Description

Neighborhood-responsive design is a bridge to interact between humans and the environment. In a dense metropolis like Dhaka, any opening on the exterior façades of a typical apartment interferes with the user's privacy. Besides, buildings developed in such a manner can rarely ensure adequate cross-ventilation or take advantage of natural lighting. In a quest to resolve these issues, the project, Charubithi adopts an indirect opening approach using the building's volumetric subtraction. ‘Subtraction’ creates harmony and rhythm, blended with nature, where the corners are considered a scope to widen openings in a building block. By integrating terrace gardens into the floors, ample natural light and ventilation are ensured while maintaining privacy. The corner framing of these alcoves also relates to the viewers’ perception of the sky frame by taking advantage of the wider corner distance and fewer openings of neighboring buildings in the setting of grid-pattern land divisions.

The void space in the middle of the blocks gives a prospect for the future to create a large central space with eight additional pockets by placing four adjacent buildings. The project manifests an innovative technique of form-making to facilitate airflow and ensure seclusion by fusing green spaces into it. The major novelty of ‘Charubithi’ lies in the concept of innovative use of corners as well as a clear ‘Served’ and ‘Service Area’ definition in plans and circulations.