Jum Cultural Complex is a proposed Indigenous Cultural Complex located at Manikchari; Rangamati Bangladesh. It was the Final year (5th year) thesis project of Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology completed in 2014. Jum Cultural Complex is an initiative for the preservation, development and exposure of Jum Culture which not only promotes culture but also indigenous knowledge of sustainable living.

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Chittagong Hill Tracts, located in the Southeastern corner of Bangladesh, along the border of India and Myanmar is the home of 11indigenous groups. The Indigenous groups are Chakma, Marma, Tripura,Tanchangya,Khiyang, Chak, Khumi , Mro, Pankhoya, Lusai and Bawm , all are collectively known as Jumma people. Their distinctive culture, language and lifestyle is differs from the majority of the plain land Bengali people.

‘Jum’ is the traditional Swedish or slash and burn shifting cultivation on hilly area. The Jumma Peoples’ livelihood, music, dance, food habit, festival are directly or indirectly related to this Jum cultivation. So Jum is the common bondage and potential sign of identity among the Jumma People.

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From the colonial British Period to recent time the Jumma peoples are subjected to eviction from their ancestral land and still struggling to protect their land and culture. The built of Kaptai dam in 1960 in then East Pakistan caused hundred thousand of people evicted from their land. The so called development became the threat and fear of eviction. Recently due to decrease of land, pressure of dominant culture, lack of cultural exposure and development, the Jum Culture is on the way to extinct.

Jum Cultural Complex is an initiative for the preservation, development and exposure of Jum Culture which not only promotes culture but also indigenous knowledge of sustainable living.

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Features of traditional Houses and settlement Pattern.

Most common feature of the traditional houses is raised platform with open or semi open terraces. The houses are made of local material like bamboo, wood and sun grass which are abundantly available in the hilly area.

The settlement pattern of the houses is solely dependent on the natural settings and contour of the hill. Most of the settlements are organized along the pathway creating linear settlement patterns. The varied size pathway creates gathering and activity spaces for the inhabitants. The verandahs/decks are aligned along the pathway and oriented towards the natural view.

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The utmost consideration for this project was conservation of land, resource and natural settings; use of local material and indigenous building techniques; and mostly creating an indigenous identity.

The site (about 25 acre) is located at outskirt of Rangamati City. A spectacular view to surrounding hills and a natural stream running through the site are the major site forces for the design.

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In the design, most of the land is kept as it was with less intervention to provide ownership of the cultivable land to the adjacent village community. The functional masses are organized along a linear pathway which is connected by local roads of existing villages. The complex has no boundary and connected to village roads so that villagers could commute through the project and feel as their own. The whole complex is centralized towards the “Genhuli Hall”-Circular Multipurpose Hall attached with a water body provides gathering and activity space for the cultural activity. The water body dug for the old brickfield was recreated into a waterfront walkway.

All masses were built on a raised platform with multiple open verandah and terraces just like traditional houses.

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