Page 4 - Portfolio

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LIFE IN 1.5’ X 30’- A CHANGING SEMIOTICS
Design-Build Location: Mohakhali, Dhaka

Project Lead: AFH-Dhaka Client: Imran and His Father
Area: 150 Sq. foot Cost: $640
Design Team: Imrul Kayes, Zahid Hassan, Kaiser Hossain, Fardous Habib
Funding and Build: Students of BRAC University, TRII Landscape
[ Project provided an opportunity to follow up one case study of my undergraduate
thesis on the livelihood of urban grey space.]

In the urban fabric, “Grey Spaces” occurs in gaps of what is planned, controlled, financed
by authorities, or simply built in irregular or unplanned way. Occupying and setting up
small businesses on such land that has remained vacant for a very long time or with
poor accessibility or space used for dumping waste. Although, the arrangements are
often legal or semi-legal but the enterprises produce and distribute legal goods and
services. Hence the naming- the ‘Grey Space’. It was found to contain several forms
and dimensions, in addition spaces are contingent in nature. However, In the face of
uncertain economic and political conditions, these dynamic developments have an
inherent power to change and adapt, for their investment is minimal in the creation
of shelters and are responsive to local conditions. Urbanization and Grey spaces works
symbiotically i.e. much as the vendors and micro entrepreneurs are benefited from
these spaces, they also serve a particular community at micro level even contributes
to the overall economy. An example of such a phenomenon is this project with 1.5’ at
the narrowest, 3.6’ at the widest and 30’ in length. Since age 12, tea stall owner Imran
was utilizing this space for his living and economic development. For more than 15
years, he is living behind the tea stall in a dark, gloomy, and congested condition.
Our intention was to create a new semiotics of these types of space where one
family can survive with better living condition and will be very meaningful for the
micro entrepreneurs. This small scale enterprise that thrives in these grey spaces
contributes in the social process by increasing the interaction between people. Those
occupants are actually helping to restructure and revitalize our cities and those
spaces are not dead, it’s just changing. They activate the dead space, and break down
boundaries between public and private. The blurring of boundaries leads to new
ways of conceptualizing these areas. Project was built by recycled material available
in the surrounding area. Connecting all the spaces both visually and physically
broke the tunnel effect, allowing the space to flow, in addition, ensuring natural
light, ventilation, use of alternative energy is making the space more meaningful.
In all aspects an attempt is made to free them from the oppositions imposed by
the society, authority and re-construct a whole new place with a new semiotics. EXISTING CONDITION 4