Floating University in Bangladesh

A Prototype for Resilient & Sustainable Urban Development in the Tropics FLOATING UNIVERSITY VIEW OF BIKE PARK AT SOUTH ENTRANCE PLAZA VIEW OF COMMUNAL PLAZA AT SOUTH ENTRANCE VIEW OF PUBLIC CONCOURSE AND RAINGARDEN EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS Inspired by the Sundarbans mangrove forest and built on the site of a polluted man-made pond, this university for 10,000 students floats above a large public space, in the rapidly expanding city of Dhaka, population 18 million. Working closely with the client BRAC (Building Resources Across Communities – the world’s largest NGO) the building not only provides educational facilities but is itself a teaching resource for BRAC of strategies for resilient and low-energy design. Brise-soleil, breezeway atria, and planted facades optimise the interior climate, which together with an innovative hybrid cooling system and passive design reduce the energy for cooling by 40%. Water recycling and rainwater collection reduces water consumption by nearly 50%. Photovoltaic cells contribute 25% of this very large building’s energy use. The concept of “multiple ground levels” resulted in spacious sports and recreation facilities located on the roof, gardens, throughout the height of the building, and a public space surrounded by bio-remediated water from the existing pond. The project will set a new benchmark of sustainability in Asia with robust and resilient strategies. The exploding megacities of the global tropical belt urgently need prototypes that solve the issues of urban congestion, super high densities, and large buildings catering to large numbers of users. This project manufactures much needed amenity space in the congested and built-up city – public space, green space, green space and energy ONE UNIVERSITY BUILDING FOR 10,000 PEOPLE HIGHLY COMFORTABLE WITH LOCALLY SOURCED HYBRID SYSTEMS ENERGY EFFICIENT AND LOW INVESTMENT COST HYBRID SYSTEM FULL AC SYSTEM 25% RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCED BY PHOTOVOLTAIC ROOF SMART THERMAL ZONING NATURAL VENTILATION COMBINED WITH ELEVATED AIR SPEED LEGEND NV1 Natural Ventilation NV2 Natural Ventilation (EAS) HT1 Hybrid Tempered HT2 Hybrid Tempered with FCU AC Full AC harvesting space – at the same time as providing excellent educational facilities. For two decades, WOHA has developed strategies for low energy environments in the dense urban tropics in a series of built works in highly- developed Singapore. This project is the first application of this research to the developing world. “Alpana” arecolourful geometricmotifs, asacred folk art in Bangladesh. The patterns are used to enliven the soffits over the public spaces. The university links into the existing street network.