Writing from the studio
Project stories, process insights, and occasional reflections on making buildings in Bangladesh. Written by the architects and designers who did the work.
bamboo · landscape · 8 October 2026
Bamboo holds up scaffolds on almost every building site in Sylhet and shapes many gardens. Used well, it is local, quick and cheap. Used carelessly, it is a risk.
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mosque · institutional · 5 October 2026
A mosque is built once for the whole community. Good design gets the plan, the light and the sound right, and builds in a way the community can afford.
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landscape · courtyard · 1 October 2026
A garden in Sylhet has to handle heavy rain, strong sun and humid air. Good landscape design starts with the ground, not the plants.
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interior · joinery · 25 September 2026
A good interior starts with the plan, not the furniture. Here is the sequence we follow, and the materials that survive Sylhet's humidity.
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climate · waterproofing · 18 September 2026
A house in Sylhet has to live with around 4,000 mm of rain a year. The designs that last handle water first and everything else second.
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earthquake · structure · 11 September 2026
Earthquake safety is decided by design choices and by what happens on site. Most of it costs little if it is planned from the start.
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foundation · structure · 4 September 2026
The foundation is the one part of a building you cannot fix later. In Sylhet the ground changes from plot to plot, so testing is where the design starts.
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architect · process · 28 August 2026
A good architect saves more money than they cost. Here is how to tell who is worth hiring, and what a clear working relationship looks like.
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approval · planning · 21 August 2026
Most delays in getting a building plan approved are not caused by the authority. They come from papers and drawings that were not ready when the file went in.
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construction · cost · 14 August 2026
Everyone asks for a per-square-foot number. The honest answer is that the number depends on five decisions you make before the first brick is laid.
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climate · passive-design · 20 January 2024
Designing for the climate of Bangladesh is not a choice we make on behalf of sustainability. It is simply what makes a building liveable without mechanical intervention.
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