🇧🇩 Bangladeshi Architecture

[Bilal9]

Presently, renovation work is in progress, and it is expected to be handed over to the government by May 2024.​

Northbrook Hall, an elegant building known as 'Lalkuthi' (red building) for its deep red color, stands on the north bank of the Buriganga River in Farashganj, Dhaka.
Originally constructed in the late 19th century as a town hall, it was named after the Viceroy of India, Lord Northbrook.

Photo: Syed Zaker Hossain/TBS



The library within the premises serves as a significant reading center for the residents of Old Dhaka.

Photo: Syed Zaker Hossain/TBS



Presently, renovation work is in progress, and it is expected to be handed over to the government by May 2024.

The Dhaka City Corporation (South) is overseeing the renovation, with assistance from the World Bank.

 

[Bilal9]

Sculptures serve as an excellent means to enhance the setback areas of a building, infusing volume and dimension into an otherwise flat surface. Photo: Courtesy

Oro, a continental fine dining restaurant on Gulshan Avenue, is Dr Tahmina Anan and her six-year-old son Zarif's favourite place for brunch. Zarif feels a tug of fascination towards the horse sculpture in front of the restaurant building (Rangs FC Square) – which is one of the primary reasons behind the duo's frequent visits.

"We don't have many sculptures in the city, especially those that can be intimately experienced and appreciated for their grandeur. The sculptures situated in traffic circles or other public places often feel distant and out of reach," explained Dr Tahmina.

The introduction of sculptures in public spaces in Bangladesh gained momentum after the Liberation War. Initially, war-inspired sculptures were commissioned by the military and were installed in cantonment areas. Subsequently, sculptures found their way into university campuses and beyond.

Although relatively recent, the ascent of sculptures has been reshaping the city's aesthetics. Beyond adorning roundabouts along major thoroughfares, sculptures have found their place in both commercial and residential structures now.

Buildings like Simple Tree Anarkali, Rangs FC Square, Shanta Regal, and Ventura Rossabella are prime reflections of this trend. They all have a sculpture gracing their front space.

"I aspire to see myself as an art connoisseur. I collect art from local artists and try to incorporate it into the interior of my own home. I believe that art and architecture are inextricably linked and complement one another. That is why I have always tried to incorporate a sculpture into a space within the architecture we design," said Mushtaq Qudry, senior architect at Volumezero.

Designed by architect Mustapha Khalid Palash of Vistaara Architects, the UTC building in the capital's Panthapath area was the first of its kind to exhibit a hanging sculpture. The 25-foot-long structure on its 50ft x 50ft outdoor wall was commissioned to Hamiduzzaman Khan, one of the leading sculptors in the country.

"Installing a one-ton heavy sculpture on a wall was indeed challenging. I had to do countless meetings with the architects and engineers," said Hamiduzzaman Khan.

"It is absolutely appreciable that the real estate companies have begun to acknowledge the added value of sculptures in residential and commercial buildings, and started implementing them. However, for commissioned sculptures, the freedom of creativity is somewhat debatable."

- Wakilur Rahman, veteran painter, printmaker and sculptor

Hamiduzzaman has also designed several other notable sculptures in the city, including "Birds Family" at Bangabhaban, "Gate of Heaven" at Banani Graveyard, and "Peace Bird" at Dhaka University, among others.

His latest project in a commercial building is named "Shaptak" and was installed in the Shaptak Square building.

"This was another challenging project. Surrounded by a fountain, the sculpture, made of metal, weighs about three tons. It is installed on the ground floor and on the roof of the basement. I did not make the sculpture but rather led the team. It took about three months to complete," said Hamiduzzaman.

Not just about aesthetics

"Installing a sculpture in front of a building has much more value than just aesthetics. If done with due research, keeping the location and relevant history in mind, a sculpture could be symbolic and educative," said Wakilur Rahman, a veteran painter, printmaker, and sculptor.

In many instances, sculptures have the power to forge their own history. Masterpieces such as Bernini's 'The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa,' Auguste Rodin's 'The Thinker,' Rodin's 'The Gates of Hell' and the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen stand as exemplary commissioned sculptures that have earned widespread acclaim and global recognition.

These sculptures have effectively etched their place into the identities of their respective sites. "A sculpture creates an identity for the building. Many buildings are known for the sculptures they exhibit," added Hamiduzzaman.

"Sculpture creates an ambience. It adds character to the room and makes one pause for a while and ponder. I guess in that sense the presence of it is strategic," commented Architect Qudry.

In compliance with RAJUK regulations, architects are required to allocate specific areas of land as open spaces within building designs. Consequently, their architectural blueprints often incorporate empty spaces that demand thoughtful consideration.

Sculptures, fountains, or even carefully curated foliage have emerged as compelling solutions to enhance and fill these voids, contributing not only to the aesthetic appeal but also serving functional and regulatory purposes in the urban landscape.

"Sculptures serve as an excellent means to enhance the setback areas of a building, infusing volume and dimension into an otherwise flat surface. The maintenance cost is significantly lower compared to features like fountains and vegetation," commented Md. Ishak Mia, Managing Director and Partner Architect at Chinton Architects Ltd.

