Munshiganj, Dhaka/ 2017

Location: Munshiganj

Year Designed: 2017

Site Area: 20 Katha

Principal Architect: Ar. Shafique Rahman (MIAB)

Design Team: Trikon Architects

Structural Design: Eng. Nur Alam

Client: Mr. Abdur Rahim.

Concept:
The Vacation House is located approximately 55km on the South-West of Dhaka city, although the location is barely on the outskirts of this ever-changing concrete jungle, the landscape surrounding the 20 Katha area of the Vacation House is, in all its evergreen bliss, one of absolute contrast. It lies on the south-east banks of the mighty River Padma, its entrance strategically facing an earth-road leading to the north-west. The raw essence of the beauty of Bengal is captured in its surroundings: the yards of green agricultural land leading up to its plot, the smell of fresh earth carried by cool, unpolluted winds, as though far away from the loud bustling of city traffic and pollution.

From the very inception of its design concept, the purpose that drove the building of this settlement was to challenge all tropes and incorporate the culture into its every wall. The biggest challenge was to incorporate this theme in spite of the bounds of Function, Climate and Economical limitations. Environmentally responsive building orientations, fenestrations, traditional roof styles and the use of organic building materials can be found in its design details. However, design idea was also predominantly derived using an abstract means of creating space, which is namely, “Serenity”.  “Serenity” was introduced as a medium to manifest the emotional state of the space that Vacation House encompasses.

Serenity is the ambience of space, and it has been emulated through abstract essence of spaces relating to traditional living. Just like in traditional mansions and manors from the past, an eloquently designed courtyard has been built at its center. Within the enclosure of the courtyard, the structuring resonates the natural light, shadows and an ingenious scale of the space, which emulates the soft contrasts of light and dark that changes with the hours of the day.  The genteel echoes of the prevailing winds which caresses the surface of the pond and green foliage on the floors of the courtyard, the melodious chirping of the native birds, and the rustling of the leaves of the Krishnochura trees fills the entirety of the volume the space with a natural, peaceful resonance.