December 2017 Challenge : Mostar Bridge

[- JO -]

I want to try something with this challenge...

Some of you may recall the war in former Yougoslavia, during the '90 ?

During this very complicated conflict, the city of Mostar was the scene of fighting between Bosniacs, Croats and Serbs.
Quite quickly in the conflict (1992) the bridges on the Neretva river are cut, with the exception of the old medieval bridge. The war moves away and then gets closer. In 1993, the Croats held the western part of the city, the Bosniaks the eastern part. It is almost a trench war, the inhabitants are forced to leave their homes and join the neighborhoods dominated by their own ethnic group. The conflict degenerates and on November 9, 1993, the old bridge is destroyed (by Croatian shells).

It's a shock for everyone.

After the war, the bridge is rebuilt with funds from around the world. It has been redone identically, just like the surrounding houses. The brand new bridge was inaugurated in 2004, while the city was still sharply divided between the inhabitants of Croatian origin and the inhabitants of Bosnian origin.

Peace can be declared, but it remains a very long process. I do not know if the inhabitants of Mostar are reconciled today, but what I do know is that the rebuilding of the bridge is a strong symbol in the direction of peaceful cohabitation for all the people of Mostar.

So I wanted to try to "map" this first step toward a pacified city.... I have no idea if I'll succeed until the end of the month, or if this "map" will be any good...

The original plan is to make a plan from the old bridge, from above with a few houses around, at the time when it exploded, and beyond this map, making the drawing from the reconstructed bridge, seen from the Neretva river, looking north.

So far, I started with Sketchup and discovered that since the 22nd of may this year, it's no longer possible to import a relief from google earth, So I tried to replicate more or less the relief around the city.
With the map I want to do, it's not very important if the relief is not very accurate, because it will be more like a closeup of the bridge.
For the bridge, I saw that someone called Mira made a 3D model of the old bridge on Google earth too, but I didn't use it (I think it's no longer possible to import those 3D figure on Sketchup too), So I tried to model the bridge on Sketchup... it's more or less accurate (again)..

Here's what I've got so far

### Latest WIP ###
Mostar 01.png

Mostar 02.png

edit : very sorry, Diamond, I forgot to write a proper title... It should read : "December 2017 Challenge : Mostar Bridge" I hope it's not too much troubles to change the title !

[Tonnichiwa]

Wow, this looks great! I'm sure it will be really spectacular when its done!

[Mouse]

Whether its identical or just close to the original, its an excellent start, Joel

[LordCartoart]

Great start, JO.

[Azélor]

It's a good idea.
I didn't know we could work the landscape with Sketchup.

[Diamond]

I fixed the title for you, Jo. Good to go. And another great idea! You guys are 2 for 2 so far...

[Straf]

An excellent choice JO - I watched the progress of this reconstruction go ahead on the various webcams they had around the place. Stari Most means 'old bridge' in Slavic languages (Cyrillic: стары мост). The bridge has been an important crossing point for centuries and the city itself is named after the bridge keeper's house or something. It is said that the new bridge is even older than the old bridge it replaces.

I shall watch this construction with interest.

[- JO -]

Wow, this looks great! I'm sure it will be really spectacular when its done!

Thanks ! I hope I'll be able to finish... that would be good !

Whether its identical or just close to the original, its an excellent start, Joel

Thanks Mouse ! The more it goes, the more I'm approximative... (well, the more I see the differences between the real thing and my sketch)

Great start, JO.

Thanks ! It'll be a long way !

It's a good idea.
I didn't know we could work the landscape with Sketchup.

Thanks ! It's a good feature of Sketchup ! Until recently, you could just select a piece of land in Googlearth and Sketchup would make the terrain for you with the same relief... It's over now, or you can do it with another site, but you have to pay. Otherwise, you can just start your own sandbox and play God with mountains, cliffs, plains, etc.... It can be tedious, but you with time, you always get what you want. There are a lot of tutorial videos to help you with that... Just pay attentions to choose the definition of the grid correctly : too low, it's difficult to make small adjustment (that's the problem I have right now), too high and your computer will sink in deep thinking for hours for the slightest hill... But then, it's a really good way to see the shadow over a relief

I fixed the title for you, Jo. Good to go. And another great idea! You guys are 2 for 2 so far...

Thanks a lot Diamond ! Sorry for the trouble... I should pay more attention... And I'm glad you like the idea !

An excellent choice JO - I watched the progress of this reconstruction go ahead on the various webcams they had around the place. Stari Most means 'old bridge' in Slavic languages (Cyrillic: стары мост). The bridge has been an important crossing point for centuries and the city itself is named after the bridge keeper's house or something. It is said that the new bridge is even older than the old bridge it replaces.

I shall watch this construction with interest.

Thanks Straf ! I read a lot about it too... Some sources disagree with another about the destruction of the bridge and the conflict around. I see that it's still a touchy subject and that the area is still not fully pacified yet... That could take generations... If you think at some other conflict in the world and the time required in order that people would talk about it without throwing names a each other, you can imagine how long it will take for the Balkans...
Years ago, I wanted to study the history manuals that are used in those different countries now, and see how they teach history to the children. I know history has been used to increase hate amongst the different ethnic groups just before the war, and I wanted to see if hate was still cultivated in the heart of children or if it was more a peaceful and comprehensive look over their past that was taught... And then I found a job
I saw that there are some video capture of the moment when the bride explodes... Sad views...

[- JO -]

I'm still trying to "mimic" the bridge and the surroundings...
My deepest apologies to anyoune living in Mostar or who has been travelling to this city... I am farther and farther from reality...

### Latest WIP ###
Mostar 03.png

Mostar 04.png

[Tenia]

Nice start !
You started with the landscape and then put your bridge on it or the opposite ?