The Rohingya Camps; Permanence in Transition by Harvard GSD

Fuad Mallick

The Rohingya

Permanence Camps; in Transition

"Kutupalong refugee camp, formerly a forested area, is now densely packed with makeshift homes.” Photo by Ismail Ferdous/National Geographic.

Dedication

With deepest gratitude, we dedicate this book to the Rohingya refugees who opened their homes, their lives, and their stories to us. Their warmth, their resilience, and even the smallest gestures—a conversation, a glance, a smile—touched us in ways words cannot fully express.

We recognize that our efforts in this studio are only a small step, and though they may not be enough, we carry the hope that their living conditions and futures will one day improve.

More than anything, we will remember their strength, their dignity, and their humanity, and we are honored to have had the chance to listen, learn, and share space with them. May all of you transcend your temporality and find meaningful permanence in your lives.

The Rohingya Permanence in Transition Camps;

The Rohingya Camps; Permanence in Transition

This studio explores the evolving condition of the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where over a million displaced people face uncertain futures.

Led by Professor Fuad Mallick, a visiting professor in Urban Planning and Design, the studio critically examines the intersection of humanitarian aid, environmental challenges, and long-term settlement strategies.

Throughout the course, students analyze the shifting policies and spatial dynamics of the camps, engaging with on-the-ground realities through a field visit to Bangladesh.

The course challenges the notion of temporariness in refugee settlements, questioning how infrastructure, governance, and design can accommodate both immediate relief and long-term sustainability.

Through research, mapping, and design interventions, students propose strategies that reconcile the complexities of displacement, resilience, and integration.

The studio culminates in a final project synthesizing policy, planning, and architectural solutions, contributing to broader discussions on forced migration and urbanization in the Global South.

Studio Instructor

Fuad Mallick

Teaching Assistant

Rodrigo Orihuela

Report Design

Tristan Kamata

Report Editor

Tristan Kamata

Students

Alejandra Cortez Paz, Enrique Mutis, Gonzalo Montoya, Hafsa Abdi, Jessica Shakesprere, Kellie Zhao, Michael Miwa, Qianer Zhu, Rodrigo Orihuela, Sichang (Alice) Huang, Tristan Kamata, Yuhui (Junia) Yang.

Midterm Review Critics

Martha Chen

Rajib Shaw

Richard Cash

Elizabeth Liao

Final Review Critics

Adi Kumar

John Wagner

Martha Chen

Nadyeli Quiroz Radaelli

Zainab Faruqui Ali

Elizabeth Liao

Proof Reading

Elizabeth Liao

Local Coordinator

Muhammad Ferdaus

Studio Partner

The Harvard University Asia Center

9 Permanence as Transition

Fuad Mallick

11 The Harvard University Asia Center

Collaboration with the Harvard Graduate School of Design

Elizabeth Liao

14 Background

Rohingya Refugees

29 Studio Introduction Objectives Students Site Visit

47 For Hope : Rethinking the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC) as Activated Cultural Spaces

Alejandra Cortez Paz

53 Rohingya Repatriation : From a Humanitarian Crisis into Economic Prosperity

Enrique Mutis

59 Waste as a Resource : The New Role of Organic Waste in the Rohingya Refugee Camp

Gonzalo Montoya

65 Dreamscapes : New Infrastructure for Play in the Rohingya Refugee Camps

Hafsa Abdi

71 Navigating Hope : Revitalizing Waterways in Rohingya Refugee Camps

Jessica Shakesprere

77 Amendments and Suggestions to the Shelter Technical Guide

Kellie Zhao 81

Improving Rohingya Mental Health in Cox’s Bazar

Michael Miwa

Insurgent Domesticity : Spatial Empowerment for Women in the Rohingya Refugee Camp

Qianer Zhu 93

RohingyaRide : Providing Gendered Access and New Opportunities through a Transitory Transportation System

Rodrigo Orihuela

99 The Power of Faith

Sichang (Alice) Huang 105

Survive and Thrive with Water

Tristan Kamata

111 From Assistance to Subsistence : Exploring the Path to Food Sufficiency for Rohingya Families in Refugee Camps

Yuhui (Junia) Yang

Mid + Final Review Photos

Permanence as Transition

Fuad Mallick

“Damage from Cyclone Mocha in a Rohingya refugee camp.” Photo by Relief International, 2023.

For refugees, the notion of permanency is perhaps one that doesn’t have a position and is at best transitory. Where the transition will lead is unsure.

The refugee is a person who aspires to go back to where he came from, to reclaim permanence in his homeland. Whether that will happen is uncertain.

Meanwhile, home is in the camps which is deemed temporary. As time goes by this temporality heads towards what seems to be a kind of permanence that is brought about by the sense of uncertainty.

Are the camps permanent? Or does permanence await in a land somewhere else in the world where the possibility awaits? Or is there the hope of going back to the native country, where permanence might be reclaimed?

The current status is transitional in the search for the permanent.

Studio Instructor

Fuad Mallick

An architect and educator from Bangladesh and currently the Dean, School of Architecture and Design, BRAC University. He is the founder of BRAC University’s undergraduate program in Architecture and its Graduate Programs in Disaster Management. He was a visiting professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 2023.

The Harvard University Asia Center

Collaboration with the Harvard Graduate School of Design

Elizabeth Liao

Photo by Haozhuo Yang, 2023.

Background :

The Rohingya of Myanmar represent one of the largest number of displaced persons in the world. As a Muslim minority group in Myanmar, they have faced widespread violent persecution. Not only are they an unrecognized ethnic group in the region, the Rohingya are considered to be illegal migrants because of their historically Bangladeshi origin. The Rohingya have experienced a history of persecution, forced internment, and discrimination, however in 2017 a brutal military crackdown left entire villages burned to the ground, with survivors falling victim to horrific atrocities. Approximately 700,000 Rohingya fled the country at that time, as did hundreds of thousands more in the subsequent years. Those who endured the long trek on foot were allowed entry to designated areas in Bangladesh spanning 3,000 acres. With approximately 1.2 million inhabitants in 2025, this area has become the largest refugee camp in the world.

Beyond the primary issues of survival and safety, the question of long-term versus short-term solutions for improving living conditions is itself complex, involving not only public health and housing issues, but also has political implications. The length of time that refugees remain in camps (often more than 10 years), also raises difficult questions for the host country, and even in the short term, already-impoverished local communities are overwhelmingly disrupted.

The Harvard University Asia Center :

The Asia Center is an interfaculty initiative at Harvard University that was founded in 1997-98. As with other interfaculty initiatives at Harvard, the focus is university-wide rather than limited to one school, and is concerned with cross-border, regional issues rather than country-specific. One of the Asia Center’s overarching goals is to strengthen the study and understanding of Asia at Harvard by connecting faculty, students, researchers, and staff across the different schools at the University. At the time of the founding, the Center included not only multidisciplinary and cross-border interests but also a strong interest in Southeast Asia, which had not yet been addressed by other Asia-related centers.

Interest at the Asia Center in engaging with issues on the ground with colleagues overseas had waned for several years at the Center but was regaining interest in 2020. The Center’s long-term study of natural disasters shifted to include real-world issues on the ground again as well. Its goal is to explore responses to global issues such as disasters and expanded to include those displaced by violent conflict as well. The impact of the Rohingya genocide was a shared interest, particularly as the numbers of those fleeing the violence had increased vastly since the 2017 attacks.

