amazing engineering and design that can change how areas look, bring people together, and push us forward. Think of famous bridges over large bodies of water or modern transit systems that make cities easier to navigate – these are examples of how people working together can make incredible things happen.
#2 Dedicated Bus Lanes In The Middle Of The A40 Autobahn In Essen, Germany
Image credits: catp2
#3 Suspension Railway – Wuppertal, Germany
Image credits: rockystl
These structures do more than just their jobs; they also make our surroundings look better. The way they’re designed combines how they look with what they do, making them both attractive and practical. Each piece of brilliant infrastructure tells a story of big ideas, careful planning, and lots of effort to make things perfect.
#4 Bharati Research Station Of India In Antarctica
Image credits: Low-Newt-180
#5 A Cycle Path That Goes Through A Lake In Bokrijk, Belgium
Image credits: Stotallytob3r
#6 Boston
Image credits: DefinitelyNotGreg
Infrastructure is like the backbone of strong economies. It helps things move, like goods and people and provides important things like energy and water for businesses. It’s also needed for services we rely on, such as electricity, clean water, internet, transportation, healthcare, education, and protection from natural disasters.
#7 Jacksonville, Florida Interchange
Image credits: rockystl
#8 No One Does Train Stations Like China
Image credits: reddit.com
#9 Royal Gorge Bridge – Fremont County, Colorado
Image credits: rockystl
According to OECD website, “Infrastructure currently contributes to 79% of GHG emissions globally, we must examine how public and private infrastructure can contribute to respecting the Paris Agreement and achieving the SDGs and that we determine the standards and policy guidance can guide countries to achieve these outcomes.”
#10 They Started Digging Foundation For That 170 Kilometers Long Building In Saudi Arabia
Image credits: biwook
#11 Banff Wildlife Crossing Project, Banff, Alberta, Canada. Combined With Fencing To Keep The Animals Off The Road, The Structures Have Reduced Animal-Vehicle Collisions In The Area By More Than 80%
Image credits: morganmonroe81
#12 Storseisundet Bridge – Norway
Image credits: rockystl
The choices we make about infrastructure today will shape the kind of future we all share. It’s in our hands to build a foundation that paves the way for a better tomorrow. The changing economy requires us to rethink infrastructure: make it more digital, sustainable, and fair. This covers everything from better internet access to new bike lanes, marking a significant infrastructure evolution.
#13 The Stockholm Telephone Tower With Approximately 5,500 Telephone Lines, 1890
Image credits: kairatsh
#14 Three Trains Passing At A Time Through Mukundara Hills National Park. Rajasthan, India
Image credits: crowbiriyani
#15 Peljesac Bridge, Croatia, Night Before The Opening Day
Image credits: r_bubyy
In the past, infrastructure was constructed to address particular problems, like dealing with local concerns such as sanitation, flooding, or travel needs. Often, there was limited consideration for future requirements due to short-term politics. This has led to infrastructure becoming inadequate and overwhelmed as it rapidly reached its limits.
#16 The Falkirk Wheel, A Rotating Boat Lift In Scotland. It Replaces The Original 11 Locks On The Forth And Clyde Canal Junction With The Union Canal
Image credits: Stotallytob3r
#17 Heatherwick Rolling Bridge – Paddington Basin, London, England, UK
Image credits: rockystl
#18 Elevated Metro Line Integrated Into Park It Passes Over In Kolkata, India
Image credits: Low-Newt-180
AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity are changing infrastructure, showing it’s going digital. Green infrastructure is also in demand. There are intentions to invest in urban spaces for walking, cycling, socializing, and dining. In the future, infrastructure needs better planning, using improved predictions for demand and weather changes. People will want smarter infrastructure that saves energy, improves buildings, and eases traffic. This improvement should come from using smart systems and data to make better decisions and predictions.
#19 FedEx Superhub Memphis, Tn – Over 90 FedEx Aircraft In This Picture Alone!
Image credits: meir_ratnum
#20 This Not A Town, This Is A Single Chemical Plant In Burghausen, Germany (Wacker Chemie Ag)
Image credits: Tackerta
#21 Gigantic Bridge In Germany, 158 Meter Tall, 1702 Meters Long
Image credits: According_South_2500
We sometimes don’t realize the value of what’s right in front of us – the hard work and talent that make our cities great. These new insights might help us appreciate outstanding infrastructure more. Keep scrolling for amazing infrastructure pictures, and for more, check out our previous coverage on the topic here and here.
#22 Train Dock In Duluth, Minnesota. Photo Credit Dave Schauer
Image credits: itsarace1
#23 Séliš Ksanka Ql’ispé Dam At Polson, Montana, United States
Image credits: Neumean
#24 Elevated Tram At The Detroit Metropolitan Airport
Image credits: TheGummiFather
#25 3D Model Of Tokyo’s Subway System
Image credits: minitrr
#26 Viaduct 13, Brazil. It Is The Tallest Viaduct In The Americas And The Second Tallest In The World. It Is 143 Meters High And Was Built In The 1970s
Image credits: Rondic
#27 Huangjuewan Interchange
Image credits: biwook
#28 Oil Rig In Brage Oil Field Located In The North Sea 120 Km Northwest Of The City Of Bergen
Image credits: fattyfoods
#29 Devil’s Bridge – Bulgaria
Image credits: rockystl
#30 Highway 99 Above, Highway 1 And Bc Ferries Queue Below – West Vancouver, Canada
Image credits: AdapterCable
#31 Crews Await Skytrain Tbm Breakthrough While Traffic Moves On Broadway Street Above – Vancouver, Canada
Image credits: AdapterCable
#32 Bharati, India’s 2nd Research Centre In Antarctica
Image credits: TheLastMomBender
#33 Monorail Passes Through Liziba Station In Chongqing, China. It Passes Through The Sixth And Eighth Floors Of The 19-Story Apartment Building
Image credits: congratsonyournap
#34 Public Elevator In Luxembourg, Free As All Other Public Transportation
Image credits: MaxiKing121
#35 London Bridge Station From The Shard
Image credits: OtterlyFoxy
#36 Road Cut Through Taroko Gorge, Taiwan
Image credits: loki_racer
#37 One Of The 10 Largest Solar Plants In The World Under Construction In Mexico
Image credits: Spascucci
#38 Vancouver, Bc From The Window Of An Airplane [oc]
Image credits: Koblootski
#39 Due To The Destruction Of A Certain Russian Bridge, The Vasco De Gama Bridge In Lisbon, Portugal Is Now The Longest (Usable) Bridge In Europe
Image credits: Tayo826
#40 Safety And Alignment Improvements Taking Shape On The Transcanada Highway. Highway 1 Is One Of The Deadliest Sections Of Roadway In The Country. Canadian Rockies, British Columbia
Image credits: AdapterCable
#41 Paddington Station On The Elizabeth Line, London, UK
Image credits: HighburyAndIslington
#42 USB Type Shaped Port, Rheinhäfen Karlsruhe, Germany
Image credits: multi_tasker01
#43 The Tijuana International Airport In Mexico Has A Terminal In The Us Which Is Connected To The Main Building Through A Bridge Over The Border
Image credits: gahte3
#44 Suspension Rail In Wuppertal, Germany
Image credits: footour
#45 The Tientsin Eye Yongle Bridge – Tianjin, China
Image credits: rockystl
#46 Rotterdam, 25 Years Ago And Now
Image credits: seamanplays
#47 The Delhi–mumbai Expressway Is A 1,350 Km Long, 8-Lane Wide Under-Construction Access-Controlled Expressway Connecting India’s National Capital New Delhi With Its Financial Capital Mumbai
Image credits: reddit.com
#48 The Mozes Bridge (Loopgraafbrug) – Fort De Roovere, Halsteren, Netherlands
Image credits: rockystl
#49 Utrecht, The Netherlands: 50 Years Ago, This Canal Was Filled And Converted Into A Highway. Now It Has Finally Been Transformed Back, With Space For Cyclists And Nature As Well
Image credits: Redditing-Dutchman
#50 The Bridge Over The Mountain Spring Lake In Romania
Image credits: NudeArtRomania
#51 Bastei Walking Bridge – Germany – 1851
Image credits: rockystl
#52 Thought You Would Be Interested In This Skew Bridge In Scotland
Image credits: ameowman
#53 O’hare vs. Midway – Size Comparison, Chicago, Il
Image credits: Scraw16
#54 A Wall In Ancient Ostia Where The Bricks Were Laid According To The Scheme Called Opus Reticulatum, With Bricks Arranged Diagonally. The Ancient Romans Knew Earthquake Tremors Were Transmitted Diagonally And This Could Cope Better Than A Horizontal Pattern
Image credits: Stotallytob3r
#55 Nh 44, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India. The Longest National Highway In The Country. Picture: The_prabster
Image credits: Qwertz275_
#56 A Novel High Voltage Electricity Pylon Called ‘Bog Fox, In Estonia By Part Architects
Image credits: r_sole1
#57 The Lner Azuma Train Crosses Edinburgh’s Forth Bridge
Image credits: Brilliant__5280
#58 Magdeburg Water Bridge – Magdeburg, Germany
