CLOSE TO ROOT -BEDE COMMUNITY - A harmony of society At Chandpur,Bangladesh

Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology, Gazipur, Department of Architecture, Dhaka

Project idea

CLOSE TO ROOT BEDE COMMUNITY- A harmony of society At Chandpur

Establishing an open sharing space between river and land, preserving
culture, and advancing construction techniques for sustainable development and harmony. The project aims to create a space fostering Bede community culture preservation. It aims to enhance lifestyle, generate income, and elevate educational backgrounds. By integrating
sustainable design, it seeks to inspire holistic development that respects and uplifts the unique cultural heritage of the Bede community.

Project description

ABSTRACT :
Chandpur's Bede community, a subset of the broader Bede population, engages in unique professions such as fishing and boat-making, involving both genders. Despite aligning with broader Bangladeshi cultural events, their distinct lifestyle is shaped by nature's rhythms and annual flooding.
Of the 90+ households, 40% live on boats, adapting to a life that incorporates traditional materials for housing.
The educational landscape for 35 to 50 primary school students faces challenges due to economic constraints, seasonal flooding, and limited access to clean water, with cultural values hindering acceptance of certain functional solutions. Oxfam provides tube wells and land-based sanitation.


CHALLENGES ASPECT:
The Bede community in Chandpur, Bangladesh, confronts multifaceted challenges. They lived on the site around 60-70 years. Sole reliance on fishing leads to income instability. Annual flooding, prompting elevated houses, creates problems in the dry season. Educational pursuits are hindered by financial constraints and seasonal floods. Bamboo structures prove inadequate for the annual inundation, prompting some to resort to concrete pillars. Access to clean water, sanitation, and women's security remain significant concerns. The community grapples with the intricacies of sustaining livelihoods, ensuring education amid economic and environmental obstacles, and addressing fundamental needs like water, sanitation, and safety, highlighting the complexity of their predicament.

SITE LOCATION:

LOCATION
SITE: Ghat 10, Chandpur Sadar, Chandpur,Bangladesh
SWOT Analysis:
Strength
• The site location is Visible and easily accessible from Chandpur town.
• The site is free from noise pollution
• The site is an important place for visitor
Weakness
• 3-4 months of annual flooding/Rainy season/May to August
• The site is only connected by predestine access
• lack of pure water.
• Poor sanitation system
•
Opportunity
• Good place to explore materials since there are a lot of bamboo trees around.
• Bede people are involved in their house and boat making.
• Lot of income source
Threats.
• The price of local materials may rise because of emerging demand.
• Nature can get harmed by using local materials.
• The land of Jhupri house is 50% destroyed for 3–4 months of water on the site.
Problems arise when water is left to sit for extended periods.

MASTER PLAN:
Bede community master plan harmonizes cultural preservation with modernity, preserving heritage through existing house patterns, fostering cohesion. Economic initiatives empower, leveraging skills. Envisions revitalizing river and land connections for sustainable growth,
balancing tradition and progress, nurturing a thriving community respecting identity while embracing opportunities. The Bede community exemplifies solidarity through collective home construction, mutual
aid, vegetable cultivation, and cultural conservation, showcasing remarkable communal strength. The Bede community Master plan includes elevated homes, eco-friendly toilets, floating courtyards, and cultural centres, blending tradition and modernity. Each structure
embodies the community's identity, telling a story of collective memories. This aesthetic captures the rich tapestry of human creativity, offering a glimpse into the essence of a place and its people.

