The British Council and the Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements launched a research and insight publication titled Sustainable Architecture Practice at the Bengal Shilpalay of Dhanmondi in Dhaka on Friday.
The event brought together architects, planners, built environment professionals, researchers, policymakers and the wider public to mark the culmination of a countrywide research initiative on sustainable and climate-adaptive architecture in Bangladesh, said a press release.
The research maps existing sustainable and climate-adaptive architectural practices across Bangladesh — spanning public, private and grassroots levels — and offers policy recommendations to support the growth and recognition of this vital sector.
The launch event featured introductory remarks by Professor Kazi Khaleed Ashraf, director general of the Bengal Institute, the screening of a short documentary film produced as part of the project and presentations by Professor Atiqur Rahman, Professor Ripin Kalra and Architect Khondaker Hasibul Kabir, each highlighting key findings and case studies from the research.
Professor Kazi Khaleed Ashraf said, ‘Sustainability presents a new paradigm in thinking and practice, especially in what we do as humans, on the Earth and to the Earth. What we might today call sustainable architecture has in fact existed for centuries — in how people lived across different geographies and climates, using distinctive materials and social resources to make their dwellings.’
Maarya Rehman, deputy director, Bangladesh, British Council, said, ‘We are proud to support this crucial research initiative, which highlights Bangladesh’s diverse and innovative approaches to sustainable architecture and reflects the strength of collaboration between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh expertise in addressing climate challenges through design.’
‘This publication not only amplifies local knowledge and practice but also contributes to global conversations on climate resilience and the creative economy,’ added Maarya Rehman.
The publication documents and analyses practices from 2015 to the present through a scoping report, case studies of innovative sustainable design and a policy report offering guidance from an advisory board of experts on sustainability and resilience in architecture.
