ARCHITECTURE AND NOSTALGIA

Exploring the effects of memory in architecture

Historically and architecturally a very rich city, Dhaka, celebrated its 400th anniversary as capital a few
years back. Many residents, however, are either unaware of the heritage concealed in the heavily
populated, busy old neighborhoods of Dhaka, or they do not care. Dhaka's emergence as a historically
vibrant town isn't a recent phenomenon. The city has flourished for decades, first under the Mughal
empire and later on under the British regime. i Thus, the traditional architecture of the city is left with
imprints of the past.

Regardless of what has been said, nostalgia plays a huge role, not only in the preservation of historical
structures but also in the construction of architectural pieces of this day and age. Walking along the
streets of Dhaka will allow anyone to spot a disoriented Corinthian column or two in residential
buildings. The question is, how logical are these design elements in an urban fabric that has no historical
relevance? Considering the fact that these absurd design decisions were probably the client’s
preference, how relevant are these design elements when plastered all over historical architecture in
the name of ‘restoration’? What is the inspiration behind present day residential buildings being
adorned by Greco-Roman features? Do these elements serve the residents functionally in any way?

In this paper, a few renowned projects, namely, Ahsan Manzil, Star mosque, Old High Court building and
Collectorate Building, Jessore along with some ordinary ones will be explored in order to understand the
meaning and relevance behind their historical elements. The materials, motifs, and other such features play a
huge role in interpreting the historical significance of these heritage sites to the future generation, thus, care
must be taken to ensure the proper portrayal of such pieces.

Ahsan Manzil
The restoration of Ahsan Manzil involved maintaining the authenticity of the historical elements as
strictly as possible, starting from the colour of its exterior to the spiral staircases that no longer served
any functional purpose.

At present the archaeology department of Bangladesh owns 448 heritage sites. ii The Ahsan Manzil is
one such example of how an almost derelict piece of architecture was restored back to its former
grandeur through the work of the respective sector. But, how much of this restoration actually aligns
with the original structure built by the Mughals? Does the bright pink coloured exterior façade do justice
to the legacy left by Nawab Sir Abdul Ghani?

Founded in 1872 by Nawab Sir Abdul Ghani and named after his son Nawab Sir Ahsanullah Bahadur,
Ahsan Manzil is popularly known as the palace of the nawabs. Because of the tornado of 1888, ‘the
Palace and its dome were heavily damaged and reconstructed as a 2-story structure on a 4-foot-high
plinth topped with a 58-foot-high roof.’ The structure faced the 183-metre-wide channel. City life was
centered at the waterfront back in the days, and a fine promenade, known as the Buckland Bund, ran
along the river side. Ahsan Manzil was the town's high point and, therefore, dominated the riverfront.
The renovation of Ahsan Manzil was undertaken in April 1985, for reasons such as sentimental
connection and its place on the riverfront.

While the Mughal architectural style persisted in religious buildings throughout the 18th and 19th
centuries, a European influence could be seen in secular buildings. ‘Ahsan Manzil, a grand palace which
occupies the center of a wide quadrangle, is an example of a European-style building with Indian
influence’. As observed by architect Shah Alam Zahiruddin, ‘the grand staircase leading to the entrance
framed by a triple arched portal projected prominently out of the main wall, is an item of Mughal
influence, but the pilasters at the lower level have Ionic influence while the capitals at the upper level
have Corinthian decoration and the semi-circular arch openings have prominent keystones. On an
octagonal drum, the shape of the dome and its supports are all distinctly European in origin. The parapet
details, decorative work in plaster, kiosks on pillars and corners of parapets, however, indicates Indian
influence. Experiments for both materials and craftsmanship were carried out after thorough research.
Ultimately, the use of lime plaster was abandoned in favour of sand / cement / lime plaster based on the
knowledge acquired earlier from the reconstruction work undertaken at the Haji Khawaja Shahbaz
mosque, built in 1679, during the Mughal era. It was noticed that within one year, the reddish-pink
lustre of a freshly formed exposed lime plaster is lost and the surface appears dark and filthy, credits to
Bangladesh's torrential monsoon climate. The original reddish pink exterior color was achieved by
painting over the plaster work’. Naturally this will be renewed at intervals of a few years. The 1904
photos were taken as the basis, and all subsequent constructions and modifications that the 1904
photos could not authenticate were filtered out. This included a small, poorly constructed single story
structure in the forecourt, known as Ghanta Ghar and presumably used by the nawabs' naibs.
Nevertheless, a replica of the same has been restored and positioned close to the eastern main gate to
serve as a souvenir store. Brick construction of the foundation was found to have sustained major harm
from rising humidity. It was thoroughly stripped down, sometimes more than 20 inches deep into the
original work, and redone once more. The normal path of installing a damp-proof coarse above ground
level by transfusion of silicon solution has not been resorted to here. The main reason for this significant
degradation has been due to the poor drainage system & unsanitary conditions at the site in later years.

