ABSTRACT
The name of Mario Salvadori (1907-1997) is well known to most anyone who studies or works at the intersection of structural engineering and architecture. In conversations with those who knew him, descriptions such as “amazingly talented,” “incredibly generous,” “supremely ethical,” “a Renaissance man,” and so on populate the discussion, and it is clear he is held in the highest esteem. The list of his accomplishments is truly remarkable-far beyond that of any average person. His written works include more than fifteen books, many translated into at least a half-dozen languages (Heller 2012) and nearly 200 technical papers on mathematics, structural engineering and architectural engineering. The brilliant Hungarian-born structural engineer Paul Weidlinger invited Mario to collaborate with him while Mario continued an illustrious career at Columbia University. Within a few years, he became a partner in Weidlinger Associates and later rose to chairman of the board, and specialized in mathematical modeling, shell structures and forensic structural analysis. The firm grew to become one of the most technically acclaimed engineering offices in the world, staffed by many who were once his students at Columbia.
