An Italian court has fined Santiago Calatrava ?78,000 for negligence during the design of the glass and steel Ponte della Costituzione over the Grand Canal in Venice.
The Court of Auditors ruled that the Catalan architect was responsible for decisions that led to the 94-metre-long pedestrian bridge being over budget and incurring higher that predicted maintenance costs.
According to the BBC the court accused Calatrava of "gross negligence" stating that the steps, which are made from tempered glass, wore out too quickly, while amends were needed to make the bridge accessible for wheelchairs.
A representative for Calatrava told Dezeen that he rejected the accusation of negligence and that his legal team would consider appealing the ruling. "Santiago Calatrava's legal reps are analysing the court decision in order to study the possibility of an appeal," said the representative.
The latest ruling overturns a decision made in 2015 by a lower court that cleared Calatrava. Salvatore Vento, a Venetian engineer who worked on the bridge was also fined ?11,000 by the court.
Bridge controversial since opening
Completed in 2008, the 94-metre-long bridge was the fourth to be built over Venice's Grand Canal since the 16th century, however, it has been controversial since it opened.
The bridge, which is located near the main train station, was initially criticised for the lack of wheelchair access, although Calatrava had initially proposed incorporating a stairlift i...