NATIONAL PARLIAMENT DHAKA BY LOUIS I. KHAN Modern architecture

1. MODERNISM
ARCHITECTURE
NATIONAL PARLIAMENT,
DHAKA
MADE BY :
SAYANTAN PAUL
27802317002
6TH SEM, 3RD YR
HISTORY OF ARCH. VI

2. INTRODUCTION
 Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban or National
Parliament House, is the house of
the Parliament of Bangladesh, located at
Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the Bangladeshi
capital of Dhaka.
 Designed while the country was still part of
a Pakistan by architect Louis Kahn, the complex
is one of the largest legislative complexes in the
world, comprising 200 acres (800,000 m²).
 The building was featured prominently in the
2003 film My Architect, detailing the career and
familial legacy of its architect, Louis Kahn.
Robert McCarter, author of Louis I. Kahn,
described the National Parliament of Bangladesh
as one of the twentieth century's most significant
buildings.

3. DETAILS
 National Assembly Building
 Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
 Architect/Planner: Louis I. Kahn
 Client : Public Works Department, Dhaka
 Date:28 January, 1982
 Century: 20th
 Decade: 1980s
 Building Type : Government
 Building Usage: Parliamentary building
 Awards: Aga Khan Award for Architecture
Winner ; Recipient of the Aga Khan Award
for Architecture,1989.

4. HISTORY
 Play of light inside the building.
 Before its completion, the first and second Parliaments used the Old Sangsad
Bhaban, which currently serves as the Prime Minister's Office.
 Construction was started in 1961 when Bangladesh was East Pakistan, led
by Ayub Khan from the West Pakistan capital of Islamabad. As part of his efforts
to decrease the disparity and secessionist tendencies of East Pakistan, Khan
aimed to make Dhaka a second capital, with appropriate facilities for an
assembly.
 Jatiya Sangsad was designed by Louis Kahn. The government sought
assistance from South Asian activist and architect Muzharul Islam who
recommended bringing in the world's top architects for the project. He initially
attempted to bring Alvar Aalto and Le Corbusier, who were both were
unavailable at the time. Islam then enlisted his former teacher at Yale, Louis
Kahn.
 Construction was halted during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and was
completed on 28 January 1982. Kahn died when the project was approximately
three-quarters completed and it continued under David Wisdom, who worked for
Kahn.

5. CONCEPT
 Louis Kahn designed the entire Jatiya Sangsad
complex, which includes lawns, lake and residences
for the Members of the Parliament (MPs).
 The architect's key design philosophy was to
represent Bengali culture and heritage, while at the
same time optimizing the use of space.
 The exterior of the building is striking in its simplicity,
with huge walls deeply recessed by porticoes and
large openings of regular geometric shapes.
 The main building, which is at the center of the
complex, is divided into three parts – the Main
Plaza, South Plaza and Presidential Plaza. An
artificial lake surrounds three sides of the main
building of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, extending to the
Members of Parliament hostel complex.
 This skillful use of water to portray the riverine
beauty of Bengal adds to the aesthetic value of the
site.

6. ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
 Kahn's key design philosophy optimizes the use of space while representing Bengali heritage
and culture. External lines are deeply recessed by porticoes with huge openings of regular
geometric shapes on their exterior, shaping the building's overall visual impact.
 In the architect Louis Kahn's own words:
In the assembly I have introduced a light-giving element to the interior of the plan. If you see
a series of columns you can say that the choice of columns is a choice in light. The columns as
solids frame the spaces of light. Now think of it just in reverse and think that the columns are
hollow and much bigger and that their walls can themselves give light, then the voids are rooms,
and the column is the maker of light and can take on complex shapes and be the supporter of
spaces and give light to spaces. I am working to develop the element to such an extent that it
becomes a poetic entity which has its own beauty outside of its place in the composition. In this
way it becomes analogous to the solid column I mentioned above as a giver of light.
It was not belief, not design, not pattern, but the essence from which an institution could emerge.
 The lake on three sides of the Bhaban, extending up to the Members' hostel adds to
site's aesthetics and also portrays the riverine beauty of Bangladesh.
 The assembly building received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1989.

