A Sensational Memorial and Cultural Center By BRACU Student
A Sensational Memorial and Cultural Center By BRACU Student
A Memorial and Cultural Center plays a crucial role in preserving history, honoring collective memory, and fostering cultural exchange. These centers serve as spaces for reflection, education, and community engagement, ensuring that significant events, figures, and traditions are remembered by future generations. Architecturally, these spaces often symbolize resilience, hope, and remembrance, incorporating innovative designs that enhance emotional and sensory experiences. Through interactive storytelling, digital archives, and participatory activities, they keep history alive in meaningful ways.
Ultimately, Memorial and Cultural Centers serve as vital institutions that connect the past, present, and future, fostering a shared sense of heritage and responsibility in an ever-changing world. Arch-Bangla is presentation a Thesis project of BRAC Architecture regarding this topic.
Project Title: “অন্তর্যাত্রা” – TAREQUE MASUD MEMORIAL AND CULTURAL CENTER “
Location: Faridpur
Student Name: Nafia Binte Kibria
Studio: X (Thesis)
Studio Guide: Mohammad Habib Reza (PhD), Md. Samiur Rahman Bhuiyan
Year: 2022
University: BRAC University, Bangladesh.
Introduction: “অন্তর্যাত্রা”-Tareque Masud Memorial and Cultural Center
Tareque Masud was a Bangladeshi film director, producer, screenwriter, and lyricist who was born in Nupur Village in the Faridpur District. He was a pioneer in his field and a role model for independent filmmakers. Through his works, he aimed to inspire and enlighten young minds about Bangladesh’s liberation war, as well as to show them the beauty of the country, its surroundings, its historic past, and the beauty of connections between the creator’s creations.
The importance of preserving his legacy and works has gained attention after his passing. So, the Tareque Masud Memorial Trust has taken an initiative to preserve his works and memories while also completing unfinished works in order to promote understanding, his perspective, and his dedication to our country and culture. The memorial is also needed to let the young generation know about his life and dedication towards the country.
The design strives to satisfy its requirement with an extra taste of the philosophy of neo-contextuality with preservation of the history and philosophy of Tareque Masud with the engagement of general public, and attracting cultural activists, researcher and tourists.
Site Location
The proposed site for this project is Tareque Masud’s ancestral home in Nurpur, Bhanga, situated near the Dhaka-Khulna highway in the Faridpur district. This site holds significant sentimental value, as it encompasses Masud’s family residence, featuring two water bodies and an open field where he brought up, along with his final resting place, embodying a repository of his legacy. Its close proximity to key landmarks like the Dhaka-Khulna highway and Padma Bridge enhances accessibility, making it strategically positioned to attract various visitors, including tourists and culture enthusiasts.
Surrounding Factors
The chosen site serves as an intersection between two communal spaces, incorporating the existing Mayor’s house and an open field which is proposed for the High-way Inn, incorporating future possibilities for the site. This unique characteristic of the site adds an interesting layer to the project’s context. It acts as a symbolic meeting point, connecting the historical and cultural dimensions of Masud’s life with the broader local community and the evolving urban environment. This creates a dynamic setting that aligns with the philosophy of neo-contextuality, seamlessly integrating the memorial into both the local community and the larger regional context.
In summary, the chosen location, coupled with its rich surroundings, not only preserves the memory of Tareque Masud but also functions as a vibrant intersection fostering cultural exchange and appreciation. The memorial becomes intricately woven into the living history of the region, ensuring its enduring relevance and significance for generations to come
Main Philosophy of The Project: Tareque Masud Memorial and Cultural Center
The primary idea involves crafting a path that embodies the philosophy of Tareque Masud. This entails a thorough study of the site context and a deep dive into the literature of Tareque Masud, encompassing his philosophical beliefs and personal life into the design. Throughout this process, the following objectives must be fulfilled:
- Portraying the history of our liberation war to the younger generation.
- Establishing a platform for the expression of Tareque Masud’s philosophy.
- Infusing the design with elements that highlight and celebrate the cultural aspects.
Design Considerations
- Connecting Neighborhood: Possible connection with the neighborhood can be established by aligning with the current pedestrian entrances to the site. The site is encompassed by significant existing and potential crowd-generating spaces in that region. By referencing the existing pedestrian entries, a pathway can be proposed from the site to connect with these major surrounding elements, inviting gatherings into the site.
- Reviving Water-bodies: As per Nurpur’s geographical study, a water channel that once belonged to the Baiskhali Canal used to traverse the site, establishing a connection with the Old Kumar River. However, with the passage of time, certain sections of this water flow have been filled, resulting in a loss of connection. The reviving of this water channel could be considered as a potential option to enrich the future prospects of the site.
Form Derivation
The primary focus in determining the layout of the center revolves around decisions influenced by the functions and activities in its surroundings. The primary objectives were to establish connections between the two main crowd-generating spaces and rejuvenate the adjacent water bodies based on information from previous geographical maps of that region. The process begins by assessing existing conditions, identifying references from current pedestrian entries, and exploring potential connections from the surrounding neighborhood.
Major entrances and secondary access points can then be defined based on these references. Defining the lines from the surroundings creates a central space suitable for communal activities. Following the restoration of water channels and connections to existing elements, the form is shaped while adhering to accessibility references, water features, and central courtyards. The initial form is seamlessly integrated with courtyards and waterbodies. Taking natural resources into consideration, plazas and communal spaces are proposed at various levels within the center. To preserve water bodies, elevated plazas connect communal spaces to the complex, also delineating the form into three distinct zones.
Zoning: Tareque Masud Memorial and Cultural Center
The zoning primarily hinges on the strategic connection points identified in the surroundings. The complex is effectively divided into three major zones by an elevated plaza extending from the highway inn entry through the first floor and the Dhaka-Khulna highway at ground level. These zones are specifically allocated for assembly functions, cultural facilities, and educational/research facilities, each catering to distinct activities. The connectivity between these zones is facilitated by paths, plazas, and bridges spanning from the ground level to the second floor.
Conclusion
The design’s goal, encompassing zoning and material choices, was to craft a subtle atmosphere that harmoniously blends with the surrounding environment, all while incorporating the philosophy of Tareque Masud.
