Dhaka, August 6 (ANI): The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) at the High Commission of India in Dhaka hosted a workshop titled “Conceptualizing Architectural Projects: A South Asian Perspective” on Thursday at its premises on Gulshan Avenue.
Led by renowned architect Rafiq Azam, the session aimed to foster a deeper understanding of context-driven architectural design rooted in South Asian culture and the region’s environmental landscape.
Azam, a distinguished architect and educator, is widely recognized for his contributions to architecture and for promoting cross-cultural exchange between India and Bangladesh. A guest professor at Jadavpur University since 2006, he has consistently emphasized ecology and contextual design, encouraging students to reconnect with their environment.
Having recently visited India under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations’ (ICCR) Academic Visitor Program 2026, Azam shared his experiences and encouraged stronger academic and professional collaboration between Indian and Bangladeshi architects.
The event brought together students from several institutions, including BRAC University, Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), North South University (NSU), Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST), and the American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB). It provided a platform to explore how site conditions, climate, landscape, culture, and society influence architectural concepts across the two countries.
A key takeaway from the workshop was that every meaningful architectural project begins with a careful understanding of its location before decisions are made regarding form, structure, or materials.
Azam guided participants through analyzing physical and environmental factors, including orientation, topography, vegetation, water systems, the sun’s path, wind patterns, and rainfall. These elements were examined alongside cultural and social influences drawn from history, literature, cinema, anthropology, sociology, and local economies.
Working in groups, participants studied selected sites in Bangladesh and India. Through observation, mapping, sketching, and analytical drawing, they developed architectural concepts rooted in local contexts, responsive to climate, and reflective of South Asia’s rich cultural diversity.
The workshop emphasized the design-thinking process, encouraging students to develop ideas that respect and celebrate local environments and communities.
Ann Mary George, director of the IGCC, highlighted the importance of incorporating local context into architectural practice. She said architecture should reflect South Asia’s cultural and environmental fabric and encouraged students to create sustainable, culturally sensitive, and context-driven designs.
She expressed confidence that such initiatives would inspire innovative ideas and strengthen regional cooperation in the field of architecture.
The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to advancing sustainable, culturally sensitive, and contextually meaningful architectural practices that contribute to regional development and cultural identity. (ANI)
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