Transitional Linkage

BRAC University, Department of Architecture, Dhaka

Project idea

Dhaka, known to many as the traffic capital, is a city of dreams at the same time, chaos as the transport system works separately, inefficiently slowing down the people and nation. Dhaka’s growth and urban development stumbles upon its ever growing population as it fails to keep up with its people and overbuilt space. The city’s infrastructure which should connect the people with their destination is failing every moment. The issues of over population and inadequate transport facilities is known to both the government and the people which is why Bangladesh Government has planned to establish a couple of Metro rail over the roads of Dhaka as the roads and streets at ground level fails to move people at fast pace.
In short, the thesis was an attempt to understand the morphology of different modes of transport system and how it can serve the city in both micro and macro scale to make human movement comfortable, easier, and efficient.

Project description

The Bangladesh government along with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has reported a detail study and future action plan to build 6 MRT lines which would connect Dhaka with other districts as well as within its own neighborhoods. The government has reported in the Dhaka structure plan (2016-2035) that a metro line would be established to become a north eastern spine for the city. This metro line is named MRT line 4 which will begin from Uttora and end in Saidabaad. However, the line crosses a very significant node of the city when it goes over the airport rail way station beside the Shahjalal International Airport. As the airport and the rail way station both are situated together, this location plays a significant role in producing both pedestrian and vehicle traffic and after the completion of MRT line 4 over the railway station it will be crowded and dense than ever. Thus an integrated station is need which will serve the MRT line 4, BRT line and existing railway station as well as connects to the airport to create an integrate compound station to accommodate different passengers easily and efficiently.
The aim of the thesis was to study the urban issues and characteristics of the airport station site, its local pedestrian network, movement and vehicle traffic, nodes and transition points and the impact of future growth will prevail over this site. As the BRT, MRT and trains will pass over the site, the detail study of each transport modes and its effects and serving radius is studied and analyzed with qualitative and quantitative research methods such as and survey, behavioral observation and interviews. The survey revealed local needs and demanded connections as well the requirements to serve the whole city in future. The research was conducted on how BRT and MRT as well as train station can coexist with physical connections to the airport. As the potential opportunity and threat were studied it was found that the local area has a vacancy for public place and that the site surrounding has been used for public functions. A huge amount of attention was given to consider the unbuilt open space beside the station which is barren now but can be used as public plaza and park to serve the passengers as well as the local people and environment. As the local habitants do not have public recreational place nearby it was very important to use the open land and existing small active space in the site to magnify its facilities to accommodate local needs of open space. More emphasis was given on the ease of horizontal public movement and preserving natural green by shifting the transport infrastructure vertically without undermining either of the functions.
Concept of this project came from the site. Studying the site it was found that there is an invisible path going through the rail line and crossing the highway. That path was created because of peoples need. So I try to formalize that path in my project for the ease of movement of local pedestrian. Those paths become my concept of central space of my project. From that space I tried to connect six mode of transport i was working with. That path became the central space of my multimodal transport hub and at the same time that path is designed for local people to cross fluently all the traffic line that exists. So that space become the central lobby for the hub and also the pedestrian path for the local people to move easily.

Technical information

Name of project: Transitional Linkage
Client: (P.W.D.)
Consortium Agencies: RAJUK, Dhaka City Co-Orporation, WASA, DESCO, Dhaka Metro Authority, Bangladesh Railway
Site Location: airport railway station
Site Area: 18 Acres/ 785817 sqft
Source of Fund: Jaica, GOV, Public Private Partnership.
User group: airport and the railway station is important node of Dhaka where all people of Dhaka transit every day. So user group of this project will be all the people of Bangladesh.