A home rooted in memory and rural design: The story of Hawladar Bari

In the heart of Shibchar, Madaripur, surrounded by the lush flatlands of southern Bangladesh, stands a house that feels both deeply familiar and entirely new.

Hawladar Bari, designed by architect Maruf Raihan, is not just a residence — it is a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Bangladeshi village homestead. 

Built in 2023, the 4,495 square feet home is a study in how modern architecture can honour cultural memory, religious rituals and communal life, all while responding to the climate crisis.

The client, a Dhaka-based professional with strong ties to his ancestral home, wanted a residence that could accommodate his large extended family during weekends, reunions and religious celebrations. His requirements were rooted in tradition — spaces for shared meals, prayer and community — but he also wanted something architecturally unique.

"There was a pond in the north and a field in the south, so the space felt very advantageous for me," said Raihan. "The client has a very big, close-knit family, and the area is very close to Dhaka. This means they visit on weekends. I had to think about the large family unit, where they could all come together, eat and sit. I incorporated these into the indoor and outdoor settings to create something interesting."

Rather than imposing a modernist blueprint on a rural setting, Raihan allowed the land, climate and culture to shape the design. The result is a residence that seamlessly blends old and new — deeply rooted in its rural surroundings.

A new take on the 'Kacharighar'

One of the most striking features of the house is its entry sequence. Visitors step through a modest foyer into a wide, semi-open veranda. This space — called the Kacharighar in local tradition — serves as a communal living room and prayer area. Large enough to host extended family prayer sessions, it sits at the threshold between the outside world and the private home. Its generous size and openness were influenced by village courtyards, where people gather to pray, chat and rest during the day.

"In village areas in Bangladesh, Kacharighar, or public living room, is normal. These are outdoor spaces where people of the house can come and sit and relax," Raihan explained. "When guests come, they can also sit in these areas. I had that idea in mind when I designed the public living space."

But balancing openness with privacy was key. The plot, slightly tilted from south to north, allowed Raihan to create an "indirect entry" into the home.

"I wanted to make sure the people inside the house still had maximum privacy," he said. "The tilt helped me create a sort of barrier between the private and public areas."

From the Kacharighar, visitors move into a more intimate family living room. To one side are guest bedrooms, while the other side opens up to a dining area and a kitchen facing the pond. A discreet servant's room is tucked beside the kitchen. Upstairs, three more bedrooms and a flexible multipurpose space accommodate celebrations and overnight stays.

Celebrating the pond

At the heart of the project lies the pond — not just as a scenic backdrop, but as a central design element. In rural Bangladesh, ponds are more than water bodies; they are practical, social and symbolic. Hawladar Bari makes this relationship architectural. The kitchen, dining, and semi-private verandas all look out onto the pond, while a landscaped ghat draws people down to the water's edge.

"I wanted to centre the pond as soon as I saw it," he said. "My favourite part of the house is the sitting area near the pond. It was initially just going to be a set of stairs, but during construction, we redesigned it and added a lot more space so that the whole extended family can enjoy the space."

This allows residents and guests to gather informally by the water. It doubles as a social space, cooling zone and scenic retreat.

The home also makes use of its microclimate; wind from the north moves across the pond and into the house through narrow, vertical windows.

"The traditional elements of villages, such as a big field or courtyard, were taken into consideration," Raihan said. "I centered the large space of the land when creating the rooms, thinking about how best to utilise winds from the north as well as the pond."

Every bedroom opens onto views of the pond, yet the sense of privacy is never compromised.

"Privacy was vital. The family is religious, so I designed the house in a way that no private space inside the house is visible from the outside," he added.

Light, privacy and innovation

A notable architectural feature of the house is the use of parallel 10"x10" strip walls in place of conventional windows. These narrow vertical slits allow light and air to flow through the house while preserving the family's privacy — especially important in a religious, conservative context.

"I used vertical windows, and every bedroom has a view of the pond," Raihan said. "Ensuring privacy was easy because the house is quite isolated, surrounded by a field and a pond. I didn't have to think about how to curtain off areas of the house."

The result is a subtle rhythm of light and shade throughout the day, as sunlight shifts across the strip walls and open verandas. Upstairs, a terrace offers private outdoor space for reflection or relaxation, strategically shielded from view.

Materials and landscaping

Material choices for Hawladar Bari were guided by location, sustainability, and memory. The structure uses gas-burnt bricks sourced from Faridpur, cement from local suppliers, and metal from Sikdar. Much of the wood was salvaged from trees already growing on the site.

"We used a lot of wood from trees the client had already grown on the property," Raihan said. "We also kept some trees intact for landscaping."

The landscape around the home was carefully planned. A flower garden in the front yard and a vegetable garden in the back not only provide beauty and function, but reflect the client's desire for a self-sustaining, rooted lifestyle.

"I incorporated them into the front yard and backyard of the house respectively," Raihan said. "I also designed multiple entryways into the gardens for ease of access, although there is only one main entrance."

Hawladar Bari is not simply a nostalgic return to the past. It is a forward-looking attempt to reclaim the rural home as a site of innovation, spirituality, and cultural richness. While many rural houses are being replaced by generic concrete boxes, this project stands as a counterexample — proof that architecture rooted in local culture can still evolve, inspire and serve.