Arcadia Education Centre

The Arcadia Education Centre (School) is located in South Kanarchor, Bangladesh[1] on the bank of the Dhaleshwari River.[2]  The modular, amphibious structure adapts to seasonal flooding using an innovative design based on traditional building techniques and incorporating local materials.[2][3] The facility contains a preschool, hostel, nursery, and vocational training centre.[4]

Amphibious architecture

The Maleka Welfare Trust purchased a patch of land so they could relocate one of their preschools and add additional social facilities.[5] The land is flooded five months of the year[1] and its topography is incompatible with conventional solutions to this challenge.[2]

Architect Saif Ul Haque Sthapati of Dhaka, Bangladesh[6] designed a buoyant platform that floats tethered during the rainy season and settles back to the ground during the dry season, allowing the facility to remain operational year-round.[2] In addition to this cost-effective solution to flooding, the building is made of inexpensive materials including several local bamboo varieties and upcycled materials such as steel drums and car tires.[2] The building materials and techniques are based on traditional house construction techniques used in the area.[2] This amphibious structure that rises with water levels could be the potential solution to rising sea levels because of climate change.[7]

The structure is open to nature, allowing students to benefit from natural light while learning from their surroundings.[2]

Maleka Welfare Trust

The Maleka Welfare Trust is a private social welfare organization.[5] Their programs include preschools, a vocational training centre, a nursery, and a hostel for single women.[5]

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture announced the Maleka Welfare Trust's Arcadia Education Project as one of the 2019 Award winners[1][8] for its thoughtful response to flooding using local materials and traditional building techniques.[2][9] Razia Alam was presented the Aga Khan Award for Architecture by His Highness the Aga Khan and Mintimer Shaimiev, State Counselor of the Republic of Tatarstan on September 13, 2019.[10]

Razia Alam from Bangladesh is presented an AKAA 2019 certificate for the Arcadia Education Project, South Kanarchor, Bangladesh, by His Highness the Aga Khan and Mintimer Shaimiev, State Counselor of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Bangladesh is consistently ranked among the countries most at risk from climate change.[11] Each year, massive rainfall causes loss of life and displacement of people.[12][13][failed verification] Affordable and locally sustainable architectural models like the Arcadia facility improves the everyday lives of Bangladeshis and other affected populations.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c McGuigan, Cathleen (August 29, 2019). "The Winners of the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture". Architectural Record. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Arcadia Education Project | Aga Khan Development Network". www.akdn.org. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  3. ^ "Saif Ul Haque Sthapati Arcadia Education Project in South Kanarchor Bangladesh". Floornature. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  4. ^ "Aga Khan Award: 2 Bangladeshi projects shortlisted". The Daily Star. 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  5. ^ a b c "Shortlist for the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture announced". Architectural Digest Middle East. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  6. ^ GmbH, BauNetz Media (2019-05-06). "Von Kinderdorf bis Fischmarkt - Shortlist des Aga Khan Award 2019". BauNetz (in German). Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  7. ^ "This 'waterproof' bamboo school in Bangladesh could be the solution to rising sea levels due to climate change". India Today. Ist. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  8. ^ Woodyatt, Amy (2019-08-29). "Winners of prestigious Aga Khan architecture award announced". CNN Style. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
  9. ^ "Arcadia Education Project in Bangladesh wins Aga Khan Architecture Award". Jagranjosh.com. 2019-11-26. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  10. ^ "International experts praise Bangladesh's excellence in architecture". unb.com.bd. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  11. ^ "Bangladesh, India Most Threatened by Climate Change, Risk Study Finds | National Geographic (blogs)". 2016-05-03. Archived from the original on 2016-05-03. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
  12. ^ "GLOBAL CLIMATE RISK INDEX 2019" (PDF). German Watch. December 2018.
  13. ^ Kreft, Sönke; Eckstein, David; Melchior, Inga (November 2016). Global Climate Risk Index 2017: Who Suffers Most From Extreme Weather Events? Weather-related Loss Events in 2015 and 1996 to 2015 (PDF). Bonn: Germanwatch. ISBN 978-3-943704-49-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-09-25. Retrieved 2019-08-29.