It is often challenging to utilise techniques, designs and wisdom pertaining to archaic vernacular construction in contemporary times, especially in urban areas. This can be attributed to a lack of research and experimentation with regard to the contemporary adaptation of these age-old practices. For instance, it is tricky to use bamboo to build high-rise structures, thus limiting its usage to indoor partitions, furniture and smaller integrations. Similarly, materials such as wood, mud, straw and stone are often deemed unfit for large-scale contemporary buildings, especially those that integrate central air conditioning systems. Alternatively, such materials are also often discarded in favour of modern materials due to their aesthetics, which can seem incongruous in contexts that are dominated by contemporary minimalist designs.

Against such consternations, how does one ensure that these materials do not completely fade away from the public eye and that age-old building practices and wisdom are not lost under the plumage of pared-down newfangled designs and technologies?

Perhaps a balancing act in this scenario is the integration of pop-ups, sheds, pavilions and installations within parks, large compounds, street edges and, sometimes, even the interiors of certain large-scale buildings. One can witness the fulfilment of this notion in the recently completed project Mudhouse by Bangladeshi architect Kazi Fida Islam. Mudhouse is a lounging space with a kitchen and washroom in place. Positioned on a farmhouse in Uttara, near Dhaka in Bangladesh, the client for Mudhouse envisioned it as a recreational space where friends and family can gather and unwind within the property, yet in an area that is thoroughly connected to the outside.

Mudhouse is a lounging and recreation zone that lies close to a farmhouse in Uttara, on the same plot. The site comprises a significant number of plants and trees, such as Indian plum trees and bay leaf plants, some of which lie in proximity to Mudhouse, shielding it from the rays of the sun and naturally adorning the property. Upon being asked about some challenges on the site, Islam’s architectural studio tells STIR, “The area was a low-lying land which could hold potential risks of flooding. Through soil filling, the site was elevated to match with the surrounding terrain.”

The southern face of the Mudhouse plot faces a playground and an open field that sits across from the main plot. “The location serves as a serene natural hub, despite being surrounded by the city atmosphere, offering a setting that embodies a balance between the urban convenience and a quiet retreat,” Islam shares with STIR.

Mudhouse was conceptualised, designed and built by River & Rain, an architectural practice previously co-founded by Islam that is now defunct. Islam, who has now established his eponymous independent practice, Kazi Fida Architects, derives his inspiration from the natural surroundings of his hometown, Chittagong. Islam’s designs combine regionalism and biophilia and are evocative of the context they exist within. He designs structures wherein the raw materials are emphatically emphasised, and this structural clarity is combined with a sense of lightness and transparency.

Islam’s ideas find tangible representation in the Mudhouse, which is made using local materials and techniques and hosts porous spaces. When asked about the brief shared by the client, the studio tells STIR, “The requirements were simple, two large sitting lounges with a separate dining lounge, kitchen and toilet that use sustainable and earthy building materials, preferably mud, integrating into a farmstead.” The resultant design hosts five circular structures arranged transversely from each other. While the two lounges and the dining area are hosted within larger bamboo structures, the kitchen and washrooms occupy the smaller circles.

"Designing a vernacular complex with contemporary traits fused within rudimentary building materials was nothing but challenging with an inherently captivating appeal. It was required that the project harbour down-to-earth design elements utilising vernacular and local building materials, primarily mud. The aim was to create living spaces that are thoughtfully designed to merge with the existing surrounding landscape,” the studio shares with STIR.

For Mudhouse, the architects derived inspiration from several age-old rural houses in different areas of the world to understand the usage of mud and bamboo in construction. Learning from these references, the architects opted for primary shapes while deciding on the form of the structure. Hence, the final design integrates round cylindrical shaped enclosures and a rectangular flat roof. “Rounded shapes were used in an attempt to seek out the gentle tranquillity of nature while the flat rectangular roof delivers a modern framework weaving the two coherently under one single roof,” the studio shares.

Further, the usage of timber posts or shal bolli columns, placed strategically in a random format throughout the design, serve as support for the roof, while also helping maintain a rural aesthetic. The meandering paths flanking the circular structures and converging into an internal courtyard bear resemblance to vernacular housing layouts in the countryside. The large courtyard, flanked by lounges on three sides, mimics the uthan or courtyards found within all large and small households in villages across South Asia. The courtyard, the opening on the north and south sides of the plot and the winding paths connecting all the structures of Mudhouse facilitate adequate cross-ventilation.

Emulating Bangladesh’s mud houses, locally referred to as kacha ghar or mati’r bari, Islam’s Mudhouse is built using a sustainable and eco-friendly construction technique. The traditional mati’r baris of Bangladesh date back thousands of years, with the abundant clay from the riverbanks and the alluvial soil of the fertile plains being used to construct sturdy structures. In addition to serving as a shelter for the rural populace, the mati’r bari has, over time, emerged as a structure, the communal process of constructing which fosters enduring social bonds. It is common for family members and neighbours to come together to mix the mud, prepare the bamboo framework and polish the facades for a finishing touch. Made using locally sourced materials such as clay, straw, bamboo and jute, mud houses blend in with their natural surroundings. Further, these houses have also been adapted to thrive in the tropical monsoon climate of Bangladesh.

The Mudhouse, hence, with direct nominal and procedural references to mati’r bari, exudes a nostalgic charm whilst also embodying the mud and bamboo construction’s positive features, one of which is the excellent insulating capabilities of the thick mud walls. This also means there is little to no need for heating and cooling devices in the Mudhouse—hence reducing the carbon footprint of the mud architecture—since the thick mud walls ensure a warm indoor environment during winters and a cool indoor environment during summers. The circular walls further enhance the energy efficiency of the structure since a smaller surface area remains exposed. The circular form also additionally enhances the structural stability of the mud and bamboo architecture.

For Mudhouse, the soil was transported from Tangail, a city in central Bangladesh where one can find sandy loam soil. This was then mixed with various other components, such as jute leaves, thatch and husk, the proportions of which were monitored to churn out the ideal clay composition. Since the region experiences fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels, the construction was done by erecting two feet of the walls at a time. The structural timber supports and the bamboo, on the other hand, were sources from Gazipur with the help of local construction workers. Further, to repel termites and rodents, a concrete base was built to act as a foundation for all the elements of the structure with necessary pest control procedures.

The toilet and kitchen of Mudhouse comprise bamboo walls, and the flat rectangular roof is layered with timber beams and a thin bamboo shed, which serves as an insulator against rain and heat. The bamboo shed is further covered with a wooden structure for added stability.

While the architects and workers on site inspected all the materials and structures to ensure their resilience in the face of extreme environmental conditions, there were also pertinent challenges in this project. "The construction being challenging enough with a lack of expert contractors in this type of work, the implementation was even more far-fetched as material handling maintenance required patience," Islam shares, detailing the challenges during the making of Mudhouse.

Mudhouse exemplifies the possibility of integrating vernacular structures in contemporary environments—an attempt that can, at once, append the users’ appreciation for age-old building traditions and materials and offer a disparate nostalgic experience to people in proximity to contemporary establishments and residences. 

Project Details

Name: Mudhouse
Location: Sector 12, Uttara, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Client: Orion Group
Architecture Studio: River & Rain
Principal Architect: Kazi Fida Islam
Design Team: Md. Abdul Awyal, Asif Al Aziz
Engineers: Iqbal Hossain, Saiful Islam
Site Area: 9,000 sq.ft. (836 sq m)
Year of Completion: 2024