2024 Skyscraper Competition
Honorable Mention
Fahim Ashab Faroquee, Mahir Aritro
Bangladesh
Within the ever-changing global economic landscape, industries serve as crucial drivers of growth, meeting increasing demands and propelling economic progress. However, the growing number of industries, while essential for meeting rising needs, brings environmental challenges. To address these issues, many industries are shifting toward sustainable practices, considering concerns about carbon emissions and resource depletion. Simultaneously, there’s a need to reassess traditional horizontal expansion, calling for vertical growth aligning with sustainable practices and efficient space utilization. This shift aims for more than just economic advancement, seeking a harmonious coexistence with the environment and recognizing the need to balance industrial growth with ecological preservation.
In the context of Bangladesh, the Readymade Garments (RMG) industry is a cornerstone, significantly contributing to export revenue and maintaining a prominent position in global apparel exports. Bangladesh’s global prominence in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector significantly influences the nation’s GDP, contributing nearly 80% of export earnings. From $4 billion in 2000, the RMG sector expanded to $30 billion annually by 2018. As of 2022, Bangladesh ranks as the second-largest single-country contributor to the global garment export market, reaching $45 billion. However, the increasing number of garment factories poses multifaceted challenges, including environmental issues, logistical problems, and concerns about unsafe working conditions. Addressing these challenges, a visionary skyscraper project is proposed in Chittagong, strategically positioned to accommodate the projected increase in garment factories by the 2500s. With its unique housing solutions, such as living pods and common spaces, this design prioritizes the well-being of the staff and adopts a vertical, modular approach to sustainable expansion. The plan aims to balance ecological responsibility with economic growth in order to promote Bangladesh’s long-term prosperity. This design aims to set the standard for any industry considering vertical growth, independent of its consequences for the apparel sector.
The trajectory of Bangladesh’s RMG sector underscores its resilience and adaptability within the global market. The country’s role as a significant contributor to the global garment export market reflects its capacity to meet the evolving demands of the international textile landscape. The proposed skyscraper, strategically situated within a 439-acre area, emphasizes sustainable practices by reducing its footprint by an impressive 96%, reclaiming agricultural land lost to horizontal expansion. Vertical growth emerges as a viable solution, preserving space and nature while supporting the sustainable expansion of industries in Bangladesh.
The proposed structure addresses the issue of housing garment workers in peri-urban areas by offering three different living pod types that may accommodate different family sizes. Additionally, communal pods that offer necessary recreational spaces are included in the design. The goal of this networked vertical housing establishment is to improve workers’ general health. The integration of a shopping and exhibition zone acts as a direct link between upper-floor factories and end consumers, facilitating the distribution process and reducing carbon emissions associated with transportation. Considering the skyscraper’s relationship to a seaport and adding an Air cargo docking system to the top shows how it works to generate self-sufficiency, both architecturally and socially. The sustainability objectives of the project are highlighted by this dual-mode transportation system, which lowers carbon emissions and logistical expenses. The story highlights the social as well as the economic advantages, emphasizing the importance of a dynamic and interactive work environment.
Essentially, this tower concept offers an innovative vision for Bangladeshi and possibly global industrial design in the future. Its support of a comprehensive strategy that takes into account social, environmental, and economic factors is evidence of the ability of vertical growth to transform industries and promote a sustainable cohabitation with the rest of the world.
