Abuilding is an infrastructure built permanently or semi-permanently for the use of various characters of occupancies in safe, comfortable and good environmental condition. For sustainable development of building infrastructures various acts, rules, regulations and guidelines are made for strict compliance in addition to setting codes for its safe construction and maintenance practices. In 1993 Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) had been published for bringing unanimity in planning, designing, construction, maintenance and even in demolishing practices in the country considering its socio-economic, cultural, religious and environmental conditions. The code was supposed to be followed by all concerned as a good practice. Unfortunately, irregularities in every aspect of building...
STUDENT projects are always exciting and invigorating. Impractical as they are supposed to be studio exercises invokes intelligent discussions and gives light to a new, fresh path. That in many ways is the way forward.
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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.
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OUR human workforce is the mainstay of our economy. Many of them are illiterate, but are often the only rice earner for their family. Yet, their life in the working environment, supposed to be made safe by their employee for compliance with national and international legal bindings, is fraught with dangers. One of the elements that constantly threaten them, to which they are largely unaware, is fire.
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While Dhaka hits the global headlines as one of the fastest growing cities in the world by population, unplanned development, enhanced by land encroachment and flouting of legal requirements, irresponsible approach to professional obligations by all and sundry, and display of the 'thumb' by the greedy and corrupt, has led the housing situation to an ever-shifting brink where today more than a third of the urban population four decades into our independence live in dire conditions, unimaginable for many.
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