Contemporary Structures in Chattogram, Bangladesh
Chattogram is a coastal city in southeastern Bangladesh; it embraces cultural diversity and a progressive history through its urban fabric of traditional and contemporary architecture. The city is located on the banks of the Karnaphuli River between the Chattogram Hill Tracts and the Bay of Bengal. It is the second largest city in the country, with a population of over 4 million. This city is prolific and diverse due to its exceeding history of great kingdoms of Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic domains that can be traced back to the 4th century BCE. In 1824, the region fell under the British Empire and gained Western influence; Chattogram matured into a thriving coastal city after the partition of Bengal in the twentieth century.
Shah Amanat Bridge
Shah Amanat Bridge is an extradosed bridge that runs across the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram, Bangladesh. It is a part of the national N1 highway and connects Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, and the southern division of Chattogram, making it an essential civil structure. It is 950 meters long and 24.47 meters wide, providing four vehicle lanes, two 1.5-meter lanes for manual vehicles, and a 1.5-meter walkway on each side. Its name follows after Chattogram’s 18th-century Islamic Saint Shah Amanat. The project started in August 2006 under the Chinese Major Bridge Construction Company, and the Bridge was officially opened on 8 September 2010, projecting a cost of approximately 55 million dollars provided by the Kuwait Fund. The extradosed Bridge gains its delicate appearance as the concrete cell box bridge deck cantilevers from the central cable support members that are around one-tenth of the deck span length. The stay cables are continuous between deck anchorages and create a beautiful network of tension-supporting members. The structure is eloquent and convincing and serves as an essential unit of the transportation system that is indispensable for the economy and livelihood of the South Chattogram division.
Chandgaon Mosque
The Chandgaon Mosque, built in 2007 by Urbana Architects, is located in the suburban area of Chattogram and is used as a place of prayer and social gathering. Its monolithic orthogonal appearance and cuboid structure is a new approach to a design typology that has been well defined through conventional structures. The Chandgaon Mosque is a contemporary approach to creating a place that is distinctive and pavilion-like. The 1048-meter square of built area is defined by the front masonry wall with a wide opening leading to the front courtyard with a large circular opening to the outside environment. This space advances towards an identical area with a cut dome ceiling and cylindrical columns that resonate with the typology of conventional mosques. The overall layout of walls and openings in the ceilings promote ventilation and provide daylight, while its delicate and coherent geometry creates a place of calmness and spirituality. The Chandgaon Mosque is successful in becoming a place for the people; its openness and distinct character offer new perspectives and redefine conventional typologies.
‘Matter Space Soul’ pavilion in Bangladesh
The ‘Matter Space Soul’ pavilion is built with indigenous materials of porous bamboo and wood, and it stands as a model for sustainable and vernacular building. The pavilion was designed by Two Fold Studio and resides in Noakhali, Chattogram district in Bangladesh. The pavilion is imbued to its locus using local materials and vernacular construction techniques; it is exposed and lacks density. It is delicate and mostly a mesh-like shell that defines a beautiful geometry; the structure is open to the environment and minimal in form. The restaurant pavilion was designed to provide a relaxed and natural space to expand the client’s existing restaurant. The region’s tropical climate requires a lightweight, permeable pavilion complete with natural ventilation, daylight, and beautiful views of the surroundings. The pavilion’s deck is connected to the mainland by a narrow elevated walkway, and its 155 square meter linear plan consists of bays serving as public seating areas. The structure enforces the use of local materials and vernacular construction techniques and is truly a great approach to creating sustainable architecture that is in harmony with the environment.
Mamun Residence / Shatotto
Mamun Residence is a single-family residence located in Chattogram, Bangladesh; it was built in 2013 and designed by Shatotto Architecture. The building structure is designed to be like a “mathal”, a traditional hat worn to protect from rain and the sun; it is intended to confront the forceful southwest winds from the Bay of Bengal and the intense heat of the coastal area. The exposed concrete structure is protective and creates a central open space with gardens and a swimming pool. The building walls of exposed concrete bear a grid-like pattern of tie-hole impressions, and the structure is brutalist and minimal at the same time. The building is fond of layered sunshades, deep overhangs, and large glass walls promoting shade and ventilation. The overall structure is designed for seismic and wind loads, and the monolithic exposed concrete seems massive and dominating. The structure is a response to the site conditions and a great example of integrated modern design.
Reference
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3. Unknown (no date) The heavenly chittagong!, The Heavenly Chittagong! Available at: https://theheavenlychittagong.blogspot.com/ (Accessed: 22 July 2023).
4. Saieh, N. (2010) Chandgaon Mosque / kashef Mahboob Chowdhury, ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/81700/chandgaon-mosque-kashef-mahboob-chowdhury (Accessed: 22 July 2023).
5. Chandgaon Mosque (no date) Al Fozan. Available at: https://mosqpedia.org/en/mosque/103 (Accessed: 22 July 2023).
6. Ahuja, A. (2022) Framing eloquence in the vernacular with ‘matter. space. Soul’ pavilion in Bangladesh, STIRworld. Available at: https://www.stirworld.com/see-features-framing-eloquence-in-the-vernacular-with-matter-space-soul-pavilion-in-bangladesh (Accessed: 22 July 2023).
7. Mamun residence: Shatotto architecture for green living (2022) ArchiDiaries. Available at: https://www.archidiaries.com/projects/mamun-residence/ (Accessed: 23 July 2023).
8. Aguilar, C. (2019) Mamun residence / shatotto, ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/531800/mamun-residence-shatotto (Accessed: 23 July 2023).
