Community Spaces in the Rohingya Refugee Response, a program developed through a cooperation between BRAC and ActionAid to provide dignified space for the Rohingya refugees based on their culture, craftsmanship, and identity, led by one of the six winners, Rizvi Hasan who got the Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2022.
The world's largest refugee camps are located in Ukhiya-Teknaf, and they are made up of a group of six sustainably constructed buildings that were co-evolved without the use of models or drawings. In close collaboration with women and girls from the Rohingya community, architects Rizvi Hassan and others oversaw the process. It demonstrates architects dedication to maximizing the potential of individuals and communities, frontline pragmatism, frugal innovation, and utilizing women as change agents.

![Post Images](https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/57743191-723a-489b-a290-668a55c91379.jpeg)
*Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh*

The six locations are a part of a significant reaction to the forced emigration of around one million Rohingyas from Myanmar to Bangladesh in August 2017. The community experienced a sense of helplessness as a result of the displacement. The denial of nationality, the destruction of houses and goods, and the temporary accommodations in makeshift shelters left a sense of alienation and a loss of any sense of security. As dependency on charity rose over time, a greater sense of loss developed, with women and girls being more severely affected than men.


![Post Images](https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/d5bbb615-7ba5-456b-9793-b2951b4cabe2.jpeg)
*Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh*

There was a need for community centers where women and girls could access support systems, strengthen social bonds, learn and share skills, and find peace amidst the chaos of the shelters. It was crucial that women and girls who would use the spaces participated in the design process. The rooms that formed are female-friendly, low to the ground to withstand storms, and distinguishable by their elaborate roof trusses made by Rohingya bamboo artists.

![Post Images](https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/010f3099-832b-4668-901b-22d4027cb7e2.jpeg)
*Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh*

The architects had a focus group discussion with predominantly Rohingya women at the start of the design phase. The demands that needed to be served by the structures were discussed, along with the best way to do so. Bamboo, straw, and tarpaulin were among the materials utilized during construction that were easily accessible locally.
The Rohingya men, many of whom are very adept in woodworking and bamboo construction, took the lead in creating the places. Rohingya girls and women took the lead on the interior design, covering the building in brilliant artwork and colors that other girls and women using the area have since added to.

![Post Images](https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/a5cd8c21-d3a3-4ead-849a-bd11212c6e5e.jpeg)
*Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh*

Projects that set new benchmarks for excellence in architecture, planning techniques, historic preservation, and landscape architecture are presented the Aga Khan Award for Architecture every three years. The Award aims to recognize and support ideas for structures that effectively meet the needs and ambitions of countries around the world where Muslims are a large minority. Rizvi Hassan as an architect played a significant role by creating cost efficient structures for the underprivileged community.

![Post Images](https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/13cde585-cca4-4f56-a097-f762f39625a9.jpeg)
*Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh*

Along with this he tried to integrate cultural components as a decorative material in the interior of buildings. This great contribution allows the society to move one step forward towards developments from the problems they are facing for decades. Rizvi Hassan and his associate’s works to built a community places for Rohingya proves selfless contribution and dedication for society benefitting common people through constructing a healthy living conditions.

#### *References*:
**Source:** Aga Khan Trust for Culture  
**Project Name:** Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response  
**Architects:** Rizvi Hassan, Khwaja Fatmi, Saad Ben Mostafa
**Client:** Forcefully displaced Rohingya Community, BRAC & ActionAid 
**Completion year:** 2018-2020
**Location:** Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh 
**Photo Credit:** Rizvi Hassan, Asif Salman 

Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response

Nabaganga river flows through the city center of Jhenaidah, a secondary city with a population of approximately 2,56,000, defining the parameters of urban open spaces in the riverine city with few public spaces. Holding the objective of improving cities' relationship with rivers as well as creating people-friendly urban space, Co. Creation Architects Khondaker Hasibul Kabir and Suhailey Farzana anticipates a community-driven public space which led to winning the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2022.
<img src="https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/20a37c59-6b5a-4437-9bdf-8743a79994fd.jpeg" alt="Post Images">
Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah, Bangladesh
Keen to enhance the quality of life of the riverine city; Jhenaidah, where architects Khondaker Hasibul Kabir and Suhailey Farzana grew up, they moved back from Dhaka in 2015 forging the privilege to take on the challenge. Architects inducted a participatory initiative followed by a progression of workshops to invite locals in rethinking their riverbanks and open public places. The urban river space, Jhenaidah project is a design approach developed by the locals based on their aspirations for the city. The objective turned into a goal by recognizing its long-term impact on the citywide people's network and by consistent involvement of the community group, municipality, local group, and volunteers. However, the contextual design is entirely cost-efficient by minimizing the use of native materials all built by native builders and masons.
<img src="https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/6c2aeda5-b5e5-4dd1-934f-f84e9ab7ffa3.jpeg" alt="Post Images">
Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah, Bangladesh
<a href="#">The project</a> is entirely focused on the needs and desires of thepeople in the community. Two ghats stepping down to platforms at the river are used for multiple purposes by people of all ages and backgrounds. It is specifically designed for and heavily utilized by one of the largest low-income Hindu populations in the city, and has a changing room and seats to cater to their requirements for bathing, washing, and performing religious rituals.
<img src="https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/ecd0d2da-8025-44b3-891c-7b92dbd802de.jpeg" alt="Post Images">
Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah, Bangladesh
<a href="#">The project</a> has unified the people of that community to a large extent. Communal harmony among people has increased as everyone irrespective of any group, caste, or religion gets to gather around the river bank facilitated by the semi-enclosed sitting on centuries-old plantations and walking spaces. Besides that, different types of sports, cultural and other recreational activities being held develop strong social bonds and keeps everyone happier, healthier, and attached to each other. Accommodating a pathway for disabled people has given them a sense of belonging too and made sure not to keep any space for discrimination.
The entire community's enthusiasm, the consistent involvement of the municipality, local groups, and
other volunteers, and them merging together has been able to turn the project into reality.
<img src="https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/97a71545-9d49-491e-86d6-8553029bd92f.jpeg" alt="Post Images">
Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah, Bangladesh
Even though working on a project as such comes with some struggles such as cultural stigmas in rural areas, staying in a tight budget, difficult methods of communication and construction, the architects and the locals could successfully accomplish the completion of this project. The river spaces enhanced the quality of life and created spaces to do different important activities of day-to-day life for all people irrespective of caste, religion, or creed. The needs and desires of the people have been fulfilled with the Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah project.
<img src="https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/d759086d-ca20-4240-8ee7-d39c48260929.jpeg" alt="Post Images">
Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah, Bangladesh
Most importantly, it has brought the whole community, municipality, and volunteers together to make this happen and its maintenance after completion. A dilapidated informal dump site was transformed into an alluring, accessible, and multifunctional space valued by Jhenaidah's diverse communities. Representatives of over 50 municipalities were curious and have visited to learn in depth from these community engagement programmes.
<h4>References:</h4>
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture 
Project Name: Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah, Bangladesh 
Architects: Co.Creation Architects / Khondaker Hasibul Kabir and Suhailey Farzana 
Client: Residents &#x26; Jhenaidah City Authority 
Completion year: 2019 
Location: Jhenaidah, Bangladesh, South Asia 
Photographs: Asif Salman (photographer)

Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah, Bangladesh

Community Spaces in the Rohingya Refugee Response, a program developed through a cooperation between BRAC and ActionAid to provide dignified space for the Rohingya refugees based on their culture, craftsmanship, and identity, led by one of the six winners, Rizvi Hasan who got the Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2022.
The world's largest refugee camps are located in Ukhiya-Teknaf, and they are made up of a group of six sustainably constructed buildings that were co-evolved without the use of models or drawings. In close collaboration with women and girls from the Rohingya community, architects Rizvi Hassan and others oversaw the process. It demonstrates architects dedication to maximizing the potential of individuals and communities, frontline pragmatism, frugal innovation, and utilizing women as change agents.
<img src="https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/57743191-723a-489b-a290-668a55c91379.jpeg" alt="Post Images">
Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh
The six locations are a part of a significant reaction to the forced emigration of around one million Rohingyas from Myanmar to Bangladesh in August 2017. The community experienced a sense of helplessness as a result of the displacement. The denial of nationality, the destruction of houses and goods, and the temporary accommodations in makeshift shelters left a sense of alienation and a loss of any sense of security. As dependency on charity rose over time, a greater sense of loss developed, with women and girls being more severely affected than men.
<img src="https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/d5bbb615-7ba5-456b-9793-b2951b4cabe2.jpeg" alt="Post Images">
Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh
There was a need for community centers where women and girls could access support systems, strengthen social bonds, learn and share skills, and find peace amidst the chaos of the shelters. It was crucial that women and girls who would use the spaces participated in the design process. The rooms that formed are female-friendly, low to the ground to withstand storms, and distinguishable by their elaborate roof trusses made by Rohingya bamboo artists.
<img src="https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/010f3099-832b-4668-901b-22d4027cb7e2.jpeg" alt="Post Images">
Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh
The architects had a focus group discussion with predominantly Rohingya women at the start of the design phase. The demands that needed to be served by the structures were discussed, along with the best way to do so. Bamboo, straw, and tarpaulin were among the materials utilized during construction that were easily accessible locally.
The Rohingya men, many of whom are very adept in woodworking and bamboo construction, took the lead in creating the places. Rohingya girls and women took the lead on the interior design, covering the building in brilliant artwork and colors that other girls and women using the area have since added to.
<img src="https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/a5cd8c21-d3a3-4ead-849a-bd11212c6e5e.jpeg" alt="Post Images">
Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh
Projects that set new benchmarks for excellence in architecture, planning techniques, historic preservation, and landscape architecture are presented the Aga Khan Award for Architecture every three years. The Award aims to recognize and support ideas for structures that effectively meet the needs and ambitions of countries around the world where Muslims are a large minority. Rizvi Hassan as an architect played a significant role by creating cost efficient structures for the underprivileged community.
<img src="https://archiconnect.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/admin/13cde585-cca4-4f56-a097-f762f39625a9.jpeg" alt="Post Images">
Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh
Along with this he tried to integrate cultural components as a decorative material in the interior of buildings. This great contribution allows the society to move one step forward towards developments from the problems they are facing for decades. Rizvi Hassan and his associate's works to built a community places for Rohingya proves selfless contribution and dedication for society benefitting common people through constructing a healthy living conditions.
<h4>References:</h4>
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture 
Project Name: Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response 
Architects: Rizvi Hassan, Khwaja Fatmi, Saad Ben Mostafa
Client: Forcefully displaced Rohingya Community, BRAC &#x26; ActionAid
Completion year: 2018-2020
Location: Ukhiya-Teknaf, Bangladesh
Photo Credit: Rizvi Hassan, Asif Salman

S M Nayeemuzzaman

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