As areas of focus at the Asia Center re-engaged increasingly with connections overseas, was initiated with a conversation with the then Chair of the Department of Urban Planning & Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD). The conversation led to the creation at the GSD of a new option studio. The studio was open to students from architecture, urban planning and design, and landscape architecture to explore the complex and interconnected issues involved in the Rohingya settlements.

In addition, designing improvements to daily living conditions had to be balanced with the fact that the camps are temporary, so students had to think of the site as an ephemeral rather than a permanent setting.

The Asia Center regularly offers grants to Harvard faculty and students to support ideas related to cross-border issues in Asia, with Southeast Asia as a priority. A new phase of the Center in 2020 brought more global issues to the forefront (as they had been in the distant past) allowing funding to be repurposed to provide support.

The option studio became a collaborative effort that went beyond the theoretical: the Department of Urban Planning and Design hired the Dean of Architecture and Design at BRAC University in Bangladesh as a visiting professor to lead the studio and the Asia Center funded the travel for all the students to Bangladesh. The Dean from BRAC provided not only profound expertise and experience in design, but also an essential understanding of the context of the conditions and the host country.

Students developed possible projects based on their studies in the classroom and the visit to the site was an opportunity to learn on the ground and assess if their ideas were potentially viable. On site, the students spoke with a range of officials, members of NGO’S, academics, and perhaps most importantly, with the inhabitants themselves about issues and needs. Upon returning to Cambridge, the students reworked their initial projects or started working on new ideas altogether based on the interviews, meetings, and site visits.

Referring to its roots, the Asia Center’s goal with this initiative aligned with the mission: to bring together faculties and students of Harvard with colleagues abroad to explore multidisciplinary approaches to international, cross-border issues. It also expanded the Center’s areas of focus to overseas issues as well. Creating a course for students was a unique experience for the Center, and the hope is to continue in the future. The innovative and well-conceived ideas from the students’ perspectives resulted in ideas that reached beyond expectations.

Elizabeth Liao, Former Exective Director of the Harvard University Asia Center Studio Partner

Background

Photo by BMZ, 2023.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh, a South Asian country bordering India and Myanmar, is one of the world’s most densely populated nations, with over 175.7 million people.

It is situated in the fertile Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta, making it highly productive agriculturally but also prone to flooding and cyclones.

The country has a tropical monsoon climate, with distinct wet and dry seasons.

The economy is driven by the ready-made garment industry, agriculture, and remittances. Dhaka, the capital, is a bustling commercial hub, while Chittagong serves as the main port city.

Despite rapid urbanization and economic expansion, challenges such as infrastructure deficits, political instability, and climate vulnerability persist.

One of the country’s most pressing humanitarian issues is the Rohingya refugee crisis. Since 2017, over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar have taken shelter in Cox’s Bazar, and is recognized as the world’s largest refugee camp.

Capital : Dhaka

Area :

147,570 sq km (56,977 sq.mi)

Population : 175,7 million people

Ethnic Group :

98 % Bengalis, 2 % Biharis + Indigenous

Language :

1st - Bengali (Bangla), 2nd - English

Religion :

88 % Muslims, 10 % Hindus, + Buddhists, Christians, animists

Currency : Bangladeshi Taka (BDT)

Currency Rate :

1 US Dollar = 120.85 Bangladeshi Taka (2025)

Main Exports : Knitwear and Woven Garments

Source : Bangladesh High Commission, Canberra. “About Bangladesh.” Bangladesh

“People crowd a market area ahead of Eid-al Adha in Dhaka, Bangladesh,” July 16, 2021. Photo by Mahmud Hossain Opu/AP.”

Photo by Pablo Tosco/MSF, 2017.

The Rohingya Refugees

As noted previously, the Rohingya refugee camps in south eastern Bangladesh have the largest number of inhabitants in the world. Rohingyas are Muslim ethnic minority who live in the Rakhine state in west Myanmar. For a long time, the Rohingyas have found their way into Bangladesh to escape persecution.

In the late 70’s there were about 200,000 Rohingyas in the country. In 1982 Myanmar passed a law that denied Rohingyas citizenship and hence left them stateless. The figure continued to rise slowly until August 2017 when there was a big surge in numbers, following violent persecution by the Myanmar government that drove hundreds of thousands of people into Bangladesh. The figure continued to rise over the years, and at present there are about 1.2 million (unofficial estimates are 1.5 million) displaced people living in 35 camps in the Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf areas in south east Bangladesh.

Despite efforts by Bangladesh and the international community, the living conditions in these camps are poor. There is overcrowding in most of them where the community live in basic huts of 10’ x 15’ made mostly of bamboo and polythene sheets in these mildly contoured areas.

Sources : Council On Foreign, Relations, New York Times, BBC, CNN, IOM.

Historically, there has been a community of Rohingyas in Bangladesh who are generally of the same ethnic background and who have also been providing shelter in their properties to these refugees for rent.

As a part of the government policy the refugees are not allowed any employment nor can they be engaged in any income generating activities.

There are 136 national and international agencies that work in the camps to support the people living in them. The agencies work on a variety of issues such as housing, education, water supply and sanitation, health, etc.

The arrival and settlement of this large number of people in unprepared land has resulted in a host of issues that need attentiontfor a better quality of life for them and to mitigate the negative effects this has had on the surroundings.

Issues

Housing :

The units are made of temporary materials, mostly bamboo and polythene sheets and, sometimes metal sheets. The floors are usually of mud, rarely cemented. There is poor ventilation and indoor environmental conditions. There are some better-quality huts, but very few in number. Households are composed of extended families i.e. grandparents, parents and children. Usually there are about 6-8 persons living in a unit but the number can be sometimes as high as 12. Sometimes households make extensions to their units as the family grows. Given the conservative attitude of the people, womenfolk tend to stay indoors most of the time. For reasons of privacy, these units do not have normal windows. The only ventilation (and light) source are high level openings made with loosely woven bamboo mat walls.

“Homes consist of bamboo and tarped roofs since Bangladesh does not permit more permanent structures, despite the erosion and mudslide risk during monsoon seasons.” Photo by Bithun Sarkar/CARE.

Roads

Some roads in the camps are brick paved to allow vehicular movement, but most area earthen and very difficult to navigate in the rainy seasons. Drainage is poor and water logging and the muddy conditions make it worse.

Water Supply :

Water is collected from streams and then purified and piped to various locations twice a day where it is collected by the people, usually womenfolk, at designated times. The water quality is monitored regularly and contamination is a common occurrence.

Toilets and Sewage :

Toilets are communal with gender segregation. For privacy, as are their bathing and washing spaces, toilets and solid waste disposal are inadequate and sewage treatment is minimal with septic tanks dug in the ground.

Waste :

Bins provided for waste are mostly used by the refugees to store water. Waste is left in open areas leading to its accumulation and unsanitary conditions. There are only a few waste treatment facilities.

Deforestation :

When the refugees arrived, they cut a lot of trees for housing and firewood, leading to deforestation and instability of the soil. Some fuel such as gas and kerosene are available now. There are strict regulations against cutting trees and efforts are ongoing to encourage greenery.

