A nexus of culture and commerce: Revitalizing the Mohammadpur Townhall

BRAC University, Department of Architecture, Dhaka

Project idea

“Festival of Streets” reimagines the traditional bazar not just as a space of commerce, but as a vibrant celebration of everyday life, culture, and community. Located in the heart of Mohammadpur, Dhaka, this design proposal transforms the historic Townhall Bazar into a dynamic urban marketplace that honors its deep-rooted trading traditions while introducing layered, sensory experiences reflective of the area’s rich social fabric.

The design is rooted in the idea of the street as a festival—an ever-changing stage where trade, food, conversations, and cultures intersect. The architecture is composed of adaptive market structures that respond to the rhythm of daily life, with spatial sequences that evoke curiosity, pause, and interaction. This design weaves the community into the Mohammadhpur Townhall while serving as a commercial hub in contrast to the fragmented and often chaotic conditions of the current site.

Project description

Located at the crossroads of Lalmatia and Mohammadpur, this project reimagines the Town Hall site as a vibrant civic hub that bridges diverse communities through culture, commerce, and connection. Responding to the site’s congestion and fragmentation, the design introduces a porous, human-scaled complex anchored by lively plazas and courtyards—spaces for gathering, pause, and everyday celebration.

The program includes a mosque, stadium, multipurpose hall, library, café, supermarket, wet market, slaughterhouse, hardware stores, clinics, office spaces, playground, and basement parking. Together, these elements form a layered urban experience rooted in local needs.

More than a market, this is a dynamic platform where trade, faith, dialogue, and play coexist. The project becomes a festival of streets—an inclusive, resilient space that honors the rhythms of daily life and the spirit of the community.

Technical information

Built primarily with exposed brick, the project reflects local material culture and craftsmanship, grounding the architecture in its context. Sculptural staircases double as social nodes—celebrating movement as a shared, spatial experience.

The façade features a rhythmic play of brick fins and deep recesses, enhancing light, ventilation, and texture while echoing the layered nature of traditional bazaars. Open courtyards, shaded walkways, and porous boundaries invite community interaction, creating a culturally rooted, climate-responsive environment.

A reinforced concrete structure supports load-bearing brick walls, blending modern durability with vernacular character.