Project Description

In Rajshahi, a secondary waste transfer station — built to collect refuse from four wards — no longer functions as intended. Its design prevents trucks from entering, forcing van pullers to dump waste along the roadside. This blocks the pedestrian path, spreads foul odor, and makes the surrounding area unhygienic. The station sits next to RUET’s pocket gate, tea stalls, a seating shade, and some stationery shops, all of which suffer from this condition. A large adjacent space also remains unused because it is constantly polluted. Our proposal compresses chaos into order. The redesign condenses the existing facility into a compact “waste box” made from recyclable steel and repurposed containers. Inside, three compressor belts process sorted plastics, dry waste, and wet waste, while a fourth belt handles large refuse. The station is organized into two clear zones: • Input Zone (Left Side): Enclosed with a boundary wall and gate, where van pullers enter, sort waste into four types in a large pit, and load them onto the respective belts. Seating and greenery along the wall provide a rest area for workers. • Output Zone (Right Side): Accessible to trucks via an extended road, enabling direct loading of compressed waste from the belts into trucks for removal. The front is screened with a planted boundary, allowing the street to breathe without revealing its utilitarian heart. Also, the design frees the surrounding land, transforming it into a cluster of stationery and print shops, food stalls, and shaded seating for community use. By healing this “healer,” we restore dignity to waste work, reclaim public space, and offer a replicable model for hygienic, community-friendly waste management across Bangladesh.