southeast asiaIn the PUBLIC REALM

Slicing into the Urban Fabric

Culture + Communication

Communication and Culture : In the Public RealmDhaka

Thesis Proposal is Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Architecture School of Architecture, CET, and Construction

By

Tonni Islam

In Partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Architecture

Southern Polytechnic State University Marietta, Georgia

May 2, 2011

Tonni Islam Monday, May 2, 2011Spring 2011 Thesis Proposal (Draft#1)

Culture and Communication:In the Public Realm

Thesis Statement: Combining different typologies concerning a culture and having the communication between all elements and social classes increase by thoughtfully slicing into the urban fabric. Integrating graphic means of communicating with the use of vernacular inspired building strategies.

My thesis proposal started out with my memories of living in Dhaka during the summer breaks and wondering why their was not any public spaces in extremely dense areas. I would go to these big yet highly populated markets with my mother where the most you could hope for if you met someone is maybe a few words before the moving crowds of people would pull you away. Many of the popular markets were the one place where I would witness the disappearance of the lines that divide social classes. The other spaces where I witness this is high points of pedestrian traffic and events concerning the fine arts, which did not come as a surprise since art has rarely demonstrated discrimination of any kind.

Most of the public spaces that were created seemed to be destinations, rather than interventions in the urban fabric that would give the opportunities for interactions between diverse social classes without prior planning. Usually the higher economic classes had separate public spaces versus the lower classes. Even more unfortunate is that these new shopping centers and markets that are being made are designed for people with certain incomes only. This is only the beginning to the lines that are being drawn between people based on their economic standing. Recently, slums that were once spread throughout the city which I believe made it less cumbersome to keep them sanitized, currently seem to be sectioned off. As if they are merely objects that are in the way and needs to be pushed aside.

Though I lack deep understanding of Bengali culture I am interested in how I would approach the site with being both aware and to an extent unaware of the cultural conditions. The implementation of western typologies without any thoughts of the setting are set up to fail, just as with all projects without attention to context will. There is nothing wrong with getting inspired from western architecture but the direct plugging on the site are easily lost in an environment that is obviously not made for it. I want to take the urban fabric of the site and both warp and straighten it to give spaces of moments. Moments of interaction, moments where everything else is stripped down to reveal that more than anything we are all humans inhabiting a space as equals. No person with more rights that the other. Something humane, something that the people own with their built ethics and help them see ethics that they should not let go of as well as. My focus is more on the children than the adults since what they think now is more than likely how they will see for the rest of their lives. Connecting them by means of artistic expression and activities will be my highest priority.

• Integrating vernacular architecture in an urban site. • Understand the architecture more local to the country will help designing spaces with the notion for it to last long without any or little maintenance from others. Instead architecture will become more rich and personalized with time simply from use.

• Breaking the lines between different social classes and genders. • This should be a space where their is such diverse amount of program the space as a whole feels rich with activity from such different groups where discomfort slowly disappears where the harsh lines of division normally occurs.

• Organic Program• A program that allows change and fluidity. Where the negative spaces easily become interesting public spaces.

• Using graphics to communicate on a larger scale• The idea of communicating information quickly. Losing the idea of a wall simply being a wall but more of a way to converse with people with not everyone having to be at the same place at the same time.

• National pride independent of government • The people need to feel ownership of the area, that it is their own responsibility to how the space gets treated and used. Increasing social responsibility and increasing national pride independent of the government.

• Urban Farming with different housing typology • Due to many being displaced from jobs in the city and being homeless despite having a smaller job with an income since sufficient housing is rarely available for the lower class. Living in the city needs to be more affordable for all types of incomes. It should not be apartments and then slums. An investigation could possibly also be done to look at a housing system for homeless and jobless that would come off another program that provides for the homeless.

• Using instances of theatre like spaces to exaggerate the notion of spectator being the spectacle in the public setting between the different classes.

• Creating seamless public spaces with multiple layers of program.

Site: Dhaka, Bangladesh

My thesis is something that sprung almost directly from the site. I recognized the densities of the site with major cluster points with no public spaces. I wanted to study the divides between the classes and begin to cross thread them together. But though I know which city I would like my site to be I have yet to clarify exactly where. I know I want it to be where multiple programs could take place and the people could possibly slow down so the public spaces that are part of my program can be implemented. So I’m looking for high pedestrian traffic compared to vehicular.

