Shangshadbhaban

National Assembly Building
Louis I. Khan
“It is one of the twentieth century's greatest
architectural monuments, and is without question
Kahn's magnum opus.“
-- Robert McCarter
• Located in the capital of Bangladesh

Dhaka
• Standing on the area of 3,400,000 sqm.
• One of the largest legislative complexes
in the world.
• It houses all parliamentary activities of
Bangladesh.
• Govt. of Pakistan decided to built the second capital in Dhaka and that’s why assembly building
was suggested to built in 1959
• At first Muzharul Islam got proposal to design.
• But He referred it to his mentor Louis I. Kahn 1962 to do significant work for future generation
• Muzharul Islam assisted Kahn at the project.
• The project is completed in 28 January, 1982
• Kahn combined both vernacular
and monumental archetypes of
the region
• Use abstraction and

transformation to a degree of
utter purity-- ideas from many
eras and civilization
• The core of the composition is the

assembly chamber and the library.
Concept
Louis I. Kahn designed this building in
modern architectural style.
• Modernist in principle
• optimizing the use of space while
representing Bangladeshi heritage
and culture
• Character of the context
• a symbol of democracy and pride for
the Bengali people
• People’s spirituality
• Riverine Bangladesh
The main building (the Bhaban) is divided into
three parts:
- The Main Plaza

- South Plaza Presidential Plaza
- Presidential Plaza
The main building is at the center of the

complex. The outer parts of the complex
include the MP hostel. An intricately designed
lake surrounds the main building.
The Main Plaza
South Plaza
1. Assembly Hall
Plan 6
2. Mosque
3. Ablution court
4. Office
5. Minister lounge
4 4 6. Dining and Recreation
7. Entrance to presidential plaza
2 3 1 7
4 4
5
Section
Main Plaza
• It is the parliament chamber
• Can house 354 members
• Also has two podiums and two

galleries for VIP visitors.
• Total height 155’
• After 117’ a parabolic shell roof cover

the chamber.
• Upper levels of the block contains the

visitor and press galleries, as well as
communication booths
• Artificial lighting provide zero obstruction to daylight
• A composite chandelier is suspended from parabolic

shell roof.
• There is a single story clearance after the shell roof
• This chandelier in turn consists of a

metallic web
• It is spanning the entire chamber, that

supports the individual light fixtures.
• To let the day light enter, reflecting from

the surrounded walls and filters into the
assembly chamber
• There are other 8 halls height
of 120’, concentrically aligned
around the parliamentary
grand chamber
• It also is part of Kahn’s design

objectives
• optimizing spatial
configurations where the
supporting programs project
out of the center volume
• 8 halls contain --- offices,

hotels for parliamentary
officials, and a restaurant
South plaza
• Faces the Manik Mia
Avenue.
• Gradually rises to 20’
• Serves as the main

entrance
• This entrance is used

by the members
during sessions
Presidential plaza
• Lies to the North
• Faces the lake road
• Serves as the
intimate plaza for the
MPs and other
dignitaries
• Contains – marble
steps, a gallery and
an open pavement
Kahn designed The complex as the necklace in the neck of Bangladesh Where
The assembly building is the pendent in that necklace.
• All the building
of the complex
is made of red
brick
• White concrete
is used for
assembly
building
• All the
materials are
local and very
easily
available here
• “Kahn was deeply affected by the
presence of water in Dhaka. When he
first came he was taken on a boat
ride. And his first sketches were of
boats on the river.”
--- Kazi Khaleed Ashraf,
• Lake surrounded the three sides of the building

represents riverine Bangladesh
• It also enhances the beauty by reflecting the

elevations
Kahn’s trip to Italy and Egypt cast a
great impact in his work and in this
design also
The massive walls of this building is
the influence of the Roman Bath of
Karakala
He also considered to in corporate

mosque in the form of a pyramid
into the complex
But it didn’t work as the co-

workers hated the idea
But He didn’t give up . At noon the

building cast pyramid shaped
shadows
The mosque
The Mosque is shifted
• Kahn designed the Light from the Heaven to better face Mecca
Light Tower
prayer hall of the
building as a mosqoue
• Being inspired form our
spiritual belief,
• he let the light flood in
• Made it the entrance of
the building
• Square in plan
• 4 cylinders at each
corners, allows daylight
to enter, called light
tower
Diffuse light into the prayer hall creates a Thick exterior walls keep the
• he let the light flood
much stronger experience of spirituality concentration within the prayer hall
into the mosque and allow any outside destructions
Mosque Roof Mosque Interior Wall
Exterior Walls
• Shape of the Large punches on the
exterior walls came from the
geometrical representation of our
cultural and traditional element. Such
as – pottery, house, weaving element.
• These punches also give the building a