Furthermore, sculptures offer the opportunity to introduce playful colours into a space. At times, a sculpture itself can double as a seating element, adding both aesthetic appeal and functionality to the environment.

When asked if a sculpture's presence in a building makes it more lucrative to the buyers, Qudry said, "I believe it makes people appreciate the architecture we design. It gives a sense of space that is experiential and inspiring. Art inspires! A space that exhibits art can thus offer an experience that is clearly distinct from one that does not. If you end up liking such a space, you might want to be a part of it—as a buyer or as a user."

Of longevity and durability

While Hamiduzzaman's favourite medium for sculptures is stone and metal, Wakil loves to play around with contemporary materials like glass, terracotta, or even cement.

But the bottom line of picking material is simple - longevity and durability. A sculpture in a building stays as long as the building stays. Hence, choosing a robust material is a mandate.

"Any material that is used in the external architecture [such as cement, glass, etc.] of a building can also be used in sculpture-making. Many new materials have emerged in contemporary architecture that are being used in sculpture," added Wakil.

In the early days of the sculpture industry, materials were unavailable in Bangladesh. "We worked only with soil and wood. Gradually, I started working with copper, stainless steel, zinc, and stone. Now all the materials are available here. I prefer steel and stone," said Hamiduzzaman.

However, for commissioned works, materials are often picked by the architects.

A flipside of commissioned work

"It is absolutely appreciable that the real estate companies have begun to acknowledge the added value of sculptures in residential and commercial buildings and started implementing them. However, for commissioned sculptures, the freedom of creativity is somewhat debatable," shared Wakil.

In many instances, Wakil found the copying tendency by architects and developer companies disappointing.

"Frequently, architects download reference images and request replicas, stifling the creative process of sculpting. In a field as artistic as sculpting, this approach undermines our creative freedom," he added.

Wakil also spoke on the budget constraints in this field. "Real estate in this country has come a long way, and the city is witnessing towering structures of substantial budgets. However, when it comes to allocating resources for artistic elements such as sculptures, there seems to be a reluctance that fails to inspire us," concluded Wakil.

 

[Bilal9]

Low cost Steel Structure houses being offered now in Bangladesh, which look like North American Cottage styles



Floated by KDS group, the designs follow latest AISC US steel framed construction standards (A360-16) with modfications for Bangladesh humidity and weather and are light years better than current designs in terms of insulation and weather-proofing.

https://www.aisc.org/globalassets/aisc/publications/standards/a360-16-spec-and-commentary_march-2021.pdf

 

[Bilal9]

Bashundhara suburb presentation


Rupayan City Uttara story

 

[Saif]

Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum on Time’s 100 most influential list

Breaking News, International News & Multimedia

thedailynewnation.com

Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum on Time's 100 most influential list
18 Apr 2024, 3:23 pm

News Desk:

Noted Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum has been named in the Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people for her contributions to the field of innovation.

Known for her contributions to environmentally sustainable design, Tabassum's approach to architecture breaks from commercialism and is rooted in local communities and serving the needs of common people.

According to Time's entry for Tabassum on the list published last night, "Tabassum's altruism even extends to buildings themselves. She cares for her creations as creatures partaking in the resources of our earth: describing her Bait Ur Rouf Mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which won the prestigious Aga Khan Award, she said a building 'has to be able to breathe without artificial aids".

"Elsewhere in the country, which faces increased flood risks due to climate change, she has developed houses that are cost-effective and easy to move—clearly, buildings shouldn't just breathe; they should avoid getting their feet wet. While she practices very locally, she teaches, lectures, and is recognized internationally, modeling architecture not as an individual signature but as a collective Esperanto."

Tabassum's work was previously honoured with the 2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture and by the American Academy of Arts and Letters Awards in 2021.

She was named as the winner of the Millennium Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming Lisbon Architecture Triennale 2022.​

 

[Bilal9]

Jolshiri is Dhaka's newest DOHS area which will also house one of Bangladesh' tallest skyscraper collection.

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka Metro Rail Line 6 weaving its way through the greener part of the city

 

[Bilal9]

Five mosques of exemplary architectural design in Dhaka

 

[Bilal9]

Banga Bazar - the wholesale kutcha garments swap-meet type market in Dhaka near the Dhaka South City Hall which burned up a few years ago, will be re-built. Here are the CGI renders.

 

[Bilal9]

Masjid Al-Mustafa, new modern masjid in Dhaka.

 

[Saif]

Glimpses of the interior of Mughal-era mosques in Dhaka

Generally speaking, the magnificent facade and the rather generous surroundings of a Mughal mosque are in sharp contrast with its small interior.

www.thedailystar.net

Glimpses of the interior of Mughal-era mosques in Dhaka

Photo: Shadab Shahrokh Hai

It is no surprise that our city is home to several mosques of the Mughal period. Majestic and elegant, they capture our imagination. Visiting those mosques, particularly when you step inside them, elevates the experience to a whole new level.

