Congratulations! You've received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the second time. How are you feeling?
Marina Tabassum: When someone from Bangladesh achieves something on the world stage, it is truly an achievement for the entire nation. No one can accomplish anything entirely alone. One may draw a line individually, but its the thinking and the labour many that leads to the realisation of an architectural work.
How did the idea of ‘Khudi Bari’ come to your mind?
Marina Tabassum: Around 2018 or 2019, we visited the Meghna river char (river island) in Chandpur, specifically Char Bhairabi in Haimchar upazila. We heard about the lives of the char people and their struggles. Later, during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, I designed the Khudi Bari for flood and erosion-affected people in the char areas. Construction began in 2021, with the first house built in Char Hijla, Barishal.
Prothom Alo :
Please tell us in detail about the Khudi Bari…
Marina Tabassum: Our aim was to build a type of house where, during flooding, people could live on the upper floor and in the event of erosion, the house could easily be relocated. It was essential that people could afford the cost and that the houses could be built with locally available materials. Transporting construction materials to the char areas via river is costly, so bamboo, being easily available, was chosen as the primary material. The only significant cost involves the steel joints required. For the houses built so far, our non-profit organisation, Foundation for Architecture, Community, Equity (FACE), has supplied these steel joints. We want the houses to remain durable. Aside from this, the other expenses are borne by the people themselves.
We explain the technical aspects to them, sit with them and demonstrate how the houses should be constructed. Afterwards, they build the houses themselves. Our intention is that people should learn the process so that, if the house needs to be dismantled and moved elsewhere, they can do so independently.
How much does it cost to build such a house?
Marina Tabassum: When we first began, the cost was quite low, around 25,000 to 30,000 taka. However, with the rise in steel prices and increased transportation costs, the total expense now stands at approximately 45,000 taka.
Prothom Alo :
How long does it take to build such a house?
Marina Tabassum: Constructing such a house does not take long. From erecting the framework to completing the entire structure, it requires no more than three to four days. In the face of disaster, dismantling takes no more than two to three hours. Relocating the house to a new place and reassembling it can be done within one to two days.
Prothom Alo :
In which parts of Bangladesh have you built these houses?
Marina Tabassum: We have focused on districts prone to flooding and riverbank erosion. In Jamalpur and Kurigram, where flooding and erosion are frequent, we have worked in several chars. We have also built in haor areas such as Tahirpur in Sunamganj and we began our first project in Char Hijla, Barishal. Some have also been constructed in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar.
We subsequently monitor these projects, observing how people are using the houses and whether there is any impact on their lives. We have seen that the impact is significant and that the demand is very high. When we visit the chars, people request such houses from us. We cannot provide for everyone, so community members themselves decide who is most in need and nominate names. We then extend our assistance accordingly.
Can people live in these houses during floods?
Marina Tabassum: Yes, they can. There is no need to relocate elsewhere. They simply move to the upper floor with dry food and remain there for as long as the floodwater persists. The lower panels are removed to allow the water to pass through. In cases of erosion, the house is dismantled and relocated to another location.
We are also working in the Rohingya refugee camps, where we have created several community spaces for women. Similar community spaces have been established in the project areas of the chars as well, where women can gather and communicate with one another as required.
Prothom Alo :
What future projects are you considering?
Marina Tabassum: Building houses alone is not enough, attention must also be given to ensuring people have the financial capacity to build them. We are exploring how women’s existing skills can be income-generating. The idea is to encourage them to pool money collectively, perhaps forming small cooperative groups and to engage in the sale of products.
Prothom Alo :
Is this only for women? Will women be solely responsible?
Marina Tabassum: Women may have certain handicraft or vocational skills, but often they lack support, or do not know where to sell their products. Our intention is to create community spaces in villages or chars where women can access such facilities and earn an income.
Prothom Alo :
Do you have any advice for young architects?
Marina Tabassum: When you work for people, they are happy. It's a special feeling to see a child living comfortably in such a house. To the young architects who are wondering what to do, whether to go abroad or not, I say, look towards your own country. There is so much to be done here.