MERINA TABASSUM:A BANGLADESHI ARCHITECT IN SEARCH OF ROOTS

Architect Merina tabassum was got AGA KHAN ARCHITECTURE AWARD for designing "BAIT-UR-RAUF" mosque at Dakkhinkhan,Dhaka.
In last july she was got ZAMIL PRIZE arranged by Victoria & albert museum of UK. Today i am describing about her journey to this profession.

Merina tabassum.
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■First step of her to this profession-
Merina has no ambition to be an architect. She achived her higher secondary certificate at 1987.She was good at academic,she got first class at her HSC examination but she can't secure star mark in any subject. For that reason she couldn't took admission in any faculty(without architecture) of Bangladesh university of engineering and technology.So she took her preparation and got admission in architecture faculty.By the grace of almighty and her hard work she took the first place in the admission test result of architecture faculty of BUET. That's her first step to the journey of honour to be a significant woman architect of Bangladesh.

■About her family-
Father- Mohammad abdul hi.
Occupation-Cancer specialist.
Mother- Late Tahmina hi.
Ocupation- Housewife.
Hometown- Dhaka.

■Completing graduation and starting of work-
In 1995 she completed her graduation and start to work from november in ARBANA company with Kashef mahmud chowdhury.At the beginning time it was very hard for meria.She was started to work with small projects.Her first work was designing an apartment at lalmatia,Dhaka.But her main challenge was how to make an international quale work where Bengali characteristics also present besides the main work.

■Turning point of the journey-
In 1997 Awami league government arranged a competition for the INDEPENDENCE TOWER of Suhrawardy uddayan.ARBANA was champion on that competition.Then merina and her company ARBANA was selected for making that historical monument.That was her first quality achivement.

Independence tower.
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■First award winning work BAIT-UR-RAUF mosque-
In 2005, merina's grandmother call and invite her.When merina went there,her grandmother told her to design a mosque which she want to make for the local people in her own land.
Merina was designed that time the BAIT-UR-RAUF mosque on 30 decimals land besides the river TURAG.Shland.She was designed that mosque depend on the time of Sultani empire's design.The total work was completed in the year of 2012.

Outside view of the mosque.
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It is also a significant information that the design of BAIT-UR-RAUF mosque achived her a great honour named AGA KHAN ARCHITECTURE AWARD in the year of 2016.

Inside view of the mosque.
image source

This award is very honourable in architecture world. She also get the ZAMIL PRIZE for designing of BAIT-UR-RAUF mosque in this year.The award is given combinedly by DUBAI based zamil art gallery and the victoria and albert museum of UK.
Normally no award is given for the islamic historical art and design but she achived it and it is the first time to win an award in this category.
Regardless of whether she wins the award, the fact that architects like Tabassum, who still prefer to treat structures as living beings rather than just commercial prospects, still exist in the country is in itself a boon. And it was this principle that led to the creation of the beautiful BAIT-UR-RAUF.

■PERSONAL OPINION OF MERINA ABOUT THE ARCHITECT OF BANGLADESH-
Merina says although we have some architect who are very famous over the world and they also contribute the world some unique and significant architecture but the main problem is that maximum architect of our country are as usual type.They are not interested in quality work rather they are much interested in general demand lile work which helps them to earn a lot of profit.
Merina also include that it's her question why so many buildings of Bangladesh are made of glasses?
Glasses are perfect for the winter country,it is not suitable for the hot country like Bangladesh.For making this type buildings over the country we have to used more air condition,more electricity.
So she request to the architect of Bangladesh to think before designing a work.An architect must always keep in mind that architecture is not only a matter to see but also it is a matter of feeling.

■Significant work of Merina Tabassum at a glance-
-INDEPENDENCE TOWER of Bangladesh.
-BAIT-UR-RAUF MOSQUE of Dhaka.
-PANIGRAM RESORT of josoree(almost complete)

■At a glance award achived by Merina Tabassum-
-ONONNA SHIRSHA AWARD(2004)
-J K CEMENT AWARD (2004)
-AGA KHAN ARCHITECTURE AWARD(2016)
-ZAMIL AWARD (2018).

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