Project Description

This project proposes a transitional micro-dwelling for street children within a 10-meter cube, responding to the lack of safe shelter, routine, and guidance experienced by many children growing up on the streets of dense Bangladeshi cities. Rather than designing only a place to sleep, the project imagines a small architectural environment that supports protection, daily structure, and the development of independence. The unit is intended to be used by one or two children at a time and then passed on to a younger child as they grow older and become more self-reliant. In this way, the architecture becomes part of an ongoing cycle of care, memory, and transition.

The design follows a narrative approach inspired by the familiar tin-er basha of Bangladesh. In rural settings, modest houses often combine living and small-scale earning within a compact footprint. This idea is reinterpreted for the city by splitting the house into two connected parts contained within the 10 m cube: a vertical living tower and a small earning module that opens toward the street. This spatial division reflects the fragmented reality of street life while reconnecting shelter and livelihood in a single adaptable structure.

The living tower is organized vertically to use minimal ground area. The ground level includes simple cooking space, storage, and water access, encouraging routine and self-sufficiency. Above, compact sleeping platforms create safe and personal resting spaces that offer a sense of ownership and protection. The top level houses solar battery storage and a rainwater collection tank, supporting basic infrastructure while symbolizing resilience and independence. Light entering from above creates a calm atmosphere and reinforces a narrative of hope within a very small volume.

Beside the tower, a sliding earning module allows the child to engage in small, safe micro-activities facing the street. Vertical planting panels along the walls support the growth of leafy greens and herbs. These can be harvested, prepared as simple fresh salad, and sold to passersby along with tea or small snacks. This activity is intended to build responsibility and confidence rather than profit alone. A lightweight fabric canopy extends outward, creating shade and a soft threshold between public street life and the protected interior.

The structure uses a lightweight mild-steel hollow-section frame with corrugated metal cladding and insulated wall layers to reduce heat and noise. The modular system allows quick assembly, durability, and adaptability to tight urban sites. Shared community sanitation is assumed to maintain hygiene while keeping the unit compact and movable.Within the strict limit of a 10-meter cube, this project frames architecture as a narrative of transition. It offers a small but meaningful space where street children can experience safety, routine, and dignity, before passing the shelter forward to the next child in need.