Dristi Chakma, a Bangladeshi architect from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, has gained international recognition as her work was selected as one of the top entries in the prestigious Drawing of the Year Awards 2025 in London.
Her illustration, titled ‘Dissemination and Storage: Archive as Spectacle’, was chosen from over 7,000 global submissions and is now featured in the official Drawing of the Year 2025 publication.
Originally from Rangamati, Dristi’s deep connection to landscape and community played a key role in shaping her architectural perspective. A graduate of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), she began her professional journey with the leading architecture firm VITTI Sthapati Brindo Ltd.
She also taught at the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) before pursuing her Master of Architecture at the University of Melbourne, supported by the Australia Awards Scholarship.
Currently based in London, Dristi continues to push the boundaries of design by exploring the intersections of structure, space and narrative. Her award-winning drawing challenges traditional ideas of museum display. In her vision, artefacts move independently while visitors remain restricted, offering a critique on cultural control and spectacle.
Dristi’s inclusion in the international exhibition is not only a major milestone in her career but also a proud moment for Bangladesh, particularly for women in the male-dominated field of architecture.
“This is an absolutely proud moment for me”, she stated on Facebook. “What makes this even more special as the esteemed jury, like Jim Heverin, Will Johnston, Sam Conway, selected my work.”
From the hills of Rangamati to the architectural stages of London, Dristi Chakma’s journey is a testament to how deeply rooted creativity can find a global voice.