Jurain Graveyard: A resting place for the departed, a breathing space for the living

For someone who grew up in Shanir Akhra and Jurain, the rebuilt Jurain Graveyard stirs up old emotions and memories.

We used to have tuition classes nearby, but the evening sessions were always avoided because walking past the graveyard wall after dark was frightening. That wall was once a notorious zone where murdered bodies were often found dumped. People said criminals would throw them over the wall at night.

Today, that same ground has transformed into a place of reflection, openness, and quiet community interaction. The transformation was led by a group of architects who saw potential where others saw only decay.

A call to reimagine death and design

"In 2017, we won a competition to transform the road from New Market to Dhanmondi 27, making it walkable," said Rashed Chowdhury, principal architect of Dehsar Works. "While we were working on that project, the city corporation asked whether we could design and rebuild the main gate of the graveyard."

When Rashed and his team visited Jurain, they found a landscape in distress. "There were three pieces of feedback from the city corporation," he recalled. "Firstly, we had to redesign the boundary wall so that it would be see-through. Secondly, no one should be able to climb over it or throw something heavy — like a body — across it. And thirdly, the wall could not have any iron columns or beams."

"The reason behind this feedback was frightening. Criminals would throw bodies over the boundary wall at night so that no one would see them. In fact, aborted infants packed in polythene bags were sometimes found thrown inside the graveyard. Local criminals used to steal and sell iron components. That's why iron could not be used."

The round prayer hall is designed with vertical grooves, but the original design included a garden there.

Developing the masterplan

The Jurain Graveyard Complex, commissioned by the Dhaka South City Corporation, covers 67,987.19 square metres. Work began in 2017 and was completed in 2024.

Initially, the architects were commissioned to redesign only the gate. But as they explored the site — an approximately 16-acre expanse of green — they saw broader potential.

"We realised that if we could make the boundary wall see-through, the graveyard could be connected to the community as well," Rashed said. "There's no playground or park in the neighbourhood. So, we developed a full master plan for the graveyard, and it turned into a very different project."

The architects knew they would have limited control over the construction process due to the nature of long, government-sanctioned projects. Their goal, therefore, was to design something that could survive changes in authority and execution while still serving the community's needs.

They avoided luxurious or imported materials that might alienate people. Instead, they aimed for a space that felt familiar, inclusive, and repairable. "The idea was to create an environment that felt familiar and inclusive," Rashed said. "Something that would complement the neighbourhood rather than contrast with it."

Language of the design

The design team faced the task of turning a grim context into something humane and restorative. 

Locally available concrete was chosen as the main building material. "But concrete's natural grey gives a monotonous and sombre impression. Graveyards are already places of mourning, so we wanted to bring some life into the design with red concrete," Rashed said.

Pigmentation, a deep red tone, was added "to bring warmth and ensure it remains inviting over time". The goal was to prevent the structure from appearing cold or shabby as it aged. The decision was not merely aesthetic, it was psychological. In a setting dominated by grief, the red walls introduce an undertone of vitality and renewal.

The vertical grooves along the walls serve both structural and symbolic functions: they create rhythm, allow ventilation, and echo the upright gravestones inside, blurring the line between built and natural memorial.

The brownfield site of the Muslim graveyard was developed with a focus on preservation. The team maintained existing structures, renovating the original canopies according to the new design scheme. Glass was carefully integrated to enhance natural airflow rather than to enclose.

"Everything was kept as it was," said Rashed. "Glass was used carefully to enable airflow, and all existing canopies were retained, only renovated according to the scheme. Some interventions were made to create safe prayer spaces for female devotees."

The round prayer hall is similarly designed with vertical grooves, but the original design included a garden there so that people can pray for their deceased loved ones in a garden. 

The simplistic design complements the humble neighbourhood, not contrasts it.

Resilience through simplicity

One fascinating outcome of the project is how it changed local behaviour. "Increased community interaction with the boundary wall has been observed — a behaviour notably absent with the previous design," Rashed noted.

The project's success lay in balancing aesthetics, durability, and cultural sensitivity. The architects designed with the understanding that the construction might not be perfect, but the design language had to be flexible enough to adapt.

"The solution needed to be one that would endure, and even as it decayed with time, would evolve into a new aesthetic," said Rashed. "Something resilient and repairable, with reusable shutters."

Natural light and ventilation were given priority, ensuring harmony with the social fabric and surrounding landscape. "Even if it decays, the design will age gracefully," Rashed said.

Designing with the living in mind

Rather than isolating the space as a mere site of mourning, the architects envisioned a living landscape — an area that encourages community interaction and reflection. "The vision was to open it up to create an area that encourages community interaction and reflection," Rashed said.

While preserving dignity and sacredness, the design ensures the graveyard remains "a respectful resting place while also becoming a serene, inclusive environment for the living".

This approach reflects a grounded commitment to community well-being, creating a space that honours both memory and the day-to-day life of the neighbourhood.

Architectural projects involving public spaces often outlive political administrations, design teams, and even their original mandates. The Jurain Graveyard project is a lesson in continuity — showing how architecture can adapt across time, politics, and emotion.

By merging function with empathy, the architects have redefined how a cemetery can serve its city—not just as a resting place for the dead, but as a breathing space for the living.