Le Corbusier’s Towards a New Architecture, originally published in 1923, emerged around the same time as fascism and colonial regimes were developing in Europe as well as other parts of the world. A lot of the general dogma surrounding colonization was infiltrating the conversations about architecture during that period. As a result of which, Corbusier […]
This afternoon, I presented my research on the writing skills of architecture students in Dhaka, at the 14th Annual UC Graduate Student Conference, organized by the Department of English at UC. This research was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of one of my courses for the Master of Architecture degree I was pursuing […]
In his book Moderne Architektur, published towards the end of 19th century, Otto Wagner brings forth the idea that it is necessary for an architect to find a sense of fulfillment that is inherent within themselves. He argues that this feeling of satisfaction should encourage an architect to continue working with love and dedication, even […]
I came across this book when it was listed as one of the top thrillers of 2023 by New York Times Books, and needless to say, it does not disappoint. It has all the essential elements of a great murder mystery: protagonist with a questionable past, a creepy house, horrific murders of a wealthy family, […]
For my course on Visual Arts Research Methods, I decided to research on how museum settings can become a space of healing for indigenous communities whose cultures have been appropriated by museum authorities of western ethnological museums. Part of the arts-based research method was incorporating a non-written element into the research paper or Living Inquiry […]
If An Egyptian Cannot Speak English tells the story of an American born Egyptian woman, who returns to Cairo following the revolution, and her relationship with one of the activists from the revolution, a photographer from the rural part of the country. They find each other interesting because of their differences, but it is the […]
Leon Battista Alberti begins his treatise On the Art of Building in Ten Books by mentioning that architecture is made up of two elements: lineamentia or linear characteristics of a building, which is obtained from the mind; and matteria or materials of a building, which comes from nature. Additionally, with regards to the linear characteristics […]
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett is easily one of the best books I have read this year. The story starts off at a very slow pace, when it introduces the protagonists, twin sisters Stella and Desiree who are light skinned and black. Eventually, the sisters run away from their hometown Mallard and then Stella decides […]
Such a Fun Age is a very timely and relevant portrayal of white savior narrative and the very subtle layers performative activism and woke culture. The writing style flows naturally and is written in a simplistic manner, despite its serious theme which deals with the nuances of race and class privilege. The plot centers on […]
For me, research has always been related to an attempt to solve some problems. This is something that is addressed in J. H. Rolling’s essay on Arts-Based Research in Education. He mentions that research can create new knowledge that can solve a problem, or reconfigure a query surrounding that issue which leads to more research. The […]
In Books I to V of his treatise On Architecture, Vitruvius chalks out a detailed guideline for all the relevant knowledge an architect may possibly need in the practice of architecture. And this include both theory and practice. While talking about theory, he justifies the need for studying philosophy by saying that it provides answer […]
While we were still reeling from the after effects of the disastrous year that 2020 was, 2021 became the year for healing and more resilience. Amidst all the chaos, I am glad to have survived yet another year of highs and lows, and throughout all of this, I managed to read some remarkable books. Here […]
Bangladesh, along with other parts of the world, has witnessed an increasing amount of environmental disasters as a result of climate change. On the other hand, due to poor planning and lack of regulations, more new hazards are on the rise in our cities. As the country turns fifty this year, it is high time […]
To understand what it means to live and experience a city that is still reeling from the effects of colonialism, one does not need to look further than Kolkata. Unlike other Indian cities such as Ahmedabad or Chandigarh, Kolkata was not able to adapt the style of modernism that became the referential model for architecture […]
It was a compelling and novel proposition. A young Stanford dropout wanted to develop a blood test analyzer that requires no syringe and only a drop of blood. And thus began Elizabeth Holmes’ journey with Theranos. Soon, her confidence and eagerness to revolutionize healthcare impressed congressmen, military officials and seasoned professionals to invest millions of […]
Here’s my TBR pile, which includes two books by Bangladeshi authors which I got from Dhaka Lit Fest a few years ago. I feel like the English books written by Bangladeshi authors is always a hit-or-miss situation. Most of them focus too much on the expat lives, or on the lives of those living below […]
[This article was previously published on ‘The Daily Star’ on 25th February, 2021. Illustration by Ehsanur Raza Ronny.]
This time period between 1947 and 1971 is somehow deliberately absent in the works of scholars from both East and West Pakistan. However, we must critically consider that absence, an intellectual blind spot, as it is essential in developing our historical consciousness, which affects the practice of architecture. We cannot ignore that time period, and […]
I have heard horror stories from relatives and friends about getting detained at US airports or their luggage getting misplaced or lost during international travels. I myself hadn’t faced any of it until my recent trip to the US. My mom and I landed at Washington Dulles Airport on a Wednesday afternoon in February, 2020. […]
Today, my colleagues and I were having the following conversation in the office vehicle, on our way to a work event. T: Look! That Range Rover in that showroom is a plug-in hybrid! M: Range Rovers are so big, and heavy, it wouldn’t even make a 0.5% difference.Me: It’s like those celebrities who fly private jets […]