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)

Nusrat Mim from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology considers the strengths of her “Next Generation” 2nd prize-winning project focused on providing the local community with adaptable housing, a sense of belonging and cost-effective solutions. “Adaptable Portable: Modular housing for urban poor” in Dhaka, Bangladesh proposes a modular system of dwelling units for marginalized neighborhoods in this rapidly-growing city.

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The winning projects of the Holcim Awards 2014 Asia Pacific show how building with sustainable construction in mind can enhance the region’s human, natural and economic performance. A bird sanctuary in Thailand, a locally-adapted orphanage in Nepal, and a community library in Sri Lanka received the top prizes.

The jury applauds the author for her courage to take on one of the most difficult contemporary problems in city planning and urban design – the question of how to house the underprivileged masses in an age marked by growing discrepancies between rich and poor. Whereas many contemporary solutions exist, the submitted scheme incorporates the issues of impending eviction and eradication of informal settlements by offering a system that is both “adaptable” and “portable”.

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.