Cyclones :

The area being close to the Bay of Bengal, is cyclone prone. The conditions of the shelters make them prone to destruction if a cyclone of significant strength was to occur.

Landslides

Because of deforestation and also the soil quality, there have been cases of landslides in the camps. This is also of concern during the rainy season. There are soil stabilization efforts to prevent landslides, but they are not adequate.

Fires :

Fires have been known to break out in the camps and there have been quite a few instances. Some were caused by accidents while others were reported as cases of arson. As recently as in March 2023 a huge fire broke out leaving 15,000 refugees homeless and 2800 homes were destroyed.

Right Page : Top “A father carries his son across a broken bridge on the edge of Balhukali camp, Bangladesh. Heavy rains flooded the areas where people had set up temporary shelters, forcing them to move to higher ground.” Photo by Aurélie Marrier d’Unienville

Right Page : Bottom

“A massive fire tore through Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on March 22, 2021, displacing approximately 45,000 Rohingya refugees.” Photo by Medair.

Health : Overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions are health hazards. Fortunately, during the COVID 19 period there were not many casualties, although reasons have not been thoroughly researched. Nearly a third of the population suffer from respiratory diseases and contamination of drinking water leads to occurrences of diarrhea and gastro-intestinal diseases.

Cultural Memory : Some agencies have given importance to the preservation of Rohingya cultural heritage. This is through supporting Rohingya artisans to research, produce objects related to their cultural heritage. There are a number of cultural centers in the camps where the refugees practice their crafts. A group of such centers won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in its 2022 cycle. They also act as meeting spaces for the refugees, particularly separate spaces for women to meet.

In addition to those mentioned above, there are a host of other issues which need more attention such as food and nutrition, healthcare, gender issues, education, prenatal and neonatal care, violence amongst youth, and drug smuggling across the border.

Climate

The camp areas are in the warm humid climate of Bangladesh, with higher rainfall than other areas. Monthly average temperatures are between 80°F and 62°F. The months of March, April and May are the hottest and December and January being cool. June till September is the monsoon season with temperatures around 75°F with high rainfall and humidity. Airflow is important for comfort conditions and windspeeds vary between 6 and 12 mph.

Of note are the incidences of cyclones and storm surges. The area is vulnerable to the frequent cyclonic formations in the Bay of Bengal. In May of 2023, the camp areas were in the path of cyclone Mocha which caused wind speeds of up to 120 mph and storm surges of up to 8 feet. The actual path of the cyclone narrowly missed the major camps and passed through the southeast part damaging about 2500 houses of which around 250 were completely damaged.

Studio

Objectives :

Given the host of issues faced in these camps, the overall objective of the exercise is to develop design solutions that will make the quality of life better in these camps.

In the design exercise students focus on any of the two topics - Housing - Infrastructure/Services

- Or any other issue that is of interest

Housing :

Innovative design solutions are needed to improve the quality of the houses in the camps and to ensure better indoor living conditions with light and air and adequate space for extended families. Social and cultural values need to be addressed. Provision of Green pockets and play spaces should be considered. As mentioned above, rainfall and subsequent landslides are a hazard for the camps. The place is prone to cyclones which makes houses vulnerable to high winds. Layout studies for multiple units with access conditions also need to be investigated. It has to be kept in mind that this is a temporary situation, but how long the “temporary” situation will last remains uncertain.

Infrastructure/Services :

Solutions to the problems of access roads and pavements, water supply, toilets, sewage, and solid waste disposal are especially needed during the rains. Toilet and washing area designs need to seriously take into account gender segregation and privacy. Water supply and potential contamination need to be considered. Water collection points must consider user needs. Solid waste collection and disposal need to be upgraded. In addition, designs must include social infrastructure, including but not limited to spaces for community interaction, spaces for education of children, and cultural centers. There are a host of other issues that may be of interest to the students. They may include amongst others, the need for better transportation, better facilities for women, children, religious gatherings, water supply and sanitation.

Photo by Zainab Faruqui Ali, 2023.

Tristan Kamata

Sichang (Alice) Huang

Michael Miwa

Hafsa Abdi

Gonzalo Montoya

Yuhui (Junia) Yang

Enrique Mutis

Students

Jessica Shakesprere

Kellie Zhao

Rodrigo Orihuela

Alejandra Cortez Paz

Qianer Zhu

Sum, tem est, odi repereiciam re commoditia sus aut ut id eveles autestrum quatiur re vent qui doleni reres.

Dhaka + Cox’s Bazar

In the 7th week of the semester, a 10-day sponsored visit to Bangladesh and the Rohingya refugee camp sites took place (October 10–20).

This field visit was a critical component of the studio, allowing students to engage directly with the complexities of refugee settlements, urban planning challenges, and ongoing humanitarian efforts.

The trip was designed to complement the students’ prior research and studio work, providing a hands-on experience that would deepen their understanding of the site conditions and the realities faced by the Rohingya community.

In addition to the time spent in Dhaka, where students interacted with key stakeholders, urban planners, and government officials, three full days were dedicated to visiting the camp locations.

During these visits, students immersed themselves in the physical and social environment of the camps, closely observing infrastructure, spatial organization, and the everyday lives of the refugees.

They had the opportunity to compare their prior desk-based research with firsthand experiences, allowing them to refine their analyses, challenge initial assumptions, and identify gaps in their understanding.

Photos by students of STU 1502 Option Studio, 2023.

Refugee Camp Visit

This on-site experience provided an invaluable opportunity to reassess their research agendas and design approaches.

Some students refined their pre-determined topics based on new insights, while others discovered entirely new issues that had not been previously considered.

During this period, students also engaged in discussions with key personnel on-site, including representatives from humanitarian organizations, NGOs, local authorities, and planning experts working in the camps.

These meetings allowed them to gain expert perspectives, seek clarifications on policy and planning approaches, and establish connections with resource persons who could be consulted throughout the semester for further inquiries.

The visit was an eye-opening experience that significantly enriched the students’ understanding of the complexities of displacement, temporary urbanism, and humanitarian architecture.

The insights gained during the trip played a pivotal role in shaping their projects for the remainder of the semester, ensuring that their proposals were informed by real-world conditions and grounded in the voices of those directly affected.

Photos by students of STU 1502 Option Studio, 2023.

Refugee Camp Visit

Photos by students of STU 1502 Option Studio, 2023.

Refugee Camp Visit

Infrastructure / Services

Photos by students of STU 1502 Option Studio, 2023.

Refugee Camp Visit

Photos by students of STU 1502 Option Studio, 2023.

For Hope : Rethinking the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC) as Activated Cultural Spaces

Alejandra Cortez Paz

Rohingya Repatriation : From a Humanitarian Crisis into Economic Prosperity

Enrique Mutis

Waste as a Resource : The New Role of Organic Waste in the Rohingya Refugee Camp

Gonzalo Montoya

Dreamscapes : New Infrastructure for Play in the Rohingya Refugee Camps

Hafsa Abdi

Navigating Hope : Revitalizing Waterways in Rohingya Refugee Camps

Jessica Shakesprere

Amendments and Suggestions to the Shelter Technical Guide

Kellie Zhao

ROHINGYA

Improving Rohingya Mental Health in Cox’s Bazar Michael Miwa

Insurgent Domesticity : Spatial Empowerment for Women in the Rohingya Refugee Camp Qianer Zhu

RohingyaRide : Providing Gendered Access and New Opportunities through a Transitory Transportation System Rodrigo Orihuela

The Power of Faith Sichang (Alice) Huang

Survive and Thrive with Water Tristan Kamata

From Assistance to Subsistence : Exploring the Path to Food Sufficiency for Rohingya Families in Refugee Camps Yuhui (Junia) Yang

For Hope : Rethinking the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC) as

Activated Cultural Spaces

Alejandra Cortez Paz

When the Rohingya people were persecuted and eventually exiled from Myanmar, they left their villages and possessions behind, bringing with them the memories and knowledge of their culture as well as the trauma of violence and displacement.

