| Notes from the Architects |

The rural community of Bangladesh is agro-pastoral. Rural people depend on each other for their agricultural and household works. We perceived it as the core of rural strength. In building community capacity through housing, nothing seems to be the best example of the strongest social bondage than our rural culture. We looked into the indigenous architectural tradition of rural Bangladesh and the socio-spatial logic of a rural homestead. Site surrounding also has a rural essence with the touch of slow urbanization. A courtyard is the heart of a rural homestead which formed by the arrangement of dwelling units and ancillary structures around an open space.  These yards serve as the platform for multi-level social interactions. This is the place for rice threshing, drying, preparing as well as a meeting place for the households and neighbours. This network of social connections plays a vital role in their lives while building a stronger sense of community.

We take this horizontal interconnecting courtyard and implement this concept into the vertical section. The proposed scheme for the housing has a community space on each floor and all the common spaces are interconnected both visually and physically. This vertical courtyard can be used as multipurpose functional and social interaction spaces both formally and informally. We’ve prioritized social justice and community building over space optimization and cost reduction. Although the housing is meant for the lower middle income group, the quality of living has not been compromised in the proposed housing scheme. Further, research shows that informal connectivity makes the process of community capacity building more effective. There are spaces for everyone, for all age groups and genders. The elderly member of this community can involve in exchanging knowledge, providing hands-on training, thus helping in skill transfer. Women can find themselves in a space where they can sit, talk; take some tea with each other. Children can play with next-door kids, thus ensuring their much needed mental and physical development. This place can also host evening session, elderly education, preschool session, etc.

From an environmental perspective, the housing block is designed to optimize solar orientation and maximize the flow of natural daylight into interior spaces. The inner and outer walls have controlled ventilators near the roof and floor. This is also helpful for reducing fire risk as a maximum loss of fire hazard is occurred by the trapped non-inhalable fume. The solar panels on the roof also add electricity to the grid.

Team members:

Ar. Shumsuddin Ahmed Bhuiyan (B-041)
Ar. Shahnawaz Bappy (S-154)
Ar. Al Numan Mohammad Younus (Y-008)
Ar. Dhruba Jyoti Das (D-014)
Ar. Md. Hasan Al Emtiaz Zafree (AZ-011)
Ar. Asif M Noeem (AN-118)

Ar. Zannatul Salsabil (AS-448)
Md. Israfil Bhuyan
Md. Mohsin Miah
Md. Saiful Islam
Md. Amin Uddin

Nur Uddin Md. Zahed