FLOATING PLATFORM
(LEARNING AND TRAINING CENTRE)
"Developing a versatile floating platform for a school and training centre to serve the Bede community's needs.“
LEARNING CENTRE:
The Bede community education plan integrates hands-on skills, teaching technology for elevated housing, vegetable cultivation, eco-friendly sanitation, and floating structure creation. Designed for all ages, it fosters practical knowledge, enabling active community engagement,
empowering individuals to contribute meaningfully to sustainable development while respecting the unique Bede way of life.
TRAINING CENTRE:
Chandpur's Bede community is distinctive for its absence of polygamy and gender-inclusive practices in fishing and boat making. Marriage customs align with Bangladeshi gender parity norms. The community's training center prioritizes women, imparting skills such as sewing and
ornament crafting, fostering economic independence

HOUSE PATTERN:
THE FLOATING COURTYARD
The Bede community formed two different dwellings, one was a boat or float dwelling, and another was a tent dwelling lived on land. In our community, each boat dwelling lacks a social space, forming anti-courtyards. Tent dwellings on land have courtyards, but we emphasize a central courtyard. Eight families surrounding it can foster social development and stronger connections among them.The floating courtyard thrives through diverse activities: shared spaces foster community, duck farming enriches ecosystems, vegetable plots yield sustenance, and household tasks harmonize daily life. Together, these elements cultivate a dynamic and interconnected environment.

LIFTING HOUSE
“We propose to the lifting house due to 3-4 months of annual flooding”
The Bede community formed two different dwellings, one was a boat or float dwelling, and another was a tent dwelling lived on land called a Jhupri house.
The Bede family, residing on a boat or float dwelling, occasionally relocates to land due to natural disasters such as flooding, cyclones, and typhoons, ensuring their safety amidst unpredictable environmental challenges. Jhupri houses are elevated (5-7 ft) to counter rainwater issues, with bamboo platforms. Some families opt for concrete pillars, combining them with bamboo as structural columns for
improved stability against weather conditions.
Proposing adaptive house elevation based on seasonal demand, addressing the inconvenience of high platforms for 8-9 months. Tailored solutions for the elderly's mobility issues ensure a comfortable living environment. The Bede House design responds dynamically to both seasonal and social demands, allowing residents to assist each other in
adjusting elevation. This fosters a strong sense of community, promoting mutual support and positive social connections among house members.

PURE WATER, SANITATION & AND BATHING :
The Bede community prioritizes unadulterated water, sanitation, and bathing facilities. Tactically addressing these needs within the Bangladeshi rural system, they provide structured solutions
that ensure privacy and security for Bede women. Establishing covered bathing spaces, distinct from traditional riverbank baths, not only ensures hygiene but also grants a sense of personal space and safety, prioritizing the well-being of women within the community.


FLOATING NATURAL BIO-DIGEST TOILET-:
"Creating floating natural toilets for Bede community's boat-dwelling residents.“
The man-made wetland features water hyacinths, resembling a floating garden.Anaerobic (oxygen-free) activities occur on a drum connected to a porcelain squat toilet on a floating patio. Waste then travels to the Handy Pod floating, where water hyacinth roots aid decomposition before it enters the lake.

CULTURAL CENTER(BEDE-BANGLA):
“The cultural center showcases Bangladeshi and Bede community cultures, preserving their heritage in a vibrant, inclusive space.
Chandpur's Bede community, distinct in Bangladesh, engages in unique cultural practices and diverse income sources. Despite their uniqueness, they actively enrich Bangladeshi culture, participating in major Muslim festivals like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Milad un-Nabi, Muharram,
Chand raat, and Shab-e-Barat. The Bede Community Cultural Centre harmoniously fuses traditional Bangladeshi house structures with distinctive Bede architecture, embodying a blend that mirrors cultural heritage and identity.

Technical information

Proposing adaptive house elevation based on seasonal demand, addressing the inconvenience of high platforms for 8-9 months. Tailored solutions for the elderly's mobility issues ensure a comfortable living environment. The Bede House design responds
dynamically to both seasonal and social demands, allowing residents to assist each other in adjusting elevation. This fosters a strong sense of community, promoting mutual support and positive social connections among house members.
Despite financial challenges, the Bede people prioritize concrete pillars over bamboo due to frequent water exposure. Bamboo structures fail, requiring biannual replacement costing 4000- 4500 tk. In contrast, the initial costlier concrete pillar proves resilient, enduring natural disasters, providing sustainable housing for 6-8 years. This choice offers long-term stability, reducing overall expenses for these vulnerable communities.