The Rolling Mill Slum of Dhaka

Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology, Gazipur, Department of Architecture, Dhaka

Idea projektu

Our message was simple yet powerful. Empowerment through empathy. Dignity through design. Slum upgrading should not be about replacement. It should be about recognition of skills, of culture, of identity. We designed with what was already there scrap metal, recycled steel sheets, bamboo, and the deep knowledge of the community’s metalworkers. Instead of importing foreign materials or expensive techniques, we chose to work with what the residents already knew and trusted. In doing so, we reduced costs, encouraged community involvement, and sparked a sense of pride. We also understood that space in a slum is never just space. A courtyard is not just an open area it is a playground, a gathering space, a conversation corner, a kitchen in the morning, and a bedroom in the summer. Our design embraced this fluidity. We proposed modular solutions that could adapt to changing needs: 8 foot by 8 foot room units, open verandas for connection, shared rooftops for gatherings and future expansion. More than anything, we wanted to show that design can be a form of care. It can respect existing patterns rather than overwrite them. It can support social rituals instead of replacing them with rigid modernity. And it can turn the idea of a slum into a space of possibility.

Popis projektu

Our work was intended to speak to multiple audiences. To fellow architects and planners, it was a call to reconsider how we view informal settlements. To policymakers, it was a demonstration that upgrading does not have to mean erasure. To the community itself, it was a respectful offering an invitation to improve their surroundings without giving up what makes their neighborhood feel like home. The design problem we addressed was rooted in a simple but complex question. How can we uplift and upgrade a settlement without displacing its people, disrupting their economy, or damaging their social fabric? In the Tejgaon Rolling Mill Slum, people live and work in one place. They build with their hands, raise families in tight spaces, and navigate narrow lanes filled with life. Our challenge was to bring light, air, safety, and dignity into this space while preserving the organic character that makes it so vibrant. We identified four main housing typologies in the slum: the Kancha Slum, made of fragile materials; the Pucca Slum, more permanent but congested; the Rickshaw Garage with Residence, where work and home coexist; and the NGO School with Residence, a place of learning doubling as living space. Our task was to offer improvements for each, while keeping affordability, flexibility, and community participation at the center.

What we learned through this work is that transformation does not always require large gestures. Sometimes, the smallest, most thoughtful interventions create the most lasting change. Our design solution was not a blueprint for demolition. It was a roadmap for gentle evolution. It included:
• Modular Housing Units: that could grow over time. The basic module, an 8 foot by 8 foot space, allowed families to build incrementally. These units were supported with recycled steel frames, bamboo columns, and prefabricated wall panels—materials that the community could handle confidently.
• Upgrades Tailored to Each Typology: For the Kancha Slum, we suggested weather-resistant upgrades using lightweight but durable materials. For Pucca Slums, we improved ventilation and lighting. The Rickshaw Garage units were redesigned to better separate work and living areas without sacrificing function. For the NGO School and Residence, we designed adaptable spaces that could function as classrooms and homes.
• Environmentally Responsive Design: We emphasized natural ventilation, daylighting, and the use of green patches to reduce heat and improve well-being. Roof gardens and vertical planting helped bring nature into the urban density, offering relief and beauty.
• Shared Infrastructure: We introduced communal sanitation blocks, children’s play areas, and shaded courtyards that allowed for interaction and bonding. These spaces weren’t just amenities they were places to reinforce the social glue that holds the community together.
• Workshops and Commerce Modules: Street-facing garages were adapted into flexible shops and workstations. This supported the local economy while keeping the spirit of informal enterprise alive.
• Respect for Existing Pathways and Movement: We didn’t redraw the map. Instead, we worked with the existing routes the community already used. We enhanced accessibility for pedestrians and rickshaws, ensuring safety without disruption.
At every step, we remembered that this was not just a site it was someone’s home. Each improvement had to add value, not just structurally, but emotionally and socially.

This project has been one of the most emotional experiences of our architectural journey. It reminded us that true design begins with listening. That sometimes the most meaningful architecture is not in concrete and steel, but in relationships, conversations, and shared dreams. We did not go in with the intention to save or fix. We went to learn, to co-create, and to honor a way of life that already worked in many ways. What the people of Tejgaon taught us cannot be found in textbooks. They taught us how to build from what is broken. How to hope with what is left. How to dream without forgetting where you come from. As future architects, this project gave us a new lens a lens of softness, of sensitivity, and of strength. We believe that this approach can be a model for other informal settlements in Dhaka and beyond. Not because it is perfect, but because it is rooted in reality and shaped by love.
In the end, we found that architecture, when done with care, has the power not just to build structures but to rebuild trust, dignity, and joy. And that, perhaps, is the most meaningful thing we can ever offer.

Technické informace

The construction technic of this project presents a thoughtfully designed slum upgrading strategy that balances sustainability, cost-efficiency, and community well-being. Rooted in an understanding of the existing self-built environment, the proposed intervention avoids complete redevelopment and instead embraces incremental modular improvements using locally available materials like tin, bamboo, mild steel (MS), and recycled components.
The design prioritizes low-cost construction while enhancing safety, hygiene, and comfort. By working with the metalworking skills already present in the community, the proposal ensures strong community participation and economic empowerment. Modules are flexible, easy to assemble, and allow future expansion.
Environmentally, the design uses passive strategies natural ventilation, daylighting, and minimal concrete use making it a more sustainable alternative to conventional housing models. Service units (toilets and kitchens) are shared to reduce cost and promote efficient land use, while detailing (e.g., MS box with louvers) ensures privacy and thermal comfort.
Overall, this approach offers a scalable, dignified solution to informal housing that respects the identity and resilience of slum communities.
1. Existing Details
Shows the current construction styles of two slum types:
• Slum 1 Structure:
a) Materials: Tin, bamboo chatai, PE foam, CC (cement concrete) floor, steel columns.
b) Features: Steel stair, window with steel frame, gutter-trussed beam.
• Slum 2 Structure:
a) Materials: Tin, bamboo pilar, wood frame, concrete pillar.
b) Features: Steel stair, steel frame, façade with tin.
2. Room Types (Interior Use & Layout)
• Room Type 1 (10'-0"x8'-0")
a) Contains bed, TV, clothing area, showcase, and steel-frame windows.
• Room Type 2 (8'-0"x8'-0")
a) Similar in function but more compact, includes basic furniture and sleeping space.
3. Design Details (Proposed Modular Units)
• Module 1 (8'-0"x8'-0")
a) Uses concrete slab, steel jali, tin façade, and modular furniture.
• Module 2 (11'-6"x8'-6")
a) Enhanced with steel plate louvers, kids’ furniture, and steel sheet façade.
• Service Unit
a) A shared toilet and kitchen block with MS (mild steel) box, steel louvers, and open kitchen facilities.
4. Detailing
Focuses on modular components:
• MS box with vertical louvers
• Steel plate-covered boxes
• Elevated bamboo platform
This construction proposes incremental, modular upgrades to slum housing using local materials (tin, steel, bamboo). It bridges existing informal construction with cost-effective, structurally safe, and community-centered solutions without displacing residents.