Bridges of Hangzhou

Abstract

In this essay, the author, architect Mladen Jadric, explores the multilayered relationship between architectural education and practice through a personal narrative shaped in Sarajevo and articulated via international experiences, with a special focus on China, Korea, Japan and Asia in general. Reflections on Sarajevo’s bridges as intersections of narrative and space unfold into a broader discussion of architecture as a medium of expression and social responsibility. The author recalls his studies at the Sarajevo Faculty of Architecture, where fiction, technique, and culture converged into a distinctive pedagogical and professional approach. Inspiration is drawn from Marco Polo’s dialogues with Kublai Khan in Calvino’s Invisible Cities, interwoven with the author’s architectural projects in the culturally rich city of Hangzhou. The design of bridges for the ASIAD 2022 project exemplifies a synthesis of public space, identity, and contemporary urbanism. These bridges, designed by austrian-chinese team are not merely physical structures, but extensions of social currents—spaces of encounter and reflection. The text emphasizes lifelong learning and cross-cultural dialogue in architecture, recognizing architectural practice as a means to shape a more equitable society. Ultimately, it underscores the importance of local context and narrative as foundations for globally relevant architectural engagement.