Originally planned purely as a therapy centre for people with disabilities, the Anandaloy building was expanded to additionally host Dipdii Textiles, a studio for the village’s female tailors, in a small but effective counteraction to the prevailing urban-rural migration. Disabilities in Bangladesh tend to be hidden rather than acknowledged - and, as poverty forces every grown-up family member into work, people with disabilities are mostly left on their own. Places for therapy are rare in the country, and non-existent in rural Rudrapur. The building therefore explores the versatility of bamboo and the plasticity of mud to create a strong identity. Using the "cob" technique of compressed mud and straw avoids the need for formwork, and makes curves as easy as straight walls. The Anandaloy building thereby breaks out of the usual, rectangular mould. With its joyful curves and striking ramp (the first such feature in the area), it celebrates diversity.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture