SCHOOLING IN THE HILLS

PRIMARY SCHOOL FOR THE CHAKMA COMMUNITY, GOLAICHORI VILLAGE, KAPTAI LAKE, RANGAMATI.

The project was initiated broadly as a real world exposure to the prevailing cultural and topographical context in Bangladesh, uniquely diversified depending on the geographical location, while the studio objective was designing learning spaces for the ethnic communities of the country. The allocated site, in this case, was on the remote bank of the hisroric Kaptai lake, which itself was a man made water body that formed during the hydroelectric project in 1960s. The lake uprooted the ethnic Chakma Communities, who were forced to migrate to the upper hill region due to the massive inundation. The design of the learning space deliberately opted for the unique culture and spatial wisdom of the Chakma community, form the choice of materials to the arrangement and scale of the class blocks.The settlement studies and behavioral observation led to the final outcome which preferred the inclusion of semioutddor spaces, connected to each of the classes, facing the lake and provide with scope of learning within the own spatial ambience.

PROJECT CATEGORY: ACADEMIC WORK

LEVEL -03/ TERM-01 / YEAR : 2014

PANI MACHANG

LAKE SIDE PAVILION FOR LEISURE AND REST

SERVICE FACILITY

SERVICE FACILITY

SHRENI KAKSHA & SHIKSHA MACHANG

CLASSROOMS - MORPHOLOGY, SPATIAL QUALITY AND MATERIALS, DELIBEARATELY SIMILAR TO CULTURAL IDENTITY,

INTEGRATED WITH LAKE FACED BAMBOO MACHANG AS OOPEN CLASSROOM

BAGAN & BIGYAN GHOR SCIENCE LAB WITH A SMALL VEGETABLE GARDEN IN FRONT TO BE MAINTAINED BY KIDS

THE GHAT BOAT STATION FOR THE STUDENTS COMING FROM OTHER SIDES OF THE LAKE

PATHAGAR CHAKMA LANGUAGE CLUB

LIBRARY WITH OUDOOR AND INDDOOR SEATING AND READING FACILITY

KRIRA-GHOR

INDOOR GAMES FACILITY AND PAVILION / SHED AS GALLERY SPACE

PANI MACHANG

LAKE SIDE PAVILION FOR LEISURE AND REST

MASTER PLAN : PROPOSED GOLAICHORI SCHOOL

VERNACULAR ROOF

TRADITIONAL MATERIALS, NORTH LIGHT INTAKE

THE INNER COURTS

INDOOR OUTDOOR CONNECTIVITY, SHADED GALLERY FOR THE PLAY FIELD

INDOOR CLASSROOM

FLEXIBLE OPEN FORMAT, WELL LIT, VENTILATED, TWO FOLD CONNECTION TO OUTDOOR

OUTDOOR CLASS ROOM

TRADITIONAL SPATIAL MORPHOLOGY, ALIGNED WITH BEHAVIORAL STUDY

SENTITIVELY GROUNDED

VERNACULAR METHOD OF PLACING THE BUILT MASS UPLIFTED TO LEESN THE IMPACT ON HILLY TOPOGRAPHY

SECTION THROUGH THE CLASSROOM : INDDOR OUDOOR CONNECTIVITY

Movable Classroom Partition

Made of Bamboo, for resisting, materiality, cuktural resemblence

BAMBOO RAFTER & LASHING

Made of Bamboo, for resisting, materiality, cuktural resemblence

PRECAST RCC FOOTING :

Made of Bamboo, for resisting, materiality, cuktural resemblence

BAMBOO COLUMN :

Made of Bamboo, for resisting, materiality, cuktural resemblence

WOODEN FLOORING DETAILS :

Made of Bamboo, for resisting, materiality, cuktural resemblence

RAILING DETAILS :

Made of Bamboo, for resisting, materiality, cuktural resemblence

ROOFLING LAYER 01

Perforated Bamboo Screening

Made of Bamboo, for resisting, materiality, cuktural resemblence

ROOFLING LAYER 02

PIVOTAL WINDOW

STRUCTURAL PORTION : BAMBOO BEAM, STRENGTHENED BY TIEING 4 BAMBOOS, RIBBED FRAME PATTERN

Wooden Frame bamboo infill. Pivots around a thinner bamboo post

BUILT IN WINDOW LOCKER:

