TANZANA NAHEED VILLA

BACKGROUND AND ORIGIN:

Original landowner K.M. Khaled is also the owner of Getco, a multinational company. At that time, he was a director of Getco at Shyamoli. I had a relationship with him and their other partner from 1973 or 1974. I was his architect and designed many projects for him, like the 15-story commercial building in Banani and a few residences in Gulshan, Baridhara, Shyamoli, Bogra, Masjid, Mazar, and religious institutions around the country. He was a good man, an honest person, and a successful businessman.

In the year 2011, he asked me to design a house for his son at Baridhara on an 8.29 Katha plot with a swimming pool; his requirement was fulfilled in 3 floors. Land is very visual. I suggested they make a separate entry and parking and make a future provision for another size floor for rent. Revised drawings with basement parking and a drivers’ room with a generator and pump room and a separate entry for the apartment with a separate lift and stair.

RAJUK APPROVAL SHEET:

It takes a long time for approval, nearly 18/24 months after submission. After facing many hustles. For construction, the client gives the responsibilities to his engineer nephew. The ramp for the car to the basement was outside of the building. With the boundary wall, nephew. Engineers don’t want any risk for the construction of the ramp. He said it will be safe if the ramp is within the building. Again, the revised drawing with modification was submitted again in Rajuk.

After approval from Rajuk, construction was completed up to the basement roof in the year 2016. Construction stopped in the year 2019, and I got a call with a soft and gentle voice that said, "My name is Zakiullah. We bought land in Baridhara. You designed a building on that plot. We want some adjustment on that plan, so I want to discuss it in your office.

A very good-looking, handsome young man came to meet me Mr. Zakiullah is a real gentleman.

The third time, the Rajuk approval plan was prepared according to their requirement. Ground floor for additional parking with lobby and reception, substation, and some staff accommodation. The first floor is for a gym and community center with a studio apartment and another apartment on the floor. Later Clint desired the top two floors for the owner’s apartment with an internal stair and green lawn. Previously it was eight and a half stories; now it is redesigned for a 10-story building. Retrofitting of a few columns is needed.

Previously there were 3 entries. One for basement 2^ndfor the landowner’s villa with park, and the 3rd for no3no entry for apartment. Clint wants a 10-storyapartment instead of eight and half story, with ground entry. Ground and firstfloor for parking, lobby, lounge, gyma lobby,ercial space with a small apartment block.From second floor apartment block for rental purpose.

For revised requirements design changes, the middle span lavishly reduced the slab thickness, and for structural reasons, a waffle slab was implemented. From this thishall-room concept with north-south total glass and other services on both sides of the hall room, Clint is luckily on both the south and north sides with no high-rise buildings. South side: a 2-story Maldive Embassy, which I also designed, and the north side road with a low-rise building. From the hall room anybody can enjoy vast scenic beauty and enjoy total nature with southern air and light. After completing a few floors of the structure, the client desires the top two floors to be their accommodation. A revised design is required for the top floor with a void, stairs, and a terrace garden on the south side.

I designed the whole building off-white; only two angular walls connecting the lift core with the hall room were back with a waterfall from the roof of the first floor. Unfortunately, the father-in-law of my client, who was the main financer, didn’t agree. So, the focal point of this structure was lost.