Initiated during the summer of 2019, the Gramer Haor Co_Lab was designed to explore ways to support the sustainable growth of Kazirgaon village, located in Bangladesh. Kazirgaon was experiencing rapid growth, with little to no emphasis on planning, which led to growth that compromised the quality of the resulting development and was unsustainable over time. To tackle these issues, an international partnership was formed between Eccles Ng from Birmingham City University (BCU), Kawshik Saha from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), and Abubokkar Siddiki, a British Bangladeshi Architect.
The support of The Prince’s Foundation and the use of its Rapid Planning Toolkit (RPT) were integral to the Co_Lab studio. The RPT is a four-step process, that is designed to guide a multidisciplinary approach in the inclusive planning and design of rapidly growing towns and cities. The Gramer Haor collaboration addresses the Declaration on Sustainable Urbanisation, adopted by Commonwealth Heads of Government at CHOGM2022. In particular point 7.4 of the Declaration encourages the sharing of knowledge and experiences gained, including but not limited to Commonwealth dialogue; twinning of cities, and increased opportunities for professional training in urban development, including town planning.
The Co_Lab continues to be an important opportunity to apply the RPT in Bangladesh, and for university students and stakeholders to learn through their involvement in a live project. The exhibition developed with the students will explore the site and tell the narrative from the perspective of local residents, as well as solutions implemented using the RPT.
© Naimul Islam
© Naimul Islam
© Abu Siddiki
© Kawshik Saha
© Kawshik Saha
© Abu Siddiki
