In the 1950s, my grandfather worked rowing boats across the Bilbao estuary, helping people travel from one shore to the other. The estuary, known locally as ‘La Ría’, is Bilbao’s vital artery and its bridges are the nerves that enable the flow of daily life. By connecting the banks, they enable everyone to move with equal ease, regardless of their starting point. These architectural structures democratise access and bind people, communities and daily lives across the ría. Bilbao’s bridges act as ties that keep the city unified, both physically and symbolically, making shared experiences possible across different shores. In Bilbao, we cross at least one bridge a day, serving as a reminder that without them, there would be no connection and no way forward.