A memorial complex dedicated to celebrating the life and accomplishments of the eminent film director Tareque Masud is a significant initiative, not only to uphold his legacy but also to preserve and promote the cultural identity of Bangladesh. The student project successfully creates an animated space for teaching, learning, and festivity, welcoming a variety of users, and incorporating vibrant zones that accommodate multiple functions—all interconnected through a series of courtyards and an elevated plaza. Connecting the complex to the adjacent neighborhoods and river enhances accessibility, which is crucial due to its remote rural location. Although the student has made efforts to embody the philosophy of Tareque Masud, whose films and creative works have inspired millions of Bangladeshis, the design could benefit from greater clarity in its philosophical narrative and in integrating components that reflect Masud’s values and viewpoints. Moreover, in contrast to the fluid and organic nature of the rural context, the proposed built form appears somewhat rigid and heavy, but the design decisions to open up and activate the ground level introduce a necessary sense of fluidity. – Editor

Notes from the submission:

The proposed site for this project is Tareque Masud’s ancestral home in Nurpur, Bhanga, situated near the Dhaka-Khulna highway in the Faridpur district. This site holds significant sentimental value, as it encompasses Masud’s family residence, featuring two water bodies and an open field where he brought up, along with his final resting place, embodying a repository of his legacy. Its close proximity to key landmarks like the Dhaka-Khulna highway and Padma Bridge enhances accessibility, making it strategically positioned to attract various visitors, including tourists and culture enthusiasts.

The site serves as an intersection between two communal spaces, incorporating the existing Mayor’s house and an open field which is proposed for the High-way Inn, incorporating future possibilities for the site. This unique characteristic of the site adds an interesting layer to the project’s context. It acts as a symbolic meeting point, connecting the historical and cultural dimensions of Masud’s life with the broader local community and the evolving urban environment. This creates a dynamic setting that aligns with the philosophy of neo-contextuality, seamlessly integrating the memorial into both the local community and the larger regional context. In summary, the project location, coupled with its rich surroundings, not only preserves the memory of Tareque Masud but also functions as a vibrant intersection fostering cultural exchange and appreciation. The memorial becomes intricately woven into the living history of the region, ensuring its enduring relevance and significance for generations to come.

The philosophical notion of neo-contextualism provides the foundation for the proposed design. This entails a thorough study of the site context and a deep dive into the literature of Tareque Masud, encompassing his philosophical beliefs and personal life into the design. In particular, the design objects are:

• Portraying the history of our liberation war to the younger generation.
• Establishing a platform for the expression of Tareque Masud’s philosophy.
• Infusing the design with elements that highlight and celebrate the cultural aspects.

The primary focus in determining the layout of the center revolves around decisions influenced by the functions and activities in its surroundings. The decision to connect the two main crowd-generating spaces and rejuvenate the adjacent waterbodies was based on information from previous geographical maps of that region. The process begins by assessing existing conditions, identifying references from current pedestrian entries, and exploring potential connections from the surrounding neighborhood. Major entrances and secondary access points can then be defined based on these references. Defining the lines from the surroundings creates a central space suitable for communal activities. Following the restoration of water channels and connections to existing elements, the form is shaped while adhering to accessibility references, water features, and central courtyards. The initial form is seamlessly integrated with courtyards and waterbodies. Taking natural resources into consideration, plazas and communal spaces are proposed at various levels within the center. To preserve waterbodies, elevated plazas connect communal spaces at different levels for different purposes in the complex, also delineating the form into three distinct zones.

The zoning primarily hinges on the strategic connection points identified in the surroundings. The complex is effectively divided into three major zones by an elevated plaza extending from the highway inn entry through the first floor and the Dhaka-Khulna highway at ground level. These zones are specifically allocated for assembly functions, cultural facilities, and educational/research facilities, each catering to distinct activities. The connectivity between these zones is facilitated by three different courtyards serve with different purposes, also paths, plazas, and bridges spanning from the ground level to the second floor.

The design’s goal, encompassing zoning and material choices, was to craft a subtle atmosphere that harmoniously blends with the surrounding environment, all while incorporating the philosophy of Tareque Masud.

Contributing Editor: Dr. Yasmin Ara, Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, School of Design, Brac University

Architectural movements, limited by the omnipresent driving forces of free market economics have barely prioritised communal spaces in Dhaka. This design thesis explores the deteriorating fabric of civic textures in Dhaka’s cityscape and creates a hypothesis which proposes an adaptive solution within a critical node in her map. It tries to rethink an existing shopping mall – Jamuna Future Park – of a colossal scale spread across thirty-three acres of land to facilitate development on both micro and macro scales to attract the city’s inhabitants in droves.

At the age of fifty-two, Bangladesh entered an era of unprecedented globalisation and late-stage capitalism. Modern societies thrive when architecture and urban design are used as spatial tools to reconcile the intrinsic need for socialisation with the ubiquitous need for materialistic fulfilment.

Ideal civic spaces have a distinct character in the public realm and are an irreplaceable part of the city’s character. Plot-centric urban planning paired with skyrocketing land prices in this congested city has led to extreme land scarcity for public use. Soaring private complexes and towers choke the few remnants of voids available. Urban accessibility is a distinctive trait in southwestern Dhaka. However, as you move northwards, the collective ethos diverges from a socialist utopia.

Jamuna Future Park is located at a critical juncture which can be classified as the gateway between New Dhaka and Old Dhaka. Research revealed glaring issues within the existing structure such as poor customer retention in relation to the sheer scale of financial investment, underutilised real estate space, frustrating navigational issues within the colossal maze of monotony, climatic considerations and underutilised land area.

The primary objective of this project was to strike a sensitive balance between the economic, social and cultural needs of users while creating human centered spaces. It aimed to redefine the hustle and bustle of Dhaka to create positive associations – a nurturing sanctuary for rejuvenation by exploring the intersectionality between nature and the built environment while also mitigating the polarization and alienation of different social fabrics.

This project was heavily influenced by the concept of “New Contextualism” to create aspirational narratives which captivate the Bengali ethos, challenging the International style of architecture notorious for eroding contextual stories of localities across the globe.

Design strategies ranged from the deconstruction of the boxy volume into a digestible staggering structure, increasing spatial porosity to an enveloping concave form with integrated informal spaces across the heart of the project to be more welcoming. Real estate spaces were scaled down to increase versatility, variety and affordability. Monotonous shops are rearranged in a zig-zag layout to introduce interactive and interesting edges. Ramps and escalators are used as experiential tools for seamless vertical integration of pedestrian traffic. The five atriums organized with classical geometry are culpable for the rotational symmetry causing navigation issues.  From the human perspective, there are no reference points when every elevation looks the same. The theoretical concepts of harmony, focus, and hierarchy help address this issue. The proposed alternative introduces a vista with a meandering path – a psychological end to a user’s journey. Not only does this act as a major reference point, but it also stirs a visitor’s curiosity to explore.

Seminar Instructors:

Dr. Muhammad Faruk; Dr. Mohammad Habib Reza and Dr. Imon Chowdhooree