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Architects: Venna Architects
- Area: 496 m²
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Asif Salman, Shakil Hai
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Manufacturers: Holcim, BSRM, Mat for Shuttering, Nasir Glass, Star Particle Board Mills Limited
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Lead Architect: Asif Mohammed Ahsanul Haq
Text description provided by the architects. This project starts with nostalgia. There was grief, dreams, and hope in our client's voice when we heard the story. We tried to translate his emotions through spaces. We got inspiration from the poem by Emily Dickinson –
There is a solitude of space - 1695
There is a solitude of space
A solitude of sea
A solitude of death, but these
Society shall be
Compared with that profound site
That polar privacy
A soul admitted to itself—
Finite infinity.
At the site, an emotional preponderance of spirit held the ‘solitude of space,’ offering moments of introspection. The solitude of space represents the opportunity to find a moment of loneliness to reflect on something in different places worldwide. The poem’s focus on the soul relates to the idea of a unifying component. Thoughtfully designed spaces can create soulful connections from the past for the family over generations, which allow people to engage with their souls, culture, and tradition.
Form generation - The rectangular form creates two courtyards, maximizing prevailing winds and minimizing sun exposure. These courtyards also create meaningful community spaces for the family and neighborhood. The front yard serves as the main entry, with a kachari ghar (guest house) for Ibrahim Chowdhury and a private yard for gatherings. A stair leads to the upper floor, with an open kitchen and a bridge connecting the family living and dining areas. Apertures on the roof define this circulation spine to get sunlight and natural ventilation. The terrace connects the family living activities indoors and outdoors, enhancing the connection between the neighborhood and its surroundings.
In the south, the green compound, contemplated as a 'solitude of space,' creates an eternal tie between the husband and wife, the children and their mother, or future generations to the ancestors. The prayer space is reached from the family living to a solid concrete form facing the private yard, where the mother's grave is visually connected. It allows family members to see the mother's grave after turning their heads to the left, offering a Taslim [a concluding portion of the salah, where one recites As-salāmu ʿalaikum wa-raḥmatu-Allah ("Peace and blessings of God be unto you") once while facing the right, and once while facing the left].
