Hadi Tower, Gulshan-2
AIUB Campus, Kuril
Institute of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, Chittagong University
BRAC University Concept at Badda
Amongst the densest and harshest megalopolises in the world, Dhaka's rapid urbanization and overcrowding has resulted in the displacement of the city's water bodies, vegetation, open and civic spaces by buildings and industries. Sited on an urban lake, the vision is to present an innovative and sustainable inner city campus that exemplifies tropical design strategies in response to the hot, humid, monsoon climate of the region while demonstrating the sensitive integration of nature and architecture.
Drawing inspiration from the Bengal basin's Sundarbans mangrove forest that have separate ecosystems above and below tidal level, the design strategy is to create two distinct programmatic strata by floating the Academia above the lake and revealing a Campus Park below, thus reflecting the synergistic coexistence between mankind and mangrove. This approach minimizes the building’s footprint over the lake, and through the introduction of multiple elevated ground levels including a Student Forum and a rooftop recreational University Green, further maximizes space for facilities while opening up the ground level to activity generating interaction spaces and effective additional park land that creates an imageable milieu for a vibrant campus life.
At its heart, this is a campus set in a park—a lush green oasis offering much needed refreshment and inspiration under a canopy of learning. Through perforating the building form with breezeways, porous facades and garden terraces, and by sculpting the building section to direct breezes to sheltered gathering spaces, the campus is designed to breathe, with cross ventilation and indirect natural daylighting making tropical learning spaces without air-conditioning. A cost effective and robust aesthetic that promotes the use of local materials, traditional crafts/skills and vegetation forms the building's material palette. Landscaping applied vertically and horizontally exemplifies the potential in multiplying greenery and open spaces within a dense, urban site and sets the direction that must be embraced to make Dhaka a modern, livable, sustainable and humane city.
It will be a 13 storey building with 3 basements. There is an auditorium with 700 seats, a multipurpose hall with 1850 seats, 135 classrooms, 41 labs, 10 design studios, 6 lecture theatres, 475 car parking places, rooftop playground, park, vertical transportation, generators, substations, IT servers, UPS, CCTVs, solar panels, lifts, escalators, stairs, fire escapes, faculty and administrative offices, teacher lounges, a cafeteria, an e-library, recreation facilities and a lake. It has facilities to accommodate around 15,000 students. It is a green conceptual building where natural light and air can easily flow into the building. Almost 50% of the land is used for building and the rest for water body, lake, plantation and other purposes; which will protect biodiversity. The advanced, eco-friendly and attractive campus will enhance the university spirit, thereby creating a healthy and positive environment for the students.
Classes are expected to start at the new campus in mid-2020.
