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Architects: Sthapotik
- Area: 360 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Asif Salman
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Lead Architect: Sharif Uddin Ahammed
Text description provided by the architects. Background - The project is an endearing tale of a mother and her son, reminiscing about an old (1980s) building with its surroundings in Dhaka city & the transformation of the once green city into a concrete jungle. The architect met the client while he was playing badminton at the playground located at the site. During their interaction, the architect noticed the client’s love and responsibility towards his mother, as well as the nostalgic emotions he carries about the complex. The architect came to know that the client is the only guardian of his mother, who has been a patient with Schizophrenia for a long time. She requires close caregiving, and the client is the only person who can manage her during the attacks. The story of emotions became the key ingredient of the design process.
Concept - Rain is the heart of nature in a monsoon country like Bangladesh. Raindrops impact on the life of people just like a blessing in life, both mentally and physically. Rain can be a wonderful sensory experience. It’s relaxing to watch & hear raindrops falling seemingly in random patterns. In a dense city like Dhaka, it’s quite hard to have a place to observe the rain. This was the concept of the Architect to make a heavenly rain-observing den at the core of the city, avoiding the local chaos and traffic; instead, have a calming effect on the pavilion in respect of the mother & son's nostalgic memories. The idea was to create a Biophilic Concept of Living with Nature by designing a pavilion-like workspace, complementing the playground and keeping the comforting rain sound.
Functional Derivation - The aim was to create a design that integrates all the elements of the prevailing ecosystem in a natural and relatable expression that blends seamlessly with the context. The playground is the heart of the complex, so the design approach ensures that there is at least an open space that covers the size of a badminton court, along with a walkway and concrete block seating around the court. The built form is placed at the west of the site and aligned with the playground due to the required privacy of the playground in a north-south orientation. Existing trees were not harmed during the design intervention but rather used as a key element of the design.
The rectangular Pavilion approach includes a parking garage for four cars and a room with toilet & kitchen facility for the caretaker on the ground floor. The office is located on the upper floor, upstairs, adjacent to the old building, so the son can closely monitor his mother and the whole complex. The office area is accessible via a bungalow-style long veranda in the front, connected with the sculptural yet subtle single-flight staircase, blended with the old residential context under the existing large foliage of the trees. The verandah is the open gallery, a buffer between the court and the office working space. People can sit on the steps, stand on the veranda, have a lovely conversation during social gatherings, or participate in ongoing games. It’s also a refreshing space for working people at the office who can experience nature like raindrops and the silence of old buildings. The verandah eventually protects the indoor spaces from direct heat & driving rain. The vast clear openings also allow natural ventilation properly.
Material & Construction - Independent Brick Jalis has been used to create screens and separate the playground from the parking area, merging with the old residential context. The screen makes the pavilion connect more with the context. The material palette of the playground includes traditional brick& concrete blocks, which helps to enhance the context and intimate scale of the space. To ensure structural integrity, concrete columns & beams are used as supporting materials. Additionally, the built form is roofed with iron sheets and metal frames, which are lightweight and help blur the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces. Material & structural focus was given on integrating nature into the project & it highlights the importance of designing spaces closely connected to nature for sustainable living.
An inclined roof is inclined to the west side. The sloping roof allows rainwater collection for watering plants and other washing needs. Using an iron sheet on the roof creates a melody of rain sounds recalling childhood memories; besides, it’s a sustainable material for the roof. The project demonstrates a commitment to a Biophilic design approach, an integrated playground in the pavilion, enhanced nature with sustainable design, and the use of local materials—the sensitively crafted use of an open space connection in the concrete climax. Overall, the pavilion showcases a holistic approach to Biophilic architecture dedicated solely to nature and the person who lives in the complex.
