| From the Architect |

Dhaka International Trade Fair, DITF is a popular platform for Local and International Manufacturers to showcase and promote their products, and also one of the most nationally participated events of the country. AKIJ has been around in the Building Material Manufacturing Industry for quite a while and intended to be a part of DITF 2018 with a pavilion of its own.

A 50 ft x 50 ft square lot was allocated by the DITF authority for a premium pavilion for AKIJ with a height limit of about 33 feet. As is customary for pavilions at DITF, the structure demanded installation within the shortest possible time.While the client envisioned reuse at a different location upon completion of DITF 2018,the use of AKIJ’s wide range of building materials was requested by the client to make the whole construction process cost effective and sustainable. The idea was to envision a pavilion that itself became an exhibit.

The design form is a cube which essentially would symbolize the notion of maximum space utilization. The use of clear-glass and steel structure embodies industrial aesthetics of the contemporary period which invariably iconizes the progressive mindset of AKIJ Group. With careful articulation of the volume inside, the form was gently chiseled diagonally to create a plaza at the forecourt. This subtraction also provided a canopied entry which is both inviting and dynamic by nature.When seen in plan the square is comprised of four smaller quadrants, one of which is a triple heighted space containing a spacious L shaped stair connecting the three floors vertically. The triple height atrium allows acknowledgement of the aesthetic simplicity of the internal spaces.

The interior backdrop is a neutral palette against which AKIJ building materials are showcased. At the exterior, water-proof board-louvers on the curtain-glasses are installed in such a way that they fragment the loud reflections of the surroundings while allowing a textural variant. At its simplest AKIJ pavilion at the DITF 2018 was a purist response. After DITF this pavilion will be moved to Chittagong International trade fair, Polo Garden, Chittagong.

PROJECT CREDIT

Lead Architect: Mohammad Foyez Ullah

Project Architects: Bashirul Mughni, Mohaimeen Islam Badhon, A.K.M. Saleh Ahmed Anik

Associates: Masud Karim, Mohammad Ali, Apurbo Hussain, NazmulIslam Babu

Photographs: Syeda Mushda Ali & F. M. Faruque Abdullah Shawon

| Image galley |