A child that came to the camp as a 2-year-old in 2017 is now (in 2023) 8 years old. What will they be left with following this crisis whether they stay or go to a different land?

This project rethinks and redesigns the well-known Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC), a building and humanitarian effort to support Rohingya refugees emotionally and culturally, as multiple and dynamic public spaces for cultural expression. In order to address the current centre’s limitations on accessibility and availability, the project identifies and reinforces an ever-growing network of left-over spaces. These become Activated Cultural Spaces equipped with vegetation, shading, seating, and other structures to provide socially dynamic and environmentally resilient public open spaces where cultural activities can live and thrive.

The goal is to give the Rohingya people the space to make their own in the temporary state of the enormous refugee camps in Bangladesh.

“ What Will Their Future Look Like? ”

Portrait of a Rohingya refugee. Photo by Showkat Shafi, 2018.

Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC) Current

Proposal

More Activated Cultural Spaces

Alejandra Cortez Paz

Rohingya Repatriation : From a Humanitarian Crisis into Economic Prosperity

Enrique Mutis

Over one million Rohingyas in Myanmar fled violent prosecution and settled near the border city of Cox’s Bazar, forming one of the largest refugee camps in the world. The scale of this humanitarian crisis has placed significant strain on Bangladesh’s resources, posing considerable socio-economic challenges.

While Rohingya repatriation may be the ideal resolution from Bangladesh’s perspective, current agreements suggest it could take up to 29 years for all Rohingyas to return home. This protracted scenario prompts the question: can an alternative solution benefit both the Rohingya and the Bangladeshi people?

This Rohingya urban design proposal takes an economic approach analyzing two scenarios: the first considers the Rohingya as Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN), which is their current humanitarian status as designated by the Bangladesh government; the second explores an alternative model, the Self-Reliant FDMN scenario, where refugees actively contribute to Bangladesh’s economic growth while preparing for eventual repatriation.

With this framework, Rohingyas would gain access to work permits and vocational training, allowing them to integrate into the local labor market. This shift from dependence to self-reliance would enable refugees to pay income taxes, participate in the economy, and contribute to regional development without permanent land tenure. By empowering Rohingyas to achieve self-sufficiency, this scenario proposes to redirect international aid and government spending toward developing Cox’s Bazar as a regional economic hub.

Repatriation...

Challenge or Opportunity ?

Strategically located, Cox’s Bazar can capitalize on recent infrastructure investments to boost the economy, such as the new Parjatak Express station—a non-stop intercity train connecting to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Strategic regional developments are essential to Bangladesh’s future. By 2050, the country is expected to have one of the world’s largest working-age populations, offering the potential to become a significant economic power. But to achieve this, the labor market must be prepared to harness its workforce. Bangladesh’s economy must prepare for expansion to prevent massive unemployment rates in the future. Integrating the Rohingya workforce could play a pivotal role, strengthening key sectors like the garment industry while diversifying into fruitful opportunities such as tourism.

From a broader perspective, the “self-reliant” concept also underscores the role of refugee capital flows in shaping the Global South’s economic future. By equipping refugees with skills and opportunities, host countries can turn a humanitarian obligation into a strategic advantage, fostering inclusive growth and preparing for global shifts in labor demands.

This vision offers a path where both Bangladesh and the Rohingyas can thrive. By integrating refugees into the economy while considering repatriation as a long-term goal, Bangladesh can address immediate challenges, strengthen its labor market, and position itself as a model for sustainable refugee integration in the Global South.

1 2 3

The normality of informality Camp border iteration with the Hosting Community Economic activity in and outside the Camps shown in satellite imagery

Vast demographic shifts will reshape the world, creating unprecedented economic opportunities for the global south.

According to the UN World Population Prospects, Bangladesh could become the fourth-largest economy in the world by 2050 based on its working-age population. But to seize this economic opportunity, governments need to prepare now.

My primary goal was to directly validate Bangladesh’s predominant informal economy, a pivotal yet oftendiscussed aspect requiring firsthand confirmation. Additionally, I aimed to corroborate satellite imagery indicating substantial nighttime activity, suggesting extensive commerce between Rohingya refugees and the surrounding local host communities.

The geolocated images presented below illustrate my findings during the trip, affirming a flourishing economy both within and outside the camps, involving Rohingyas and hosting communities alike:

DEPENDENT FORCIBLY DISPLACED MYANMAR NATIONALS (FDMN)

SELF-RELIANT SCENARIO

SCENARIOS

In the current Bangladesh categorizes Dependent FDMNs Displaced Myanmar which implies dependents contributors

As a result, limited work restricting their opportunities, within the boundaries refugee camp. reinforces their on external perpetuates from mainstream hindering their for self-sufficiency socioeconomic

In our second Rohingyas are to as Self-reliant Here, international government now be redirected developing of Cox’s Bazar. FDMNs receive asylum that repatriation for full-time they will pay tax. They will language and programs, and When they can own rent, they out of the camp, tenure is not repatriation return to Myanmar. if they have record or pending liability, they Bangladesh

SELF-RELIANT SCENARIO - COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE

Infrastructure investments in Cox’s Bazar, including the new passenger rail station, Matarbari Port, and development of Cox’s Bazar Beach as a tourist attraction, create unprecedented opportunities for economic growth. Strategic investment in education, addressing the shortage of skilled labor, is crucial to maximizing the impact of these projects. Improved connectivity and transportation infrastructure, coupled with educational initiatives, can unlock Cox’s Bazar’s full economic potential and pave the way for sustainable development and economic growth.

COX’S

EXPORT PROCESSING ZONE (EPZ) - MATARBARI DEEP SEA PORT

Deep seaport connecting with Chittagong and Dhaka. Major infrastructure investment expected in operation by 2026.

Cox’s Bazar

The Cox’s Bazar Metro Station serves as a powerful engine for activating the local economy and driving economic growth, with its employment multiplier effect playing a pivotal role in shaping the region’s prosperity. By attracting visitors, businesses, and investment, the station stimulates growth across various sectors, injecting vitality into the local economy. Its strategic location and accessibility draw in tourists and business travelers, creating demand for accommodation, transportation, and entertainment services, thereby fostering job creation in the hospitality and tourismrelated sectors. Additionally, the station’s role as a transportation hub facilitates the movement of people and goods, further amplifying its positive impact on economic activity and employment opportunities in the region.

The new Matarbari seaport has a significant impact on Cox’s economy, particularly in the ready-made garment (RMG) industry. With enhanced trade facilitation and improved transportation infrastructure, the seaport provides a vital link for RMG exporters to access international markets more efficiently. This leads to increased export volumes and revenue for Cox’s garment manufacturers, stimulating growth and job creation within the industry.

