Amrao Manush Pavement Dweller Centre

Year of Completion: 2015

Location: Maniknagar Link Road, Maniknagar, Dhaka

Photo Credits: Paraa Studio

Design Credits: Kazi Arefin, Tahmid Islam, Ruhul Abdin, Rayed Yusuf

On a small plot of land secured from the Dhaka South City Corporation (1500-sft) there was an ambition to create: An emergency night time shelter.

Space for cooking, Space for bathing, toilet and locker facilities, Space supporting day care and primary education facility for 30 children allowing the mothers to pursue paid work, health care comer where basic treatments and services can be provided, space for counselling and awareness of beneficiaries on monetary savings and other bank transactions, on health and hygiene and more, space for training recipients, engaging them in sustainable professions that help in livelihood development, space for leisure activities and a public toilet.

A participatory led design process was used to help develop the program for the centre, along with elements of the building's façade. The user's response led to a series of very specific design interventions centred around dignity -

1. Extra bathrooms - for children to bath, for women to use separately, for young adolescents to use separately and a completely separate public toilet component.

2. Open space to play hangout/relax

3. Space for washing/cooking and preparing meals to take home

4. A separate training space for staff and guests that is multipurpose.

The centre can be seen both by the city and the foundation as an important model to support, with purpose built centres, the development of the vulnerable urban poor.