[This entry is the only submission from Bangladesh and has been shortlisted primarily. For final winning selection this submission needs nomination/vote, which can be cast at the following link-

http://www.eleven-magazine.com/?entrants=ec0133 ]

Text from the submission_

The crisis is not the problem, the attitude is. While analyzing and studying the livelihoods of the floating communities of Tonle Sap, there was this one question that bothered us throughout the process. Everywhere in studies and narrations, they have been described as the defaulters of ecosystem of landless helpless people. Our question is that, what if they are NOT actually landless, others are waterless?

This very question led us to the realization that the issue is not merely about solving the climatic or architectural issues, rather its about showing them what they actually are blessed with. Water is one of the basic sources of life on earth, and nature has faithfully bowed down at their footsteps, with her abundance of water! So the basic concept of our design here, is not to propose mere functional architectural solutions, but to create an attitude- towards themselves as well as the entire environment. This can only be possible when they have that sense of belonging instead on the sense of deprivation that they cherish.

The aim of the competition was to create a design for a floating structure(s)/system(s) to exist on the lake and cater for:
1. Medical Aid
2. Ecological Research
3. Environmental Education

With this intention as our prime focus, we offered some spaces as per functional needs, where this attitude can be born and be nurtured. We propose the education center as a source to this development. To start with, we considered the children as priority, as they are yet to develop new points of view. They should learn from their very playing age, that the water is an asset, not a threat. It strikes with a question again,
WHY PLAYGROUND? … PLAY WATER!!

An interactive program is suggested for the education module. Any two modules of two random villages will work together- generating interactive learning and sharing. This will be interchanged among the villages day to day.
Once the interest is developed, these children will eventually manipulate their parents to bring the same change in their household perimeters, leading to our next question,
WHY COURTYARD? … COURTWATER!!

The great water body, which was treated and tortured by its own inhabitants, will now be considered as a valuable property, which needs to be conserved. The same feeling that one has for land property. Eventually they will feel the urge to seek for better and sensible options to their livelihood- and this is where our research center emerges. It is itself a complete body, with a compilation of various sections, balancing each other. It stands as an ideal example of coexisting within the ecosystem. We prefer calling it a “research hub”- that welcomes people to come and learn through exploring, as well as inspires to undertake the same options in their own perimeter.

To sum it up, we can conclude that the entire design is an approach towards rethinking the livelihood of Tonle Sap Lake. We are not proposing an ideal solution to all the current problems, rather generating some vital questions, which needs to be given a thought- and the answer lies within.