Project Location        : Dhanmondi 27, Dhaka
Project Type               : Gallery
Project Status            : Built
Year of Completion   : 2012
Land Area                   : 924 m² (9950 ft²)
Built Area                    : 

Memory of a place, the essence of the spaces entwined, allows a built-form to embody the spirit and the character of that space which motivates the users to interact and relate towards it. The perception of change through time invokes certain emotions towards which the architect was sensitive towards. Bengal Shilpalaya had the humble beginning of a single storied beautiful residential building of the client which evolved into today’s art gallery and cultural hub through the passage of time. The latest redesign work undertaken by JHA (Jubair Hasan Architects) was sensitive towards preserving the essence and the memory that made up the space into a place that created a dialogue with the users that occupied the space.

The preservation of contextual originality was the primary concern for the architect to respect the integral memory of the space. Not a single tree was cut down for the redesign work and the new building took shape, keeping the original structural elements as skeleton and sculptures for the newly retrofitted redesign work. This intent to preserve the memory and the surrounding nature around the multistoried art space, the library turned it into an iconic building that is respectful towards the site, surroundings, memory and nature.

Like a skilled craftsman whose attention to details breathes life into his inanimate creations, the architect here was sensitive towards preserving the memory of the space. Through a meticulous exercise of detail-oriented design approach, the ground floor of the premises was kept deliberately free from any imposing ideas. This resulted in a park-like environment that interacts with the visitors and the city in such vigor that it dilutes the presence of the huge structural volume as a backdrop to various urban activities. Rather than building upon a clean slate, the memories were honored and preserved which guided the organization of the new space and forms to be integrated into the existing condition. While mechanical ventilation was installed wherever necessary the bulk of the cooling was solved using natural circulation of hot and cool air, which significantly reduced the stress on the energy consumption making it a very successful sustainable built space.