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CONTENTS

Outline Summary

Introduction

Background Information

- Area

- Community

Project Outline

Existing Site Conditions

Participatory Design Strategy

Design Workshop

- General Aims and Objectives

- Outcome

- Design Workshop Schedule

Maintenance and Management

Users

Proposed Design

Construction Drawings

Costing Report
Outline Summary

For the past four months, SAFE (Simple Action For the Environment) has
been working closely with a community in a slum area of Dinajpur called
Jorgen Babu Mart. To date we have managed to build one of ten houses,
proposed for the area, and have subsequently identified a need for a
community space that can be used and enjoyed by all.

This report outlines a feasibility study and proposed design for the new
community centre. It states why there is a need for such a facility, who
would use it and how it would be mananaged and maintained in the future.
Currently there are no community centres in the area, so this would be a
pilot project that could be used to influence other cemtres in the future.
We have put together a tentative budget of 500,000Tk and ask if you would
fund this proposal.
INTRODUCTION

This report outlines a feasibility study for a community centre building

located in a slum area of Dinajpur called Jorgen Babu Mart. For the past
four months, the community of Jorgen Babu Mart has been actively involved
in the design and subsequent construction of one of ten new low cost
houses, proposed for the area. The first house was a great success and it is
hoped that the remaining nine houses will be built in the near future.

Currently there is a lack of community facilities and/or space for communal

gathering. As part of the future ambitions of the people, a space to carry
out weddings, funerals, festivals, social development programmes, and
women empowerment groups is hoped for. Further to this, we have
identified that a better ventilated and day lit space is in great need for two
local school groups that run in this area. We have consciously considered
all of the communitys needs in the design of Jorgen Baby Marts new
community centre.

Despite varied backgrounds, a strong sense of cohesion can be felt within

the community. A Community Development Committee (CDC) set up
by UPPRP is actively involved within the area. Due to a lack of space, the
residents live in very small plots and have no sheltered communal space.
The communal space that they do have is currently used by children as a
playing field, by women to dry poppadoms and by men to repair jute sacks.
A community centre that would be run, maintained and utilised by the
entire community is in great need.

SAFE believes that a participatory approach is essential in teaching local

householders and builders, good, appropriate building materials and
techniques. This method gains trust and builds relationships between the
community and active NGOs, ensuring a successful and worthy outcome.
The use of natural, local material where possible, is not only important
environmentally but ensures the overall build cost is kept to a minimum.
The use of appropriate building materials and the implementation of good
building techniques extend the lifespan of the building and will promote
better construction methods in the future.

If funding can be secured, this project will be the first of its kind in Dinajpur.
It is hoped that the success of the project will result in more like it being
built in other areas throughout the district.
TITLE

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Area

Jorgen Babu Mart is an area of informal housing

situated approximately 2km from the centre of
Dinajpur town. Originally the land belonged to
Jorgen Babu, a Hindu land owner who emigrated
to India during the partition of India and the
former East Pakistan. Over 500 families currently
live on this land, and although they do not possess
formal title deeds, the land is considered in private
ownership, with many of the residents having built
permanent or paaka buildings.

This pilot study has focussed on one section of

Jorgen Babu Mart, inhabited by approximately fifty
families. The land used to be waterlogged and
uninhabitable but was reclaimed approximately
seven years ago by the NGO; CARE. The land
was primarily used to resettle families who had
previously been evicted from a nearby slum area
that belonged to the Bangladesh Railways.

The Community
The people who make up this area of Jorgen Babu
Mart are both Hindu and Muslim, and have come
from many different backgrounds though most
moved to Dinajpur due to economic reasons.

They are involved in many different occupations

from TV repair men, to day labourers, to rickshaw
pullers, earning between Tk.100-250 per day.
Although some women work outside the area,
most stay at home but generate extra income
through home based activities such as poppadom
rolling and handicraft production.
PROJECT OUTLINE

In line with SAFEs ethos, the community of Jorgen Babu Mart have been
actively involved throughout the entire process. The design team along with
SAFE employees have met with the community on a number of occasions
to gather as much information as possible and gain the trust and support of
the residents. On each occasion, the participants have been able to express
their opinions on a number of aspects including issues such as maintenance
and general day to day running of the community centre once complete.

The design process has been undertaken in conjunction with the community
and local builders. This participatory approach is essential in ensuring that
the proposed design meets the requirements of the local community and a
strong sense of ownership is instilled within them. It is hoped that this will
ensure the building is used, looked after and maintained by the community.

The process we have undertaken for this project is outlined below:

1. Initial meetings: Primarily with the CDC and members of the community
to explain the projects aims and objectives.

2. Study: Indentify and survey the chosen site within Jorgen Babu Mart.

3. Design workshop: A two day workshop attended by eight members

of the community, four CDC members, UNDP Representative, Work
Commissioner and facilitated by the SAFE team and two architecture
students from the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, Scotland).

4. Subsequent meeting: Principally with the CDC and members of the

community to finalise the maintenance and management strategy for the
proposed community centre.

5. Proposed design: Appropriate improvements were selected and the

design options merged to create the final design proposal.

6. Detailed design and costing report: Prepared by architecture students

from the University of Strathclyde in conjunction with SAFE staff.

Sketch site plan

EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS
The chosen site for the new community centre is Due to the restrictions in the size of the site
located on the opposite side of the road to the (984ft2) the building requires two floors to meet
houses of Jorgen Babu Mart. The land is owned by the needs of the community. The community
the community but is currently vacant, being used have expressed the need for one large room with
only to store two or three rickshaws. The site secondary accommodation and facilities including
was put forward by the community and agreed by an administration office, meeting room, kitchen,
the design team. The site is close to the entrance tube-well and W.C. The site is long and narrow
to the slum making it visible to all who enter and and requires careful planning to maximise its full
leave Jorgen Babu Mart. potential. A double story building will not only
meet the needs of the community spatially but is
On the north boundary, sits the rear wall of the also contextually appropriate with regards to the
market stalls that face onto the main road. This surrounding buildings.
red brick wall reaches a height of approx 5m or
16ft. Its roof is constructed using bamboo and is Currently the existing infrastructure is sound
covered with sheets of corrugated iron. On the with communal latrines and electricity supply to
south side sits the house of Mr Shudja. This house most of the plots. However, the drainage system
is masonry construction with plaster finish. Mr is inadequate and the area is regularly flooded
Shudja has expressed his delight at the prospect of during the monsoon season. It is essential that a
having the new community centre next door. The maintenance strategy is arranged as part of the
road lines the east boundary and beyond sits the overall approach to ensure continued upkeep of
linear housing plots of Jorgen Babu Mart. A small the finished building. Such a strategy is outlined in
brick wall encloses the site to the west. an upcoming chapter. Street Condition SAFEs first demonstration house

Site
SlumPanorama
houses. First of the ten houses to be built by SAFE.
PARTICIPATORY DESIGN STRATEGY

A participatory approach has been used throughout the design of the community centre to ensure the
needs of the community are met, design aspirations considered and a sense of ownership instilled. SAFE
believes that a participatory approach is essential in ensuring the success of any project. This belief is based
on firsthand experience on a number of projects that have successfully used community participation
throughout the design and construction phases.

Involving the community at the outset has allowed trust to build up between the design team and the
community. This trust will reduce the chance of problems or disputes arising as the project progresses.
And if problems do occur, this trust will help them be resolved quickly and efficiently. Transparency at every
stage has helped this process evolve.

A design workshop has been used as a tool not only to gain an understanding of what the community
want spatially but also to generate enthusiasm and excitement for the project. The results from the two
day workshop suggest that we have achieved this. The workshop also goes some way to instil a sense of
ownership over the building. Community members have been actively involved throughout and it is hoped
that they will make sure those appointed to run and maintain the building are actively fulfilling their duties.
The locals showed their commitment to the project by taking two days off work to attend the workshop.
DESIGN WORKSHOP

