A bridge can be more than connecting zones, says Iranian architect

Kolkata: Iranian woman architect Leila Araghian, the chief designer and architect of the iconic Tabiat Bridge in Tehran, on Saturday said a bridge can be more than just a structural project.
"A bridge can just be a simple structural project, connecting two places out of necessity. Or a bridge can be more architecturally sophisticated, having some context with the place," Leila said.
She is in the city to attend 'Connecting Histories', a an international architectural convention organised by CREDAI Bengal and Indian Institute of Architects.
"Our project in Tehran falls in the second category. It is a complex cultural project having some activity. The bridge has handrails, lighting, green space, lively interior," she said about the pedestrian bridge, which has won several international awards including the prestigious 'Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2016'.
Pointing out that the cities are increasingly becoming car-oriented, she said "cars don't give much space to pedestrians. We want to have good quality human environment for everyone."
She said rather than the role of an architect, it is the role of everyone - landscape designer, architect, urban planner, civic bodies - to create good quality human environmenmt for pedesrians, not for cars.
Leila referred to Florence, Venice and also few Scandinavian countries where some bridges are more than just connecting places. "Bridges can be more than civil structural projects and built with an architectural approach", she said.
"You have shops on Venice bridge. While in Tehran webuilt the bridge to give the commuters a good quality life even when they are outside their homes, on the street," she explained.
Pointing out that the Tehran bridge was meant to facilitate pedestrian flow, she said, "the cities should figure out that over-dependent use of automobiles causes disease like cancer, sound and air pollution".
"Municipalities shoud enforce regulations," Leila, the co-founder of architecture firm 'Diba Tensile Architecture' in Tehran said. Asked about the situation of women in Iran, she said, "when I was studying in the university (Shahid Beheshti University) in Tehran, of the 30 students in our department, there were 20 girls. And that answers your question probably."
"Women in Iran are good students. In varsities and other institutions they are in large numbers." "Women are in powerful positions and several professions like men and doing jobs like men and I am just one of them. I am no exception."