CPA Water Bus Terminal
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Context
Karnaphuli river is the largest and one of the most important rivers in Bangladesh. It hosts the main port of Bangladesh- Chittagong’s sea port. Varied range of activities take place along the numerous ghats of this river. Considering that the inland water transport along the Karnaphuli river will continue to play an important role in the future, it is proposed that all the river ghats and areas surrounding these should be improved and modernized in order to serve the traffic that uses them better. Which is why a Water Bus Terminal in Sadarghat near the river was proposed by Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).
Concept and Design Brief
Initially set to be designed as a rest house, hosting only eminent staff of the authority and serving as a water transport station, the project, later on, was decided to be made open to the public by the architects. To implement the latter proposal, facilities like food courts and other refreshment areas were proposed in front of the river in order to make the views more accessible to the public. The concept of the design was also derived from this idea of openness.
[37,712sq.ft.]
Site Area
[5,442sq.ft.]
Built up Area
The structure of the building was designed keeping the balance of shaded and semi-shaded areas into consideration, so that the users can enjoy the surrounding views of the nature and the river. The building is also surrounded by shallow water channels all around it to give it a floating expression; almost like a boat floating on a water body. Except for service areas, the plan was designed in an open plan module to assure multifunctional spaces. In the ground floor, the waiting lounge leads to an intimate courtyard space that is further connected to an open to sky food court deck. Whereas, in the upper floor, besides accommodating essential service areas, the functions varies from VIP lounge to private rest room to a spacious open to sky terrace. The simplistic approach to create harmony between nature and functions through the formation of flexible spaces, is one of the main highlights of the project.
