Project Description

Where past scars inspire spaces of serenity 

Set within the historic Old Dhaka Central Jail, this project transforms a site of confinement into a journey from brutality to compassion, proving that even the darkest spaces can be lit by empathy. The experience unfolds in two phases, leading visitors from the heaviness of history toward the promise of healing. 

Phase 1:Confronting Reality

The path begins at the gallows and death cells — dimly lit and preserved in their rawness. Visitors sit in silence, absorbing the weight of history. Wall-mounted headphones play poetry, final statements, and personal stories, immersing them in the voices of those who once awaited execution. The cramped, oppressive spaces expose the inhumanity of capital punishment, stirring empathy and challenging cycles of violence. 

Phase 2 :Embracing Hope 

From this darkness, visitors move into the former Juvenile Detention Centre, once meant for reform. Revived as a hub for reading, seating, and exhibitions, it houses books on resilience and reform alongside inmate artwork. The surrounding grounds become a restorative landscape — swings, fountains, cycle stands, and shaded seating invite families to gather, children to play, and nature to soften memory’s scars.

Declaration

While much of the jail becomes a museum, these zones remain raw, authentic, and adaptable. Here, the towering walls no longer shield but guide visitors from Puran Dhaka’s chaos into a sanctuary of compassion.