Floating University in Bangladesh

BRAC University campus

Floating University in Bangladesh

BRAC University campus

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    The campus park is the public interface and heart of the university. Given the urban lake site, the vision is to present an innovative and sustainable inner city campus that exemplifies tropical design strategies in response to the hot, humid, monsoon climate while demonstrating the sensitive integration of nature and architecture. The main design strategy is to create two distinct programmatic strata by floating the academia above the lake and revealing a campus park below.

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    Global finalist entry 2018 - Floating University in Bangladesh

    View of public concourse and rain garden.

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Social interaction spaces are incorporated throughout the university to allow for both planned and spontaneous student activities. Differing scales and types of social spaces cater to varying group sizes, all designed for maximum comfort and interaction, with dynamic visual links across levels allowing students to observe activities happening across voids. The building section is designed to catch the breezes and direct them to these gathering spaces, while providing shelter from sun and rain.

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    Global finalist entry 2018 – Floating University in Bangladesh

    South to north aerial view of university: the university is composed as an assemblage of components which echo the scale and proportion of the surrounding developments, unified by an energy harvesting canopy.

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Main strategy is to create two distinct programmatic strata by floating the academia above the lake.

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    The design strategy reflects the synergistic coexistence between mankind and mangrove.

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Rooftop sky park holds a liberal open playing field, running track, swimming pool and cricket pitch.

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Site plan.

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    First floor plan.

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Section A.

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Section D.

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Section E.

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    BRAC University campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    WOHA Directors.

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    Global Finalist Certificate Handover – Floating University in Bangladesh

    Sim Choon Heok (centre) and Richard Hassall (right) of WOHA receive a Global Awards Finalist 2018 certificate for the design for BRAC University’s new campus in Bangladesh on behalf of the project team including WOHA, J A Architects and Transsolar Energietechnik from Edward Schwarz, representing the LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction.

  • Awards Bronze 2017–2018 Asia Pacific
Remediating a wetland and floating a new university above it, this project adds both open and built space to the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh – creating public space, green space, and energy harvesting space, and at the same time provides excellent educational facilities.

By Mun Summ Wong - WOHA, Singapore and

Working with the client, an NGO-run university by BRAC (Building Resources Across Communities), the project team propose a building that floats above the pond. First, the water itself is remediated into a bio-retention pond. The whole ground level of the project is opened to the public.

Floating University in Bangladesh

Project authors

Global finalist entry 2018 – Floating University in Bangladesh

View of breezeway atrium.

Above, sustainable thinking permeates the design of the university building. Brise-soleil and planted façades optimize the interior climate, reducing cooling demand by 40%. Water recycling and rainwater collection reduces water use by nearly 50%. Photovoltaic panels and beekeeping transform the roof into a productive environment. In total, green areas cover more surface than the area of the entire site.

Project status: Officially opened, March 2024

This project sets a new benchmark for sustainability in Asia – and delivers a larger rejuvenation project for the city. Holcim Awards 2017 Jury for Asia Pacific

Project updates