Amphibious modules. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque
24/05/2019.
AGA KHAN prizes 2017-2019 [South Kanarchor] Bangladesh
metalocus, ÁLVARO MUÑOZ
metalocus, ÁLVARO MUÑOZ
Saif Ul Haque Sthapati is the architect contacted by Maleka Welfare Trust, a private social welfare organization, for the realization of this school project that should also serve as a shelter, a day care center and a vocational training center.
This project was faced with a flooded environment for a large part of the year in which traditional structural systems could not be used.
This project was faced with a flooded environment for a large part of the year in which traditional structural systems could not be used.
Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque. Photograph by © Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sandro di Carlo Darsa.
The school is built on a patch of land near a large river that overflows during the monsoon season. The site is flooded almost five months a year. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
The building is operational during both dry and monsoon seasons. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
The building consists of a linear structure divided into 8 independent rectangular volumes. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
The architect segmented the building into amphibious modules, which can operate during both dry periods and floods. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
The school is located on a patch of land next to the Dhaleshwari River. The main idea of the project was to build a structure able to cope with the changing water level. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
During the dry season, children can play in the fields around the school. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque. Photograph by © Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sandro di Carlo Darsa.
The building is mainly made of bamboo, which is a traditional and very popular construction material in Bangladesh. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
View of the access ramp. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque. Photograph by © Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sandro di Carlo Darsa.
Children playing in the courtyard. They can run and bounce a little on the flexible bamboo floor. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque. Photograph by © Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sandro di Carlo Darsa.
Educational posters are hung on the classroom walls. The use of bamboo allows light and air to penetrate the building, while keeping the heat out. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
The architect upcycled 30-gallon steel drums to create the school’s substructure, in order to get it to float. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
The building has no electrical installation and relies on daylight to light up the different rooms. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
Little boy running up the ramp. The children have a lot of space to run and play. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
Each module is tied to four large poles (one at every angle) made from “Borak” bamboo. They are buried two meters deep into the ground and keep the structure from drifting during the monsoon season. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque. Photograph by © Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sandro di Carlo Darsa.
The aesthetic aspect of the building is shaped by the traditional construction method of the woven bamboo wall that creates decorative patterns. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
Site plan. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Ground floor plan. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Before every monsoon, the school undergoes some maintenance work to prepare it for the oncoming rush of water. After every monsoon, repairs are made so the school can properly and safely accommodate the children again. Photograph by Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Sanndro di Carlo Darsa
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Screenshot. Arcadia Education Project, by Saif Ul Haque.
Saif Ul Haque Sthapati used an innovative building system, which segmented the building into amphibious modules, which can be used both during dry periods and during floods. Emphasizes the simplicity of its materials, resorting in large part to the different varieties of bamboo in the area, and even recycled tires.
Description of project by Saif Ul Haque Sthapati
Maleka Welfare Trust, a private social welfare organization, purchased a patch of land to relocate one of their preschools and develop additional social facilities, such as a hostel for single women, a nursery and a vocational training centre. The site is flooded almost five months of the year, but conventional solutions like raising the land with sand or building on stilts were not compatible with its topography.
The final design is a modular amphibious structure anchored to the site that can remain operational during both dry and wet seasons. It is built mainly out of local bamboo, using different varieties according to their use. Diverse other materials were used, many of them upcycled, such as steel drums or old car tyres
More information
Architects
Saif Ul Haque Sthapati
Client
Maleka Welfare Trust
Area
486 m²
Dates
2012-2016
Saif Ul Haque Sthapati Saif Ul Haque Sthapati
Saif Ul Haque is the principal of architectural practice Saif Ul Haque Sthapati, Dhaka, and is involved in practice, research and education. He is He was a partner in Diagram Architects, Dhaka from 1983 to 1996.
His notable built works include BRAC Training Center in Faridpur, Banchte Shekha Center in Jessore, Camp house for French Archaeological Mission in Bogra and Govinda Gunalanker Hostel in Chittagong. His work has been exhibited at CAA Dhaka and Dhaka Art Center. His writings on architecture and city have been published in Bangladesh and abroad. His books include Pundranagar to Sherebanglanagar: Architecture in Bangladesh (1997) and Sherebanglanagar: Louis I. Kahn and the making of a Capital Complex (2002).
He is an adjunct faculty at American International University of Bangladesh, past guest faculty at University of Wuhan, China and guest critic at Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Dhaka, ETH Zurich, Switzerland and University of Pennsylvania, USA. Currently he is the Director of the Research and Design Program of Bengal Institute. He is a founding member of the architectural research group Chetana and a co-founder of architectural exchange group Mongolbarer Shabha.
His notable built works include BRAC Training Center in Faridpur, Banchte Shekha Center in Jessore, Camp house for French Archaeological Mission in Bogra and Govinda Gunalanker Hostel in Chittagong. His work has been exhibited at CAA Dhaka and Dhaka Art Center. His writings on architecture and city have been published in Bangladesh and abroad. His books include Pundranagar to Sherebanglanagar: Architecture in Bangladesh (1997) and Sherebanglanagar: Louis I. Kahn and the making of a Capital Complex (2002).
He is an adjunct faculty at American International University of Bangladesh, past guest faculty at University of Wuhan, China and guest critic at Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Dhaka, ETH Zurich, Switzerland and University of Pennsylvania, USA. Currently he is the Director of the Research and Design Program of Bengal Institute. He is a founding member of the architectural research group Chetana and a co-founder of architectural exchange group Mongolbarer Shabha.
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