| Notes from the Architect | 

The universe has a harmonious soul in the visual and spiritual spheres; both architecture and nature are elements of this soul. The geometrical rules can be considered as guidelines to design such rhymic elements. A building needs to be placed within the context of a location and culture. Today’s architecture needs to reflect on the task and possibilities which are inherently its own. Keeping this in mind, Two Fold Studio (2FS) attempted to create a space that “evokes an emotional response from those inhabiting the space.”

Initially, the owner of the restaurant approached 2FS to design an extension of his existing restaurant which is far away from the metropolitan chaos. His general idea was to isolate people from the daily monotonous life and offer a breathing space. After visiting the site and several brainstorming sessions, our prime decision was to keep the space naturally ventilated to preserve its true essence. To study the form and façade of the particular structure, we indulged in the scenic beauty of the site and thought deeply about the project. The panoramic scene and expanded greenery itself help us to forget the stress of regular life. The whole landscape is occupied with paddy fields but in the monsoon entire area hides underwater. Two seasons offer totally different perspectives of this land. In tropical climates such as ours what we need is porosity in form. We designed a lightweight structure that allows air to circulate and makes better use of natural light. At the same time, the conduction of heat is minimal due to the excessive influx of southern air.

To ensure a certain level of privacy, operable bamboo screening is introduced to shelter the users during summer. During the harvesting period, local farmers work all over the land, so there is a need for a certain degree of privacy between workers and users. Also, all the elevations are designed in a way so that in monsoons maximum portion of the façade remains open as there is no issue of privacy during this time.

The pavilion offers flexibility and choices to its users to make this place of their own.  As a result, we deliberately avoid any furniture in this space. Minimal seating over the platform is encouraged to comply with the local tradition of having food. This allows users to avail the spaces in a more friendly and ecological way.  “The space within is important. It becomes a living entity with a soul and it is not about external appearances as with a sculpture.”

Energy conservation and sustainability are two important aspects when it comes to construction.  The design promotes an architecture with reduced environmental impact through the use of eco-friendly and locally available materials such as bamboo and wood. Our vision was to make an example of sustainable architecture that stands out in terms of aesthetic contentment, counteract the waste of forms and meanings, and speak its own language.

Lead Architects: Tasnova Afroz Luna, Snahasis Saha

Photo Credits:    Snahasis Saha, Ashraful Islam Shimul

Firm Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh

Social Media Accounts: https://www.facebook.com/twofoldstudiobd