Made of Bamboo, for resisting, materiality, cuktural resemblence

OUTER INCLINED BAMBOO COLLUMNS

BAMBOO SCREENING AND WOODEN DOORS AND WINDOWS, AS WALL FILLER

WOODEN PLANK FLOOR

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM AS BAMBOO TERRACE OR MACHANG

TRADITIONAL / PORTABLE BENCHES:

WOODEN COLLUMNS AS PRIMARY STRUCTURE

Made of Bamboo, for resisting, materiality, cuktural resemblence

WOODEN BEAMS BENEATH THE USUABLE FLOORS RESTING ON MODULAR PRECAST RCC FOOTING

STAIR DETAILS:

Made of Bamboo, for resisting, materiality, cuktural resemblence

“JON-JOMI-JOL”

COMPACT TOWNSHIP: MAJHI PARA, AN OLD FISHERMEN VILLAGE

Majhipara, Boroibari Village, Gazipur, bangladesh

From time immemorial, Chattogram, the ancient port city has been a tremendous hub of multifarous cultural events & activities, both of local & national importance, among which the most sigficant ones probably centered around the prominent cultural belt comprising DC HILL, CENTRAL SHAHEED MINAR, and LALDIGHI.

“THE CONVERGINGING PRECINCT”- the one that the Art Gallery, Theatre Institute, A museum of Culture & history for the memoirs of the historical events on the verge of oblivion, And most Significantly the Shaheed minar, a memorial, as embodiment of the nation’s identity and pride, comemmorating the Language movement of 1952.

The proposed masterplan, with an intention of bridging the gap that hampers the “MENTAL MAPPING” of the visitors and the city dwellers and aims at a 3 PHASE URBAN MARTIX.

The 3 cultural hub as the prime magnet of the site, exploring the other existing spot of public interest as secondary magnets, connecting them with the new propsal of landuse pattern & eventually let the space grow by itself by similar type of future landuse growth, all constructingan INTEGRATED NETWORK of urban nodes, working as the centre of overlapping fluid public space.

PROJECT CATEGORY: ACADEMIC WORK

LEVEL -04/ TERM-02 / YEAR : 2015

Majhi Para Settlement (Extended)

1971: Mass Migration

The communal aggression was at its worst during the liberation war, Many homesteads were seized, which caused a further decrease in their land occupation and a massive migration of Hindu fishermen.

Majhi Para Settlement (Decreasing)

1974 : Construction of Road

The link road seriously hampered the flow of the ‘Choto Khal”, a rivulet passed by the Majhipara. The fishermen were mainly dependent an “Choto Khal’ for fishing, but with the construction of the road, the rivulet began to die out.

Majhi Para Settlement

Road connectecting the sides of chotokhal

Majhipara : Current Settlement

Majhipara Old Settlement Chotokhal

The canal

The Road that obstructed Chotokhal’s Flow

The River Turag

The Bridge that obstructed Turag’s flow & led to dying of the Chotokhal number of families 72 - 80 main religion Hinduism (about 70 hindu families & 3 muslim families) profession: seasonal fishermen: ( 2-3 seasons of monsoon) during off season fishing retailer, tempo-driver, rickshaw puller, daily laborer. ownership of land: owns the “Vita”(habitat land) no ownership of agricultural land

1980s: Industrial Pollution

The increasing number of industries on the bank of the Turag posed a great threat to the neighboring environment, the fishermen being the worst ones of the victims. The industrial pollutants directly affected the number of fish resources, eventually the river based community became on the verge of extinction.

The new roads initiated lots of unplanned development and environmental pollution risking the river halth severely.

Tin Shed semi pacca, and pacca houses, change in building materials, unplanned development

1988 : Grameen Bank

The community were introduced to micro credit system in 1988 with the establishment of the Grameen bank. with all its other contribution at socio economic area, it triggers a vast change in the homestead, as many fishermen families, with the help of Grameen bank’ easy credit system, were able to construct houses with tin, a material new to the community.

