(Antarjatra) -Tareque Masud Memorial and Cultural Center | Architecture Thesis

Site Context

The project’s proposed site is Tareque Masud’s ancestral home in Nurpur, Bhanga, which is close to the Faridpur district’s Dhaka-Khulna highway. This location has great emotional significance as it includes Masud’s family home, which has two water bodies and an open field where he was raised, as well as his final resting place, which represents a repository of his legacy. Because of its strategic location and easy accessibility to important landmarks like the Padma Bridge and the Dhaka-Khulna highway, it is a popular destination for tourists and cultural enthusiasts alike.

Surrounding Factors: The selected site acts as an intersection between two communal spaces, which include the mayor’s residence, which is currently in use, and an open area that is proposed for the High-way Inn, involving future possibilities for the site. The context of the project is interestingly enhanced by this unique feature of the site.

Serving as a symbolic meeting point, it connects the cultural and historical facets of Masud’s life with the larger community and evolving urban landscape. This results in a dynamic environment that is consistent with the neo-contextuality philosophy, allowing the memorial to be seamlessly integrated into the local community as well as the broader regional context.

In summary, Tareque Masud’s legacy is preserved by the selected site and its rich surroundings, which also serve as bustling crossroads that promote cross-cultural understanding and exchange. The memorial will be carefully integrated into the history of the area, ensuring its continued importance and relevance for future generations.

Design Process

Main Philosophy of The Project: The main concept is creating a path that reflects Tareque Masud’s philosophy. This requires an in-depth study of the site’s context and a profound exploration of Tareque Masud’s literature, which incorporates his life and philosophy into the design. The following goals need to be achieved throughout this process:

1- Educating the younger generation about the history of Bangladesh’s liberation war.

2- Providing a platform for the philosophy of Tareque Masud to be expressed.

3- Including elements in the design that highlight and celebrate the cultural features.

Form Derivation: Determining the centre’s layout primarily focuses on decisions impacted by the activities and functions in the surrounding area. Based on data from earlier geographic maps of that area, the main goals were to establish connections between the two main areas that draw large crowds and revitalise the nearby water bodies. 

The initial steps in the process involve evaluating the current situation, identifying references from pedestrian entries, and exploring possible connections from the neighbourhood. These references can then be used to define major entrances and secondary access points. A central space that is suitable for communal activities is created by defining the lines from the surrounding area.

The form is shaped with respect to accessibility references, water features, and central courtyards after the restoration of water channels and connections to existing elements. The initial form blends in perfectly with water bodies and courtyards. Plazas and common areas are proposed at different levels of the centre, taking into account the availability of natural resources. Elevated plazas connect communal areas to the complex while dividing the form into three distinct zones in order to preserve water bodies.

Final Outcome

Connecting Neighbourhood: By aligning with the existing pedestrian entrances to the site, a potential connection to the neighbourhood is established. There are a lot of places in that area that draw crowds, both now and in the future. A path that connects the site to these significant surrounding elements is proposed, drawing crowds into the area by making reference to the current pedestrian entries.

Reviving Water-bodies: The site was once traversed by a water channel that belonged to the Baiskhali Canal, connecting it to the Old Kumar River, as per Nurpur’s geographical study. But as time went on, some of this water flow filled in and the connection was lost. Potential options to improve the site’s prospects for the future includes revitalising this water channel.

Form: By drawing lines from the surroundings, a central area for group activities is created. The form blends in with the surrounding courtyards and bodies of water by incorporating accessibility references and water features. Different levels of plazas and common areas are designed, with elevated plazas connecting communal areas and creating three zones in the form.

Zoning: The zoning is based primarily on the strategic points of intersection identified in the surrounding area. An elevated plaza that runs from the highway-inn entry through the first floor and the Dhaka-Khulna highway at ground level effectively divides the complex into three major zones. These zones are designated especially for gathering places, cultural activities, and facilities supporting education and research, each of which serves different functions. Paths, squares, and bridges that extend from the ground level to the second floor enable the connection of these zones.

Conclusion: The aim of the design, which included zoning and material selections, was to create a subtle environment that merges with the surroundings in a harmonious manner while embracing Tareque Masud’s philosophy.

[This Academic Project has been published with text submitted by the student]