Context BD• Syed Nazrul Islam Convention Center

DESIGN. ARCHITECTURE. CULTURE

Syed Nazrul Islam Convention Center | Metropolitan Architects

Name:	Ruqun Uddin Bhuiya , Radia Sultana \| Metropolitan Architects
Year:	2013
Location:	Boro Bazar, Mirpur Beribadh, Dhaka
Client:	L.G.E.D.

Syed Nazrul Islam (1925-1975), a leading politician and acting President of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh at Mujibnagar formed during Liberation War in 1971, was assassinated on November 3, 1975 under controversial circumstances in Dhaka central jail. This day is commemorated every year in Bangladesh as Jail Killing Day. To convey respect to the meaning of such a tragic historical incident in the odyssey of this country’s emerging progression, this convention center is designed and built as a memorial by Metropolitan Architects.

| From the Architect |

The project is a mixed-use public building that offers a good number of public facilities with a welcoming entry to an urban scale plaza to show respect to the people, the main driving force of the democracy as well as the project. It is a large scale project for the people and designed to meet the need of the locals.

The site area of this project is a high-density under developed area that has evident lack in providing community facilities as needed to meet the demand of the area. This project offers a number of community facilities namely; Multipurpose Hall, Library, Community Health Facility, Office area and etc. for the local community in a reasonable and affordable price under one roof and as an addition it also gives the possibility to introduce a public space for the locals in an urban scale that faces the river. Therefore the project has significance in different levels such as in its background, in its design philosophy and execution and also in its scale and openness towards the people.

Architectural concept:

The basic notion was to design a monumental public building with an urban scale plaza that offers a variety of spaces and functions. The space is actually a differentiated transformation where both the inner and the outer space are enticed by transition. The aim was to guide people to an inseparable state of spaces, which is revealed in light. To depict the phenomena, the spaces here raise questions among the visitors mind silently in search for a truth pushing them to a realization of history.

Programs are arranged on a raised plaza, which represents a platform of history with hierarchy so that in any interval people can avail themselves in to the openness. The Plaza is a breath in openness and also a place for people to gather and enjoy the riverfront, which has a potential to be developed in future.

The space of this convention center is holding the implication of the tragic incident of Jail Killing Day after the liberation war through the dramatic shift of hierarchy. The outer skin of the building in a sense preserving the inner, whereas outside skin standing against the deflection of time. Perforation on the outer surface to penetrate light at an uneven nature illustrates the vantage point of that dark night.

Constraints and solution:

The River being at the back of the site was a major drawback at the beginning but was treated in such a manner that the plaza gives visible access to the river and inspires the riverbank to be more visible which initiates future development.

At times it had been a bit challenging to work with the client and budget considering the details proposed initially but was improvised and revised later to fit the client’s requirements.