Can engineers create beautiful designs? Should an engineer learn about aesthetics?

I had a fascinating discussion with a landscape architect yesterday evening about road junction design, in particular three recent additions to the City of Cambridge. In his opinion, highway engineers seem to be obsessed with solving the technical problem (ie, lots of tarmac, kerbs, signs and railings and no trees) and forgetting that cars are not their only clients.

Have a look at the new street layout at Oxford Circus in London if you want to see how our pioneering highway engineers are embracing the human side of highway design.