Image credits: rockystl
#59 The Canals Of London
Image credits: Chipotle42
#60 The Pipe That Carries Water Across A Gorge In Caminito Del Rey
Image credits: loki_racer
#61 Wuppertal In The Night
Image credits: According_South_2500
#62 Train In Argentine’s Patagonia (Esquel, Chubut Province)
Image credits: MarioDiBian
#63 Under Manchester Streets
Image credits: abaganoush
#64 Worli-Bandra Sea Link, Mumbai, India
Image credits: Acrobatic_Effect4907
#65 Millau Viaduct
Image credits: _SP3CT3R
#66 The Ancient Roman Aqueduct In Segovia, Spain – Standing Since The 1st Century
Image credits: EssoEssex
#67 The Ashalim Power Station In The Negev Desert, With The Tallest Solar Tower In Israel
Image credits: abaganoush
#68 The Entrance To What Once Was The Longest Railway Tunnel In The World. Northern Line, London Underground
Image credits: Stotallytob3r
#69 Newly Inaugurated Cycling And Walking Track In Bengaluru, India
Image credits: Low-Newt-180
#70 This Is The Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel. It Will Fill With Water To Protect Tokyo From Flooding. The Concrete Support Towers Are 18m Tall
Image credits: ldoot
#71 Aqueduct Of Valens, Built In The Year Of 368 Ad In Constantinople
Image credits: senolsanbari
#72 Tram From 1926 Still In Active Traffic On The Streets Of Stockholm, Sweden, November 2022
Image credits: kattmedtass
#73 New Solar Plant In Campeche, Mexico
Image credits: Spascucci
#74 Jacob’s Ladder On The Remote Atlantic Island Of St. Helena Is One Of The Longest Straight Stairways In The World, Rising 183m
Image credits: Stotallytob3r
#75 High Trestle Trail Bridge – Boone County, Iowa
Image credits: rockystl
#76 Panama Canal Locks Under Construction In 1912
Image credits: morganmonroe81
#77 2004 Photo Of The Millau Viaduct In Southern France Under Construction
Image credits: morganmonroe81
#78 Kapellbrucke Chapel Bridge – Lucerne, Switzerland
Image credits: rockystl
#79 Constitucion Train Station In Buenos Aires, Argentina
Image credits: MarioDiBian
#80 Two Indian Trains Cross Each Other Near Manmad Station In India
Image credits: Low-Newt-180
#81 Clifton Suspension Bridge – Bristol, England, UK
Image credits: rockystl
#82 Elizabeth Line British Rail Class 345 Bombardier Aventra Electric Multiple Unit (Emu) Train At Farringdon Station, London, UK
Image credits: HighburyAndIslington
#83 Crystal Palace Transmitter, London
Image credits: mellonians
#84 I’m On The 3rd Ever Lirr Train To Leave From Grand Central, NYC
Image credits: dingonyc
#85 Sea Cliff Bridge – Highway 1 – Australia
Image credits: rockystl
#86 The Metro In Lausanne, Switzerland – The Smallest City In The World To Have A Full Metro System
Image credits: biwook
#87 Čechův Most, Prague
Image credits: newjersey1988
#88 The Mini Subway System Underneath The Us Capitol. It Has Two Lines, Six Stops Total, And A Maintenance Bay
Image credits: WaddlesJP13
#89 3 Freight Trains Of Indian Railways In Konkan, Maharashtra, India
Image credits: Low-Newt-180
#90 Lacerda Elevator, Salvador, Brazil. It Is The First Public Elevator In The World. Built In 1873, When It Opened It Was The Tallest Elevator In The World At 63 Meters High
Image credits: Rondic
#91 Palo Verde Nuclear Powerplant. Located 45 Miles From Phoenix Az, The Plant Uses The Cities Treated Sewage Water For Cooling. It Is The Only Nuclear Plant In The Us Not Located On A Major Body Of Water
Image credits: wadamday
#92 Pedestrian Walkway Under The Subway Viaduct. Bangkok
Image credits: tannerge
#93 Road To Nowhere, Monument Valley, Az, USA
Image credits: Position_Extreme
#94 Someone Recommended That I Post This Denver Lightrail Station Entrance On Here
Image credits: RCsSnaps
#95 A Roundabout Bridge In Uruguay
Image credits: Marciu73
#96 Double Stack Container Train Of Indian Railways
Image credits: Low-Newt-180
#97 Old Bridge Hidden Under The New One. Barcelona, Spain
Image credits: josep-panadero
#98 Bay Bridge, Looking Toward San Francisco From Treasure Island
Image credits: excitom
#99 Another Image Of The New Bicycle Storage In Amsterdam, With Space For 7000 Bikes Below The Water In Front Of Central Station
Image credits: Redditing-Dutchman