Mazharul Islam
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Mazharul Islam (25 December 1923 - ) is one of major architects of the 20th century, and a pioneer of architecture in Bangladesh. Islam's style and influence dominated the architectural scene in Bangladesh in the 1960s and 70s, along with major US architects he brought to work in Dhaka. His major works include - Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban, Jahangirnagar University, Chittagong University, Central Public Library, Charukala Institute, the Azimpur Estate, Rangmati township, and a number of Polytechnic Institutes.
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[edit] Early life
Completing his training as an engineer, Mazharul Islam, went to study architecture at University of Oregon. He earned his Master's Degree in architecture from Yale University under the supervision of Paul Rudolph, where Stanley Tigerman was a classmate.
[edit] Career
Mazharul Islam began his career by designing two buildings in the Shahbag area in 1955 - Dhaka University Library and Institute of Arts and Crafts.
His most major work was borne when the Governor's Conference of Pakistan decided in 1959, under the leadership of President Ayub Khan, that Dhaka will be second capital of Pakistan.[citation needed] It was decided to build a capital complex at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, and Mazharul Islam brought Louis Kahn into the project. Islam worked closely with him from 1965 to Kahn's death in 1973.
Along with Kahn, he also brought Paul Rudolph and Stanley Tigerman to work in Bangladesh, and three of them came to be known as the American Trio. Apart from the Trio, it was Islam's monumental style thyat dominated Bangladesh architecture from 1950s onwards.
[edit] Notable works
Year | Project | Location | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
1953-54 | The Institute of Arts and Crafts | Shahbag, Dhaka | |
Public Library | Shahbag, Dhaka | ||
National Archives | Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka | ||
1962 | Housing for class IV Employees | Azimpur Estate, Dhaka | |
1963-64 | Railway Rehabilitation Zone | Khilgaon, Dhaka | Plan for the project |
Rangamati Town | Rangamati, CHT | Plan for the project | |
1963-65 | BCSIR Laboratory Buildings | Dhanmondi, Dhaka | |
1964 | National Institute of of Public Administration Building | Shahbag, Dhaka | |
1965-71 | Head Quarters Building, Agricultural Development Corporation | Motijheel, Dhaka | 14 storied |
5 polytechnic institutes | Rangpur, Bogra, Pabna, Sylhet and Barisal | In collaboration with Arch. Stanley Tigerman | |
EFU Building (Jiban Bima Bhaban) Project | Motijheel, Dhaka | 27 storied | |
Road Research Laboratories | Dhaka, Bangladesh | ||
1968-71 | Chittagong University master plan and designs | Chittagong University, Chittagong | Designs for students' hostel, humanities building, science building, administrative building, readers' quarters, VC's quarters, professors' quarters, storage and godowns |
Housing for Ruppur Atomic Energy Complex | Savar, Dhaka | ||
Jahangirnagar University Master Plan and designs | Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka | Designs for students' hostel, readers quarters and class IV employees' quarters | |
1980-84 | Jaipurhat Limestone and cement Project | Jaipurhat, Bangladesh | Master plan, housing for 200 officers, housing for 1700 employees, clinic and hospital, clinic and hospital, bazaar and mosque |
National Library | Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka | ||
1987 | Office Building for the World Bank | Dhaka, Bangladesh | |
1995 | Garden City Project | Dhaka, Bangladesh | 20 storied |
[edit] Sources
[edit] References
- Wares, Shamsul, Architecture in the 50s and 60s in Bangladesh, Architecture and Planning, BUET, 1982, Dhaka
[edit] External links
- Official Site
- Ashraf, Kazi Khaleed, Mazharul Islam, Kahn and Architecture in Bangladesh, MIMAR 31, 1989: Downloadble pdf file
- Daily Star: The documentary on Mazharul Islam