Rafiq Azam

S.A. Residence South Water Garden Mizan Residence Meghna Residence Alif Breeze

Content 1. Biography of Mohamad Rafiq Azam a. Philosophy b. Quote 2. Projects a. S.A. Residence b. South Water Garden c. Mizan Residence d. Meghna Residence e. Alif Breeze 3. Conclusion. 4. References 5. Index 5 8 11 13 15 17 18 19 2 3 4

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1. Biography of Mohamad Rafiq Azam

Figure 1: Mohamad Rafiq Azam (source: www.wikipedia.com)

As introduced, Mohamad Rafiq Azam is one of the famous architects internationally. He is from Bangladesh, by practicing in field of architect almost 22 years. Mohamad Rafiq Azam also manages to design and apply according to his style. On 1989, he graduated from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). From May 1995 until now, he is practicing at SHATOTTO which inspiring by Architecture for Green Living.

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a.

Philosophy

Figure 2: Expert in using light and shadow (source: www.homedsgn.com)

Mohamad Rafiq Azam architectural style is a fusion of tradition, nature and mysticism with significant harmony. In design, he likes to use of plants and roof gardens, blending of various materials with simplicity in expression, reviving traditional elements from old Dhaka. As an example, the elimination of boundary walls that segregates human from buildings is distinctive features of his designs. For him, a house is not only for human but also for nature likes butterflies and birds. Next, Mohamad Rafiq Azam also expert in using light and shadow, water and air inside and outside the building. His design influenced by Lalon and Tagore.

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b. Quotes

Figure 3: I learnt architecture from my mother - (source: http://archpresspk.com)

I don't think Bangladesh client is good and Malaysian client or Indian client is better than Bangladesh client. Every situation has its own uniqueness, but the problem is that it's not important for a client to understand architecture. Why do they need to understand architecture, in the way that you understand architecture? They have their own idea, their own understanding of their environment, their living environment. So don't expect from them that they will be like you. If I say very harshly, architects are basically corrupt, because they have their own way of thinking and they don't see other ways of thinking. So they are already corrupted - they have their own tunnel view actually, which they are trying to impose on the client. That is not correct Architecture is all about creating place of desire, for hopefulness and memories - cherishing the memories

Muhamad Rafiq Azam.

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2. Projects There are 5 projects that Mohamad Rafiq Azam involved and applying his sustainable design style. a. S.A. Residence b. South Water Garden c. Mizan Residence d. Meghna Residence e. Alif Breeze

A.

S.A. Residence

Figure 4: S.A. Residences courtyard and pool (source: www.homedsgn.com)

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First of all, S.A. Residence is a three-storey residence with contemporary home style and located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It completed on 2010. The main material use for this project is cast-concrete which is it the local material in Bangladesh. This house is simple but have sustainable elements. For an example, this house have courtyard, pond, ghat (steps to water) and ample. In short, Mohd. Rafiq Azam design and merge the urban and rural typologies in this building.

Figure 5: Colour water reflecting local culture (source: www.homedsgn.com)

This project located in city that surrounded by multi-stories buildings. So, designing building with swimming pool in the middle of the house to create breathing area to house and cool the house. Also, it is to ensure the privacy to owner of the house. The using of natural water, green colour of water, reflecting the local culture of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
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Figure 6: Pool in the middle cooling the house (source: www.homedsgn.com)

The architect, Mohd. Rafiq Azam designs the south and south-east of the building to allow the cool breeze come into building during summer but during winters, it allows the warmth of the sun. The pool in the middle of the house act as the natural exhaust system which allowing the hot air to escape and cool the building from the middle.

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B.

South Water Garden

Figure 7: Blend the building with the nature (source: http://www.architecturenewsplus.com)

South Water Garden located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This apartment building near to lake and a narrow strip of green patch on at back side of building. Basically, this building consists of five apartments and ground floor as parking area. As required by client, 75% of plot area as rule was strong requirement in order to create open green space.

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Figure 8: Plant in front of the building (source: http://www.architecturenewsplus.com)

For this building, 200 square feet of green patch in front of the building. It is located at the east road. The material use also reflecting the local material, it is terracotta brick in fill, use for exposed column and beam. In plan, the simple interior with required functional arrangements is connecting the beautiful lake and large trees on the west, allowing the south east summer breeze to go through the entire house with ample light round the day.

