THE ARCH CASTLE D.KAMRUN

Afroza Begam Sharani. Plot-364, Block-L Basundhara

CLIENT: ABDUS SAMAD FARIDI.

DESIGN ARCHITECT   : Mesba Ul Kabir.

AREA OF LAND       :10KATHA

AREA OF BUILDING   : 46,000SFT

PROJECT Condition   : UnderConstruction.

BACKGROUND & CLINT:

One day a man came to my office, Sorry I forgot his name, toenquiry me about my project and my experience. Telling me he visited more thanforty consulting firm to select an Architect for the project. Very interesting,I never met such type of situation. Basically, I am an introvert person and noadvertisement of my firm. I asked him how he got the address of my firm. He repliedthat he is the uncle of Golam Moula Rony. He visited more than 40 consultingfirm for his project at Basundhara. Mahtab Talukdar Mahtab Talukdar, who was amember of Bangladesh Election Commissioner and a great writer, gave my address toGolam Moula Rony, mentioning that I designed a masjid at Hapania for him andpresented him with the animation of that masjid. Mahtab Talukdar was soimpressed with the masjid, that whoever met him, he showed the animation of themasjid.

The uncle asked me, surely, I know the name of famous GolamMoula Rony. My negative reply shocked him very much and he kept staring at mewith disbelieve. I apologized to him for not being familiar with his nephew’sname. Upon knowing the rate of consultancy fee, which I think is reasonable, theuncle said my fee is one of the highest and only one firm is close to my fee. Ididn’t even know that there are so many Architectural Consulting Firm who workedfor this amazingly low fee. I through uncle would never return. With great surprise,the uncle returned with Golam Moula Rony in my small office. He is a nice person,talks impressively and has is a popular Youtube personality, tv personality,writer, businessman and ex member of Parliament.

DESIGN CONCEPT:

The clint wanted two floors, each should be well ventilated withair and sunlight from every side. Four apartments, open terraces, were to beprovided for him and his three children. Typical floor design would not accommodateopen terrace, so some floors were be shifted/ folded to provide terraces, whilekeeping the service duct and toilet lines in the same position. It is a verydifficult and hard-working job to synchronize the vertical service. Accordingto Rajuk rules, an apartment building of 10 stories with 18 no car parkingwould be approved. For avoiding basement floor, 18 no car should be provided onthe ground floor, on only 10 katha of land. For providing the parkingfacilities and vertical circulation, lift lobby & stair has to be placed atthe end of building. Shape of the building became portrait. Core holding two thirdweight of the building which is gradually folded.

RAJUK APPROVAL SHEET:

About approval of the project, I advised my client tocontact agents for approval from Rajuk with package deal. My client got angryand said to me that he will not engage with any agents for approval and willnot spend any single money expect the Rajuk affiliated fee. I thought that thisis the end of the story and we will never get the approval.

Amazingly, the project was approved from Rajuk in one shot. Laterwe found out, from his office staff, that the client went directly to Rajuk andmake the impossible possible.

We hurriedly completed the construction design anddocuments, as the clint wanted to construct the project by himself with thehelp of his uncle. But, due to sudden lack of funds, the project paused.

Unexpectedly, the project revived. The client went intoagreement with a new real-estate firm for this project, with condition that thedesign will be same. But real-estate firm wanted a basement for parking, and agrander ground floor entry with fountains and a lavish lobby. Keeping the maindesign ,we adjusted columns to provide a basement ramp. Thus design has toadjust again, with some new requirements and changes from real estate firm.

LANDSCAPE AND FOUNTAIN:

On the ground floor, the floor to ceiling heightis 19’. The ground floor gives a lavish and regal look with fountains; waterfall and planned landscape. In this project, landscape shifts to differentlevels. Cantilevered open terrace and planter box are placed strategically aroundall sides of the buildings., both vertically and horizontally.