70 Years of Building a Better Sarajevo: A Legacy of Dedication and Progress

On the occasion of marking the 70th anniversary of the Sarajevo Canton Development Planning Institute, a press conference was held today where the Minister of Community Economy, Infrastructure, Spatial Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection KS Bojan Bošnjak, director of the KS Development Planning Institute. Faruk Muharemović addressed the media professor at the Swiss Federal University of Technology in Zurich Michael Walczak.

This important anniversary will be marked by an appropriate exhibition and publication of the Institute’s monograph entitled “Integrated Planning for the Development of Sarajevo 1954-2024”, made in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ ), with the support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

As noted during the press conference, in the last seven decades, the KS Development Planning Institute has transformed from the Urban Institute in 1954 to the Spatial and Urban Planning Institute in 1975, then to the Planning Institute Development. from the City of Sarajevo in 1979 and finally in 1998. to the Sarajevo Canton Development Planning Institute.

From its establishment in 1954 until today, the Foundation has been committed to a comprehensive, comprehensive, holistic approach to planning the development of Sarajevo, which takes into account social, economic, spatial and urban perspectives. The Institute’s work during these seventy years was characterized by being open to the scientific, academic, political, social community, which can be seen from the review of international and domestic institutions, institutions, organizations, ministries, universities, faculties, in as well as individuals. who participated in various projects.

With a congratulatory message on the occasion of the 70th anniversary, Minister Bošnjak expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation that the relevant ministry has with the CA Development Planning Institute.

“I believe we will improve this cooperation further in the years to come. We are currently preparing two very important documents. There is the urban plan proposal, which I believe will be outlined soon, as well as the new KS Spatial Plan, which is the most important document that will be discussed in this convocation of the Government and the Assembly on this time,” said Minister Bošnjak. .

Director Muharemović also emphasized the Institute’s key role in the preparation of spatial planning documents for the 1984 Winter Olympics, awarded as the best organized Olympic Games up to that time, adding that the Institute’s employees received individual April 6 awards in 1958, 1960 , and 1974. and 1977, and other group awards in 1956, 2001 and 2014 for work that contributes to the general improvement and development of the city of Sarajevo.

“Much has been written about the architects of Sarajevo, the professional community is familiar with the big names of Bosnian architecture and their achievements, but part of that community are also the urban planners of Sarajevo, who unfortunately almost always stayed in the shadow of the country. the first, unnoticed and in some way almost forgotten. Giving their knowledge after completing their architectural studies for the benefit of the city, and becoming the invisible guardians of the city’s public space, they played a major role in creating the prerequisites for significant architectural achievements, but unfortunately their noble role was not in often professional circles. recognize and appreciate them in the right way.” , said Muharemović.

Speaking about the monograph, he said that it is a capital work which for the first time elevates, unites and brings rich insight into the history of the Institute’s work, an abundance of data and factual facts which have exceptional documentary value. These are key development documents, plans, research and visions of Sarajevo space, but also the professional and life stories of associates and employees of the Institute who spread the idea that space and all its features must be approached in carefully, starting from values, knowledge, culture, identity and dignity in regional, European and global frameworks.

“The monograph has that humane dimension, because it sheds light on urban planners, but also all the technical staff and other employees of the Institute, who have worked hard during these seven decades for the benefit of Sarajevo, giving’ the respect they deserve. I feel a special joy that, through this monograph, all those people who, through their hard work and dedication, have enabled the continued operation of the profession, even in the city’s most difficult times, will be recorded through the this monograph, and that the public will also have an insight into the complexity of the work and the exceptional importance of the organization of the Foundation”, said Muharemović.

According to Professor Walczak, this is an important document of Sarajevo’s urban transformation that will be available to the professional public around the world. He said the desire is to create a new planning culture based on the huge heritage this institution has, as well as innovation in development planning.

“Our intention is to show all the excellent heritage of this city, and this emphasizes the archive. The focus is certainly on the people behind the planning documents and activities on the development of the city. All the photo documentation from the monograph will also be available in the exhibition we are organizing,” Walczak noted.

The KS Development Planning Institute exhibition will be open from October 31 to November 5 at the Bosnian Cultural Center. The exhibition will present some of the key development documents, plans, research and visions of the development of Sarajevo, as well as selected photographs of the city, its associates and workers, taken by the famous artist Peter Rigaud.