Transcending Transience

Reimagining transient architecture for the char-dwelling communities of Jamuna-Brahmaputra

The final year thesis focused on addressing the challenges faced by char dwellers in the Jamuna-Brahmaputra river system, where frequent boundary shifts due to geographical and climatic factors force communities to repeatedly lose their homes and migrate. This constant displacement highlights the inadequacy of current architectural practices in meeting the needs of these transient communities. The thesis aimed to reimagine architecture in these regions by aligning designs with the mobile lifestyle of the people. Through qualitative research on local morphology and existing building practices, the study sought to create a manual for constructing movable structures using locally available materials, ensuring ease of dismantling, shifting, and reassembly. The manual also incorporated natural interventions and community planning strategies to improve adaptability and reduce disaster risks. The key questions guiding the thesis were:

1. What should be the architecture for the inhabitants of these ever-shifting riverine char islands with various climatic stressors and how to develop a deployable structure as an ideal unit considering the contextual scenario?

2. How can we rethink the cluster pattern by studying their inherent adaptabilities and necessary needs which can mitigate the effects of climatic catastrophes?

Type: Academic

Location : Shushuar Char, Tangail, Bangladesh