TFA-000037_Anandaloy_Rudrapur

Facade concept

Curving cob walls and a prominent ramp form an inclusive public façade beneath a light bamboo upper storey. The building deliberately presents earth as expressive contemporary material rather than a sign of poverty.

Envelope system and materials

Thick sculpted cob walls form the lower enclosure; a lighter bamboo-framed upper veranda and roof sit above. The ramp wraps the building, becoming both circulation and inhabited façade.

Fired-brick foundation, cob earth walls, bamboo columns/ceilings/roof structure, straw roof at lower level, metal-sheet upper roof, timber/metal joinery.

Structure, climate and shading

Structure. Earth walls and brick base support/define the ground floor while bamboo posts, beams and roof members form the upper level. Specialist advice addressed earth, bamboo and roof construction.

Climate response. Earth mass, shaded verandas, a ventilated bamboo upper level and large roof overhangs suit the hot-humid rural climate. Local materials reduce transport and support repairable construction.

Shading and daylight. Deep eaves, bamboo screens, the continuous veranda and the ramp’s overhang protect openings and cob surfaces. Porous upper edges permit air movement and filtered light.

Fabrication, details and lifecycle

Fabrication. Cob can be shaped without formwork, enabling curves and recessed openings; local workers built the project under Bangladeshi site management. Knowledge transfer was an explicit project outcome.

Key details. The sweeping ramp, rounded earth openings, hand-shaped wall surfaces, bamboo rhythm and roof layering make accessibility and material craft visible in the elevation.

Maintenance. Earth walls require sound plinths, roof protection and repair after erosion; bamboo needs moisture and insect management; roof edges and metal-sheet fixings require seasonal inspection.

Performance evidence

No measured energy dataset is public. Performance is evidenced through low-carbon local materials, manual construction, passive ventilation and the avoidance of complex imported systems.

Significance

A façade where social inclusion, craft and climate are inseparable: the ramp is both an access device and the building’s defining public expression.

Cultural and urban reading

Cultural reading. The project invests in local labour, material knowledge and women’s textile production while challenging stigma around disability and earthen construction.

Urban role. A small rural institution functions as a visible community catalyst, combining therapy, work and social participation rather than isolating either programme.