Additionally, the strategic location of the seaport enables RMG businesses to streamline their supply chain operations, reducing costs and enhancing competitiveness in the global market. As a result, Cox’s RMG industry experiences enhanced competitiveness compared to Dhaka, further solidifying its position as a key player in the global textile and apparel trade.

Cox’s Bazar Beach, one of the world’s longest natural sea beaches, attracts tourists with its scenic beauty and bustling nocturnal atmosphere. As the sun sets, visitors enjoy snacks from beachside vendors and dine al fresco at nearby restaurants, while taking in the stunning sunset views.

Cox’s Bazar Beach serves as a key driver of the region’s economy, fostering a thriving tourism industry that supports diverse businesses and livelihoods. Infrastructure investment in the hospitality sector further enhances its role as an economic engine, creating jobs and contributing to sustain growth and development for the region.

COX’S BAZAR

COX’S BAZAR NEW METRO STATION

Cox’s Bazar

Matarbari

Chittagong

COX’S BAZAR

COX’S BAZAR BEACH - TOURISM

COX’S BAZAR

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

In this economic model, the scenario for Dependent FDMNs calculates the current annual expenditures. This model calculates the estimated working-age population minus the average unemployment rate.

For the alternative scenario as Self-reliant FDMNs, the model assumes a gradually increasing labor multiplier, which accounts for the gradual implementation of the skilltraining programs. Here we can see the productivity outcome against the sunk costs in red.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

In this scenario, something pivotal occurs at the apex of the curve. As more Rohingyas return to Myanmar, the jobs left behind will create a new labor demand.

$377,799,410$551,908,268$715,724,669$868,912,870$1,011,127,359$1,142,012,589$1,261,202,701$1,368,321,248$1,462,980,901$1,544,783,156$1,613,318,032$1,668,163,756$1,708,886,444$1,735,039,774$1,746,164,647$1,741,788,847$1,721,426,679$1,684,578,610$1,630,730,896$1,559,355,195$1,469,908,179$1,361,831,129$1,234,549,519$1,087,472,597 $1,368,000,000$1,332,295,200$1,295,808,465$1,258,522,670$1,220,420,317$1,181,483,522$1,141,694,011$1,101,033,110$1,059,481,735$1,017,020,385$973,629,131$929,287,609$883,975,008$837,670,060$790,351,035$741,995,722$692,581,429$642,084,962$590,482,623$537,750,192$483,862,921$428,795,519$372,522,141$315,016,376

As the labor supply diminishes and the demand for workers persists, an opportunity arises for individuals from both the host communities and returning Rohingyas to fill these newly available positions. This shift in the labor market dynamics not only presents employment opportunities for the local population but also underscores the potential for economic growth and development in the region.

Through strategic planning, the Bangladesh government has the opportunity to reverse the downward trend for the green curve and ensure sustainable economic expansion. This involves implementing targeted policies and initiatives to maximize the potential benefits arising from changing labor dynamics.

Investing in education and skills training programs to enhance the employability of the local workforce and returning Rohingyas can bolster an unprecedented emerging economy for the country and solidify its path towards becoming a developed nation.

COX’S BAZAR

Waste as a Resource : The New Role of Organic Waste in the Rohingya Refugee Camp

Gonzalo Montoya

Inadequate sanitation and waste management are significant public health threats, especially in densely populated refugee camps in the Global South, where poor sanitation contributes to diseases, illnesses, and fatalities. This project aims to address these issues, focusing on improving the management of human waste, which is the primary source of health risks in the camps. However, the proposal goes beyond immediate sanitation concerns by advocating for a comprehensive shift from a linear to a circular waste management model.

The goal is to create a sustainable system that not only improves sanitation but also addresses broader challenges in the refugee camp, including energy access, food security, and environmental health. By transforming waste into resources, the project envisions a solution that contributes to long-term ecological and economic sustainability within the camp.

The proposed system consists of three main components: collective latrines with anaerobic digesters, biogas production and distribution centers, and safe kitchen units.

The collective latrines, equipped with anaerobic digesters, will process human waste to produce biogas, which can then be used as a renewable energy source for cooking. This shift from firewood or LPG to biogas will help reduce the environmental damage caused by deforestation, improve air quality, and alleviate safety risks,

especially for women who currently face dangers while collecting fuel.

Biogas production centers will be strategically located within the camp to process organic waste and convert it into biogas, which will be distributed to households for cooking. These centers will also produce slurry as a byproduct, which can be used as fertilizer, supporting local agriculture and enhancing food security. By utilizing organic waste, the system reduces the need for external fuel sources, cutting costs and improving the camp’s energy autonomy.

The kitchen units, designed to be safe and efficient, will either serve individual households or be shared between two homes. These units will be made from fireproof materials, with fixed ventilation to prevent gas or smoke leaks, ensuring safety while cooking. Additionally, the units are designed to be simple and cost-effective to build, with the potential for community participation in construction, further promoting sustainability and local engagement.

This circular system offers several key benefits: it reduces the reliance on external fuel supplies, creates a sustainable source of energy for cooking, improves sanitation, and provides fertilizers for agricultural use. By addressing these interconnected issues, the proposal not only improves the living conditions of refugees but also restores the environmental balance, mitigating the ecological degradation caused by over-exploitation of natural resources like firewood.

Ultimately, this project seeks to create a more resilient, sustainable environment for over a million refugees in the camp. By integrating waste management with energy production, food security, and environmental restoration, the proposed circular system aims to enhance public health, safety, and overall quality of life, contributing to the long-term well-being of refugees in the camp.

“ Shifting from a Linear Model to a Circular One ”

Gonzalo Montoya

Collective Unit 01: Compact and Expandable Collective Latrines

Collective Unit 02: Detail: Biogas Production Wire Biogas Bag

Production: Anaerobic Digester

Purification: Scrubbing and Moisture removal

Compression: Low-Pressure compression

Storage: Storage for individual distribution

Gonzalo Montoya

Dreamscapes : New Infrastructure for Play in the Rohingya Refugee Camps

Hafsa Abdi

For the five-hundred thousand young people in the Rohingya refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, time passes slowly. Governing policies limit traditional and vocational education.

This project proposes a process by which these children can design their own structures for play and socialization, gaining meaningful skills in visualization and fabrication in the process. More importantly, the model offers them creative agency over their experience of the built environment of the camps.