First, you may be surprised at how small the interior of these mosques often are. Just look at this photograph that was clicked recently, of the Mosque of Haji Khwaja Shahbaz, built in 1679 CE that is located near Tin Netar Mazar.

Generally speaking, the magnificent facade and the rather generous surroundings of a Mughal mosque are in sharp contrast with its small interior.

However, a small interior does not imply any less elegance. The beautifully crafted arches and mihrabs make you travel back in time. Then, as you look up, the domes from the inside evoke a sense of grandeur.

Indeed, when you are inside these mosques, you are surrounded -- nay, literally immersed -- in history!

Sources: Muslim Architecture in Bengal by Ahmad Hasan Dani; Banglapedia​

 

[Bilal9]

Plan for a waterfront Central Business District (CBD) in Dhaka and the new crop of mid-rise skyscrapers. Most of the new structures are around 20~40 stories and have topped out already.

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh military museum is a showcase of military history in Bangladesh which is also architecturally significant.

 

[Bilal9]

Jolshiri DOHS planning images (CGI). much of it is already under construction.

 

[Bilal9]

Some more images of Jolshiri DOHS

 

[Bilal9]

Seeing some of the latest work by Bangladeshi architects (for both rural and urban structures), I am pretty sure that it is firmly in first tier territory in South Asia if not, all of Asia (maybe except China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia). Especially Thailand, which in my mind is very advanced in quality of architecture in terms of "Zen". See for yourself. For me these carry significance, as some of these urban ones are near where my ancestral home was. The village one (Sufi Bari) carries footage of the monsoon downpours, which is evocative for many Bengalis who grew up in Bangladesh.

 

[Bilal9]

CGI renders of some newer mid-rises in Dhaka under construction - this thread will be updated with newer Dhaka mid-rises as time permits. Due to soil load-bearing and base-rock depth issues, buildings taller than 40 stories become challenging to build in Dhaka so most newer buildings will not exceed 45 stories.

Next Spaces Limited launched its latest project "NH Tower" in Tejgaon, Dhaka on January 1, 2024. The new development is set to encompass 32 floors along with 5 basements. Construction is ongoing but no idea if it has gone past basement level.

 

[Bilal9]

Shanta has two state-of-the-art projects currently ongoing in Tejgaon and Hatirjheel area - Pinnacle and Dhaka Tower. Both are in construction phase and have almost topped out.

Shanta Pinnacle 5B+GF+40 stories

More images will be posted if requested.

 

[Bilal9]

Shanta Dhaka Tower is their other state-of-the-art project, showcasing the current epitome of local architectural excellence. Construction ongoing. 6B+GF+37 stories

 

[Bilal9]

Two more Shanta Projects already completed.

Shanta Forum (Tejgaon)



Shanta Skymark (Gulshan)

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Low cost Steel Structure houses being offered now in Bangladesh, which look like North American Cottage styles



Floated by KDS group, the designs follow latest AISC US steel framed construction standards (A360-16) with modfications for Bangladesh humidity and weather and are light years better than current designs in terms of insulation and weather-proofing.

https://www.aisc.org/globalassets/aisc/publications/standards/a360-16-spec-and-commentary_march-2021.pdf

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House is beautiful but I doubt that it is low cost.

 

[Bilal9]

House is beautiful but I doubt that it is low cost.

Cost is inline with whatever the local expectation is - this is a rather lower echelon stick-built house in Bangladesh and lower cost one at that. The technology used is not RCC, but uses rolled metal sheet studs as framing.

KDS Bangladesh is a cold-rolled steel sheet mfr. and they have added cold-rolled metal studs as value-added house-building inputs in Bangladesh, which is what is being used in the US nowadays.

Dhaka properties in average neighborhoods (traditional brick and RCC-framed houses) are sometimes more expensive than similar houses with similar size, facilities, features in Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore or of course Hyderabad, with the exception of Mumbai.

Not boasting, but fact - as land and real estate is in massive demand in Bangladesh because of increased incomes. It is what it is.

 

[Bilal9]

Here are some renders from a typical upcoming Dhaka luxury condo project by Shanta Holdings in Gulshan ("Adore"). And to the doubters, they turn out almost exactly like this when executed, as we have seen again and again. Designed by local long-established atelier "Vitti Sthapati Brindo" whom I know personally, as a person with some interest in architecture in general.

More images in the next two posts.

 

[Bilal9]

More Images of a locally designed Dhaka luxury condo by Shanta Holdings in Gulshan ("Adore")

 

[Bilal9]

More Images of a locally designed Dhaka luxury condo by Shanta Holdings in Gulshan ("Adore").

 

[Bilal9]

More Images of a locally designed Dhaka luxury condo by Shanta Holdings in Gulshan ("Adore").

 

[Bilal9]

Modern part of Dhaka

 

[Bilal9]

Shanta Dhaka Tower is their other state-of-the-art project, showcasing the current epitome of local architectural excellence. Construction ongoing. 6B+GF+37 stories

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More images of the 37 story Dhaka Tower...

 

[Bilal9]

Yet more images of the 37 story Dhaka Tower...