Suhailey Farzana: An architect who builds with the community

When we approached Suhailey Farzana for an interview after '100 Women: Architects in Practice' recently featured her, she was not particularly comfortable talking in a formal setting. But she was available for an 'adda' (informal conversation). 

So we let it be an adda, without any structured questionnaire for her. And through this adda, Suhailey spoke about her journey, stories about marginalised people and architecture.

Suhailey is a community architect, with a deep passion for understanding and exploring the "co-creation" process with people — be it housing, craft-making, or city planning. Empowering herself and others through this process is her modus operandi. 

In the past year, her 'Doshe Mile Jhenaidah Gori' project gained significant attention within the architecture community and beyond, for actively involving the locals in its execution. Prior to projects like this, locals rarely received recognition for their contributions to meaningful architecture.

The project, run by Suhailey and her husband Khondaker Hasibul Kabir, the co-founder of Co.Creation.Architects alongside her, engaged the community, the local government, and the best Bangladeshi and international architects.

Under this project, their community-led initiative titled 'Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah' became one of the winners of the 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The initiative also won the UIA (International Union of Architects) 2030 award.

By actively involving the local community, especially women and marginalised groups, and utilising local materials and construction techniques, this cleanup project around the Nabaganga river in Jhenaidah turned a neglected dump site into a versatile and appealing space.

"Within each of us resides an architect. In the Jhenaidah housing project we were fortunate to collaborate closely with a marginalised community, drawing inspiration from the thoughts of these individuals at the grassroots level. Every woman holds a unique vision for the architecture of her house, seeking a harmonious blend of functionality and aesthetics," Suhailey said.

"It's the residents of the house who understand the space best; we architects just tune in. Every home we designed in Jhenaidah was guided by the residents — more precisely, women living there. They knew their needs very well. They had a very clear idea about where the house should be facing, how much open space they need for the kids, and how the structure of the kitchen should be," she added.

She was featured in the book by Riba Books Publication for her overall contribution in co-designing projects. These projects respond to the needs of the local community, in particular the women, enabling them to work towards the renewal of their shared environment using local materials. 

Suhailey describes her work as 'very organic' — co-designing and co-creating with communities who usually self-fund any construction that takes place. 

Finding purpose in architecture 

When asked why she opted for community-based architecture over mainstream practice, Suhailey expressed, "I believe community-based architecture should be the mainstream practice, as this sector caters to the mass population, not just a niche audience."

Suhailey earned her Bachelor's in Architecture in 2011 and completed her Masters in Development Studies in 2020 from Brac University in Bangladesh. As part of a learning exchange program, she also enrolled into leadership studies at the University of Vermont in the US.

Despite holding advanced degrees, Suhailey believes that her most profound learnings came from hands-on fieldwork, especially when she began engaging with local communities in rural areas. 

Her transformative journey began during the third year of her bachelor's program when she collaborated with a teacher on a research project focused on climate resilience in Dhaka's slums. This marked her first experience working with marginalised communities.

In 2013, Suhailey, along with her peers, founded Platform of Community Action and Architecture (POCAA) — a knowledge exchange platform with a vision to create a network of communities and professionals involved in self-initiated community architecture. 

As a member of POCAA, she continued working with slum communities, mapping houses for them. In 2014, she contributed to a housing project jointly designed by the National Housing Authority of Bangladesh, the World Bank, and Brac University. This was her first contribution to the community as a professional.

Throughout her educational journey, Suhailey had sought a greater purpose for studying architecture, aspiring to work with people who could not afford traditional architectural services. This motivated her to choose development studies as her major in her master's program. This commitment to her values led her and her husband to choose to live in Jhenaidah.

The architect couple moved to Jhenaidah permanently in 2015 and have been continuing their practice there ever since.

Asked if she feels like she is missing out on opportunities by not living in the capital, Suhailey said, "When we do not have opportunities, we create them. People in Jhenaidah were not aware of the scope of work for architects well when we moved here; they mostly knew engineers' work. We are still sharing with them, learning together and creating awareness on sustainable architecture for healthy living."

The power of community

Suhailey thinks that over the years, a positive shift has come in the architecture world: many architects are now more keen on community-led projects.

"In the past, architects were more inclined towards solo projects, seeking individual authorship. However, in recent times, collaborative projects involving multiple architects have become increasingly common and effective."

Suhailey is hopeful that this practice will continue for the greater good.

"We might design a house individually, but we can't design an entire city. Collaboration is a must for architecture in the grand scheme of things," she said.

"Look at the Rohingya Refugee Response project. Have you ever thought of bringing architectural expertise to a refugee camp? Such a humble, baby step, yet doing wonders. It created a safe, healthy space for shelter, education and recreation. All happened because of the concept of collectivism," she said.

"Togetherness is powerful, very powerful."

The acclaimed architect Marina Tabassum, recipient of the Aga Khan Award and founder of Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), is a source of inspiration for Suhailey. 

But Suhailey's unique ability to find inspiration in both dilapidated structures and grand architectural marvels extends beyond national borders. Yasmin Lari from Pakistan is another figure who fuels Suhailey's creative spirit.