Center for Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, commonly known as CRP, is a healthcare with rehabilitation facility, aiming to ensure the inclusion of the disabled people into mainstream society, to promote an environment where all disabled people can have equal access to health, education, employment, physical environment and information. CRP-Bangladesh was founded in 1979 by a small group of Bangladeshis and a British physiotherapist, Valerie A. Taylor, who was appalled at the lack of facilities for the disabled in the aftermath of the 1971. Since then, CRP commenced its service to the poor, disabled people and still continues to be the only center of its kind in Bangladesh.

At present CRP’s headquarter is in Savar. Hence CRP intends to establish sub-centers to all six divisions of the country. A corporate stakeholder in Bangladesh has donated a site from their enlisted property at Kalurghat, Chittagong. The following  project aims to develop an ideal and comprehensive programme for a Model CRP Center based on which a detailed Master Plan for CRP Chittagong Center can be designed.

SITE AND PROGRAMME

The site is comprised of multiple division of plots, acquired over decades, hence has formed a rather irregular demography. Being sited adjacent to a  narrow creek, which eventually has led its path into  the greater Karnafuli river, the site has opportunity to arrange the complex along its primary NW-SE axis, directed towards the river. However, along with all ancillary facilities the required programme for a Model CRP Center has an estimated area of 100600 sqm, of which, the major services at CRP Chittagong Center shall include Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Rehabilitation ward,  Stroke Rehabilitation Ward , Pediatric Unit, Outpatient facilities, Emergency service, Operation theaters for ICU Beds ,Therapy ( Physiotherapy , Occupational Therapy and Speech & Language Therapy),  Halfway hostel and Multipurpose Hall.

DESIGN APPROACH

To understand the scope and need for this project many possibilities on design layout has been studied and explored. Aspects those were given particular consideration were – therapeutic environments (environment of care, green design and sustainability), functional clarity, disaster planning (building in block-system), safety and security, energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness (low height building construction).  Nevertheless, the following key notes are the basis for initial design approach, which led to undertake major design decisions –

‘ABILITY, not DISABILITY’

Ease of movement for the PWDs (people with disabilities) is a pre-requisite. A ramp that can lead PWDs from ground to roof-top can create a statement for universal accessibility, if designed with harmony with the overall building volume.

‘Psychological demand transforming into space’

The building volume needs to confine an enclosed space within itself to curtains the internal area from the external world. As such, the building blocks can act as buffer (yet functional) to achieve that required privacy.

SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

Spinal cord injury is a catastrophic condition. It not only includes physical disability for the person but invariably causes the family economic hardship. Since the patient will stay in the center for a long period of time, therefore they must feel a sense of belongingness. Here the design has been done taking all these factors into consideration.

The complex forms an internal court that isolates the internal area from the outside, which is compulsory for the patients’ well being and privacy as they find themselves tortured into a changed physical condition. Therefore, the Entry block, along with the OPD & Operation block create a buffer from the main road, so penetration of noise is curtained. Also, such open ground can be adequate for patients to facilitate them with multi-physical activates, which can attract a new patient and generate hope at first sight.

Environmental comfort has been kept in mind. The pediatric block and the ward block have been placed in a way that it directly receives the southern air. The ward block being place at an angle of 45 degree allows optimum cross air flow into the wards and also helps to refrain from religious conflicts that a patient with serious injury might not want to attend. Also wheel chair patients can easily use the adjacent verandas, coming out directly from their wards to enjoy the views.

On the other hand the Therapeutic block is placed on the west. Since it will run till the end of morning session, this again is an attempt to protect the internal complex from direct heat gain. The Pediatric block is benefited with a personal green court and a hydro-therapy pool. However, flexible modules have been articulated for designing these therapeutic and pediatric blocks, for ease of future expansion.

There are scopes for any physically challenged person to access the building from the ground to the roof top with three ramp-access ways. This is again an example that can put mark on the surrounding neighbourhood to make aware that how a building can be designed for physically challenged person, where ramps can act as corridors; hence a symbol for “Universal Accessibility”.

The patients are taught gardening and vegetation in CRP. Scope has been created both on the ground and on roof top by ensuring roof gardening system. A good number of open-to-sky terraces has been designed which acts both as breathing space and add to the aesthetic value to the overall built volume. Natural ventilation is allowed in most functional rooms where fresh air shall be drawn-in through seal level and used warm air can flow-out through louvres above windows.

The building complex extends upto the riverside, where a GHAT (river bank) has been created with access for the patients with disabilities. Patients prefer suggestions and inspirations through peer activity. Therefore interactive space,  in form a Shaded Pavilion has been designed to hold multiple activities (e.g. paper bag making, ball through, target through etc.), since the best way to rehabilitate patients is to keep them engaged in variety of activities. All ancillary service blocks have been placed on the periphery, connected by a service road.

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| From the submission |

Dhaka Metropolitan Region (DMR) is experiencing phenomenal growth since the independence of the country. Due to regular migration from outside of the city, it is getting over crowded with time thus influencing rapid urbanization. The problem is further aggravated by limited land supply in urban areas, lower land utilization and lack of proper policy and planning of integrated land use and transportation system. The over-congestion of the core city calls for an imminent vision for redistribution of activities for a more balanced metropolitan region. The main theme of the proposed “Multi-Core Mega Urban” concept was to decentralize concentration i.e. diffusing the major functions performed by the core city and redistributing it to different urban centers with high levels of accessibility within the regional boundary of RAJUK. Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), with a combination of train and bus, is suggested to be the most popular solution to support the masses of Dhaka. This will help to create a hierarchical framework of different magnitudes of urban centers providing corresponding levels of services and employment opportunities to meet the local demand that will reduce long-distance trip generation thus traffic congestion.

