‘Safety over aesthetics is my core philosophy’

The Daily Star (TDS): What inspired you to become an architect, and how did you start your journey in this field?
Mustapha Khalid Palash (MKP): Both my parents were artists who graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University. From my childhood, I wanted to be an artist. However, back in the late 70s or early 80s, it was very difficult for artists to lead a financially solvent life. I had my first solo exhibition in 1978 when I just finished tenth grade. The exhibition was inaugurated by venerated artist Quamrul Hasan. Folklorist Professor Mansuruddin was present as the special guest.
I passed my higher secondary in 1981 and wanted to enrol in the Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University. However, my parents and their friends advised me against it. They told me that life would get really difficult for me financially if I pursued painting. I also had a knack for making models with different materials from my teenage years and had a keen interest in science. So I took their advice and sat for the BUET entrance exam for architecture. I got accepted with distinction, and that’s how the journey started.
I graduated in 1988, securing a first-class second position with the highest grades in the design segment. I opened my own office, but it was still hard for me to get by as architecture as a field was not that popular when I graduated. So I joined BUET as a faculty member and worked there for five years. After that, I quit and finally got my big break with the Bashundhara City project. I was 35 years old at that time, and there was no looking back after that.
TDS: How would you describe your design philosophy?
MKP: I believe that simplicity is the key. I always go for minimalism and try not to incorporate anything unnecessary for the project. My designs are devoid of any cosmetics. I only use two or three types of materials.
Just like painting deals with illusion and sculpture deals with volume, architecture deals with space. Architecture is beyond the exteriors of the structure. When we see the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban from the outside, we only perceive it as a well-designed structure. However, if you go inside, you get to feel the grandiosity of the design, which is an out-of-the-world feeling. The space was dealt with in a very specific way to evoke such an emotion.
TDS: What role do culture and heritage play in your designs?
MKP: Even 300-400 years ago, we were a completely rural society. We did not have these high-rise office buildings with air conditioning. I believe that culture is an ever-evolving phenomenon. Evolution involves the fusion of many elements and we should always take the better aspects from other cultures. What we as architects value the most is the lifestyle of our people, and that is what we try to incorporate into our modern designs.
My style mostly maintains an international standard, but I have to consider the local climate before designing anything. Architects need to be aware of sustainable practices and try to incorporate them passively within their designs so a building can operate those practices on its own.
TDS: How do you balance functionality and aesthetics in your projects?
MKP: For me, safety will always come before aesthetics. Aesthetics is subjective. People trust architects and engineers with their lives, and that is something we should always remember while designing. What happened in Bailey Road a few months ago is truly tragic. Innocent people were killed. That incident really affected me. I got to know about another building designed by me on Shat Masjid Road which I found was not being operated safely in terms of fire hazards and informed everyone about it. I made some new enemies for that action, but I thought it was the right thing to do. So safety and functionality are imperative in my design, and I’m always confident of making something beautiful out of it.
TDS: Could you share some insights on your most notable projects and what makes them special to you?
MKP: To this day, I’m not satisfied with what I have done so far. Still, if I have to name some of my notable projects, the list would include Babylonia in Tejgaon Link Road, for which I have recently been awarded the “Berger Excellence in Architecture” award. Then comes the Grameenphone headquarters in Bashundhara, because of all the sustainable practices we could introduce in its structure in terms of reducing energy consumption. Bashundhara City gave me my big break as an architect and brought a change in the urban lifestyle, so I consider that a magnum opus in my career. The Mobil House, EBL Head Office and Radisson Chittagong are among my other projects that are mentionworthy.
TDS: Are there any upcoming projects you’re particularly excited about?
MKP: I’m currently working on some big shopping malls and a township for a conglomerate on a 250-acre land with my friend architect Rafiq Azam.
TDS: How do you see the evolution of architecture in Bangladesh over the years? What unique architectural challenges and opportunities exist in Bangladesh?
MKP: There have been a lot of “isms” in architecture, and I believe we are still in the modernist trend which began in the early twentieth century. We are still following the styles of Louis I Kahn and Mazharul Islam because their approach worked in this country. So I think we are on the right track.
If we consider challenges, I keep emphasising the safety aspect of our designs. We need to ensure that our designs have scope for evacuation in case of any hazardous situations. The buildings can be rebuilt, but people’s lives are what’s at stake here. We also need to think about our geographical location. Dhaka is one of the only cities in the world devoid of a landscape, which contributes to its poor living standards. We also fall under the seismic zone, so our designs should consider that as well. Another big challenge is the reluctance of developers and owners to invest in sustainable practices. This reluctance continues to impact the environment negatively.
TDS: How do you incorporate sustainable practices in your projects given the local context?
MKP: If draw examples from my work, the Grameephone Head Quarters in Bashundhara is the first sustainable building in the country. The building generates its own power to reduce the cost of energy. The turbines generating the captive power produce around 500°C exhaust that goes into the environment. In the Grameenphone office, we used a technique called cogeneration and used the heat to run chillers, reducing 65 percent of the electrical load created by air conditioning. This mechanism has also reduced the electricity requirement from 4.5 megawatts to 1.5 megawatts.
We also introduced a wastewater treatment plant, in that building, where we reuse the water after the treatment. We have rainwater harvesting facilities. Mobil House and Eastern Bank office also have shields to protect the buildings from directly gaining heat, reducing the load on air conditioning.
TDS: What are some of the latest trends in architecture that you find exciting?
MKP: I’m really proud of the work our architects are doing. Bangladesh as a country has not been very affluent and our cities are unplanned, to say the least. But what our architects are making out of these circumstances is truly commendable. They are also receiving international awards and recognition for their work. Again, the one thing that needs continued focus in our work is ensuring the safety of our buildings, both in terms of structure and fire hazards.
TDS: What advice would you give to aspiring architects in Bangladesh?
MKP: Try to be honest with your work and focus on the safety of the people with your designs. Style and aesthetics are subjective, but safety and functionality should always be an architect’s primary concern.
The Interview was taken by Nahaly Nafisa Khan.