Empowering a city through architecture: The Nagar Bhaban of Narayanganj City Corporation
Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy wanted the building to essentially represent the city of Narayanganj - its history, its heritage, its colour and most importantly, its people
For Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy, every time she takes a sip of her morning coffee from her fifth floor office balcony, she can't help but gaze over the 120-year-old municipality administrative building, which the newly inaugurated Nagar Bhaban of Narayanganj City Corporation has essentially replaced.
She carries deep-rooted emotions for the 'old' building, as it used to be her father's office and also hers, when she first came into office around 20 years ago.
With time, she felt the need to evolve and adapt to the changes of the modern world. In her pursuit of architects who could realise her vision of empowering her people and her city, via the means of a new 'powerful' administrative hub, she contacted architects Iqbal Habib and Ishtiaque Zahir Titas of Vitti Sthapati Brindo Ltd.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
It was Titas himself who picked up Ivy's phone call and thus initiated a project that would take the better part of a decade to complete.
"This was actually a very interesting project for us because we believe that if you really want to bring changes in Bangladesh, local authorities should be empowered and local governance should ensue. We wanted to give her a new contemporary building, whilst keeping an image of an authoritative building; as this was to be a representation of city governance, empowering the mayor," said Titas.
For reference, Ivy had provided the architects with an image of a segment of an old Spanish town where accumulation of various time frames and multiple typologies of arches were present, which was a composite representation of an old heritage.
"We tried to frame it in a way you may call a postmodernist approach; something that is beyond the modernist era and brings a reflection of classical times," he said.
Bangladesh embraces a blend of tradition and modernity in its architectural designs. The parliament building, for instance, showcases a modern twist with 'flat arch' (arches with flat lower or inner curves) designs, which is a departure from classical 'true arches.' (arches with a continuous line from one end to the other, almost dome-like)
"Keeping classical designs in the back of our mind, we tried introducing flat arches to the design.We did that by juxtaposing different typologies of designs, evident from the different types of window sizes and variations in the building. We call this an asymmetrical composition," added Titas.
As he was diving deeper into his explanation of the design of the new Nagar Bhaban, Titas's mind shifted to a contemporary example of similar buildings representing similar philosophies.
He pointed out the Singapore National Museum as a reference of a municipality corporation building in a town hall from the colonial times which portrays a very "authoritative look."
It's a two-storeyed building with high columns and according to Titas, the high columns and height, which is "beyond the human scale" gives off the impression as if it were saying, "I am bigger than you."
"Nagar Bhaban is basically a 10-storeyed building but it gives the impression of much more. It is essentially just a box but we have fragmented it in a way that it upholds many things. Even the mayor's office stands out; it's accentuated by a box arch design," he said.
"Town halls usually have big plazas in front of them, but we do not have this culture in our city plans. We wanted to bring such a grandeur within the small space and that is why we also created a terrace and kept an open space in the front. We recreated a plaza inside the building. That is the roof of the auditorium, which has 700 seats."
The feel and look of Narayanganj
Ivy had her mind set on what the outlook of the building must look like. She wanted the building to essentially represent the city of Narayanganj - its history, its heritage, its colour and most importantly, its people.
"The feel and look of Narayanganj must be expressed. It has to be a statement of new development that upholds the rich culture and heritage of Narayanganj as a whole, and also in terms of architecture," is what Titas recalls Ivy had instructed them.
Narayanganj has a rich history of forts and minerals. In the past, ships used to sail off to Dandy carrying jute, as the city was also a river port. Panam city once used to be the capital. Mayor Ivy wanted all of these aspects to be replicated and represented in the new Nagar Bhaban and the architects obliged.
"We planned on wrapping the building all around with stones. We opted for red sandstones because it gives a strong look and also because the colour reflects the kellas (forts) and Panam city," said Titas.
"I wanted the colour to evoke the feeling of Naraynganj everytime any local resident walked into Nagar Bhaban. I wanted them to feel the heritage and history," inferred Ivy.
Even inside her office, the walls on each side of her central desk are laden with Jamdani sharis which have been woven into the walls.
A green Bhaban
One of the eco-friendly terms that is thrown around a lot these days when it comes to building new structures is the term 'green'.
"You can call a building 'green' if the makers have considered something for the betterment of the environment. I would say Nagar Bhaban is indeed a green building, as it is not air-conditioned," said Titas.
Ivy, on the other hand, has a very literal approach to the term 'green office' as she has actively tried planting a lot of trees within the Nagar Bhaban premises.
Recently, upon formulating a partnership with Naruto City, she received 32 Sakura trees from the Japanese as a gift, which were all planted around the plaza at the building's entrance.
Blocking the sun with louvers
In the building, a challenge arises as it doesn't face north-south but westward, exposing it to harsh climatic conditions, especially the scorching afternoon sun.
"To combat the intense sunlight, we implemented a solution: vertical louvers, acting as sun cutters. These additions provide a protective screen against the direct heat, offering a more comfortable environment," said Titas.
When it came to placing the stairs, they faced another dilemma. The south, typically used for ventilation, couldn't accommodate them. Consequently, they opted for the north, though it meant sacrificing some frontal space.
"We needed to solidify the west. In Bangladesh, we have the practice of putting all the redundant or bad things in the west side. The stairs and the kitchen in Bangladesh are always put in the west. But we couldn't do that with Nagar Bhaban because the face of the building is towards the west." said Titas.
"In adapting to these challenges, our architectural decisions aimed to balance functionality with environmental considerations, ensuring Nagar Bhaban remains a resilient and well-designed structure," he added.
Despite the reduced natural light, the office spaces function seamlessly without relying on artificial lighting. To maximise functionality, the rooftop hosts a terrace garden, providing a serene environment for residents, guests, and meetings held in the building.
There's also a museum being curated on the fourth floor and there's the auditorium with a seating capacity of 700. "All this is called a mixed used building," added Titas.
Nagar Bhaban stands as a symbol of democracy, embracing accessibility and equity within the confines of a modest space.
On the ground floor, it welcomes people from all walks of life, addressing the challenges of accessibility and ensuring an open invitation to everyone. The mayor's entrance, intentionally compact, contrasts with the inclusive design of the first few floors housing public activities.
"In a nutshell, we've condensed the intricate functions of the city corporation into this space, making it accessible, friendly, and inviting to the public. The building became a powerful embodiment of democracy," concluded the architect.