General Aims and Objectives task a general discussion between all participants
took place to ensure the continued crossover of
The 2 day design workshop was attended by 12 ideas and opinions.
members of the community including carpenters,
builders, CDC, Work Commissioner, UNDP The ideas and spatial arrangements from these
representative. A further 10 persons were four designs were integrated into two more
involved including architects, engineers and SAFE developed proposals. These again were modelled
staff. to gain a volumetric understanding of the spaces.
By continually developing the design throughout
The objective was to understand the communitys the two days it ensured that by the end of day
requirements and design aspirations for the two we had a full understanding of the area, what
community centre, by developing model designs materials were available and what the community
within the chosen site and producing an outline wanted and needed from the community centre.
plan for the proposal. The design process has been This provided a good knowledge base to build
undertaken in conjunction with the community upon throughout the final design stage.
and local builders to ensure that our design
fulfilled the requirements of those using the centre Rooms required: large hall, office, kitchen, W.C.,
and that the design was specific to Jorgen Babu tube-well.
Mart by using available materials and addressing
the needs specific to this place. Additional rooms: meeting space, library, computer
room, school, guest rooms.
Outcome Available materials: mud, timber, bamboo, CI sheet,
brick, concrete.
Four groups of five were set up and each group
was given materials and asked to make a model
The participants agreed that the community would
of what they would like the community centre
help during construction of the centre. Every
to look like. The only constraint was it must be
workshop attendee agreed to give at least one day
contained within the boundary of the chosen
of labour towards the build.
site. Throughout the two day design workshop
the participants were able to express their spatial
requirements and design aspirations. After each
DESIGN WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Schedule
2 day design workshop with 20 members of the community of Jorgen Babu Mart:
Architects, engineers, carpenters, builders and CDC. Objectives: To understand the
communitys requirements and design ideas for a community centre in Jorgen Babu
Mart, by developing model designs within a specific budget and producing an outline
plan for construction.

Day 1 30/07/2011 Group Model Making Activities Day 2 31/07/2011 Design Refinement and Costings Activity

10:00 11:00 Introduction getting to know each other. 10:00 10:30 Review 1st Day workshop work
Objectives (see above)
10:30 11:00 Group Making Create 2 groups of 10 people.
SAFE about us
Activity Give each group two models from Day 1 to discuss the good and bad
parts.
11:00 11:30 What materials are available?
Activity discuss what recycled materials are available in Dinajpur. 11:00 13:30 Model Making
Activity Model a refined design, using the good parts from Day 1.
11:00 11:10 Group Making
Activity: Organise people into teams of 5. There should be 4 teams. FINISH DESIGN BEFORE LUNCH.

13:30 14:30 Lunch

11:10 13:30 Model Making
Activity Each team should discuss different ideas and then start to make a 14:30 15:30 Calculate costings for each model.
model communicating the ideas.
15:30 16:00 Discuss improvements to reduce costs.
13:30 14:30 Lunch
16:00 17:00 Presentation
14:30 15:30 Model Making Continue to model make, each group should finish their design.
Activity Each group will present their model explaining their design and
15:30 17:00 Presentation construction ideas in relation to cost report.

Activity Each group will present their model explaining their design and
construction ideas.
MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT
STRATEGY

The team have been fully aware of the importance Maintenance and running cost need to be
of agreeing a maintenance and management considered and generated through the services
strategy for the day to day running of the that the community centre provides. The building
community centre post construction. Without needs to be used as a community resource to
such a strategy being agreed upon in advance, the make enough income to keep the building running.
future of any building is questionable. We have approached a number of small groups
to try and kick-start this income generation but
This topic has been repeatedly raised throughout inevitably it will be down to the community and
our initial discussions with the community. We the appointed committee to ensure running costs
gave them time to talk it over amongst themselves are covered.
and with those who could not attend the meetings.
After the design workshop we met with all the key There are two NGOs running schools within
members to finalise the strategy. Jorgen Babu Mart. We are currently undergoing
discussions with both BRAC and World Vision to
CDC (Community Development Committee) propose that they use the new community centre
has been actively involved within the community as a teaching facility for the children. We have
to date. Due to CDCs direct relationship with identified that the space they are using is poorly
UNDP it was felt that their involvement was ventilated and has little light. BRAC teaches a
unequivocal. The community, however, expressed school in the morning and World Vision in the
that they did not want CDC to be solely afternoon.
responsible and suggested that a new committee
be formed that incorporating both CDC and Porimol Hemrom from World Vision said that he
community members. This way, the community was fully behind the proposal and agreed that the
will be actively involved, take ownership and be community is in great need of such a space. They
exposed to new challenges and problems that they have recently created a new space for the children
will have to overcome. This will empower the within the slum and so could not see themselves
people of Jorgen Babu Mart and give new strengths using the centre for this purpose, however, he
and skills to those directly involved. expressed his interest in using the facility for other
purposes.
The Management Committee will consist of eleven
people: seven community members and four CDC Md. Nabiul Hassan from Brac, was very interested
women. The committee will include a Chairmen, in using the new space for this purpose. At
Vice Chairmen, Treasurer and Secretary. A larger present Brac pays 225Tk per month in rent for
community group will review the committee the current space. This rent would help cover
every five years and new members selected. This the maintenance costs of the building and would
rotation will allow transparency and bring new ensure the building was used daily.
people and ideas to the centre.
USES

A small library space has been provided in the

design and so a book renting facility could be
incorporated into the income strategy.

