Project Name: Maayer Anchol (vacation house )

Location: 36, Shaheed Golam Kibria, Taju Sarak, Uttar Shaota,

                 Manikganj, Dhaka

Client: Mrs. Sajeda Khanam

Total built area: 12,285 sq ft

Project Completion: 2022

Lead Architects: Ar. Afsana Luqman, Ar. Khalid Ahmed Khan

Associate Architect: Architect Khairul Anam Apu

Structural Engineer: ESI

Electrical Engineer: Zahid Hasan

Photographer: Asif Salman

Ar. Khalid Ahmed Khan

Ar. Afsana Luqman

‘Maayer Anchol’ – The name of the project gives a glimpse of the basic idea behind the house. This project is not just a house suitable for living, it is an emotional journey, a combination of architecture with past memories.

The ‘Maayer Anchol’ project is an expansion of the old house built by their mother 35 years ago, while retaining a bit of a rural feel.

Conceptual sketch

Architectural Concept:

The old house was a witness to countless memories of various social events and festivals. The verandahs of the house, the sitting areas under the shade of the trees, were places where the family members would gather and chat. This played a key role in the design of the new house. The main idea of ​​the project was - it would be a shelter that would hold all the family members together, just like the roots of a tree hold the surrounding soil. The main challenge of the design was to create an environment that would blend in with the surrounding nature while maintaining the atmosphere of the old house.

Project site

Site and Context Analysis:

This project is a vacation house located in the suburbs of North Shawta, near the central town of Manikganj district. The project site is accessed from Shaheed Rafiq Road via Dhaka-Aricha Highway via Taju Road. There is a training institute on the eastern side of the site and some residential houses on the remaining three sides. Also, there is a lot of vegetation around the site. There is not much dense population near the site.

Design Considerations:

The spaces of the house are designed around a central courtyard, with formal, semi-formal and private spaces arranged around it. These spaces are designed around the courtyard in such a way that there is a free connection between the verandas and corridors, while maintaining the security and privacy of each space.

'Maayer Anchol' project

Masterplan:

The project site has an old house on the west side. Along with it are some tin-roofed cottages, which blend easily with the surrounding rural environment. The new house is designed on the east side of the site. The different spaces create a visual connection between the new and old forms – from outdoor to indoor, from indoor to semi-outdoor, and from semi-outdoor to open terraces, which then merge with the old courtyard through a green garden.

Ground floor plan

First floor plan

The new house has an internal court. It has corridors on both sides, and an open plaza on one side. The plaza has a living room on one side and a family living room on the other. The family living room has a kitchen on one side and a large veranda (semi-outdoor space) on the other side.

There are 2 bedrooms and 1 master bedroom on the ground floor and the first floor. The second floor also has an open pavilion, an open terrace, and a small family living area. The semi-outdoor seating area on the ground floor, connected to the outdoor landscape by a large staircase from the open plaza, the open terrace, and the open pavilion are places for family members to gather, which retain the atmosphere of the old house's front yard. The high roof structure creates an imaginary image of a mother's outstretched arms embracing her children.

Sections of the project

Materials used in the building:

The building is designed with RCC frame structure, with columns resting on isolated footings. The pitched roofs are made of MS hollow box truss and purlin to hold the clay roof tiles on top.

Most of the concrete surfaces are given an as-cast look without any finishing material. Most of the walls of the building are made of exposed brickwork without any plaster.

Most of the floors are made of locally made matte-finished ceramic tiles, except for the ceramic paver blocks used in the driveway. The sliding, folding and casement windows are made of aluminum profiles with tempered glass infill of varying thicknesses according to size. The interior doors of the building are plain flush doors and all doors in contact with the outside environment are made of teak wood.

The project has been designed in such a way that natural light and air can circulate freely. The pitch-roof extension, the corridors around the court protect the interior environment from direct sunlight and heavy rainfall.

Furniture Design:

Furniture design was a key element of the original design in this project. Each piece of furniture was custom-made. The designs of these furniture were inspired by old furniture in the house, which the family members used at different times in their lives.

The sleek dining table and lounge chairs were inspired by the design of traditional low-height stools.

The ‘Maayer Anchol’ project is an example of contemporary Bangladeshi architecture. At the same time, the project represents an example of the role of architecture in preserving family traditions and values.