“ To Restore Hope and the Right to Dream ”

Rohingya Refugee Camps

By Age

Source: March 2023 UNHCR Report

Permanence In Transition: Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Dreamscapes: New Infrastructure for Play in the Rohingya Refugee Camps

Permanence In Transition: Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Dreamscapes: New Infrastructure for Play

Permanence In Transition: Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Children playing in the alongside bamboo structures in the camps

| Source: John Warren via World Vision

Dreamscapes: New Infrastructure for Play

Learning Centers Informal Recreation

Small classroom spaces and curriculum managed and taught by NGOs

Children play wherever they can find space and time

Proposed Form

Discretized Panels offer a working plan for assembly of the structure and panels They are scalable and easily reproducible for different materials

Transverse elements cut to accommodate angled members

Assemblies

Permanence In Transition: Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Nylon and Jute Lashing

Source: Iftekhar Ahmed and Salek Seraj, Building Safer Houses in Rural Bangladesh

Permanence In Transition: Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Preparing Forms

Form Selection

Dreamscapes: New Infrastructure for Play

Participatory Process

Dreamscapes: New Infrastructure for Play

Participatory Process

Discretize the Form Scale

Intersections

Openings

Ground Threshold

Permanence In Transition: Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Dreamscapes: New Infrastructure for Play

Learning For All Ages

Prepare Soil

Choosing Sites

Combining Geometries

Panelization

Growing Bamboo

Permanence In Transition: Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Prepare Structure

Permanence In Transition: Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Young Children

Middle Grade Girls

Young Men’s

Middle Grade Boys

Young Women’s

Dreamscapes: New Infrastructure for Play Studies

Permanence In Transition: Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Dreamscapes: New Infrastructure for Play Studies

Permanence In Transition: Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

Dreamscapes: New Infrastructure for Play Studies

Navigating Hope : Revitalizing Waterways in Rohingya Refugee Camps

Jessica Shakesprere

Waterway restoration can enhance the quality of life and alleviate everyday suffering of the residents living in tandem with nature. Daylighting waterways is becoming more and more common - particularly in urban, dense areas. Yet, this peri-urban area in many ways replicates a city and daylighting offers a long-term sustainable solution to congestion, biodiversity, flood mitigation, and general wellbeing. In the river delta, rivers shape the civilisation, culture, communication, cuisine, economy, ecology, heritage and history of this delta country. In fact, Bangladesh has given legal rights to waterways. I was prompted by the question - how can we think WITH water rather than just about water?

Within the camp context, waterways could be revitalized for critical needs and desires like washing clothes, ablution, agriculture, swimming would provide. Currently, programming to tackle water issues focuses on water focuses on water-sanitation-hygiene (WASH) and lacks an environmental systems focus on water for the environment, biodiversity, waste management, pollution, and food production (agriculture, fisheries). Waterway restoration practices have been recently explored by international organizations involved in the camp, but are still in preliminary stages. Water for broader environmental purposes should get immediate attention in restoration planning. I study and analyze site conditions of historical and existing water systems in and around the camp. I overlay social, economic, and environmental data to spatialize the camp. I create a strategy for long-term visioning of where, what, and how waterways could be daylighted, prioritizing those that coordinate with bamboo-made housing and infrastructure that will need to be rebuilt.

I lay out a broad implementation plan such as who could manage these efforts with residents, how this work ties to existing efforts, and questions like legal concerns, shifting social dynamics in the overall impact of restorative systems.

“ How Can We Think With Water ”

CURRENT WATERWAYS

FLOOD-PRONE AREAS

SHELTER & INFRASTRUCTURE

NafRiver

Madhur

Balakhali

Theangkhali

PRIMARY TRIBUTARY

Jessica Shakesprere

Amendments and Suggestions to the Shelter Technical Guide

Kellie Zhao

This project aims to revise and enhance the existing Shelter Technical Guide, incorporating innovative yet practical design modifications that respond to the evolving needs of Rohingya refugees. By investigating improved aperture designs, alternative roof configurations, and the feasibility of two-story structures, the project seeks to optimize natural light penetration and ventilation while maintaining privacy—a crucial consideration in the dense living conditions of the camps.

The proposed updates are not intended to be rigid or prescriptive solutions but rather flexible design strategies that empower refugees to make informed decisions about their living spaces. Recognizing the resource constraints and the varying needs of different households, the updated guide provides adaptable recommendations that allow for incremental improvements based on available materials, construction knowledge, and individual preferences.

One key focus is on apertures, such as windows, vents, or adjustable panels, which can be strategically placed to enhance cross-ventilation and natural daylighting while minimizing unwanted visibility from neighbors or public spaces. Additionally, the project explores alternative roof structures that can offer better insulation, rainwater management, and thermal comfort without compromising structural integrity.

The potential integration of two-story shelters is also examined, considering the space limitations and the need for vertical expansion to accommodate growing families. These multi-level solutions could offer additional privacy, better spatial organization, and an efficient use of the limited space in the camps.

Importantly, the guide is designed to function as a living document, serving as a foundation rather than a fixed blueprint. The goal is to foster a sense of agency and ownership among the refugees, enabling them to modify and adapt their shelters according to their specific needs, cultural preferences, and environmental conditions. The suggested improvements are meant to be incremental, feasible, and responsive, encouraging community-led innovation and self-sufficiency in shelter adaptation.

Ultimately, this initiative aligns with broader efforts to enhance the dignity, safety, and well-being of displaced populations by improving living conditions in a participatory and sustainable manner. By providing practical and adaptable guidelines, the project ensures that refugee communities have the knowledge and tools to shape their own built environment, fostering resilience and long-term livability within the constraints of the camps.

“ Improved Light, Airflow, and Privacy... ”

Kellie Zhao

Improving Rohingya Mental Health in Cox’s Bazar

Michael Miwa

In our visit to the Cox’s Bazar Refugee Camps, the Bangladesh office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) mentioned that Rohingya mental health is deteriorating in the camps. I studied how poor living conditions in the camps influence mental health, and how urban design could be implemented to improve it.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) considers 45 square meters per refugee as a standard amount of space; this includes roads, public facilities, and shelter. Much of the camps are below this, sometimes 10 square meters per person; most of the Rohingya come from villages that are less dense. These crowded conditions are exacerbated by traumatic experiences. A survey of 500 Rohingya found that they all recently experienced violence like villages being burned, and chronic stressors like not enough access to safe water, leading to loss of motivation for daily activities and wanting to go home (Fortify Rights, The Torture in My Mind, 2020).

Poor overcrowded conditions and its correlation to mental health has been studied around the world. In a survey of 600 refugees in the Moria Refugee Camps, in Syria with similarly overcrowded conditions as Cox’s Bazar, looking into their mental health issues and when they reported them, it concluded that everyday they lived in the camps their odds of a mental health issue increased 3.3% (Van de Wiel Willemine, Mental health consequences of long-term stays in refugee camps, 2018). It became clear that forced displacement, no hope of returning home and overcrowded poor conditions are correlated to ongoing mental health issues in the camps.

Mental health facilities were not the solution; many Rohingya prefer going to a religious leader or family as opposed to a mental health specialist. I studied alternative solutions; Place making is making somewhere familiar through material or activities. This achieves self continuity or the need to link one’s past and present. Self Determination Theory is psychological wellbeing through autonomy (directing one’s own life, opening a shop), competence (feeling of being good at something like a sport) and relatedness (connecting with others). We saw in the camps various market spaces, autonomy. Rohingya enjoy the traditional sport chinlone and music Tarana, competence. Children enjoy participating in class and playing board games, relatedness. There are opportunities to provide a sense of home to the camps to improve mental health, which I attempted as low, medium, high dense public space.

Low-dense space accommodates large gatherings, like Eid Festivals. People can break fast or just enjoy a meal together with food from the local market. High density space has narrow alleys between homes; some of these homes could be lifted to lessen density and create semi public space, such as pocket parks, local market space or women friendly spaces. The medium density space can revitalize streams, where a class can enjoy Tarana music performance while looking at marsh.

The mental health issues Rohingya face in the camps can arguably be solved with space that brings back a sense of home to the community.

