Urge for sustainable architecture

Agency
Dhaka: A day-long seminar on Sustainable Architecture in Bengal was held at the La Galerie of Alliance Française de Dhaka on Thursday with a view to creating a new approach to the architectural heritage in Bangladesh. Secretary for Housing and Public Works Dr Khondaker Showkat Hossain was present as chief guest at the seminar. Among others, Olivier Litvine, the director of the Alliance française de Dhaka, and Arnaud Loizeau, the attaché for culture and cooperation, were also present on the occasion.
While attending the event, Olivier Litvine has expressed his optimism about the success of this project and some other initiatives by French and Bangladeshi architects and engineers.
He said, “The outcome of this seminar can help building up solutions for the future and answer to the social, demographic and environmental challenges that Bangladesh is facing in the current period.”
Arnaud Loizeau in his speech said, “This seminar has created an opportunity for further collaboration in the field of sustainable development between France and Bangladesh.”
Dr Khondaker Showkat Hossain thanked the French embassy for taking such initiatives in the field of sustainable architecture in Bengal and hoped that bilateral cooperation in this field will definitely benefit Bangladesh.
The speakers in the seminar not only discussed on the continuing architectural legacy of Bengal, from the bungalow, the first global architectural concept, and its relevance in the context of housing in natural disasters prone areas of Bangladesh but also on a medium of comfort with aesthetical values with a special focus on sustainable materials such as mud and bamboo.
Two renowned French experts–Olivier Moles and Laurent Fournier along with experts from the universities of CUET and BUET and representatives of NGOs like Sancheton and Caritas took part in this discussion.
The seminar was initiated as part of a 12-day event on sustainable architecture.
The series of events have been organized by the French Embassy in Bangladesh, in association with the Alliance française of Chittagong and Dhaka, the Institut Français, the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh, Chittagong, the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, CRAterre and Caritas Bangladesh.