AccScience Publishing / JCAU / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/jcau.5167
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Architectural exchanges within the construction of the new Silk Roads: Transcultural dynamics in Gwadar, Pakistan, and Djibouti

Sohrab Marri1 Francesco Carota2* Michele Bonino3
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1 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan
2 Department of School of Architecture and Design, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
3 Department of Architecture and Design, The Polytechnic University of Turin, Turin, Piedmont, Italy
Journal of Chinese Architecture and Urbanism, 5167 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.5167
Received: 16 October 2024 | Revised: 11 April 2025 | Accepted: 11 April 2025 | Published online: 5 June 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
Abstract

Amid the shifting dynamics of global urbanization, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has emerged as a major force reshaping transnational architectural exchanges and development paradigms. This study explores the transcultural architectural exchanges facilitated by BRI through an analysis of projects in Gwadar, Pakistan, and Djibouti. By examining the Pakistan–China Friendship Hospital, the Pakistan–China Friendship Vocational Training Institute, and the National Library and Archive of Djibouti, this article reveals how architectural practices under the BRI negotiate between Chinese modern technological capabilities and local cultural contexts. Using the theoretical frameworks of transcultural dynamics, enriched by the concepts of “contact zones” and “third space,” this study reveals the dynamic interactions and cultural exchanges among several factors in shaping these architectural endeavors. The research highlights the complexities of integrating global design strategies with local traditions and the impact of these hybrid architectural forms on local communities and urban environments. The findings emphasize the need for a more in-depth investigation into the dynamics of designing and constructing architectural artifacts and the underlying rationale behind adopting different transcultural schemes. Ultimately, this study contributes to the discourse on global architectural mobilities, offering insights into how architecture serves as a diplomatic tool and a platform for cultural exchange in different regions shaped by processes of urban development.

Keywords
Transculturalism
Contact zones
Belt and road initiative
China
Architecture
Collaboration
Funding
This paper is part of a research project funded by the Italian Minister of University and Research (MUR), titled Rescaling the BRI: urbanization processes, innovation patterns and global investments in urban China (Grant no. 2017P8C4B2). The research involves scholars from the Polytechnic University of Turin (architects, planners, economists, and political geographers) and the University of Macerata (urban economists and experts in Chinese philosophy and culture).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
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Journal of Chinese Architecture and Urbanism, Electronic ISSN: 2717-5626 Published by AccScience Publishing