Low cost housing for the urban poor in Dhaka City: <i>Studio design </i>

Background: In March 2009, Centre for Urban Studies arranged a studio design workshop for low income group in Dhaka by the students of Department of Architecture, University of Asia Pacific (UAP), Bangladesh with support from URBIS Capacity Building Support for NDBUS (Nagar Daridra Basteebashir Unnayan Sangstha), a registered organisation with social welfare department, Dhaka representing urban poor and slum dwellers of Dhaka city.
About the Course: The workshop is an outcome of an eight-week long academic programme covered by the 4th year UAP architecture students as a design workshop. The students conducted physical and socio-economic surveys on three sites within DCC jurisdiction and prepared design proposals for site- specific upgrading and rehabilitation through affordable low-cost housing for the poor urban dwellers. Three types of projects were undertaken:
(I) Infrastructure upgrading at Korail, Mohakhali
(II) Land sharing through upgrading of existing settlements, at Rayerbazar
(III) Rehabilitation programme in a new location, at Kalshi, Section-12, Mirpur
Kalshi: The immediate past caretaker government pledged to provide land for rehabilitation of evicted slum dwellers during eviction drive in January 2007. A land area of 5 acres of National Housing Authority (NHA) was allotted at Kalshi, Mirpur for rehabilitation with responsibility of finance and execution by Coalition for the Urban Poor (CUP) and NHA. The land is currently a water body.
Design Proposal: KALSHI 1; Location: Bauniabandh, Block-C; Site Area: 9.1 acres
Existing Site Condition: Access roads are prominent on all sides. A highway route construction is on-going beside the site and a lake on the opposite side of the site. There are three types of land ownership in the settlement area identified as card holder, illegal user, and rental user. There is hardly any open space in the site, as existing housing structures are very compact.
Design Concept :Design decision has considered the lifestyle of the low income group to create a habitable & healthy housing settlement. For this, design concept consists of sharing space for living and working. Central community space will be provided which includes educational institutions, health centres, community centres, masjids etc.
Design Consideration
* Common indoor space for work & socialising to enhance security
* Inter-connected buildings for social bonding
* Internal courts to allow women to work in leisure and to serve as children's play zone
Housing Unit: Housing unit is proposed considering income level of the inhabitants of the area:
Proposed Land use : The total land area is distributed in the ratio:
Housing Block +Community Space 33.58%, Road 30.42% and Green Space 36%.
Density: 245 household/acre
Note: Unit features are given below:
Type A: Bedroom, Kitchen with Dining Space, Toilet
Type B: Bedroom, Kitchen with Dining Space, Toilet
Type C: 2 Bedrooms, Kitchen with Dining Space, Toilet, Balcony
Type D: 2 Bedrooms, Kitchen with Dining Space, Toilet, Balconies
Rayerbazar: Rayer bazar (Ward-47) is located in the south east part of Dhaka city closed to Dhanmondi. Population estimates of 2005 of the Ward 47 were 87387 with a slum population of 60911 (69.70%). The area selected for the design project, Aziz Khan Bastee, was part of a wetland before construction of the flood protection embankment (Beribadh) in 1995.
Design Proposal: RAYER BAZAR; Location:
Sadek Khan Road; Site Area: 7 acres
Existing Site Condition: The slum is located in the periphery towards the Rayer Bazaar embankment. In the proposed project area three types of building structures are found. These are: (a) Jhupri -- structures made of temporary materials such as jutestalk, sack, leaves of trees etc. (80%), (b) Semi-pucca (15%) & (c) Pucca (5%). There is hardly any space for recreation facilities.
Design Concept: Streets are not just for pedestrian or vehicular use, but also preferred for social, economic, and domestic uses. They usually conduct all activities along the major streets. The design therefore provides them with a street of their own, where they can do their domestic, economic, and social activities.
Design Consideration
* Pedestrian pathways
* Common ground to meet harmoniously
* Space for agricultural activities [introduction of the term Urban Agriculture]
Housing Unit: Considering the socio-economic condition of the residents of the area 5 types of housing units have been proposed:
Proposed Land use: The total land area is distributed in the ratio: Built space 34%, Road 28% and Green Space 38%.
Density: 50 household/acre
Note: Unit features are given below: Type A & B: 4 Rooms + Attached Services Type C, D & E: 2 Rooms + Attached Services
Korail: Having the largest slum and squatter settlements (with 1,20,000 population) of Dhaka, residing mainly on 40 acres of land owned by Ministry of Science and Technology. Rest of the land areas are owned by Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) and PWD in another 50 acres. A proposal by the Public Works Department (PWD) to build 4,256 flats in Korail site was approved by ECNEC on 24 November 2008. Urban activists and researchers are hopeful that the government will develop these prime government lands in conformation with the Dhaka Master Plan and also provide proper rehabilitation of existing slum and squatter settlements.
