Issue Identification & Problem Statement Regarding Azimpur Govt. Housing: The First Public Housing of Bangladesh
In this blog, I have discussed and analyzed the issues and problems regarding the transformation of Azimpur Govt. Housing will be directed towards the necessity of the renovation process integrating sustainable adaptable solutions.
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Muhammad Golam Sami
10/19/20224 min read
Image: Growth of Azimpur Govt. Housing by time , visualize in section (Muhammad Golam Sami'2022)
1. Issue Identification & Problem Statement:
In the later phase of the Bangladesh Period, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved three projects for building flats at a cost of Tk 1,551 crore, which will be finished by 2020.
According to the planning ministry's proposal, the cost to develop 17 structures with 20 stories will be Tk 990 crore. Eight buildings will have 608 apartments, and nine will have 684 apartments.
In addition, the Azimpur government colony area has 392 flats spread across 24 structures on 13.62 acres of land. According to the planning ministry's proposal, the buildings are old and damaged; thus, the government plans to demolish them and create 23 buildings, each with 20 stories.
The first phase saw the construction of six structures. Later, 17 buildings were added to Zone A.
The actual problems arise after the development phase. Despite this, in a directive issued, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged architects to prepare the design of multi-story structures while considering open space, garbage disposal, pedestrian traffic, and vehicle movement on nearby roadways.
She also urged them to include suitable verandas and natural ventilation systems in the new multi-story home buildings to maintain a healthy interior climate.
Building a highrise to accommodate the growing number of employees is essential, but it is also necessary to maintain sustainable and functional adaptability. The new development phase has added numerous facilities with modern technology. However, the different development phases are missing the essence, climatic solutions, and other socio-cultural qualities. We have identified four problems emerging from the issue of newly renovated 20-story highrises and their future.
2. Problem Statement
1. Lack Of Community Cluster & Neighborhood Visual Connectivity: Azimpur Govt. Housing, a marvelous creation of master Architects, was proudly known for its cluster arrangement and solutions. It also maintains visual connectivity in the neighborhood and increases the sociocultural value. But that unavoidable essence is missing in the new renovation and settlement. The issue of why we should protect them emerges. After all, that neighborhood is just a block away! We should keep in mind that it marked the start of Bangladesh's planned housing developments. Although the layout of rectangular structures, similar to those in other government housing projects, may appear primitive at the moment, it has an essential place in East Bengal's and Dhaka's architectural history. Only a few structures from the era may be found in the neighboring nations.
On the other hand, transitional rooms come in various forms depending on how much privacy and identity are required. Weak transitions between certain stages could be better at enticing involvement. It is crucial to make sure that private boundary walls do not further obstruct the growth when it is particularly strong, such as in a private location. Boundary barriers should be kept at a modest height to preserve visual consistency. Gateways are proposed to evoke a strong sense of change at the places where routes cross the border. A private courtyard must be positioned such that it may be seen from certain larger open areas.
2. Lack Of Climatic Solution: Before demolition began, a perimeter wall was built to safeguard the Azimpur Residential Complex and a few smaller four-story structures nearby. There were many studio apartments in each structure, each having a large living room, a small dining space, a modest kitchen, and a bathroom with plenty of light and ventilation. The living room's south-facing full-height window allowed breezes to enter through the built-in ventilators between the living and dining areas while also ensuring seclusion. A hallmark of the architect, the pre-fabricated jali or brise soleil (patterned concrete wall as a sun-shading structure) on the balcony interacts with light and shadow throughout the day. Additionally, they conceal the awkward kitchen equipment and plumbing lines. A compelling window guard is installed. An alcove built of a long extended roof and side walls effectively protects the windows; no further sun shades were installed; taken as a whole, they serve as an entire facade. In the bedroom and culinary areas, there are sufficient built-in shelves. A modest home for a single family might also be ideal for a single government official.
3. Lack Of Hydrological Essence: The quality of life at Azimpur Govt. The neighborhood's hydrological essence is unplanned and unworkable in the new renovation. Housing was dependent on its community spaces. Neighboring and other elements of life much depended on its water body and surrounding community space.
4. Problematic Scalability: Building height should respect the local setting while being well-designed, low-rise structures roughly proportionately with the street width (a ratio of 1.5 to 2 times the building height is most comfortable). Even if higher buildings could be more appropriate, three to four-story buildings often have enough scale to define the street well. If the building height exceeds the established open space's width, the area seems cramped; however, a balanced and harmonious environment is formed if the building height is equal to the open space's width. But for highrise aspects, the ratio should be justified differently. The new renovation Project has no way to measure the actual building–height ratio.
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Revising The Renovation of Azimpur Govt. Housing , Dhaka - 1205
This project aims to provide a friendly framework for the future renovation or regeneration of these housing units in Bangladesh, taking into account the climatic and social factors that compel them to analyze the past, present, and future effects of this radical change in government housing, along with providing a structured policy for establishing government prototypes that enable government housing projects to be more sustainable and eliminate adverse effects.
Image: Azimpur Govt. Housing Renovation Visual at Bird's Eye
Location: Dhaka-1205; Year: 2023
