A striking new university campus vision in Bangladesh aims to create a cool tropical haven of learning in one of the world’s densest cities.
Web Structures has been working with Singapore-based architect WOHA on the BRAC University development in Dhaka, the nation’s capital.
The Web Structures design team is providing its civil, structural and geotechnical expertise to the project.
It is involved in work to create a 12-storey building with two basements which will become part of the new 180,000 square metre campus development.
Sited on an urban lake in the Badda district of the city, the innovative design of the new campus draws inspiration from the Bengal basin’s Sundarabans mangrove forest.
The WOHA vision is to create an “innovative and sustainable inner-city campus that exemplifies tropical design strategies in response to the hot, humid, monsoon climate of the region while demonstrating the sensitive integration of nature and architecture.”
The result is a campus set in a park. WOHA’s aim is to create a “lush, green oasis offering much-needed refreshment and inspiration under a canopy of learning.”
To achieve this it has designed buildings with breezeways, porous facades and garden terraces.
Cross ventilation and indirect natural daylight will create “tropical learning spaces” without air-conditioning for the university, which was established in 2001.
Dr Hossein Rezai, group director of Web Structures, says: “We are delighted to be working with WOHA on this project.
“The highly-skilled team has produced an extremely interesting and innovative design concept for the campus and we are pleased to be playing our part in turning its vision into reality.
“One of the main engineering challenges for the project is the fact it is being constructed in an area of very high winds and we are harnessing our engineering knowledge and expertise of working in similar environments on this development.
“The completed campus will be a seat of learning that is very special and striking and which should be a delightful environment for both students and the university’s teaching faculty.”