Change in Adaptability of Residential Architecture: Spatial Analysis on Traditional and Contemporary Houses of Bangladesh

Source:
By:Subrata Das, Muhammad Shafayet Hossain, Md Arifur Rahman

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30564/jaeser.v4i4.3865

Abstract:

This study focused on spatial analysis to identify the changes in adaptability over the last five decades. The features influencing adaptability were selected from the reference study. An appropriate method was used to analyse these features through spatial analysis. Six distinctive typologies of rural houses were selected from six regions. Unlike the traditional houses, the contemporary houses in the same area reflected a different character. Urban houses built since the early and mid-20th century were compared with contemporary houses. After analysing the openness, generality, flexibility, depth, typicality, construction technique, involvement of end-users, and the feedback from the inhabitants, the study identified a significant decrease in contemporary houses' adaptability. Spatial analysis was used to quantify the different features and compare between traditional and contemporary houses. Though the adaptability had been reduced over time, the latest houses started to achieve better flexibility in some features due to government policy and implementation of statutory building regulations. Further recommendations were provided to enhance the residential architecture's adaptability in future. The study samples were selected from different regions of Bangladesh. Still, the result and policy recommendations can be helpful for other countries, especially with high population density and a developing economy.

References:

[1]Schnädelbach, H., Adaptive Architecture: A Conceptual Framework. In Proceedings of Media City: Interaction of Architecture, Media and Social Phenomena; McQuire, S., Eds.; SAGE Publications: Weimar, Germany; 2010; pp. 532-555. [2]Schneider, T., and Till, J., 2005. Flexible housing: Opportunities and limits, Architectural Research Quarterly. Vol. 9, Issue 2: pp. 157-166. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1359135505000199. [3]Slaughter, E. S., 2001. Design strategies to increase building flexibility, Building Research and Information. Vol. 29, Issue 3: pp. 208-217. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09613210010027693. [4]Amini, M., Mahdavinejad, M., and Bemanian, M., 2019. Future of interactive architecture in developing countries: Challenges and opportunities in case of Tehran, Journal of Construction in Developing Countries. Vol. 24, Issue 1: pp. 163-184. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21315/jcdc2019.24.1.9. [5]Groák, S., The Idea of Building: Thought and Action in the Design and Production of Buildings; E & FN Spon: London, UK, 1992; pp. 15. [6]Till, J., & Schneider, T., 2005. Flexible housing: The means to the end, Architectural Research Quarterly. Vol. 9, Issue 3-4: pp. 287-296. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1359135505000345. [7]Evenko, M. G., & Doroginin, Y. V., 2020. Modern social housing, IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. Vol. 913, Issue 3: pp. 1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/913/3/032018. [8]Gokce, D., and Chen, F., 2018. A methodological framework for defining 'typological process': the transformation of the residential environment in Ankara, Turkey, Journal of Urban Design. Vol. 24, Issue 3: pp. 469-493. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13574809.2018.1468215. [9]Remali, A. M., Salama, A. M., Wiedmann, F., and Ibrahim, H. G., 2016. A chronological exploration of the evolution of housing typologies in Gulf cities, City, Territory and Architecture. Vol. 3: pp. 1-15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40410-016-0043-z. [10]Kowaltowski, D., Labaki, L., Pina, S., Monteiro, E., Júnior, J., Oliveira, M., and Moreira, D., Attitudes towards open and communal space in housing: analysis of typologies in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. In International Symposium of IAPS CSBE - Social Change and Spatial Transformation in Housing Environments; The Faculty of Architecture Press: Istanbul, Turkey, 2005; pp. 51-62. [11]Ahmed, Z. N., 2009. Globalisation and Architecture: reflections of shifting lifestyles in Bangladesh, Protibesh: Journal of the Dept. of Architecture, BUET. Vol. 13, Issue 1: pp. 17-28. [12]Khan, S., 2020. Spatially Adaptive Courtyard Models for High-Density, Multistoried Residential Developments in Bangladesh. Master's dissertation at Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved at: https://etda.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/18262ssk211 [accessed 21.06.2021]. [13]Imamuddin, A. H., Hassan, S. A., and Alam, W. Shakhari Patti: A Unique Old City Settlement, Dhaka. In Architectural and Urban Conservation in the Islamic World; The Aga Khan Trust for Culture: Geneva, Switzerland, 1990; pp. 121-132. [14]Islam, A. K., 2003. Patterns and Changes of Vernacular Architecture in Bangladesh: An Application of Amos Rapoport's Theory Defining Vernacular Design. Master's dissertation at The Royal Institutes of Technology: Stockholm, Sweden. Retrieved at: https://arc456.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/msc-thesis-kausarul.pdf [accessed 21.06.2021]. [15]Choudhury, M. I. & Zaman, M. A., 1976. Settlement Pattern and Special Problems: National Report on Human Settlements, Bangladesh. In Habitat, United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, Vancouver: Canada. [16]Polin, F., 2018. The Changing Pattern of Mud Houses in the Barind Region of the Changing Pattern of Mud Houses. In the Fourteenth International Conference on Healthy Houses, Brno University of Technology: Brno, Czech Republic. [17]Hillier, B. & Hanson, J., 1984. The social logic of space. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511597237. [18]Rahman, M.A., 2021. Optimising the spatial configurations of an urban open space: syntactic analysis of the restored Hatirjheel wetland, Dhaka, Acta Sci. Pol. Architectura. Vol. 20, Issue 2: pp. 3-16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22630/ASPA.2021.20.2.10 [19]Leupen, B., 2006. Polyvalence, a concept for sustainable dwelling, Journal of Nordic Architectural Research. Vol. 19: pp. 23-31. Retrieved at: http://arkitekturforskning.net/na/article/view/156 [accessed 21.06.2021]. [20]Femenias, P. and Geromel, F., 2019. Adaptable housing? A quantitative study of contemporary apartment layouts that have been rearranged by end users, Jour-nal of Housing and the Built Environment. Vol. 35: pp. 481-505. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10901-019-09693-9 [21]Cold, B., Gunnarshaug, J., Hiortøj, E., and Raaen, H., 1984. Nye boligformer, en eksempelsamling [New forms of dwellings, a collection of examples in Norwegian]. Tapir: Trondheim, Norway. [22]Manum, B., Rusten, E. and Benze, P., 2005. AGRAPH, Software for Drawing and Calculating Space Syntax Graph. In Proceedings of 5th International Space Syntax Symposium, TU Delft: Delft, Netherlands. Vol. I: pp. 97. Retrieved at: https://www.ntnu.no/ab/spacesyntax/ [accessed 21.05.2021]. [23]Manum, B. and Rusten, E., 2009. AGRAPH; Complementary Software for Axial-Line Analyses. In Proceedings of 7th Space Syntax Symposium; Daniel Koch, Lars Marcus and Jesper Steen, Eds.; KTH: Stockholm, Sweden, 070:1. Retrieved at: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/AGRAPH-Complementary-Software-forAxialLine/c2d9dad964398e96c87550ee52bc11836fc303ae [accessed 21.05.2021]. [24] Andjelkovic, V., 2016. Transformation principles in the architectural design of a contemporary house, ArchiTECT. Vol. 4, Issue 1: pp. 86-107.