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Figure 9: Lawn use as green roof (source: http://www.architecturenewsplus.com)

The scheme also developed the two roof tops of the buildings as community green with lawns and bushes around a small pavilion as a transformed subtropical architectural vocabulary addressing the concern of shortage of green space in city.

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C.

Mizan Residence

Figure 10: Enjoying the wind and rain (source: http://www.world-architects.com)

Completed on 2004, Mizan Residence is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This building is a duplex (level 5 and 6) within a 6 storied apartment. The concept is to live closely with nature and befriend with flora and fauna, water, aroma and natural habitat. By creating man made pavilion that create the bridge gaps between the architectural value and natural. It is breeding conversation between human and nature.

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Figure 11: Depriving gentle breeze inside and tranquil view outside. (source: http://www.world-architects.com)

The purpose of living in this house is to rejuvenate with the summer cool breeze from southeast flowing over the lake. Also, the morning dawning sunlight to the last drowning light and twilight peeping through inside the house. A transformed courtyard in the middle of the house connecting the levels, extending the views to the lake through the glass stair, and bringing down the cosmos through the removable glass roof .

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D.

Meghna Residence.

Figure 12: Living in Delta (source: http://www.homedsgn.com)

Firstly, Meghna Residence is located at Dhanmondi, Bangladesh. It is a single extended family house. This house design by considering the context, climate and traditional typology. To response to surrounding context, the northwest road has median with large mahoganies acting as a screen providing privacy for the house. The house is facing a large open play field and a swimming pool belonging to the women sports federation across the northeast road.

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Figure 13: Courtyard one of the importance element. (source: http://www.homedsgn.com)

In Bangladesh the courtyard is a traditional typology creating space for living in privacy along with cross ventilation, ample daylight and vegetation.

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E.

Alif Breeze.

Figure 14: Merging nature elements (source: www.topboxdesign.com)

Alif Breeze Apartment building in Dhaka, Bangladesh can accommodate 20 families. The entrance design create open-to-sky body of water and support by a long marble benches, lounge and reception areas, green area, defused lights, terracotta and granite flooring all merge to create a meeting point at the ground level.

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Figure 15: Local and natural material used (source: www.topboxdesign.com)

This building used to have 8,000 square feet of flat roof as community space with lawns, vegetation and terraces. This space act as reducing building heat and provided green space. Reinforced concrete beams, columns and sheer walls cast with exposed terracotta brick infill have been used.

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3 .Conclusion In a nut shell, Mohamad Rafiq Azam shows that architecture is not just the building itself but it should be blend, merge or mix with the surrounding elements, nature. In practice, most of people have their understanding of sustainability and ecology in term of green architecture, however, at last, they meet the same result and aim that will save the nature, our environment. What we take from the nature, we should give back as a balance in ecology system. For an example, to build a building, we cut the tree but as exchange or replace it back, we plant the tree by applying green top roof and so on. This balance had been said in Quran, And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors: verily in that are Signs for those who know. (al-Rum, 22). Last, human and nature like a solid cemented structure held together in unity and strength, each part contributing strength in its own way, and the whole held together not like a mass, but like a living organism.

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4. References Unknown. Rafiq Azam. Retrieved 13 February 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafiq_Azam Daniele Domenicali. S.A Residence / Shatotto. Retrieved 17 August 2012, from http://www.archdaily.com/263940/s-a-residence-shatotto/ Dr. Afroza Akhter. South Water Garden. Retrieved 2007, from http://www.architecturenewsplus.com/projects/2218 Unknwon. SHATOTTO. Retrieved 2012, from http://www.architecturenewsplus.com/profiles/628 Rafiq Azam. Project Residential. Retrieved 1999, from http://www.shatotto.com/projectsresidential.html?id=1 DesignBuild. Alif Breeze Apartments, Bangladesh. Retrieved 2012, from http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/alif-breeze-leaf/ Admin. Meghna Residence by Shatotto Architects. Retrieved 2006, from http://www.homedsgn.com/2011/10/06/meghna-residence-by-shatotto-architects/ Zain Mankani. I LEARNT ARCHITECTURE FROM MY MOTHER. Retrived 2012, from http://archpresspk.com/new-version/architect-rafiq-azam-interview.html Hassan Saifuddin Chandan. Mizan Residence. Retrieved 2012, from http://www.worldarchitects.com/projects/31497_mizan_residence

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5. Index Awards 2012: Winner of Emirates Glass Leading European Architects Forum (LEAF) Award 2012: Winner of World Architectural Community Award, 11th Cycle 2012: The South Asian Architect of the Year Award, 2011 2009: Winner, Cityscape Architecture Award for the project S.A Residence, Dhaka. 2009: Winner, 5th cycle, World Architecture Community Award. 2008: Winner, 2nd cycle (Most Thought Provoking Project), World Architecture Community Award. 2008: Winner, 1st cycle, World Architecture Community Award. 2007: AR Awards for Emerging Architecture awards, biggest architectural award for the young architects in the world. 2007: Berger Award for Excellence in Architecture 2007 2007: The 2007 Kenneth F. Brown, Asia Pacific Culture & Architecture Design Award. USA. 1999: Young Architects Award in the South Asian Architecture Award. 1996: IAB Design Award, awarded by the Institute of Architects Bangladesh 1991: Winner, Mimar International Design Competition-VII, London. 2012: Berger Award for Excellence in Architecture (commendation) 2011: Short-listed, WA community Awards, 9th Cycle (Two projects). 2011: The South Asian Architecture Commendation Award. 2011: World Architecture News (WAN) Award, Long listed for 21 for 21 Award 2011: World Architecture News (WAN) Award, Long listed for Health Sector Un-built Projects 2009: Highly Commended, Cityscape Architecture Award for the project Eye Hospital, Dhaka. 2009: Highly Commended, Cityscape Architecture Award for the project Meghna Residence, Dhaka. 2009: LEAF(Leading European Architects Forum), Short-listed 2009: World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards, Shortlisted for Health and Residential Category Future 2008: Citation, 3rd cycle, World Architecture Community Award. 2008: Selected as one of the ten emerging designers of the world by Urban Land, USA 2007: Short-listed among the 27 finalists for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) 2005: The South Asian Architecture Commendation Award 2004: Cityscape Architectural Review Commendation Award. 2004: Nomination for the AAKA-1992 (Aga Khan Award for Architecture) for the project - Mahmood Residence at Uttara, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 2003: The South Asian Architecture Commendation Award 1997: The South Asian Architecture Commendation Award. 1992: Nomination for the AAKA-1992 (Aga Khan Award for Architecture) for the project - Azam Residence in Lalbagh, Old Dhaka.

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Invited Speaker Forum CSA (The Alumni of the City school of architecture), Sri Lanka, November, 2012 Department of Architecture, Moratuwa University, Sri Lanka, November, 2012 Master Architect Lecture Series: C.A.R.E School of Architecture, Trichy, October, 2012 Shibpur Engineering University, 2012 Daud College, Karachi, 2012 National Institute of Advanced Studies in Architecture (NIASA), Cuttack, India, 2012 3rd International Seminar & Exhibition, BaA , Melbourne, Australia, September 2012 Jadavpur University, September, 2012 T2F , The Atelier Pakistan, 2011 Architects Forum, organized by The Aga Khan Trust, London, 2011 Bangladesh University, Dhaka, 2011 MASA Conference, Bangalore, March, 2011 361 degree conference, Mumbai, 2011 CAA Sri Lanka, 2010. Institute of Architects, Bangladesh (IAB), 2007,2010 Mongolbar shobha, Dhaka, 2011,2012 ACA-14 Lahore, Pakistan 2010 Comsets , NCA and IAP Islamabad , Pakistan 2010 PAM Kuala Lampur 2010 Indian Institute of Architects, Kerala 2010 Jadavpur University, Kolkata 2010. University Teknology Malaysia, 2010 Metro city Summit, Kuala Lampur 2009 My Tropical Architecture for Kuala Lampur vision 2020 , 2008 RAIA, Sydney, Australia, 2008. Reggio Calabria University, Italy, 2008. The National University of Singapore, 2008. Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 2008. Young architects festival, India, 2007. Annual Conference of IAP, Karachi, Pakistan, 2007. National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore, Pakistan, 2007. Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, 2007. The University of Hawaii, Manoa, U.S.A., 2006. The Catholic University of America, W.D.C., U.S.A., 2006. Datum: KL 2006, Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. The University of Malaysia, 2006. SAARCH Conference, Dhaka, 2004.

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