2002: Construction of Bridge

The dying of the “ Choto khal” was almost ensured when the a bridge was constructed in over it. Now it remains as a tiny water flow, almost invisible when it’s not the monsoon.

Bridge over the Turag, led to ultimate dying of the chotkhal, the fishing profession on the verge of extinction

Non Fishing Hub

The present trade of adopting non fishing based professions. The proposed hub will incorporate communal facilities like health facilities, relocation of school, vocational training center & other public facilities. The hub was proposed as the center of communal & public activities, to facilitate their flexibility of adopting professions other than fishing.

Fishing Hub

Analysis of the present trend of adopting nonfishing professions reveals mainly “Passive reasons” working behind it, the proposed hub will incorporate facilities like Communal Center for fishing business with temporary sheds for local fish market, Cold Storage & other facilities to link the fishing community with broader markets as influential fish suppliers.

CLUSTER FORMATION : THE FLUID HIERARCHY OF OPEN SPACES

Analysis of the present trend of settlement pattern reveals mainly “courtyard to courtyard informal connection” working behind it, the communal connection in between the yards is, in fact the most vibrant part of the tradition living pattern, these are the bridges of the pseudoseparated individuals, the families with their neighbors, the community with their surrounding.

Hydropod

Integrated Water Harvesting And Playscape Facilities

The “Hydro Pod: A Water Harvesting Playscape” project is housed in the “Megher Bari” orphanage, which is located in Sonaichori Village, Naikhongchari Upazila, Bandarban. The Chittagong Hill Tracts’ indigenous children are provided with adequate care, education, and training at the orphanage, which is run by the nonprofit “Bidyanondo Foundation.”

The chosen location, which is on a hill’s ridge, is devoid of proper electrical and communication infrastructure. The absence of clean drinking water at the location was one of the biggest problems. Usually, the closest stream was used to collect water. However, as the stream’s water level drops in the late summer and early winter, the situation worsens. The project was designed as a sizable water storage facility that can store rainwater for the duration of the dry season, along with rain catchers for rainwater collection during the wet season. Additionally, it provides a play area for the native kids at the orphanage on top of the reservoir. By purposefully avoiding the top-down method, the creation, collaboration, and making process of a local infrastructure ultimately resulted in an intervention that was warmly welcomed by the neighborhood and the children. This was likely due to the intervention’s unique formation, which included the use of local resources and techniques that reinforced the community’s cultural identity.

Status Built 2019-2020

Architectural Firm : Chorcha Sthapatijog

Team Work

Contribution to Team: Design Team Lead Design Decisions, Construction Documents Preparation, Workshop co-ordinator, Site Supervision

Water Crisis And The Steep Trail

Everyday the little kids at the orphanage used to go through this steep hilly trail, an extremly risky one, to the downhill stream to collect water. The path being slopy, posed great danger of fatal accidents, only for the cause of water crisis.

Streams Becaming Dried Up As Well

Due to natural degradation caused by stone collection, and planting non native trees that affect the underground water level, the stream is slowly dying as well, leading to opting for an all out solution to solve the intimidating future.

A VULNARABLE DITCH & EROSIVE HILLTOP

In the first attempt, the local in charge of the orphanage wanted to construct an underground water reservoir tank to reserve stream water for the dry season. They selected the highest pick of the ridge so the water distribution could be done by the gravitational force. Howerver, without support from a professional, they cut the edge of the hill slope in a way that caused a vulnerable ditch. To prevent the land erosion they needed a very unique design solution.

Spatial Behavioral Observations

To trace back the Cultural linkage with their perception and formation of spaces, empirical methods had been adopted. The study of surrounding households eventually resulted into observations about the spatial organisation, pattern of the community. It was observed that the site lacked flat land and the children were using some existing bamboo platform (Machang) for their daily activity and play. Findings of the indigenous construction traditions were infused with non-native materials and methods

WORKSHOP WITH THE KIDS & MENTAL MAPPING

A Day long interactive workshop was conducted which was participated by the resident children of the Child home ,for the purpose of mind mapping of the primary user group of the design and speculating an overview of how they perceive and interprete the idea of mono & multifunctional space. Followed by a lively ice breaking session , 87 students, grouped according to ages, were given interactive tasks of drawing their favourite spaces.

