The most mundane things that you use every day (think post it notes, rubber bands, concrete) often have fascinating stories behind them.
In fact, people often only notice how something's designed when it goes wrong. But the process of discovery, testing and prototyping anything, no matter how ordinary, is full of pitfalls and the occasional exhilarating breakthrough.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Brunel's list of accomplishments is immense. He started building his reputation in 1826, aged 20 years old, helping his father design and construct the Thames Tunnel, the world's first underwater transport tunnel.
Brunel went on to build the Great Western Railway between Bristol and London. He personally surveyed the entire route, designed the two major terminals (Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington) and most of the associated infrastructure, including the nearly 3km-long Box Tunnel.
He was a master of materials and structures. The Maidenhead Railway Bridge (a brick arch bridge), Royal Albert Bridge (wrought iron) and Clifton Suspension Bridge (wrought iron suspension) used very different techniques but each is still in use today, over 150 years later. Brunel's use of iron was most revolutionary, building the SS Great Britain, the world's first iron hulled ship in 1843.
Model T Ford