BRAC University’s new inner-city campus aims to transform a polluted lake in Bangladesh’s capital into a bio-retention pond surrounded by accessible urban green spaces to unite local communities.
Commissioned by the educational arm of BRAC (Building Resources Across Communities), an international development organisation, the project offers solutions to rectify the degradation of Dhaka’s biodiversity and urban networks due to poorly managed growth.
WOHA’s masterplan presents a new model for urban regeneration, one that uses bioremediation and tropical design strategies to develop a campus for over 10,000 students.
The stratification of main program areas over 13 storeys allows for a subtle division between public spaces in the lower levels and academic facilities on top. Upper blocks will be hoisted atop podium columns to increase ceiling heights beneath.
The lower layer contains the campus park, galleries and an auditorium. Entrances to the park will be linked to street nodes from surrounding neighbourhoods to embed this public space into the larger urban grid.
Above ground, the academic strata will consist of interconnected rectilinear blocks arranged as a “city within a city.” The campus’s rooftop will host gardens, recreational spaces, a sports field, running track and water sports areas.
Laid out with fruit trees of several species, the rooftop plane will be the biggest open surface on-site by a considerable margin. It is a critical component in the creation of a multi-levelled habitat for local flora and fauna.
The building is not hermetically sealed and taps on multiple cooling measures for thermal comfort. Breezeways and sky gardens open up the academic blocks to catch winds and facilitate cross ventilation through hallways and classrooms.
These voids also delineate interactive social spaces of varying scales that visually bridge programme areas across levels.
The envelope makes use of brise soleils to reduce solar gains. Vertical greening will adorn the podium columns on the lower levels and parts of the upper facade to provide shade and improve air quality.
The campus park, vertical greening and rooftop green spaces will also improve urban biodiversity, attracting pollinator insects, birds and other animals to foster thriving habitats. In total, the green surfaces add up to nearly 127% of the site area.
Concurrently, the water gardens near the lake will revive the area’s ecosystem, providing clean water sources for plant life to flourish.
Rainwater trickles down past the plants in the vertical greening. On reaching the ponds below, the water will be clean enough to be fed into the larger river ecosystem.
Simultaneously, recycled grey and black water will be used in the landscaping and toilets, thereby reducing dependence on supply from the city grid.
An array of solar panels on the roof will cater to approximately 18.5% of the development’s energy needs. When paired with passive design strategies, the campus’s energy demands will experience a reduction of 58.5% compared to a reference building.
Material-wise, the design favours a mix of precast and cast in-situ concrete for its structural frame. Locally sourced bricks, timber and terrazzo, implemented by artisans from the region, will impart a vernacular touch.
The project broke ground in 2017 and is slated for completion by the end of 2023. It received the Holcim Award Bronze Asia Pacific 2017-18 for its ambitious regenerative design goals and strategies that befit Dhaka’s challenging conditions but could also address those of other cities in the developing South.
Read more about BRAC University on the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction website. You can also check out Ecogradia’s season 1/episode 1 and season 2/episode 10, featuring WOHA’s co-founders Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassell.
Post sponsored by the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction
A frontline project is holistic, net-positive and integrative. It protects or regenerates social, ecological and economic systems, aiming for a ‘greater-than-sum’ outcome.
Address:
Bir Uttam Rafiqul Islam Avenue Merul Badda, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Website:
BRAC University
Under the Köppen climate classification, these are ‘A’ climate types. Tropical climates have warm, moist conditions year-round, with high precipitation and narrow diurnal temperature swings. These climates occur typically between 15° N to 15° S latitude. Here, the available net solar radiation is large and relatively constant from month to month resulting in both high temperatures (generally in excess of 18° C/64° F) and a virtual absence of thermal seasons. In many locations, annual rhythm is provided by the occurrence of wet and dry seasons.
Building envelope
40% reduction in energy demand
Onsite power
6,900 m2 of photovoltaic solar panels (1,600 kW) on roof contribute 18.5% of the energy required
Overall energy savings
58.5% reduction compared to the reference building
(Grey/black) water recycling and rainwater collection result in a 46.5% reduction in mains use
Green areas
Equals 127% of the site area
Social space
250% of the site is occupied by social interaction spaces accessible to the neighbourhood
Architects
WOHA
Associate architects
J. A. Architects
Consultants
Transsolar Energietechnik
Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl
Arup (Singapore)
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