CLIENT: Reazuddin- Al-Mamoon

LOCATION: 227/A TEJGAON-GULSHAN LINK ROAD, TEJGAON, DHAKA, BANGLADESH

SITE AREA: 2007 sqm

TOTAL BUILT AREA: 23,000sqm (Approx.)

EACH FLOOR AREA: 1400 sqm (Approx.)

COST OF THE PROJECT: 7.5 MILLION (CLIENT’S PRIVACY)

CONSTRUCTION TIME: 2008-2012

As technology takes up more of our time and the world leans towards violence, cruelty and power individuality, can architecture quietly inspire us to hold on to our culture and nurture our shared humanity?

Cultural sustainability holds the power to preserve the soul of a people, grounding them in their roots while navigating modern tides. Ninakabbo stands as a quiet tribute to Bangladesh’s 1952 Language movement a poetic sanctuary in the corporate rhythm of the city. Its walls, etched with the verses of 12 prominent poets of Bangla literature, whisper stories of resilience and identity, weaving history into the fabric of everyday life. This textual incorporation seeps into the interiors as well. Whether it might be a passerby on the street or someone waiting in the reception or lift lobby, one will be instigated to read and remind himself of the beautiful lines of literature and keep the essence of culture alive in him. Bangladesh is a riverine country and the river lines crisscrossing across the country are one of its best identifying features. The design project has also tried to sensitively incorporate an abstraction of the path of the rivers in the façade treatment for Ninakabbo.

 Ninakabbo works with the principle belief that form follows function. It efficiently solves the function needs with a strictly simple layout that generates the pure fundamental form. The target was to use the simplest form expected for corporate functions and give it an unusual twist with the detailing of its skin treatment which helps it being unique.

The cultural incorporation to the design is done with an aim to pay tribute to some of the renowned poets of Bengali literature who have contributed in its growth.12 famous poets have been nominated and the theme lines from their famous poems have been used in the skin treatment of the structure. Each floor of the project is dedicated to the worlds of one of the 12 poets whose poetry has been represented in the design.

A corporate structure is often seen as a box containing functions that doesn't interest the observer. This design takes the same container box, the same functions but through meticulous manipulation of its skin gives an opportunity to the observer to be instigated emotionally through the poetry and its dynamic graphics. Poetry is said to be timeless, something that lives as long as man can breathe and eyes can read. The form is kept very simple to make a bold statement through its purity and made timeless by the poetry on its skin