PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Promotion of urban grey space to green building.
Location: Between 67 and 69.Mohakhali, Dhaka
Funding: Student of architecture (BRAC University)
Design team: AR.Imrul Kayes,Abdun Naim(lanscape),
Dr.Saiful Haq (energy),Fardous Habib
Construction: april 2008 -may 2008
Floor area: 14 m²
Building costs: 250 €
Alternative energy: 250 €
Building costs/m²: 42. 8 €/m²
In Bangladesh the city of Dhaka,has been rapidly and extraordinarily growing, that caused the city, in recent years, to be submerged with influx of population. This movement is increasing every year but the respective authorities have turned ‘blind eye’ to this growing problem. Poverty and a desperate attempt to survive have caused a surge of population to migrate to the Dhaka city, occupying and setting up their own businesses on land that has remained vacant for a very long time or with poor accessibility. Although, the arrangements are often legal or semi-legal but the enterprises produce and distribute legal goods and services. Hence the naming- the ‘Grey Space’. In the face of uncertain economic and political conditions, these dynamic developments have an inherent power to change and adapt, for their investment is minimal in the creation of shelters and are responsive to local conditions. An example of such a phenomenon is the wedge-shaped building, located at Mohakhali, in between the Civil Engineers Bhaban (a multi-storied building) and a garage, with 1.5’ at the narrowest, 3.6’ at the widest and 30’ in length. The story of this grey space began when a 12 year old boy, Imran, ran off to Dhaka from his hometown Barisal. The shop is situated at the front is 6’ in length and rest of the elongated space is used for living. The set-up was build using many indigenous ideas which are worthy of praise. To begin with, a door is created at the threshold of the shop and the living area, serves as a shelf for keeping goods and provides a visual barrier for the inside. The furniture is custom-made, slope on the roof for draining rain water etc. Unfortunately, the living condition is very poor because of two solid walls on the longer directions leaving the shorter-end, on one side the only option for the window, making the interior space dark, gloomy and congested. Even then, it seems that they have perceived several advantages for being in this place. At first, they feel a sense of security due to the presence of full-time security guards at the Civil Engineers Bhaban. The students of BRAC University, employees of various neighboring offices and often the passersby are his regular customers. Also, interacting with various class and group of people has enhanced his perception of life and improved his living standard. Ensuring natural light and ventilation was the first priority. Using translucent plastic sheet helped to bring light from upward while incorporating a double-height space which allowed convective cooling and continuous flow of air due to the presence of perforated windows at both ends. Also, increasing the height to 13’ and connecting all the spaces both visually and physically, broke the tunnel effect, allowing the space to flow- thus, giving a sense of a single space. The semiotic of the space is such that it not only denotes the functions (mentioned above) but connotes symbols such as- home, a sense of belonging. Such notion has made many spectators’ remark-‘Arey eta to ekta bari!’ (Wow! This is a two-storied house!). Today, many apartments are being designed and build without considering the green, so the next challenge was to make space and return the lost green. A 1.5’X5’ of space was put aside but this decision was even more justified when a hidden talent of my client was revealed i.e. he can play three different instruments. Thus a space with a touch of green and water would surely increase his artistic ability apart from contributing to the local ecology! Although these people have been living as a parasite for all these years but it was my desire to let them have the technology of conserving energy i.e. solar panels, solar water heater. Such technology are absent in the adjacent multi-storied building, that consumes huge amount of energy in spite of having a big roof and wind flow, appropriate for installing solar panels or wind turbines. One other issue considered is rain water harvesting-which is done in a small scale to run a small aquarium. Though it might look insignificant but imagine what such system could do for people, suffering from water-crisis in this hot summer? Lastly, a lot of vibrant colors are used on the exterior- so that the colorful background, the vivid color of the products, the passersby wearing bright colors (as preferred by our society and culture)-all forms an ever-changing, dynamic collage. However, on the inside, white paint is used to reflect light and to give a soothing effect.All round the world houses are built on similar concept e.g. 1 meter wide by 10 meter tall house in Madre de Deus, Brazil, the Sam Kee building, an office building less than 6? wide (1.8 meters or 70.86 inches), in Vancouver, North America and Great Cumbrae, Scotland at just 47 inches at it’s narrowest but this project which may be the first of its kind in Bangladesh and may be the skinniest building frontage till today was completed on 14th May, 2008. The project represents the present time and acknowledges the forces acting upon the urban condition. An attempt is made to free them (the oppressed ones) from the oppositions imposed by the society, authority and re-construct a whole new place- which they can identify it as theirs without any fear or hesitation.