By definition,  a center is a place where varying concentration and combination of retail, commercial, civic, cultural and residential uses are focused around transport facilities that make its live and vibrant. The adjacent area of the site can be characterized by as a center connecting north-south and east-west of the city with intense traffic, dense commercial & mixed use development and other recreational public spaces. The prime concern of this project was the creation of an urban tissue with metro station as a logical center, combing the functions of transportation and social communication. The intention of the project was to ensure seamless urban experience through pedestrian interconnection and land use integration with site & surroundings that will facilitate steady incoming and outgoing pedestrian traffic with obvious and convenient intermodal transfer within transit center to solve the last mile problem. Finally, to take challenges of integrating architecture and urban design which deals with the terms and issues regarding transport planning, urban intervention, pedestrian linkage and urban regeneration.

CONCEPT & CONSIDERATIONS

Strategic visioning framework

This project tried to envision some strategic framework to make it a sustainable transit center that will not only facilitate steady incoming and outgoing pedestrian traffic but also regenerates local urban fabric. The utmost consideration for this project were followings-

Complete Street Network, MRT as a system the viability of this mega project depends on other mode of transit specially walking, cycling, public transit and pedestrian oriented development strategy. To ensure those facilities within catchment area we need to establish street hierarchy, access hierarchy, should avoid cul-de-sacs, should promote integrated and continuous pedestrian access, safe and secure shared street that will allow all types of vehicles which will solve the last mile problem and will help to reduce pedestrian & vehicular congestion.

Land-use Development, to reduce travel cost MRT system must need to maximize its ridership to ensure its economic viability. To cater its transit ridership each station area should be regenerated as moderate to high density mixed use development (Transit Oriented Development (TOD),Pedestrian Oriented Development (POD)) which will allow diversity, density and pedestrian oriented development within 800m radius from station area to outward . Underutilized, small plot could be amalgamated or transformed into more efficient plot to increase its commercial and  social benefit.

Place Making, MRT Infrastructure  as a mega urban intervention project could change the urban fabric of the city through its appropriate integration with the adjacent land use, landscaping and with other built and natural environment  which will transform the station interface to an appropriate transition area. Thus creating an active urban realm for the city dwellers that will cater waiting, drop-off, disperse and other social & cultural activity which in other way will create an positive image of the city and a strong sense of orientation towards station area.

Multimodal Transportation System, MRT as a system will not sustain until it is properly integrated with the other mode of transit like pedestrian, cycling, public transit, para-transit and water transit system within the catchment area in micro and macro scale. The network of these modes will form an urban tissue which will enhance an integrated system of transportation thus cater its sustainability as a transit center.

Protecting Natural Habitat, At the end of the day we can’t survive fighting with our natural environment. The project intervention strategy should not harm the existing natural settings rather steps should be taken to retrofit existing ecosystem which will help to improve the spatial quality, thermal environment and minimize negative micro and macro climatic impact.

DESIGN BRIEF & PROCESS

The proposed MRT LINE-6 is an elevated structure over the existing transit corridor and stations are distributed along the route at some important locations connecting administrative, cultural, commercial, residential and educational district of the city where each station area is different in its character and identity. So, in the design process the station interface has been designed in a way that reinforces the character of the site which will also act as an active public realm.

The proposed location of the station was in front of Panthakunjo Park at Kawranbazar, Dhaka. The adjacent area of the site can be characterized  as a center connecting north-south and east-west of the city with intense traffic, dense commercial & mixed use development and other recreational public spaces. Also a spectacular view to Hatirjheel Lake and existing Panthakunjo Park are the major site forces for the design that will help to create an active urban oasis at the heart of the city.

The prime concern of this project was to retrofit and integrate those built and natural environment with MRT station and to transform the station area as an active, vibrant urban realm that will facilitate not only incoming and outgoing traffic but also act as a social platform for sharing feelings and emotions. In the design, the station was designed considering MRT LINE-6(Elevated) with MRT LINE 5(Conceived Underground), future inland waterways along Hatirjheel and existing ground traffic which connects the north-south and east-west of the city. The design discouraged the route of Dhaka Elevated Expressway(DEEP) along its proposed route that conflicts with the MRT station in its current location and did not comply with many other urban design issues.

The design evolved through some sequential stages. Firstly; it started through the  Identification of crowd generating spot within the influence area, Secondly; creation of an active urban realm at those crowed generating spot that will help in efficient transfer of passengers and will connect it with existing urban fabric to allow seamless pedestrian interconnection, Thirdly; creation of a skywalk to connect those urban interface with MRT station to facilitate MRT passengers to find their destination without conflicting with ground traffic , Fourthly; establishment of an interconnecting network within MRT6, MRT5, water bus stand and existing ground traffic., Finally; connection and integration of the station area with the adjacent lake(Hatirjheel) and park (Panthkunjo) to form an active urban oasis.

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