Dhaka City, once known for its serenity and lush greenery, is now a brick and concrete jungle. The old part of the city has only 5% open space, while new Dhaka has 12%. Catering to the need for open spaces, the Bamboo Playscape is a multipurpose space made of locally sourced bamboo (in the peripheral zone of Dhaka city). Collaboratively designed with the children of the area to host a diverse range of much-needed activities such as performance, play, theatre, music and sports, the Playscape is an example of collaborative design for developing public spaces in Dhaka. A number of organizations participated, collaborated and supported the project, including the landowner who agreed to their land being developed into a temporary play space, rent-free, for as long as they did not develop it. Negotiating and navigating the nuanced politics of land ownership was a particular coup for the project.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture