Daawai: The new face of modern pharmacies | Pharmacy & Medicine Store in Dhaka
Skip to main content
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Wednesday
May 28, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2025
Daawai: The new face of modern pharmacies

Habitat

Kaniz Supriya
28 March, 2023, 11:00 am
Last modified: 28 March, 2023, 05:32 pm

Related News

  • Public hospitals to open pharmacies offering low-cost medications
  • Saline shortage prevails in private hospitals, pharmacies
  • Putin says Russian pharmacies are short on some medicines
  • 3 drugstores adjacent to Dhaka medical allowed to remain open for 24 hours
  • Drug stores near hospitals may remain open by rotation after midnight

Daawai: The new face of modern pharmacies

Breaking away from traditional designs, Daawai features a soothing and cosy environment. The interior is designed to explore inner wellness

Kaniz Supriya
28 March, 2023, 11:00 am
Last modified: 28 March, 2023, 05:32 pm
Color psychology is very important when designing a shop, which is why a pastel palette and shades of green has been used by the architects. It radiates positive and tranquil energy. Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto
Color psychology is very important when designing a shop, which is why a pastel palette and shades of green has been used by the architects. It radiates positive and tranquil energy. Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto

It's hard to imagine hospitals and pharmacies as happy places. But the negative feelings people often associate with them are nowadays being addressed with modern interior designs, which favours light and bright colour schemes. This not only highlights the architectural and artistic designs of the space, but it also aids to stimulate a patient's recovery.

This change, over the years, has been observed in hospitals throughout the city. But the same cannot be said for drugstores. 

Every time one pictures a local pharmacy in the country, we naturally think of tons of medicines piled up on transparent shelves, and the space lit by very underwhelming general lighting.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto
Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto

Breaking away from this pattern, Daawai, a chain pharmacy, features a soothing and cosy environment. The interior is designed to explore inner wellness.

Daawai opened its first outlet in December, 2022. It sells both medicine and FMCG (Fast-moving consumer goods) products. The design was conceptualised by Prachya architectural and interior consultancy firm.

Located in the capital's Lalmatia, Daawai has a floor space of around 390 square feet. The design uses a colour pallet of soft shades of green, blue and white. The colours are broken up by glossy champagne-coloured metal lines. 

"Understanding colour psychology is very important when designing a shop, which is why we went with a pastel palette and shades of green. It radiates positive and tranquil energies," said Sahar Malik, the lead architect of Prachyo.

The space lets in a lot of daylight; so no artificial light is needed during the day. Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto
The space lets in a lot of daylight; so no artificial light is needed during the day. Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto

The pharmacy is divided into two sections – a space for FMCG, and a medicine section. Upon entering the premises, you are met with a waiting zone, facing the Lalmatia park, which features a low seating arrangement. Instead of external chairs, the architect used fixed seating.

On the left of the waiting area is a wall beautifully decorated with indoor plants and hanging filament bulbs. The FMCG section is located right in front of the entrance, and includes products such as packaged food, toiletries, and personal care products.

"We did not want to keep any medicine near the entrance. The FMCG section provides a feel-good factor for the customers," said Sahar.

The medicine section is near the reception area. Unlike the FMCG section, these products are not kept within the customers' reach. 

"Ensuring functionality with modern aesthetics was a big priority for this design. There is no additional storage room in the pharmacy, so we made the shelves lofty enough to accommodate everything, and dispersed enough so that they do not block the park view," said Sahar.

Sahar also tried to keep horizontal shelves simple, and mostly played around with the decorative lighting and the vertical shelves to create geometric patterns. 

The reception table is constructed in a similar fashion to the seats, it is fixed to the floor. There is also a white panel at the corner of the reception – it is clearly visible from the entrance, and includes the name 'Daawai', glowing with illuminated letters. The back is used to house a refrigerator and a space for storage. The medicine is stacked behind the reception desk.

Every time one pictures a local pharmacy in the country, you think of medicines piled up on transparent shelves, in an open shop. There’s where Daawai took a different route. Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto
Every time one pictures a local pharmacy in the country, you think of medicines piled up on transparent shelves, in an open shop. There’s where Daawai took a different route. Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto

One of the challenges of designing the store was the floor. The space included only white tiles. But Sahar wanted to use a pastel green floor in the waiting zone. She had used epoxy paint to colour these tiles.

The space lets in a lot of daylight; so no artificial light is needed during the day. Only after evening are the lights turned on, the colour tone of which have also been carefully selected.

When it comes to general lighting, Sahar implemented white illumination for functional efficiency. The ambient lighting is done with warm tones. In the reception area, there is this big chandelier ring light which lets the staff choose between three different tones: white, warm and cool warm.

The ceiling has been kept minimal. There are some diagonal graphics, and uses false ceilings only where it is needed.

"The height of the space was not very high. Thus, we avoided holistic false ceilings which could make the space feel small and claustrophobic," explained Sahar.

Visitors often mistake Daawai for a restaurant when looking at it from the outside. Overall, the design is symphonic, soothing, and one of a kind. 

Features / Top News

pharmacies / Daawai

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Inflation, exchange rate shocks to intensify fiscal pressure in FY26
    Inflation, exchange rate shocks to intensify fiscal pressure in FY26
  • Leaders and activists of BNP gather at Nayapaltan ahead of the rally of three BNP affiliated organisations on Wednesday, 28 May 2025. Photo: TBS
    BNP, Jamaat rallies: Traffic likely to clog Dhaka roads, including Shahbagh, Nayapaltan, Kakrail
  • Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus departed for Japan at 2:10am on Wednesday. Photo: CA Press Wing
    Prof Yunus in Tokyo to join Nikkei Forum, hold bilateral talks

MOST VIEWED

  • Selim RF Hussain. Sketch: TBS
    BRAC Bank MD Selim RF Hussain resigns
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Depositors need not worry as govt will take over banks before merger: BB governor
  • Graphics: TBS
    Suspicious banking activities surge by 56% since July: Cenbank
  • Photo: Collected
    DU student assaulted for protesting eve-teasing at Chadni Chowk
  • Illustration: TBS
    Bangladesh sees highest-ever per capita income of $2,820 in FY25, BBS provisional data shows
  • Officials protest inside the Secretariat on Tuesday, 27 May 2025, over a government ordinance amending the Public Service Act, 2018. Photo: Rajib Dhar
    Protest at Secretariat suspended as govt assures decision on ordinance tomorrow

Related News

  • Public hospitals to open pharmacies offering low-cost medications
  • Saline shortage prevails in private hospitals, pharmacies
  • Putin says Russian pharmacies are short on some medicines
  • 3 drugstores adjacent to Dhaka medical allowed to remain open for 24 hours
  • Drug stores near hospitals may remain open by rotation after midnight

Features

In recent years, the Gor-e-Shaheed Eidgah has emerged as a strong contender for the crown of the biggest Eid congregation in the country, having hosted 600,000 worshippers in 2017. Photo: TBS

Gor-e-Shaheed Boro Maath: The heart of Dinajpur

1d | Panorama
The Hili Land Port, officially opened in 1997 but with trade roots stretching back to before Partition, has grown into a cornerstone of bilateral commerce.

Dhaka-Delhi tensions ripple across Hili’s markets and livelihoods

2d | Panorama
Photo: Collected

Desk goals: Affordable ways to elevate your study setup

2d | Brands
Built on a diamond-type frame, the Hornet 2.0 is agile but grounded. PHOTO: Asif Chowdhury

Honda Hornet 2.0: Same spirit, upgraded sting

2d | Wheels

More Videos from TBS

How can we protect Dhaka’s rivers and canals from plastic waste?

How can we protect Dhaka’s rivers and canals from plastic waste?

2h | TBS Programs
Jamaat leader ATM Azhar released from prison after 13 years

Jamaat leader ATM Azhar released from prison after 13 years

2h | TBS Today
Trump delays 50% tariffs on EU goods

Trump delays 50% tariffs on EU goods

13h | Others
Eid may be celebrated in Bangladesh on June 7

Eid may be celebrated in Bangladesh on June 7

13h | TBS Today
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net