7. DESIGN
The main building (the Bhaban) is divided into three
parts:
- The Main Plaza
- South Plaza
- Presidential Plaza
Presidential Plaza
The Main Plaza
South Plaza

8. DESIGN

9. DESIGN

10. DESIGN
 All the building of the complex is made of red brick
 White concrete is used for assembly building
 All the materials are local and very easily available here

11. INTERIOR
 The mosque
- Kahn designed the prayer hall of the
building as a mosque
- Being inspired form our spiritual
belief
-He let the light flood in
- Made it the entrance of the building
- Square in plan
- 4 cylinders at each corners, allows
daylight to enter, called light tower
- He let the light flood into the
mosque

12. INTERIOR
 Artificial lighting provide zero
obstruction to daylight
 A composite chandelier is
suspended from parabolic shell roof.
 There is a single story clearance
after the shell roof
 This chandelier in turn consists of a
metallic web
 It is spanning the entire chamber,
that supports the individual light
fixtures.
 To let the day light enter, reflecting
from the surrounded walls and filters
into the assembly chamber

13. INTERIOR SPACES
 In the interior spaces, street lights are used to give a feel of out
side in the inside.

14. EXTERIOR WALLS
 Shape of the Large punches on the exterior walls came from the
geometrical representation of our cultural and traditional element.
Such as – pottery, house, weaving element.
 These punches also give the building a single story look.
 Providing protection from sun and rain.
 Helps to ensure comfortable interior environment

15. MAIN PLAZA
 It is the parliament chamber
 Can house 354 members
 Also has two podiums and two
galleries for VIP visitors.
 Total height 155’
 After 117’ a parabolic shell roof
cover the chamber.
 Upper levels of the block contains
the visitor and press galleries, as
well as communication booths

16. SOUTH PLAZA
 The South Plaza faces the Manik Mia
Avenue. It gradually rises to a 20'
height and serves as a beautiful
exterior as well as the main entrance
(used by members during sessions)
to the Parliament Building.
 It contains:
- controlling gates;
- a driveway;
- a main mechanical plant room;
- offices of maintenance engineers;
- equipment stores; and
- an open plaza with steps and ramps
leading directly to the main building.

17. PRESIDENTIAL PLAZA
 The Presidential Plaza lies to
the North and faces the Lake
Road. It functions as an intimate
plaza for the MPs and other
dignitaries.
 It contains marble steps, a
gallery and an open pavement.
 Other information Completion
 Date: 1982
 Function: civic
 Construction cost: US$32
million.

18. TOURISM AND ACCESSIBILITY
 Although entrance to the Bhaban, the Main Building, is limited to
authorized members of Parliament and staff, the Jatiyo Sangshad
complex is always open to visitors. North of the complex, across the
Lake Road, is Crescent Lake and Chandrima Uddan .
 The two complexes together form a major attraction for tourists in Dhaka,
especially during National Holidays. The complexes are popular among
joggers and skaters of Dhaka as well, since the complex is a popular
walking route - which can be seen every morning and evening.
 The official Prime Minister's Residence is on the North West corner of
the Mirpur Road and Lake Road crossing and is a five-minute walk from
the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The area is one of the higher security zones
of Dhaka.
 The Complex can be accessed using any of the four roads surrounding
it, however, the Manik Mia Avenue and Lake Road are the easiest
approaches.

19. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS
 During the government term that took office on 28
October 2001, the Government communicated plans
to "complete Louis Kahn's plans" by constructing
residences for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
 According to some prominent architects, no such plan
existed in the original design. Although the
construction was started, it was halted and the issue is
still unresolved.

20. BILIOGRAPHY
• www.wikipedia.com
• www.archdaily.com
• www.folklife.si.edu
• www.bangladesh.com