Then there was an one to one discussion session, while the kids described, in their own words, what they expect if they had the scope to design their favourite spaces. As the children were from diffrent language culture, local translator has an active participation in the process. The whole workshop session was documented and later shared with the client of the project.

Model

AS AN UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE TO COMMUNICATE & GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THE ARTISANS

The design process intentionally adopted the policy of avoiding the typical top-down method of design, transforming it rather into a participatory one. It acknowledged the prevailing “Design by Making” practice of the Local Marma community. There were some long informal Knowledge Sharing Sessions with the Marma artisans and craftsmen of the community. To overcome the linguistic limitation, the session included preliminary model making to express and combine the extract of the shared knowledge with the technicalities and design decisions.

The existing Ditch (size 19’x12’x varing height) of the site with sloping edge. This unplanned intervention by the local incharge caused soil erosion and needed a site specific solution.

Local Built Form, Technique & Resources

Visiting a site, almost 400 km from the captial, only approachable by hilly trails, eventually led to discovery of newer knowledge of vernacular materials and making methods. Study and analysis of the local built form helped to opt for a design solution more contextual and community friendly.

The design proposed a RETAIN WALL in the eroding face of the ditch with stepped BUTTRESS WALL to prevent soil erosion in the first place.

This partition walls created six (6) CHAMBERS in between which can now be used as water reservoir with proper plumbing solutions.

To collect the monsoon rain water Four (4) Rain catchers were installed which can be used to drain water to the reservoir tank.

The lower chambers were connected with upper chamber with control vaulve to prevent overflow of the water

Each Raincatcher was design as an inverted pyramidal form to transmit load in an anchore point. Each anchore point was inserted in the metal hook placed with concrete casting of the retain walls

Total covered ground : Approx. 240 sft

Water Storage capacity Approximately 11000 litre

The rain catcher was designed as a collection of four upturned pyramidal funel which are supported by bamboo columns. This is the most visible part of the project above the ground level. Mostly made out of bamboo, a locally available resource, the rain catcher creats a sense of roof plane over the reservoir tank.

Polycarbonate sheets cover the upturned pyramidal funnel’s inner faces to prevent rainwater leakage. A custom iron funnel connects the polycarbonate sheet to the water collector pvc.The reservoir tank is connected to the collection pipe by each verticl bamboo column’s hollow space. Diagonal bracings and horizontal connections give the superstructure visual unity and provide lateral support.

Four similar form with interconnected bamboo members created a stable three dimensional lattice work. This whole bamboo structure was capable of taking considerable live load.

The bamboo skeleton also accomodated multi-leveled bamboo platform offering a playful space for the children

Those platforms were connected with the inclined bamboo ladders creating a risk taking playful movements .

Bamboo platforms were also constructed over the lower staggered chambers to enhance the playscape and activity generating facility.

In the last phase, the top surface of the reservoir tank was covered with deplyable Bamboo mancha which can easily be removed reshapede or replaced for easy maintenance.

MAKING: CO-CREATING

The artisans, the community, the kids, the design team beautifully amulgamated during the construction.

The project ultimately became a tool for knowledge sharing with the community. Learning about their rich vocabulary of materials and resources of methods, evantually led the design team work hand in hand with them. The top down approach was deliberately avoided. Even the kids sometimes help the construction process by carrying light weight childrensafe tools. They watch the reservoir and the bamboo rain catchers being constructed by their own community, which ultimately initiate the belongingness to the playscape long before it was completed. The kids and the community started to use the platforms even before full completion.

THE HAPPY FACES !

The outcome was more than expected, with the kids running and climbing to and fro from one machang to another machang, inventing interesting games and activities. Beyond our prior speculation, the kids began to even use the platforms for their other daily activities : dinning under tree shade on a sunny day, preparing the food sitting there, even on some school days, the platform beagn to be used as open classrooms.

The community was happy as well, they warmly accepted the infrastructure as it never seemed non native in course of materials and appearce, yet the final formal expression created a new landmark identity, for making memories of their community life.

Water clogged land with illegal sewarage oulets in the land, disastering ecology