EXPLORING THE UNCHARTED PATHWAYS

HABITAT WITH PEOPLE

Academic: Team Work ARC 402 Design Studio VIII Duration: 06 weeks [Fall 2015]

Role: 60% Survey, 50% Conceptual Design, 60% Detail Design, 50% Drawing

Collaborator: Tasmia Kamal

Instructors: MD Faruk, Khondaker Hasibul Kabir and Cyrus S Khan

Shatbaria, a tribal settlement by the river Nabaganga has an approx population of 150 families. This is a community of low-income families of a Hindu majority population. The project is divided into two phases, the first phase includes an analysis of the existing households, their needs, aspiration and the second phase is interpretation of design solutions based on the analogical information. We focused on creating a relationship of the people with the river through generating intermingled pathways. River-front development to revive the water body with different income generating activities to boost the economy as well as strengthen their community bond. With all these, housing typologies were generated with community participation.

BRAC University

Existing conditions

Analysis and rearrangement

Pathway generation

Master plan

Concept and considerations

The road being the main spine of the community, represents the activities of the people everyday. The houses are rearranged with openings towards the road and river, giving respect to privacy and other issues. This street is always active and holds the community together.

River side elevation

This project gave us an unique experience of how to ‘design with people’ rather than ‘design for people’. The community participated in survey and shared their aspirations.