The Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements and EUNIC (European National Institutes for Culture) in partnership with the British Council has recently launched a project titled “Hidden Heritage: Homes in Dhaka'' at Haturia House, Bongshal. The event primarily focused on highlighting the houses in Dhaka from various periods of history.
The Hidden Heritage project aims to record the history of Dhaka's buildings and the stories behind them. Several historic buildings in Dhaka have gained popularity, garnering interest for their fading architectural qualities. However, with social and economic changes, many of the buildings are now being replaced by newer ones.
Conceived as dedicated documentation and web-based presentation of significant homes and buildings, the project documents selected buildings/spaces within the perimeter of Dhaka city, along with their historical, societal, and environmental context.It is a first-of-its-kind in presenting the architectural heritage of Dhaka. The web-based presentation involves a multi-media platform with a virtual tour including 360-degree photography, videos, photographs, drawings, and other forms of narration.
Five projects have been selected for this phase of the project: Haturia House in Bongshal, Kabir House in Eskaton, Rajshahi House in Moghbazar, Asaf Khan Residence in Dhanmondi, and Revati Mohan Das House in Sutrapur. Owners and representatives of the four other houses were also present who spoke about the histories of their houses.
The event was inaugurated by the chief guest of the event, Charles Whiteley, the Ambassador of the European Union to Bangladesh. Charles Whiteley delivered a speech at the launch event. In addition, Francois Grosjean, Director, Alliance française de Dhaka; Kazi Khaleed Ashraf, Director-General of Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements and Salauddin Ahmed, the curator of the project, also gave speeches at the launch event held at the Haturia House.