Design Proposal: KORAIL; Location: BTCL;
Site Area: 25 acres
Existing Site Condition: In the proposed project area three types of building structures are found. They are (a) Kutcha (80%) (b) Semi-pucca (15%) & (c) Pucca (5%). Overall three sizes of housing units exist by area; 1000-1100 sft, 750-800 sft, and 550-600 sft. The Banani Lake is located east of the site. The site has access roads from all sides. A main road connects the site with the city. The kutcha and semi-pucca houses are slum and squatter settlements.
Design Concept : The main concept in planning of the rehabilitation and upgrading of slum at Korail is to provide each of the different groups their own privacy and security by giving them defined living areas but connecting them through common services and facilities (masjid, park, market etc.) used by all groups within the designed area.
Design Consideration
*Overall improvement of existing unplanned housing environment
*Enhancement of lake-side environment
*Developing internal open spaces between buildings to improve relation among dwellers
*Placing public utility buildings to act as a landmarks and create sense of direction as well as serve to identify different zones
Housing Unit : Considering socio-economic condition of the inhabitants of this area, four types of housing units may be considered as an improvement to the existing housing problems. This is described in the following table: (LIG - Low Income Group; MIG - Middle Income Group; HIG - High Income Group)
Cost Return: For Low Income Group Hire Purchase System is proposed.
Note: The affordability is shown for the low income group only.
Proposed Land use: The total land area is fairly distributed in the ratio: Built Space 32%, Road 21.80% and Green Space 46.20%.
Density: 75 household/ acre
Design Concept: The concept was to create an organic plan while restricting access of vehicles and providing a curvilinear walkway for the residents rather than the monotonous gridiron patterns through sharing of services. The idea originated from Architect Charles Correa's concept of Belapur Housing (India)
Design Consideration
* Community facilities have been given more importance.
* More than one-fifth of the site area has been proposed as open green space.
* Income level of the residents of the site has been considered carefully in the proposed housing design.
Housing Unit: Housing unit is proposed considering income level of the inhabitants of the area:
Proposed Land use: The total land area is distributed in the following ratio: Built space 51%, Road 26% and Green space 33%.
Density: 210 household/ acre
Note: Existing site condition: Same as the previous. Unit Feature: Bedroom, Toilet, Kitchen (shared by 2 families) [for all 3 types]

Existing Site Condition: The slum is located in the periphery towards the Rayer Bazaar embankment. In the proposed project area three types of building structures are found. These are: (a) Jhupri -- structures made of temporary materials such as jutestalk, sack, leaves of trees etc. (80%), (b) Semi-pucca (15%) & (c) Pucca (5%). There is hardly any space for recreation facilities.
Design Concept: Streets are not just for pedestrian or vehicular use, but also preferred for social, economic, and domestic uses. They usually conduct all activities along the major streets. The design therefore provides them with a street of their own, where they can do their domestic, economic, and social activities.
Design Consideration
* Pedestrian pathways
* Common ground to meet harmoniously
* Space for agricultural activities [introduction of the term Urban Agriculture]
Housing Unit: Considering the socio-economic condition of the residents of the area 5 types of housing units have been proposed:
Proposed Land use: The total land area is distributed in the ratio: Built space 34%, Road 28% and Green Space 38%.
Density: 50 household/acre
Note: Unit features are given below: Type A & B: 4 Rooms + Attached Services Type C, D & E: 2 Rooms + Attached Services
The above design proposals have been developed by the following 4th year Architecture students, The University of Asia Pacific
Sadmin Sadiana, Siam Sajid, Raiyan Islam Shantanu & Anjuman Ara Laboni [Korail]
Ali Zawhor Sayed, Abdullah-Al-Zahid Khan & Ishrat Sultana [Kalshi 1]
Saleha Begum, Jesmin Ara Bhuiyan & Hayatul Islam. [Kalshi 2]
Saddam Hossain, Irin Akhter & Md. Ismail Parvez [Rayer Bazaar]
Contributors:
(from Dept of Architecture, The University of Asia Pacific)
Abu Syaeed Mostaque Ahmed, Ph.D, Professor & Head; Shaila Joarder, Assistant Professor; and Md. Rashed Bhuiyan, Lecturer
(from Centre for Urban Studies, Dhaka)
Salma A. Shafi, Honorary Treasurer, CUS and Course Coordinator; Mehedi Imam, Asadul Islam and Md. Moniruzzaman, Associates