Practice on cast iron was substantial, in particular in railings and light posts. Much of it was missing as
creating credible drawings was difficult. Thus, sketches were developed via consultations with the
elderly who have been a part of the neighborhood for generations, and might be able to relate to
similar projects in the historic buildings elsewhere. Provided that sewerage networks were not in vogue
in 1872, there were no toilets within the palace with sewer pipes. Thus, servants emptied toilets at
intervals, using special cast iron spiral stairs leading outside. The remains of one such cast iron spiral
staircase were found at the southeast corner. It was restored and kept in place. iii

Star Mosque
The Star mosque, on the other hand, involves the extension rather than restoration for reasons such as
catering to a larger mass.

The Star mosque located in Armanitola was built in the first half of the 19 th century by Mirza Golam Pir. iv
Built noticeably in provincial Mughal design, the three domed structure consisted of a prominent central
dome which was 29 feet above plinth level. The mosque, however, is renowned for the  star shaped,
extensive surface decoration. The stars were made strictly in local tradition with a remarkable mosaic
work of broken pieces of ceramic. Ali Jan Bepari, then Mutawalli of the mosque, did the new
embellishment from which the name of the mosque was derived, in 1926. He also added an arched
verandah to the West, a feature that was not common in Mughal architecture in the region. The mosque
is part of a living community, the needs of which, have changed. As a result, an entirely out of character
corrugated iron sheet frame was added to provide floor space for the increased number of people
during the Jummah prayer congregation on Fridays. In 1984, a decision was made to accommodate a
greater number of people; the Government Architect's office took the responsibility. There was an
immediate need to eliminate the steel frame, and the mosque extended in that direction. The key
problem facing the sideways extension, however, was that the Mughal architectural style has only a
single prominent dome or several domed roofs with a central dome prevailing. The expansion would
only allow 2 extra domes to be installed, instead of 3, causing the current small western dome to
become the central dome. The other choice was to extend the verandah space eastward with another
set of colonnades, but then the prominence of the domes would have been diminished by the addition
in front and, the front façade would be entirely changed. The decision to extend sideways was
finally made, with the installation of 2 extra domes. The removal of some structures from the East was
done to accommodate a greater number of devotees. A fountain was attached to the shan which was
initially 32 feet deep but was later extended to 89 feet deep. The drawings were finished in March 1985,
and the work began in December 1987. v

Old High Court Building

Another prominent architectural heritage renovated and expanded according to the requirements of the
present day, is the Old High Court building located in High Court Street, opposite to the picturesque
Curzon Hall. The reconstruction involved, primarily, the addition of elements that met the context's
climatic requirements, such as the shed over the open terrace.

The building was constructed in 1905, as the residence of the newly elected governor of Assam and
Bengal, this 2-storied Renaissance architecture inspired building was a symbolic structure in the
neighborhood. Symmetrical in plan, it is crowned with a dome mounted over  a circle of columns.vi After
the building was completed, the Indian government advisor said it was not appropriate as a residence of
a governor. It was later used as a general office and turned over to Intermediate College. vii It currently
houses the Ministry of Defense, however. Designed in the traditional European Renaissance style, the
architectural components of the classical era were particularly proficiently integrated on the exterior
façade in order to stand out as a sign of authority for passers-by. However, the interior is kept very
minimal. Cast iron fencing offers a view of this iconic structure to pedestrians. Extensions were carried
out extensively both on the exterior and interior consisting of materials such as, concrete, sheets of
corrugated iron and wooden partitions. Particularly unacceptable were some planned toilets in the front
façade, and a large iron veranda roof just below the central triangular pediment to shield the rooms
from rain water behind. The initial European-style architecture evidently failed to consider the local
climate. In several areas the exterior plaster work was decaying, and it was time to renovate the plaster
along with the structure. After the standard documentation and photography procedure, all additional
modifications were removed and the repair and reconstruction work was undertaken. According to
architect Zahiruddin who documented the interior of the building extensively, ‘climbing the flight of
stairs to the first floor opened up to a large ballroom with a wooden floor and a mezzanine gallery space
that was presumably used to watch the dancing downstairs in the hall. The entire ballroom was
partitioned to form small, dark cubicles; and even the mezzanine was walled off from the main hall and
converted into cubicles’. Nevertheless, these were removed, which resulted in a room much like the
original interior. Strong objections arose when it was decided to remove the corrugated sheet iron
verandah roof over the front open terrace, many of the inhabitants protested that the rooms facing the
terrace could not be used without any covering over the doors and windows. Finally, a partially shielded
balcony was added to the front terrace taking into account the climatic situation and the similarities
between the original plan and the elevation. This was the only addition to the otherwise authentic
restoration work, completed in 1985.viii

