M. Arch Thesis Topic

Title: A Morphological analysis of indigenous spatial pattern in Old Dhaka with particular emphasis on Cultural Spaces

Supervisor: Dr.Farida Nilufar

This thesis is a trajectory of a quest to understand certain fundamental notions of cultural space in indigenous spatial pattern of Old Dhaka. It focuses mainly on the spatial dynamics of urban spaces particularly on the old part of Dhaka that were naturally grown throughout the century and still alive in the form of Cultural Spaces. The notion of Cultural Space is not merely a physical entity but also a perceptual reality that encompasses the collective memory and historical layering of spaces where the additional structure provides memory, identity and imageability of collective, existential consciousness. In addition to the perceptual component the cultural space comprises of social and morphological attributes of space. Hence, the present research intended to explore the origin and development of indigenous city form with particular emphasis on Old Dhaka through an orderly comparison of its historical, social and morphological growth pattern along with the attributes of cultural space.

The research took phenomenological dissection of physical, perceptual as well as social attributes of spontaneous cultural spaces to find out the hidden spatial configuration of Old Dhaka. Although new Dhaka had a phenomenal growth, the spatial pattern of Old Dhaka remains static and exhibits consistency within the total city structure. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to examine how the indigenous organic morphology of historic Old Dhaka spontaneously engenders urban spaces that are lively in the form of cultural spaces since four hundred years. This endeavour has been made to explore the coherence between the spatial structure of organic development and the configurational characteristics of cultural spaces.

Five study areas in the global pattern of Old Dhaka are examined, in order to extricate the multifarious aspects that make the cultural spaces of indigenous morphology sustain over time. The case studies have been decided and delineated in such a way that they morphologically represent the global form of cultural space within the local level of indigenous Old Dhaka. Among the study areas, the first three are famous bazaar and neighbourhood areas while the last two are historically famous and restricted spaces. It has been observed that the study areas persisted variation in road pattern, where cultural space exists from indigenous commercial to residential level. Hence, the spatial order in axial segment is guided by the high integration and other syntactic values. Therefore, the intervention of space syntax analysis with its quantitative syntactic measures ascertains the qualitative morphological attributes, as well as the spatial configuration of cultural spaces, in organically developed Old Dhaka from its indigenous viewpoint. By empathizing this spatial pattern of cultural spaces, the social logic behind the spatial organisation of Old Dhaka can be understood, that might be applied in future to engender spontaneous cultural spaces even in modern society.

• Urban Morphology
• Spatial Morphological Analysis
• House Form and Social Sustainability
• Environmnet Behaviour and Society

Journal Papers

• Ferdous. F (With Dr. Farida Nilufar) (In Press) “Evolution of Panthapath as a Commercial Belt: A Morphological Transformation”. Protibesh , Journal of the Department of Architecture, BUET for July 2007 issue

• Ferdous.F (2006) “Extermination of Zinjira canal: the southern fringe of Buriganga” In M. Rahman (Ed.), Society, architects & emerging issues: Proceedings of 18 th CAA International Conference, Dhaka 2006, Publisher, CAA, London and IAB, Bangladesh , pp. 35-42

• Ferdous.F (2006) “Morphological Transformation and Evolution of a Commercial Spine ” (Abstract and Presentation). In S.R. Eghbali (Ed) Urban Design from Theory to Implementation 1 st Urban Design International Congress (UDIC1), Isfahan , Iran , pp.123.

• Ferdous. F(In press) “Origin of Indigenous Morphology: Searching for identity in Old Dhaka” Submitted to upcoming CSAAR 2007 conference, Regional Architecture and Identity in the Age of Globalization, Tunis, Tunisia, 13-15 November, 2007.

Papers Presented at International Conferences and Seminars

· Ferdous.F (2006) “Morphological Transformation and Evolution of a Commercial Spine ” . In S.R. Eghbali (Ed) Urban Design from Theory to Implementation 1 st Urban Design International Congress (UDIC1), Isfahan , Iran , pp.123.

· Ferdous.F (2005) “BEYOND BURIGANGA: under threat of extinction”. In Naznin. A.Huq (Ed), International conference on Geography and Environment Issues and Challenges ; Golden jubilee, Bangladesh Geographical Society (BGS), Dhaka University Bangladesh , pp.102.

• Member, Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB)
• Member of women architects, engineers, planners association (WAEPA); Gender Equality Policy (GEP) Group; BUET-University of Alberta Institutional Linkage project, Bangladesh .

• Member, Printing and Publication, international seminar “Architecture for the Economically Disadvantage,” 23- 24 th March 2007 , Department of Architecture, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh .

• Member secretary of Infra structure Committee, Department of Architecture, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh .Activities: Preparing drawing and construction supervision of academic and administrative block of Architecture Department.