single story look.
• Providing protection from sun and

rain.
• Helps to ensure comfortable interior

environment
Cool air comes off the artificial lake to
Cool down the interior of the building
Kahn designed the assembly hall within simple forms and

shapes to provide a vocabulary that could easily be
incorporated into any design for the buildings of Bangladesh
Transition to sublte verticle lines Only 5 feet of
frome original “V” shapes due to concrete could
inadequate results be hand
poured by the
cities people a
day. Because
of this Kahn
placed bands
of marble
after each
days pour in
Marble bands
order to hide
are positioned
every 5’ to hide the lines
the between each
imperfections level
of the exposed
concrete
Exposed
concrete 5’
Structural Detail concrete
fill
Marble
Aluminum
The entire complex is
fabricated out of poured in 50’
Beam
place concrete with inlaid

white marble
He gives the essence of

spirituality in the structure
also.
As light is the holiness and

Large clerestory window
positive sprite in our belief, allows for ample amount Building Envelop
he structure the building as s of diffuse light to filter
giver of light. into the assembly hall
Building Envelop
In Louis Kahn's own words:
“In the assembly I have introduced a light-giving element to

the interior of the plan. If you see a series of columns you can
say that the choice of columns is a choice in light. The
columns as solids frame the spaces of light. Now think of it
just in reverse and think that the columns are hollow and
much bigger and that their walls can themselves give light,
then the voids are rooms, and the column is the maker of
light and can take on complex shapes and be the supporter of
spaces and give light to spaces. I am working to develop the
element to such an extent that it becomes a poetic entity
which has its own beauty outside of its place in the
composition. In this way it becomes analogous to the solid
column I mentioned above as a giver of light.
It was not belief, not design, not pattern, but the essence
from which an institution could emerge...”
Interior Spaces
• In the interior spaces, street lights are used to give a
feel of out side in the inside.
This building wins Aga Khan Award in 1979.
The jury noted that the architect has produced a

building that "while universal in its sources of forms,
aesthetics, and technologies, could be in no other
place."
Reference:
• http://www.archdaily.com/83071/ad-classics-national-assembly-building-of-bangladesh-louis-kahn
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jatiya_Sangsad_Bhaban
• http://www.folklife.si.edu/talkstory/2015/the-father-the-son-and-an-almost-holy-architectural-masterpiece-
in-bangladesh/
• https://www.yatzer.com/even-brick-wants-be-something-louis-kahn
• http://architectuul.com/architecture/national-assembly-building-of-bangladesh
• http://www.akdn.org/architecture/project/national-assembly-building
• http://www.oxfordartonline.com/public/page/lessons/KahnLesson5
• http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/en/about-parliament/architect-and-parliament
• http://www.bangladesh.com/blog/the-grand-architecture-of-jatiyo-sangsad-bhaban
• https://nijhoom.com/bangladesh-national-parliament/
• http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095263514000041
Thank You All

Shangshadbhaban

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Shangshadbhaban

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Shangshadbhaban

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

National Assembly Building

• Located in the capital of Bangladesh

• Use abstraction and

• The core of the composition is the

- The Main Plaza

The main building is at the center of the

The Main Plaza

• Can house 354 members

• Also has two podiums and two

• Total height 155’

• After 117’ a parabolic shell roof cover

• Upper levels of the block contains the

• A composite chandelier is suspended from parabolic

• There is a single story clearance after the shell roof

• This chandelier in turn consists of a

• It is spanning the entire chamber, that

• To let the day light enter, reflecting from

• It also is part of Kahn’s design

• 8 halls contain --- offices,

• Gradually rises to 20’

• Serves as the main

• This entrance is used

• Faces the lake road

• Lake surrounded the three sides of the building

• It also enhances the beauty by reflecting the

He also considered to in corporate

But it didn’t work as the co-

But He didn’t give up . At noon the

• These punches also give the building a

• Providing protection from sun and

• Helps to ensure comfortable interior

Kahn designed the assembly hall within simple forms and

place concrete with inlaid

He gives the essence of

As light is the holiness and

“In the assembly I have introduced a light-giving element to

The jury noted that the architect has produced a

You might also like