The Collectorate Building of Jessore

The Collectorate Building of Jessore is another piece of architectural heritage that has gone through the
process of restoration in order to conserve its historical significance. The extension mainly involved the
construction of a second floor in order to increase office space.
Jessore Collectorate building is considered as one of the oldest structures of the British empire, existing
in the Indian subcontinent. Jessore was established as Bangladesh's first District in the year 1781 and in
1786 the collectorate was established. Jessore's collector's building, built in 1801, is located in Jessore
town's Daratana Morh, and housed the Revenue collector's office. The red coloured, single storied
building consists of an arched roof reinforced by 25-inch-thick brick masonry construction made of burnt
clay bricks and lime shurki mortar and the exterior covered with pointed brickwork. The veranda is a
traditional response to local climatic conditions, a feature that was not considered in the construction of
the Old High Court. The rooms' extra floor height allowed ventilation so the interior space felt spacious
even without air conditioners or electric fans. The architecture is a fusion of local and European styles,
with distinct visual Greco-Roman characteristics. Veranda openings are traditional colonial arches in the
middle, with distinct and prominent keystones. Beneath the plinth, the ground floor, built using
sandstone, is ventilated to reduce humidity. There are 3 porticos in the front facade of the building.
With the purpose of fulfilling the extra office space requirement, while retaining the original character of
the building, a plan for a vertical extension was prepared to turn the Jessore Collectorate into a double
storied structure. An additional reinforced concrete floor was cast over it, to account for the gap in
levels between the veranda and the main space. The additional space gained was used as storage. For
this extra height, the façade is equipped with three archways in lieu of a single archway below. The
veranda parapet and kiosk were removed on the ground floor, and reused on the first floor. ix

Nostalgia in the local context

Nostalgia is evident in everyday buildings in the form of pastiche. The following part of the essay will
discuss the misuse of historical elements, taking them out of context and, in the process, will try to
understand the reason behind doing so.
The previous examples were all of historical buildings which were built before or during the 19 th century.
Some had historical significance while some were built for settlers who were not from this region.
Therefore, the elements of the architectural pieces were representative of the resident’s preference.
But how relevant are these elements in the 21 st century which has seen waves of modernism,
postmodernism, neo modernism and what not?

Needless to say, some people still glorify the past and are nostalgic towards the classical elements of
architecture for reasons that are unknown. Close observations will reveal that these historical elements
on today’s buildings are probably considered as a sign of aristocracy, regardless of how ignorant it may
seem. Dhaka has numerous residential buildings flanked with Corinthian columns, porticos and façade
painted extravagantly with gold, silver and other such colors — used as a status symbol. But, all hope is
not lost. In recent years, the city’s street view has drastically changed. With an increased number of
people gradually being concerned and more conscious about the built environment, contemporary
architecture has taken a turn towards what’s functional as well as aesthetic. Thus, the days of porticos
and Greek columns on South Asian buildings have somewhat seen its demise. The word “somewhat” is
used in order to highlight some handful of people who still use these elements as a portrayal of their
wealth and their position in the social hierarchy, not realising how negligent it seems to use elements
that have no relevance or consideration to the climatic condition of the city. Examples of such structures
are the residences of Akbar Sobhan and his family (chairman of Bashundhara group), the residence of
Musa Bin Shamsher (CEO of DATCO group) and so on.

Civilizations in Bangladesh have evolved, established, and decayed for centuries.  “Some have invaded
this country, some have settled in this land and made it their own, while others have simply ransacked
its riches and left”. They occupied several places, constructed numerous religious and civic structures,
forts and palaces, institutions and monuments with signs of excellence left behind. “These are proof of
our magnificent legacy and symbol of our pride and identity”. They deserve to be researched, registered,
written, preserved and restored for posterity. They should be considered as a part of our urban fabric
and thus, be integrated while planning cities and in future development programs. Heritage
conservation should not be considered merely as ‘preservation’ for preservation’s sake. This
requires protection by understanding history and tradition; remembrance and contemplation; and
finally, for the enrichment of the soul. The conservation of heritage should be focused not only on
nostalgia but also on the need to recognise and appreciate the history and roots of a nation which gives
meaning to the very quintessence of existence. x This paper does not talk about how conservation should
be carried out but rather about how nostalgia has affected architecture and its restoration.
Images:

