Project Description

Under Dhaka’s Kuril flyover lies an underused void at of the cities busiest node. It is noisy, dusty and visually chaotic and is dominated by illegal parking, encroachments, and littering. Despite the heavy pedestrian traffic the area lacks safety and it is socially uninviting while barely offering people any reason to stop or connect. This project transforms the site into a thriving micro-hub useful to all elements of the community, encouraging social connection, mental well-being and giving civic pride. This project intends for the passerby, informal workers, commuters and residents to enjoy an economically liberal shaded space to thrive in a communal setting. 

Five theme conversation cubes are central to the design theme and include Gossip, Buzz, Rumor, Nest, and Spill the Cha Cube and fosters an informal meet-up, story-telling and community bonding. The concept, “Gossip as Urban Glue”, reframes idle talk as a cultural ritual that strengthens relationships. Light weight steel frames, perforated panels maximize visibility and ventilation and create comfort. The design concept is based on the tea stall culture of Dhaka wherein due to limited availability of free sitting space in the city the people needed the cover and natural cool environment offered by the shade of the flyover. This intervention can be tackled through the concept of urban acupuncture by reclaiming a neglected negative space into one that generates daily social connection and collective urban healing.