International award-winning architect Kashef Mahboob Chowdhury launched his new monograph, “Meditations in Entropy: The Work of Kashef Chowdhury / URBANA,” highlighting architecture as a deep and sensitive response to climate, topography, and collective memory.
The book launch ceremony was organised by ‘ArchiConnect’ on Saturday evening at the Crown Plaza Ballroom in Gulshan, Dhaka.
In his address, the Aga Khan Award-winning architect shared insights from nearly three decades of practice shaped by environmental risks and social responsibilities.
He emphasised that in regions like Bangladesh, architecture cannot be limited to form or aesthetics but must serve as a meaningful response to climate pressure, human resilience, and spatial realities.
Chowdhury noted that the book reflects a 20-year journey of working on climate-sensitive social projects and addresses the use of light and shadow as primary design elements on limited budgets.
He described the work not as a celebration of architectural forms but as a reflection of a process born from restraint, context, and empathy.
Published by the Zurich-based Park Books, the over 500-page volume serves as the first comprehensive monograph documenting 30 years of practice by URBANA. It features 18 realized projects through sketches, designs, photographs, and analytical writings.
The publication includes photography by the internationally acclaimed Hélène Binet, alongside critical essays by Kenneth Frampton, William J. R. Curtis, Robert McCarter, Ainun Nishat, and Philip Ursprung.
The event’s Chief Guest, Professor C. R. Abrar, Adviser to the Ministry of Education, praised the book as a highly informative and fluent work that analyzes limited resources and topographical structures.
He remarked that Chowdhury’s work demonstrates how design can provide intelligent and sensitive responses to the challenges of climate change and urbanization.
Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh, Reto Renggli, who attended as a special guest, hailed the publication as a milestone for future architecture.
Climate expert Professor Dr Ainun Nishat warned that the world will face even harsher climate realities in the next 50 years, leading to concerns over food security and the need for changes in traditional farming methods.
He advised that future infrastructure must be built with these upcoming challenges in mind.
Other guest speakers, including renowned architect Professor Shamsul Wares of Bangladesh University and Dr Abu Sayeed M Ahmed, President of the Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB), described the monograph as a vital architectural document.
They noted that the book elevates Bangladeshi architectural practice into global discourse by remaining faithful to local realities.
Professor Wares emphasized that architecture is a significant responsibility rather than just infrastructure, while Dr Abu Sayeed added that the book serves as a testament to the competence of Bangladeshi architects worldwide.
The ceremony was attended by prominent architects, academics, urban planners, students, and cultural personalities.