Computers, internet and printing facilities could

also be provided and used to generate money.

The community have proposed to use the large

hall for weddings and funerals. A small fee could
be charged for this purpose.

The entire community could utilise the facility for

large gatherings during festivals such as Durgapuja,
Kalipuja and Eid.

The centre could be used to hold youth groups,

family planning clinics, women empowerment
groups, community meetings, mens club, womens
club, school groups, conferences and meetings.

We have approached Dr. Dipendra Nath Roy,

Executive Director of BSS (Bangladesh Seba
Sangstha), a homeopathic medical clinic who
currently run fifteen mobile clinics in villages
around the Sundarban area. Funded by PLAN
Bangladesh, BSS plan to open a further 10 mobile
clinics and is very interested in using the new
community centre in Jorgen Babu Mart to facilitate
one of these new clinics.

The clinic would run on the same day every

week and would be supported by the community.
Patients pay a small few for treatment but the
service is free for the extremely poor. This would
be a great resource for the community and would
provide a vital service.
Proposed Design

Three main factors inform the proposed design for the community centre; the location, materials available
and the communitys requirements. The size of the site and the surrounding buildings indicate that the
building should be double storey. This is also necessary if we are to fulfil the minimum requirements of the
community.

Positioning of rooms has been thought about carefully to maximise the sites potential and utilise the space
available. On the ground floor the proposal provides one medium sized meeting space, two W.C., tube-well
and kitchen. The second floor provides one large function space and office. All of the needs and wants
expressed by the community could not be met due to restriction in space; however, all the rooms have
been designed to be flexible enough to alter their change in use. For example the office upstairs could
become a meeting space or storage space if required. The meeting space directly off from the street could
be used as a school room or library/computer room. Essentially each of the spaces can be multi functional
and serve different purposes when required.

Light and ventilation has played a key role in the design of the building. At ground level thick mud walls are
punctured by windows, allowing controlled light to flood into the key spaces. The mud walls will regulate
the internal air temperature keeping the rooms cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Large doors
to the street open up to allow the meeting space to spill out onto the veranda and street beyond. A
different material and fenestration has been used on the upper floor where the large function room sits.
Here, large bamboo shutters rap around the entire south and east facade giving a light and airy feel to the
space. At night the building will glow as light penetrates the bamboo walls.

The design proposes a rain water harvesting system, which has informed the shape and orientation of the
roof. The shape is aesthetically pleasing and positioning, clearly differentiates the public and private areas
of the building. The public areas are towards the street to the east and the kitchen and private office areas
are to the rear of the site. Timber is proposed for the roofs structural components and clay/mud bricks
for the external covering.

The foundations will be concrete strip. A 20 concrete plinth will then create the finished floor level. 12
concrete walls will sit above the plinth, on top of which will sit the thick earthen walls. The use of concrete
for the foundations, plinth and lower part of the walls provide protection against flooding, water ingress and
burrowing animals. It will ensure the longevity of the building and minimise the need for maintenance.

The external walls will be rammed earth construction and the internal walls will be block construction with
a coloured lime rendered finish. The thick wall in the downstairs meeting room will be carved into, creating
a mixture of seating, bookshelves and windows. This will give a playful feel to the space.

We propose to use horizintal strips of brick in the mud walls to protect them from weather damage.
Further to this the design of the roof can be adapted to provide a greater overhang, to prolong the lifespan
of the building.
Ground Floor Plan 1:100 First Floor Plan 1:100
Street Elevation 1:100 Rear Elevation 1:100
Side Elevation 1:100
Section 1:100
Design Team:
Marianne Keating
Cara Shields

With thanks to:

Ajit Roy
Pulin Roy
Parimol Roy
John Arnold
Anna Ray
Work Commissioner

Workshop Attendees:

Simple Action For the Environment (SAFE) and Housing and Hazards (www.housingandhazards.org)

In partnership with

Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction Programme (UPPRP)