|From the Architect|

My client spent a long time since his birth in the site of “Lamisa-Nimo’r Dada Bari”. It was his father’s own old house and there was a single tin shed building only. Now my client lives in Dhaka. He owns 2 apartments in Dhaka and one in Malaysia. There he may get so many modern facilities but something is missing there; and that is the attachment with root.  So he assigned me to build a new structure at same site removing the old one. Because he wants to give his children a new Dada-Bari(grandfather house) where they can spent their vacation. My client has two children Lamisa(daughter) and Nimo(son). So from there I gave the name of my project-“Lamisa-Nimo’r Dada Bari”. It is a vacation house.

From the beginning of conversation with my client we have decided that the house will be facilitated with full of natural elements. So that his children can get the feelings of a grandfather house from which they are apart in Dhaka.

Such as :

• attachment with greeneries
• feeling the rain drop
• swimming and playing with water
• chattering of birds
• fish under water
• feeling the sun light, and so on

And all these aspects have an strong influence on my design process.

Context

The site is situated at housing state area of Khalishpur, Khulna. The area is connected with the main city  and the river Voirob by a 30′ wide road. After the liberation war of 1971,  Bangladesh govt. allotted the area for the Pakistani refuge and constructed a refuge colony well known as ‘Bihari Colony or Khema’. At that time govt. has plotted this area where plot size varies between  2.5 katha to 2.75 katha. Since then all the plots are following zero(0) setback rule for left-right side.

So due attention is given to the conservative culture of Bihari community and the archetype of their housing unit. The architecture of this area developed an introvert nature where outer space is less important than inside. Opening on the exterior wall is less evident, light-ventilation is solved through either courtyard in low rise building and light well in case of multistoried building. Also in order to accommodate many people in  small plot local people have developed a multi-layer solution within small height condition.

Architecture

The main design of ‘Lamisa-Nimo’r Dada Bari’ can be explained from two angles. One is it’s contextual perspective and other is it’s functional demand. Previously I described about the site location and it’s potentiality and limitations. So I have drawn a similar section from the house pattern of this ‘Khema’ area with an aim to give the project  an introvert nature where outer opening and views are less important rather internal space. Moreover there is a five storied under construction building located at the right side of my plot and  two storied buildings is  on the left and back which are in a very close proximate. But the height of my project is maximum 30′. And it seems to me that the outer fabric is less important rather my internal views. So it gets the shape of an introvert house.

One can enter the house over a water body with wooden deck steps. There is a parking place for a car beside the deck and I designed this space with the juxtaposition of water and greeneries with an overhead open air space. A shaded wooden ramp is also provided which is very much suitable for children and older person. The natural light, exposed brick wall and water beneath altogether create a dramatic environment.

When a person approaches through the main door  he or she finds an atrium where the natural sun light comes directly from top through the glass roof. Diagonal wooden frames  are installed for casting shadow on fare face side wall and thus enhancing the dramatic quality of indoor light. This entry directly terminated a birds garden where landscape is designed  to simulate  a rainforest like environment.

The formal living is 3 steps down from the foyer level. The living space is flanked with  water body in two sides which act as a natural water garden for color fish . A wooden deck is provided over this water body where a person can sit and can touch water with his feet; that actually  resembles the concept of pond. Here also I have used long folding window which can open 100%. This view is  blocked again with a exposed brick wall where the wall is detailed with pigeon holes and extrude brick stretchers in a scattered manner.  The water body is at the middle of the formal living and dining and visual connection is provided through a punch.

A 3 flight triplex stair leads to second atrium.  Here once again the roof is detailed with clear glass for ensuring natural sunlight filtered through diagonal wooden frame. The top natural light, diagonal shadow from wooden frame and the brick wall makes a unique environment which changes it’s appearance  time to time during day and night hours.

The stair then leads to the rain court where the floor is landscaped with artificial carpet grass and is surrounded with exposed brick well where the head of the well is open such that raindrop can directly fall here. Beside this rain court family living is provided with clear glass partition. From the family living a verandah with green planter is situated at the front side which is terminated the main gate and this planter is also enhance the space quality of entry side. Master bedroom is situated at the road side and a verandah is provided between the bed room and the road where there is detailing with irregular wooden louvered work protecting the bed room from direct light from the west sun. From the wooden louver a outer large tree is seen where the louver and the tree also make soothing visual aesthetics. At the end of the stair there is party space which is linked with the green roof terrace from where the wooden steeped stair is start for going to the mini child swimming pool and the aesthetic beauty of the pool is enhanced with adding a water fall. Overall I have treated this building not as a mere cluster of rooms rather as  a place full of multidimensional natural spaces; where individual spaces create different type of aesthetics with the help of the natural element.

Also here another beauty is it’s material. Here I am using the true expression of the material where the brick is act as a exposed in nature, concrete is standing with it’s rough gray color texture and these two thing is juxtaposed with natural wood.

At a glance the building is very simple in respect with the formal expression. But inside this simple structure it is filled up with nature and playful dramatic story.

More information about the project

Site Area: 177.48 sq-m(2.65 katha)

Total built up area of the project: 146.70 sq-m

Year of Commencement: March,2014

Year of completion: September,2015

Project Cost in BD Taka: 9.8 Million

Project Team

Architect: Ar. Sk Moshiur Rahman, B.Arch,KU

Structure Designer: Md. Ikramul Hoque (Civil),asst. prof,KUET

Interior Designer: Ar.Sk Moshiur Rahman, B.Arch,KU

Landscape Consultant: Lakeview Garden Centre

Biography of the Architect

Ar. Sk. Moshiur Rahman completed his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Khulna University (KU) in 2012 . He worked for “Sthapottya Architects” BD from 2012-2014. Also  involved as an interior designer for “Living System Consultant” BD from 2014-2015 and corresponding start his own practice, after then found his own design studio.

Disclaimer : The Project titled ‘Lamisa-Nimo’r Dada Bari’ was published in DOT, a journal on Art & Architecture, 2nd issue , Vol 1 .