Program: 40% enclosed 60% exposed

The place should be something that almost acts like a sewn in hub that has the strong possibility of extending it’s threads outwards to integrate itself fully with more time and influence the surrounding spaces.

• Retail spaces• Recreational activities • Urban farming spaces• Housing typologies that cater to the working class and offering new spaces for the dwellers of slums.

• Public spaces that become repetitive due to the organization of other spaces. • A place where gathering could occur for festivals and national events.

I would see the program distributed in a more linear form that would have small branches extending itself into the city where it could possibly occur again with a rhythm implemented.

Summer 2011 work plan

This summer I plan on going to Bangladesh for two months where I plan to acquire research and bring in exact possibilities for site. I also plan to document and study social activities in said sites so I can manipulate them properly. I’ll also develop resources that I can access after I leave Bangladesh.

I will also research vernacular architecture that is native to the site and has potential to withstand intense urban environments.

case study #1 Stair Space by: Department of Unusual CertaintiesToronto This was a proposal at the cultural axis in Toronto. The current space is both boring and somewhatoppressive. Taking a space that is large yet cluttered oppressive. Taking a space that is large yet cluttered due to lack of any kind of organization or hierarchy. The proposal is to increase the space for program that is both diverse and address the dense nature of the location. The structure is inspired by the theatre uses adjacent to it. The stairs have several stages that comes from the idea thatin public life the spectator is also the spectacle. The reason I find this an appropriate cast study due to The reason I find this an appropriate cast study due to how well the programs are integrated into something that at first glance looks like a typical large staircase for a public space. This space also shows the possibilities of changing with both time and needs

case study #2 Bronx Public Farm and Orchard

by: Alexandros Avlonitis

New York City

This is a space that was made to solve the problem of

growing populations that is migrating from the rural

areas to the the more urbanized space. This design

proposaladdresses the creation of communal and

collective food culture in urban settings where people collective food culture in urban settings where people

cannot afford organic or nutritious foods. The reason I’ve

chose this as a case study is because in an urban areas

nutritious and organic food is ridiculously expensive. I

like the idea integrating communal spaces that serve the

community in a very strong way.The space is also

designed in a way where festivals can occur. Creation of

spaces like this interest me due to how many spaces like this interest me due to how many

possibilites integrating a program like this could have.

You could create wonderful public spaces from a location

where daily activity occurs.

case study #3 Center for Promotion of Science

by: Arkepolis Belgrade

The program of this building isn’t something I’m interested in how they approach setting of the program

is what interests me. I could see this set up in a more urban setting where this becomes a series of pocket-like

spaces throughout the city. Partially public with the rest spaces throughout the city. Partially public with the rest having a bit more direct program. Though I wouldn’t find something like this too appropriate for my thesis the idea

is inspiring to an extent. Probably due to the fact I find dramatic spaces such as this attractive, with it’s

use of strong gestures and limit of materials is something I’m very much drawn to.

case study #4 Origami

by: Bélanger Beauchemin Morency, Architectes & Urbaniste

Quebec

In this project the design approach using the idea of

oragami was used. Starting out with a dense building the

oragami pieces were pulled and bent for different

activities and programs to occur. The oragami series also

have situtations where you can change the program due

to the organic nature of the site.

case study #5New Visions for Pedestrian Footbridge Design

by: LEA Invent & Burcak PekinIstanbul

The axial movement of the pedestrians are taken into

acoount to determine the strategic points for the design. These points are connected to each other by the

pedestrian crosswalks on the east and west sides of the tram station and connected to the station by the

footbridge at the middle.The desired pedestrian routes established by time The desired pedestrian routes established by time

constitute the basis of the proposed urban strategy. Eliminating the vehicle traffic, the minimum area for the

desired pedestrian motion is determined.

case study #6Infiltrated Cultural and Ecological Urbanism

Maxthreads Architectural DesignKaohsiung

Kaohsiung existing city plan is an infrastructure led

gridded planning. And the resulting cohesive network of road system and block green spaces. Kaohsiung port

station. The railway site lies on the edge of the Kaohsiung city, alone the Wan shu mountain. Formed an invisible

boundary.