Heat, Violence, Stressors

Bangladesh, Cox’s Bazar

Heat, Violence, Stressors

Bangladesh, Cox’s Bazar

Camp 21 Prototype Site Proposal

Autonomy

Competence

Relatedness

Tsuneo Miwa

Michael Tsuneo Miwa

Health in Cox’s Bazar

“ Self-Continuity + Place-Making ”

Self-Continuity is Often Achieved Through Place-Making

Michael Miwa

Michael Tsuneo Miwa

Rohingya Mental Health in Cox’s Bazar

Michael Tsuneo Miwa

Rohingya Mental Health in Cox’s Bazar

Insurgent Domesticity : Spatial Empowerment for Women in the Rohingya Refugee Camp

Qianer Zhu

Rohingya women and girls are amongst the most affected victims of the genocide in Myanmar. The majority of them have experienced different forms of sexual and gender-based violence. This project reflects on the perspective of humanitarian agencies that treat Rohingya women as passive aid recipients and reinforce their subordination in the long term. Rather, I want to recognize women’s homemaking labor as humanitarian expertise centered on domesticity in emergency. Women’s everyday struggles, mostly quiet and unrecognized, are indeed political acts.

I propose a decentralized, bottom-up semi-domestic collective space where women can unite and cultivate their insurgent domesticities. Drawing inspiration from the site’s existing window mechanisms, I suggest adapting this approach into a system of folding and sliding doors. During the day, these doors can open to connect the shelter’s kitchen and corridor, creating a shared, communal space. At night, the doors can be closed, restoring privacy and transforming the area back into individual shelters.

This design offers women a semi-public collective space adjacent to their homes. On a broader scale, the movable doors can enclose small neighborhood clusters, freeing up the public spaces in between. This allows women to gather, share knowledge, and build community with their own agency as the starting point of their empowerment.

“ Semi-Domestic Collective Spaces as a Bottom-Up Approach ”

Qianer Zhu

RohingyaRide : Providing Gendered Access

and New Opportunities through a Transitory Transportation System

Rodrigo Orihuela

The exponential growth of Rohingya camps has given rise to a “transitory urbanity,” forcing us to tackle the challenges of these refugee camps through the lens of a complex urban context.

RohingyaRide proposes implementing a multimodal, multiscalar, and potentially incremental transportation system to foster a more livable urban environment for both women and men. It seeks to transform and broaden the existing Referral Hubs into a gender-accessible health service delivery system. Also, it introduces a transformable rickshaw van system to streamline the transportation of essential goods.

The project´s primary goal is firstly to raise the consciousness of the highly complex urban condition of the camps despite its temporality and to explore and address challenges inherent to urbanity, like mobility and accessibility.

The project also leverages the innovative ideas and knowledge present in the camps and aims to improve, systematize, and expand them to provide networks that, through transit, can help reduce the critical health accessibility gaps for women and improve the mobility and working conditions for men, with the ultimate goal of creating a more habitable “transitory urban environment” for all refugees.

“ A Transitory Urbanity ”

Rodrigo Orihuela

| Rodrigo Martel Orihuela

| The Rohingya Camps Fall 2023

| Rodrigo Martel Orihuela

| The Rohingya Camps Fall 2023

Rodrigo Orihuela

| Rodrigo Martel Orihuela

| The Rohingya Camps Fall 2023

The Power of Faith

Sichang (Alice) Huang

The project aims to establish a comprehensive religious system to help the Rohingya people recover from trauma and lead healthy, sustainable religious lives. Religion is central to the Rohingya belief system, providing guidance for all aspects of their daily lives. They believe in one God and express their devotion through daily prayers, which serve as both acts of worship and moments for self-reflection. Islamic teachings also emphasize the importance of mutual support and helping one another. However, following their expulsion, the Rohingya community faces numerous challenges, including inadequate religious facilities, limited access for vulnerable groups, and a lack of educational resources, all of which contribute to heightened levels of despair.

This project proposes the creation of religious centers within the camps, designed to facilitate a wide range of religious activities that promote equal participation and community engagement. The design and programs at these centers can be adapted and implemented in existing mosques and madrasas with the joint support of organizations and religious leaders. The proposal seeks to improve the refugees’ lives by enhancing their mental well-being, fostering hope, and building a supportive community.

“ Loss of Identity, Hope, Spirit, Heritage, Root, Faith... ”

Sichang (Alice) Huang

Survive and Thrive with Water

Tristan Kamata

In the Rohingya refugee camps, water presents a paradox—it is both abundant and scarce, a source of both survival and crisis. During monsoon seasons, heavy rainfall floods the camps, eroding fragile shelters, contaminating water sources, and making sanitation conditions even more hazardous. Yet, despite this overwhelming presence of water, access to clean and safe drinking water remains a persistent challenge. At the same time, the mismanagement of water within the camps exacerbates other risks. The loss of vegetation due to deforestation, coupled with inadequate drainage systems, makes the camps highly vulnerable to flash floods, landslides, and soil erosion. Furthermore, overcrowded conditions, combined with a lack of accessible water sources for fire response, have led to devastating fires that spread rapidly, with few resources available to contain them.

This project directly addresses these intertwined water-related challenges by turning water from a vulnerability into a resource for resilience. Through rainwater harvesting, strategic water storage, and purification systems, the initiative aims to create a sustainable, safe, and multi-purpose water supply. By capturing and storing rainwater efficiently, the system not only provides clean drinking water but also reduces fire and flood risks. Harvested rainwater can be used in a manual hand-pumping sprinkler system, empowering residents to respond to fires effectively, while better water management helps prevent uncontrolled flooding.

By bridging the gap between excess and scarcity, this initiative reshapes water as a tool for survival, safety, and sustainability in the Rohingya refugee camps. More than just an infrastructure solution, it is a community-centered approach that fosters self-sufficiency and resilience, ensuring that water is no longer a source of crisis but a foundation for a safer and more dignified life.

“ Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink ... ”

The

Taylor Coleridge

Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel

Tristan Kamata

Left Page : Top

“Bakuro-cho hatsune no baba” by Utagawa Hiroshige I, 1857. Image courtesy of the National Diet Library, Japan.

Inspiration

Pump

Spray

Water-Coated

Dispense

Release

Harvest

Pump

Spray

Close

Tristan Kamata

Left Page : Bottom

“Water Hose Festival in Kayabuki no Sato village.” Image courtesy of My Modern Met.

Prevention Harvesting Stromwater for...

From Assistance to Subsistence : Exploring the Path to Food Sufficiency for Rohingya Families in Refugee Camps

Yuhui (Junia) Yang

The Rohingya refugee camps house the largest number of refugees in the world. The arrival and settlement of such a large population in unprepared land has led to numerous challenges that need urgent attention to improve the quality of life for the refugees and mitigate the negative effects on the surrounding environment.

The starting point of this project is food, one of the most basic necessities of life. However, food resources in the camps are precarious and unsustainable. In 2023, food rations for Rohingya refugees were reduced twice within three months, from $12 to $8, due to funding instability. In response, this project explores the potential for families to scientifically utilize homestead resources to grow fresh vegetables over time, thereby increasing their year-round nutritional supply in limited space. By constructing simple structures around their shelters using local bamboo, Rohingyas can grow vegetables year-round, provided they plan effectively. Based on local weather conditions, a single family could potentially grow 124243 kg of vegetables annually—more than the average amount consumed by a typical Bangladeshi household.

