Project Name: Re-Thinking BSCIC Role in Small and Cottage Industries and Re-Branding Bengal Crafts.

Name: Md. Farid Uddin Sohail

Project Year: 2023

Project Guide Teacher: Architect Ziaul Islam and Architect Tahmin Haque

Head of the Department: Dr. Nawrose Fatemi

University: University of Asia Pacific

Image : Craft Map of Bangladesh

Although Bangladesh has a glorious history of thousands of years of handicrafts or cottage industry, this industry has been neglected for many years due to various obstacles, lack of proper promotion or branding. Efforts have been made by some private institutions to bring back the glory of this industry, but its effect is less than necessary.

The organization that has the most capacity for cottage industries or handicrafts in Bengal is "Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation or BSCIC".

However, it can be said that BCIC's activities are largely based on small industrial towns and plot lots. Where handicrafts or cottage industry activities are largely neglected.

Therefore, the main objective of this project is to identify the weaknesses in the cottage industries of BSCIC and play a role in bringing back its glorious chapter through branding or promotion of cottage industries or handicrafts through BSCIC.

Also, another objective of the project is to question the architecture of promotional outlets or buildings of non-governmental organizations or marketing agencies working on Bengali craft and try to develop a model through BSCIC.

Image : World Craft Timeline

Image : Bengal Craft Timeline

What should be the architecture of the branding outlet of Bengali handicrafts?

and to question the cottage industry centricity of regional and district level offices of BSCIC and verify the potential of spreading cottage industry market across Bengal. At the same time, an attempt is being made to show what should be the architectural model of the office buildings of the government agencies that deal with Bangladesh's art-literature, cultural heritage, etc.

From the above problems, it can be understood that this cottage industry is going through an extreme transitional period. From which public, non-governmental organizations as well as intellectuals and architects of the society have responsibility. And from that sense of responsibility, this thesis project started...

Bengal Crafts Analysis

The cottage industry is one of the carriers of the tradition and culture of Bangladesh. It is mixed with the form, variety, emotions and feelings of the people of rural Bangladesh for thousands of years.

As this industry has developed based on the diversity of Bangladesh's regional environment, the availability of raw materials, the needs of people and society, and the diversity of life, so is the identity of Bengal and Bengalis. Which represents Bengal only. It is also our pride. And at the same time in its construction technique, Bengali and Bengali's own characteristics can be observed.

Those who work to solve problems:

There are generally two types of organizations working on the cottage industries of Bangladesh.

1. Private Organizations: Araog, Desi Dosh, Jatra, Karika, Karupanya etc.

Although these organizations have promoted the cottage industry in the present, according to field research and cottage and crafts researcher and author ‘Ahmed Tofayel’, "there is a fear of losing the originality and characteristics of the country's cottage industry due to excessive commercialization". As a result, even though the cottage industry has temporary financial gain through them, there is a high possibility that the tradition of Bangladesh will be completely lost in the long term.

2. Government Organizations: Bangladesh Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Bangladesh Folk and Crafts Foundation and Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation.

As government organizations are generally service organizations, they are more interested in long-term and material gains than temporary collective gains. As a result, I choose BSCIC as my client, the most capable government agency in cottage industry development and problem solving.

Image : Craft Promote

Image : BSCIC

Why is BSCIC unable to play a proper role in the development of cottage industry despite having the highest capacity?

According to the BCCI publication,

• Architectural position and structural condition even after the establishment of BSCIC Because of this, the company is still largely hidden from the public eye.

• Industrial city oriented attitude of the organization, as well as neglect of cottage industries.

• Lack of facilities like permanent sales center, exhibition center and training center

Due to the problems. basically this institution is not able to play a proper role.

Image : BSCIC Concept

Scope of Works

How can I play a role in architecture as an architect with the information gained from exploring the potential and problems of both basic and cottage industries?

A few basic things I found:

• Linking the marketing center with the fixed programs of BSCIC buildings. Which will be considered as the main program of BSIC.

• Need for research and training centers.

• Presentation of local artisans' history, working methods to the general public

 (think of the installation as a museum).

• Exhibition gallery and culture sharing space will come up.

• Working with building materials and expressions.

• Thinking differently about fairgrounds.

Research Question:

And analyzing both the existing buildings of BCIC and the buildings of other government and non-governmental organizations dealing with cottage and carpentry industries, I ask,

What should be the BSCIC building architecture in the contemporary situation?

Site Analysis:

The site has been chosen to demonstrate a module on how organizations can play their role properly when they are established in a recreational or market area outside of the traditional office area.

For that purpose, the “BCIC Regional Office” at Shibbari More in Khulna seems appropriate to me.

Image : Site Analysis

Image : Site Analysis

Image : Conceptual Drawing

Concept

The entire project has been designed keeping in mind 3 main points.

Crafts, BSCIC & Site.

An attempt has been made to understand the approach of the project from the findings of these three.

Then the project is fully designed by first macro and then micro level zoning.

- Craft helped to think about the building's materiality, create mood and contextualize the building.

- BSCIC helped in zoning the building according to the needs of the building's user groups.

- The site helped the building adapt to the city, its people, nature, environment. Anticipation of future problems also helps in taking precautionary measures.

1. Crafts

- Craft gives people a traditional feel, for that our traditional window 'Khorkhori' has been brought in as a design fenestration.

- Speaking of craft sustainable, Khorkhori also plays a role in making the building sustainable by providing proper lighting and ventilation in the building.

- Craft is made of local materials, raw materials are also local materials.

- Moreover, Khulna bricks and tiles are famous in the country and abroad, therefore bricks have been used as local materials.

2. BSCIC

Basically a building of 3 types of user groups.

• Urban people

• Administrative people and

• Marginalized people

Keeping them in mind, the building has been zoned into 3 parts in such a way that each zone can play a role as an independent and integral part of the building at the same time.

Urban People

Here the lower zone of the building is designed for them, which will attract them without knowingly.

They would meet there, talk , share knowledge of cottage industry. And at the end of the day that space will encourage them to take pride in their cottage industry. And will also encourage you to learn more about BSCIC.

Public facilities like fair grounds, exhibition centers are placed in the lower part of the building, so that at the first sight, everyone gets curious about the building and enters the building.

 And then the exhibition center along with the cottage industry fair on the symbiotic way, BSCIC and its other institutional activities can be easily identified.

Administrative People

The reason for placing them in the middle part of the building

- Increasing visual communication with marginalized people and urban people at the same time.

- Simplifying administrative activities.

- Also separate it from the gathering of ordinary people.

- Centric relationship, visual interaction and healthy office environment are tried among the administrative staff.

Marginalized People

Marginal people generally feel comfortable in an unobstructed natural environment. The zone is placed at the top of the building as it is cost-effective to ensure those facilities at the top of a high-rise building. Their walking portion along with the training institute has been designed ensuring adequate gardening and suitable open spaces. As if they feel that they are in their own environment.

Image : Crafts Display

3. Site

- This site helped me to confirm why my Concept & Design module was a good fit.

- Helped separate public gatherings and official entries in very small spaces.

- It is a development commercial and economic area. As a result, although the height of the buildings on both sides of the site is low now, if the height of those buildings increases in the future, how it will affect the designed building, it helps to take design decisions.

- Adequate amount of light-ventilation and view-vista helped in the building.

Image : BSCIC

Image : Institute

Also,

- The building has been made as an energy efficient building with the help of natural light and ventilation.

- Tried to keep enough views and vistas.

- Efforts have been made to create attractive transitions from one space to another.

- An attempt has been made to bring a crafty look to the building through the combination of materials and colors.

- Above all, the building has been designed as a landmark of Khulna city.

Which will help in re-branding the cottage industry along with the main objective of this project is to “bring BSCIC highlighted to the people”.

Image : Masterplan

Image : Floor Plans

Image : Sectional Perspective

Jury Comments:

Architect Shoaib Bhuiyan

Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, UAP.

 The presentation was very good. The design process i.e. the sequence in which the entire work was done was very good. It cannot be said that a student has achieved so much in one day. I have been observing the student since 3.2, he has slowly developed himself since 3.2 to come up with such a good project design today.

Architect Prince

External Juror.

 The site analysis was so good that I thought, the student is someone from Khulna city. I really liked the site analysis and its implementation in such detail even though he is not Khulna person.

Architect Saiqa Iqbal Meghna

Director Partner, Studio Morphogenesis Limited

Faculty, Brac University

 Liked overall. However, if the whole massing is rotated 90 degrees, the design would have been more appropriate.