Project Description
Courtyards are the specific architectural element which resembles the idea of ‘Home’ in Bengal; a traditional Bengal house is comprised of built structures arranged around a court in the centre, where the children grow, family interacts, and daily activities happen. In the modern cityscape of Dhaka, the question of housing for a huge population is generally answered by multistoried congested apartments – which often fail to reflect the climatic and social needs. Carnation, the residential apartment project by Sthapotik architects is a modest attempt to recreate the lost courtyard-house model of living in the densely built urban scenario of Dhaka.
The Carnation is a 4-unit dwelling apartment complex in the rectilinear plot in the heart of Dhaka. The project was highly inspired by the native indigenous house building ideas- including the courtyard, natural light air provision, inspiring communal living, and regular privacy-based zoning in housing units. The four housing units were grouped in two and placed on both ends of a central courtyard. The court serves as an informal interaction space for the residents, safe playing and intimate recreational space for adults, especially women.
Multistoried apartments of Dhaka often suffer to create a dialogue with the streetscape and the ground floors are generally dark and underused. A lively circulation which invites visitors with a flow of different scales of spaces and stories sequentially is created at the ground level, and waterbody and landscape paving of brick and stones enhance the aesthetical quality to provide usable space. The ‘extended verandah(balcony)’ on the streetside of each apartment along with the small urban green space tries to break the monotonous street view.
The apartment has a clear north-south orientation, hence taking the advantage of clear ventilation and natural light for each apartment. The central court with waterbodies provides the much-needed thermal comfort and microclimatic positives that the tropical hoy-humid climate requires. Privacy is a key consideration in Bangladesh residences; clear and simple zoning based on privacy setting in the housing units are evident where the private spaces are placed in the peripheral areas and public areas are put in the front.