This project serves as an experiment to challenge the existing food voucher system and the broader issue of food insecurity. The goal is to transition from assistance to subsistence— empowering individuals to secure their own food supply, reducing their reliance on external assistance, and alleviating future food concerns.

“ Simple Food Production Structures That Can Be Easily Assembled ”

Harvest season

Vegetable exchange

TYPOLOGY A

TYPOLOGY

B

TYPOLOGY A

Fungiculture approximate yield

Mushroom 1 row = 9 bags 1 system = 27 bags 1 bag = 2-4 flushes 1 flush = 200-300 grams 1 system = 10.8-32.4 kg

TYPOLOGY B

Bed planting approximate yield

| STU 1502 | Permanence in Transition | Fall 2023

TYPOLOGY C

Trellis planting approximate yield

| STU 1502 | Permanence in Transition | Fall 2023

1 row = 8 cabbages 1 cabbage = 500-1000 grams

row = 4-8 kg 1 row = 6 okras

okra plant = 20-30 pods 1 pod = 13-16 grams

row = 1.5-2.9 kg

1 row = 8 tomato plants

row = 14.4-28.8 kg 1 row = 6 plants

30 Junia Yang | STU 1502 | Permanence in Transition | Fall 2023

Junia Yang

TYPOLOGY

Slope

TYPOLOGY

Junia Yang

41 Junia Yang

Junia Yang

Mid + Final Review

Photos by Fuad Mallick and Students of STU 1502 Option Studio, 2023.

Photos by students of STU 1502 Option Studio, 2023.

Department of Architecture School of Architecture and Design (SoAD), Brac University, Bangladesh

Zainab Faruqui Ali, PhD Professor and Chairperson

Imon Chowdhooree, PhD Associate Professor

Muhammad Ferdaus Senior Lecturer

Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammed Mizanur Rahman Commissioner

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Abdusattor Esoev Chief of Mission

Shegufta Newaz Site Planner

Field Representative

Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre

Brac

Rezaul Karim

Associate Director and Office in Charge

Mohd Towhidul Islam Lead, Admin and Operations

Farooq Ahammad Rashidi Senior Manager, Safety & Security

Other officials of HCMP, Brac

Others

Md. Haider Ali Khan

Deputy Inspector General (Operations)

Bangladesh Police, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Mokseda Akther Director

Valorous Tours and Travels Service’s

Midterm Review Critics

Martha Chen

Rajib Shaw

Richard Cash

Elizabeth Liao

Final Review Critics

Adi Kumar

John Wagner

Martha Chen

Nadyeli Quiroz Radaelli

Zainab Faruqui Ali

Elizabeth Liao

Local Coordinator

Muhammad Ferdaus

Proof Reading

Elizabeth Liao

Studio Partner

Harvard University Asia Center

Beyond them, so many individuals contributed to making this studio a meaningful experience—mentors, colleagues, collaborators, and those in the field who shared their time and knowledge with us. While we cannot name everyone here, we are profoundly grateful for their generosity, insights, and commitment. This work would not have been possible without them.

P10

Relief International. Damage from Cyclone Mocha. Photograph. 2023. Relief International. https://www.ri.org/ cyclone-mocha/.

P11

Yang, Haozhuo. Photograph. 2023.

P14

BMZ. Photograph. 2023. German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. https://www. bmz.de/en/countries/bangladesh.

P18

Opu, Mahmud Hossain. People crowd a market area ahead of Eid-al Adha in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photograph. Associated Press, July 16, 2021.

P19

Tosco, Pablo. Doctors Without Borders, 2017 Photograph. 2017. https://www.doctorswithoutborders. org/what-we-do/focus/rohingya-refugee-crisis.

P23

Sarkar, Bithun. Homes consist of bamboo and tarped roofs since Bangladesh does not permit more permanent structures, despite the erosion and mudslide risk during monsoon seasons. Photograph. CARE, Year. https:// www.care.org/news-and-stories/rohingya-refugee-crisissixth-anniversary/.

P26

Marrier d’Unienville, Aurélie. A father carries his son across a broken bridge on the edge of Balhukali camp, Bangladesh. Photographa. Oxfam. https://www.oxfam. org/en/what-we-do/emergencies/bangladesh-rohingyarefugee-crisis.

Medair. Burning plastic, dust, and ash: The Rohingya refugee camp fire. Photograph. March 29, 2021. https:// www.medair.org/news-stories/burning-plastic-dust-andash-the-rohingya-refugee-camp-fire.

P31

Faruqui Ali, Zainab. Photograph, 2023.

P36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44

Students in STU 1502 Option Studio, Harvard GSD. Photograph, 2023.

P48

Shafi, Showkat. 100 Portraits of Rohingya Refugees from Little Kids to Seniors. Photograph. Al Jazeera, 2018.

P109

Hiroshige, Utagawa. Bakuro-cho hatsune no baba. 1857. Woodblock print. National Diet Library, Japan. https:// www.ndl.go.jp/landmarks/e/details/detail043.html.

Pires, Samantha. Japanese Village Hosts ‘Water Hose Festival’ To Test Its Impressive Fire Extinguishing System. Photograph. My Modern Met, November 20, 2020. https://mymodernmet.com/water-hose-festival/.

P117, P118

Students in STU 1502 Option Studio, Harvard GSD. Photograph, 2023.

Mallick, Fuad. Photograph, 2023.

P118

Students in STU 1502 Option Studio, Harvard GSD. Photograph, 2023.

Front Cover

Arnold, Roger. Rohingya Refugees Fleeing Myanmar on August 25, 2017. Photograph. UNHCR, 2017. https:// www.unhcr.org/us/news/briefing-notes/seven-years-crisisrohingya-refugees

Inside

Ferdous, Ismail. Kutupalong refugee camp, formerly a forested area, is now densely packed with makeshift homes. Photograph. National Geographic. https://www. nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/rohingya-refugeecrisis-elephants-bangladesh

The Rohingya Camps; Permanence in Transition

Instructor

Fuad Mallick

Report Design

Tristan Kamata

Report Editor

Tristan Kamata

Dean and Josep Lluís Sert Professor of Architecture

Sarah Whiting

Chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Design

Ann Forsyth

Copyright © 2025 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

The editors have attempted to acknowledge all sources of images used and apologize for any errors or omissions.

Acknowledgments

The studio would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Rahul Mehrotra for his unwavering support in making this studio possible and for all that it has achieved. His guidance, encouragement, and belief in the significance of this work have been invaluable, shaping our exploration and pushing us to think more critically and compassionately.

We sincerely acknowledge the support of the Harvard University Asia Center for its support. Particularly Elizabeth Liao, its former Director, whose support has been invaluable in our work. Her engagement throughout the process has been encouraging and led the students in their work.

We also wish to express our sincere appreciation for Richard Cash, whose steadfast support and conviction in the importance of this endeavor meant so much to us. His passing in October 2024 is a profound loss, and we deeply regret his absence. His wisdom, kindness, and dedication continue to inspire us, and we are grateful for the moments we were fortunate to share with him.

Harvard University Graduate School of Design 48 Quincy Street Cambridge, MA 02138

gsd.harvard.edu

Studio Report

Fall 2023

Department of Urban Planning and Design

Students

"Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar on August 25, 2017.."

Photo by Roger Arnold/UNHCR, 2017.