16/02/2026
After working on diverse architectural projects, at one stage we tried to engage more actively in public-sector initiatives. We believed that government architecture could become more truly public- more participatory, more connected to people, if we made a sincere effort. Designing a building is complex: imagining it, realizing it, and finally operating it properly requires deep coordination at every level. This becomes even more important when a project is meant to be participatory, there is simply no alternative to collective engagement.
Let’s share an example. The JOYEETA TOWER at Dhanmondi 27, although we had proposed the name JOYEETA BHABAN or JOYEETA ANGAN, which was not adopted at the government level, was envisioned primarily as the headquarters of the Joyeeta Foundation along with showrooms and food courts for women entrepreneurs. We proposed expanding these functions further, enriching the project by integrating a cultural dimension for the community. The idea was to create a space where women entrepreneurs working in arts and culture could find opportunities, with repertory theatre, independent film screenings, music events, small bookstores, alternative food collectives, art exhibitions coexisting alongside the core commercial and administrative functions.
What happens otherwise is predictable: even if the building remains active during the day, after evening hours most of it falls into darkness except for the showroom areas. But the overall design had the potential to keep the space alive until at least 10 PM or beyond through cultural programming, allowing people from Dhanmondi, Lalmatia, and across Dhaka to choose JOYEETA TOWER as a destination for celebration and engagement.
Unfortunately, despite our conceptual vision and the completed architectural framework, much of the building still remains underutilized in different ways. We have tried several times to initiate dialogue and share our experience to help develop a sustainable operating system, yet meaningful response has been limited. The truth is, if a project built with public resources becomes genuinely participatory and people-centric, it ultimately benefits the government itself.
How such challenges will be resolved, we honestly do not know. Still, our efforts continue. Fatigue comes, but the belief remains: working for the country means staying committed, even when the path is uncertain !
photograph Maruf Raihan
** The actual project photograph has been carefully enhanced to express the intended architectural imagination.
