Taking on one of the most difficult contemporary problems in city planning and urban design

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    Project Entry 2014 Asia Pacific - Adaptable Portable: Modular housing for urban poor, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Social sustainability was one of the prime concerns of the design process.

Taking on the challenge of how to house the urban poor, the project proposes a modular system of dwelling units for marginalized neighborhoods in the rapidly-growing city of Dhaka. The dwellings can easily adapt to the changing needs of their inhabitants and either grow or reduce according to the size of the family at a certain point in time. Moreover, the units can be dismantled when slum dwellers are evicted and reassembled in a new location. Made of bamboo and recycled materials, the dwelling’s modular components and panels are sufficiently light to be easily transported.

Last updated: June 29, 2015 Dhaka, Bangladesh

Taking on the challenge of how to house the urban poor, the project proposes a modular system of dwelling units for marginalized neighborhoods in the rapidly-growing city of Dhaka. The dwellings can easily adapt to the changing needs of their inhabitants and either grow or reduce according to the size of the family at a certain point in time. Moreover, the units can be dismantled when slum dwellers are evicted and reassembled in a new location. Made of bamboo and recycled materials, the dwelling’s modular components and panels are sufficiently light to be easily transported.

Read project feature in 4th Holcim Awards 2014/2015 (flip-book)