Fig 1. Ahsan Manzil, 1975. Source: worldheritagebd.blogspot.com

Fig 8. Earlier Eastern View. Photo taken in the year 2009.Compare the extended roof on the 1st floor extension, which is absent
in the 1st photo (1969), instead there was a tin shed. Source: Building of Magnificence in Dhaka;
justicerahman123.blogpost.com
Fig 9. Collectorate Building, Jessore. 2018. Source: Flikr
Fig 11. A multi storied residence in Niketan, Gulshan with distorted Corinthian columns on the front gate. Source: photographed
by the author

End note
i
City of an Architect, https://www.archsociety.com/news.php?extend.152 (accessed 8 March 2020)
ii
Preserving our Nation’s heritage, https://www.dhakatribune.com/uncategorized/2014/03/12/preserving-our-national-
heritage (accessed 17th March, 2020)
iii
Shah Alam Zahiruddin, ‘Bangladesh’s Experience in Architectural Conservation: five projects (1990) pp 97-103 (accessed
17th March)
iv
Bangladesh’s sparkling star mosque, https://www.bangladesh.com/blog/bangladeshs-sparkling-star-mosque/ (accessed
17 March 2020)
v
Shah Alam Zahiruddin, ‘Bangladesh’s Experience in Architectural Conservation: five projects (1990) pp 104-105)
vi
Shah Alam Zahiruddin, ‘Bangladesh’s Experience in Architectural Conservation: five projects (1990) pp 106
vii
Old High Court Building, https://travel.sygic.com/en/poi/old-high-court-building-poi:30619 (accessed 17 March 2020)
viii
Shah Alam Zahiruddin, ‘Bangladesh’s Experience in Architectural Conservation: five projects (1990) pp 106
ix
Shah Alam Zahiruddin, ‘Bangladesh’s Experience in Architectural Conservation: five projects (1990) pp 108
x
City of an Architect, https://www.archsociety.com/news.php?extend.152

Bibliography

Bangladesh’s sparkling star mosque, https://www.bangladesh.com/blog/bangladeshs-sparkling-star-mosque/

City of an Architect, https://www.archsociety.com/news.php?extend.152 (accessed 8 March 2020)

Old High Court Building, https://travel.sygic.com/en/poi/old-high-court-building-poi:30619 (accessed 17 March

Preserving our Nation’s heritage, https://www.dhakatribune.com/uncategorized/2014/03/12/preserving-our-

Shah Alam Zahiruddin, ‘Bangladesh’s Experience in Architectural Conservation: five projects (1990) (accessed
17 March, 2020)

List of illustrations

Fig 1. Ahsan Manzil, 1975. Source: worldheritagebd.blogspot.com

Fig 2. Ahsan Manzil in 1872. View of triple arched portal and dome seen from the riverfront. The pre-
restoration picture shows growth of vegetation on the crumbling façade. Source: Bangladesh’s experience in
architectural conservation.

Fig 3. Ahsan Manzil after restoration. Source: dreamstime, stock photos.

Fig 4. Before and after scenario of the restored spiral staircase used by the servants. Source: Bangladesh’s
experience in architectural conservation: five projects

Fig 5. Star mosque, 1967; Photographed by Roger Gwynn. Source: Bangladesh Old Photo Archive, Facebook

Fig 6. Star mosque after extension. Source: Pinterest

Fig 7. The above photo was taken in the year 1969 when High court of East Pakistan was operative and the
Supreme court of Pakistan sits occasionally in this Building. See the Pakistani Flag hoisting at the top. Source:
Building of Magnificence in Dhaka; justicerahman123.blogpost.com
Fig 8. Earlier Eastern View. Photo taken in the year 2009.Compare the extended roof on the 1st floor extension,
which is absent in the 1st photo (1969), instead there was a tin shed. Source: Building of Magnificence in
Dhaka; justicerahman123.blogpost.com

Fig 9. Collectorate Building, Jessore. 2018. Source: Flikr

Fig 10. A two storied residence in Niketan, Gulshan. Source: photographed by the author

Fig 11. A multi storied residence in Niketan, Gulshan with distorted Corinthian columns on the front gate.
Source: photographed by the author

Fig 12. Residence of Bashundhara Groups’ chairman, Ahmed Akbar Sobhan. Source: Youtube

Student name: Afiya Raisa