POLLUTED SWAMP TO SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS
18 Mar 2020
A polluted and flooded wasteland in Bangladesh will soon be transformed into a sustainable university campus and public park that will introduce new greenspace and educational opportunities for locals and tourists.
Singapore-based architecture firm WOHA and BRAC University have revealed the latest renderings of the masterplan for a campus and park in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which will implement sustainable development for the region. The 88,000 square-metre campus will incorporate the values of BRAC, which is the largest non-governmental organisation in the world. The project draws inspiration from “the region’s Sundarbans, which have separate ecosystems above and below tidal level”, and will use this to transform the derelict area into a sustainable campus.
The design and function of the campus are divided into two forms: the raised 13-storey academy and the ground-level public Campus Park, which will be created by redeveloping the polluted swamp into a bioretention pond with lush native landscaping.
The campus will host over 10,000 students with the raised Academia building sheltering the park from the sun and rain. the public space will also include the University’s auditorium, a multipurpose hall and a public gallery. The roof, which will act as the University Green, will include a recreational field, a swimming pool and a 200m running track. Above this will sit a PV solar canopy. The roof will feature a flexible model that means spaces can be combined or divided to allow for future readjusting of facilities.
“We were inspired by BRAC University’s mission to foster the development process of Bangladesh by creating an opportunity for excellence in higher education that is responsive to the local communities’ needs,” explained Richard Hassell, co-founder at WOHA. “The new campus will provide an environment that is conducive to learning and human interaction and its integrated landscaping will enhance urban biodiversity. Where there used to be a flooded wasteland, the design of the new building implements strategies that help to reduce waste as well as save energy and water.”
According to WOHA, the design will feature architectural and environmental strategies that will create “tropical learning spaces that do not require full air conditioning, while a matrix of sun-shading ferns and vertical green walls address solar heat gain”. The green façades that cover the campus will act as environmental filters to disrupt glare, noise and dust, keeping rooms cool and quiet. The floorplan sees open and air-filled spaces that facilitate cross-ventilation and ample daylight in every room.
The campus and park began construction in 2017 and is scheduled for completion in 2021.
Images courtesy of WOHA.