Description
Nishorgo, a Bengali word meaning "the environment," is a project that aims to conserve nature's identity and promote biodiversity, conservation, and ecotourism. The center is located in the forest landscape of Bangladesh, integrating it with the surrounding plants and animals. The design is eco-friendly, using reinforced concrete, steel, and handmade brick for construction. The finishing materials include tinted glass for the exhibition space and wood for lattices, doors, and countertops. The elevated concrete structure allows wild trees to grow uninterrupted through its pierced ceiling, creating a floating effect. The two slabs, supported by load-bearing shear walls and columns, are constructed around existing trees, minimizing environmental impact. The bottom of the ecological building remains significantly raised from ground level. Further, the center is designed as a strata of reinforced concrete plates, providing access to all with a gently inclined ramp and stairway. The cantilevered primary level of the center consists of exhibition space with open terraces framed by wooden lattices. The horizontal wooden louvers filter natural light, providing visitors with the warmth of the placid and tranquil nature. The floor-to-ceiling glazing and permeable louvers visually link the gallery space to the surrounding forest. The center is an eco-tourism visitor center that provides information and education to visitors. Large-scale interpretive boards detailing wildlife found in the area and the history and culture of Bangladesh reside inside the exhibition space. A cantilevered multimedia room offers visitors the opportunity to watch online films. The supporting structure underneath the multimedia room is a visible beam that connects with one of the shear walls.
In the daytime, nature and the center amalgamate into a complimentary coalescence. After sunset, the center is accentuated throughout the evening with numerous dim electrical lights. The center reiterates the architect's claims that the design is conscious of the natural world around the building and thoroughly incorporates it.
