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Project Name: Meghrod (Sun and Cloud) Location: Puthia, Rajshahi, Bangladesh Client: Professor Dr. A.H.M. Aktaruzzaman Total Build Area: 1815.20 sqft Project Commencement: 2021 Project Completion: 2023 Cost: 69,00,000 BDT Architect/ Design Team: · Ar. Md. Faysal Kabir, Architect Partner, FrameWork · Ar. Anup Kumar Basak, Architect Partner, FrameWork · Ar. Suriya Zabin, Sangath · Ar. Mohammad Masud, Architect, Framework Structural Engineer: Eng. Saiful Bari Photographer: Asif Salman |
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CONCEPT The concept reinterprets the rural house as a contemporary “dada-bari” rooted in the changing socio-economic landscape of Bangladesh. Instead of replicating urban models or luxury retreats, the design seeks a quiet dialogue with the land, climate, and cultural memory. It aims to reconnect urban dwellers with rural life while accommodating contemporary needs and aspirations. By balancing simplicity, adaptability, and a close relationship with nature, the project proposes a holistic approach to rural living. The concept reflects the coexistence of tradition and modernity, offering a responsive model for contemporary rural habitation. |
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Project's location |
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PROJECT SITE The project is located about 27 km from Satbaria High School, Puthia. The site is surrounded by abundant greenery. On the northeast and southeast sides of the site, there are some houses. |
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PROJECT BRIEF Bangladesh’s rural society has undergone profound transformations over the past few decades. The word “village” still evokes familiar images-green landscapes, vast paddy fields, ponds full of fish, farmers engaged in agricultural work, and a simple, slow-paced life. Such representations have long been reinforced by literature, poetry, and social science research, where villages are portrayed as fertile, agriculture-based communities with full granaries and abundant natural resources. Yet these romanticized images no longer fully reflect contemporary rural realities. The question remains: to what extent does the long-standing definition of the village as a purely “agriculture-based society” remain relevant in the twenty-first century? |
| The transformation of rural Bangladesh cannot be understood solely through visible changes such as paved roads, increased vehicular movement, rice mills, brick kilns, or the growing number of concrete structures. More significant are the shifts in social relations, economic patterns, and power structures within rural communities. Improved transportation networks have expanded employment opportunities beyond agriculture. The growth of commercial industries, the spread of agro-processing facilities, regional tourism, and the influence of remittance economies have collectively reshaped rural life. Today, agriculture coexists with rice mills, oil mills, warehouses, brickfields, and small-scale industries, altering both the landscape and the socio-economic fabric of villages. |
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It is within this evolving rural context that the project explores the intersection of traditional Bengal architecture and the functional needs of a modern family. As rural lifestyles change, many inhabitants are adopting urban-style houses that often ignore local geography, climate, and cultural practices, leading to a gradual disconnection from the land. Conversely, vacation homes in rural settings frequently overemphasize luxury, creating an artificial contrast with their surroundings. The design responds to these conditions by proposing a dwelling that integrates seamlessly with the landscape while offering the essential comforts of contemporary urban living. |
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Site plan |
The vision was to create a house that emerges from the ground like a deeply rooted tree—firm, dignified, and in quiet dialogue with its environment. Evoking the nostalgia of a “dada-bari” (grandfather’s home), the architecture blends the simplicity of village life with the minimal comforts of urbanity. For the owners who reside in the city, the house serves as a place to reconnect with childhood memories of rural life and to provide their children with similar experiences of nature, fishing, and outdoor play. At the same time, the design accommodates the potential for use as a vacation property, ensuring financial sustainability. |
| There is an old neem tree on the site, around which the entire building is arranged. The outer courtyard is designed around this living presence, making the tree a symbolic anchor of the house. Neem is considered a symbol of blessing and is often planted near homes for protection and healing. From the direction where the neem tree stands, air flows into the house, thus weaving nature and architecture together seamlessly. |
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FORM GENERATION 1. Four square volumes are placed around the existing neem tree, establishing it as the center anchor. 2. Two blocks are slightly shifted sideways, and one is placed at a distance on the ground level. 3. Additional volumes are introduced to accommodate more functions. 4. Circulation paths and shared spaces bring cohesion to the overall form around the tree. |
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| Constructed as a monolithic red-brick structure, the building blends harmoniously with its surroundings, resembling an ancient ruin that has gradually emerged from the landscape. Its solid mass creates deep shadows and thermal stability, while porous surfaces allow filtered light and natural ventilation, embodying a balance between presence and openness. The architecture is layered and climate-responsive, with terraces on both sides—one oriented for summer and the other for winter, allowing the house to adapt to seasonal extremes. The design extends beyond the building envelope to strengthen its relationship with the neighborhood and the broader landscape. |
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A key spatial and social element is the “ghat”- a floating boardwalk platform that connects the house to the pond, dissolving the boundary between built form and nature. This transitional space functions as both a physical threshold and a communal gathering area, enriching everyday life and reinforcing the connection to the landscape. |
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Through the integration of site, architecture, and cultural context, the project presents a holistic approach to rural housing, one that responds to changing socio-economic realities while reinterpreting tradition. It challenges the notion of the village as a purely agrarian space and instead proposes an architecture that reflects the evolving character of rural Bangladesh, where tradition and modernity coexist. |
| Contributor: Ar. Faiza Fairooz |
