Sonnet Ahammed’s aspirations as a young architect

Sonnet Ahammed completed his Bachelor's in Architecture from BUET, and is currently pursuing his Master's in Computational, Generative Design and Simulation at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Germany. He has worked on several noteworthy projects, including "Rethinking Grey Spaces beneath Kuril Flyover". His final year thesis, ''Nano Nest 2.0'', was recognised as highly commendable under the Global Undergraduate Awards 2021's Architecture and Design category. We recently caught up with the young architect to know more about his aspirations.

How did you develop a fascination for architecture?

I always wanted to work in a creative field, and was fascinated by art and colours from a young age. Architecture was a common point for my career and passion, as it provides me the freedom to think, and has the potential for emotional input. I can visualise my ideas into a creation, while solving social problems.

Tell us more about your final year thesis.

My thesis presents a living system for young professionals, where they can choose accommodation units based on their budgets and needs, thereby building a homogenous community. After collecting data for their requirements, the AI-based software matches the most suitable people together and forms groups, leading to a prefabricated housing unit being personalised according to the new tenant's demands. My project would further allow people to subscribe to extra spaces for a limited time period, for their sudden needs, like setting up a home-office. The free spaces can also be used to create isolation wards for Covid-19.

What is the main idea behind your thesis?

My thesis is based on an app with updates and requirements to let people choose their spaces. The interior walls are designed to be foldable and can be redesigned according to people's needs. This model is economically and functionally sustainable as it would help young students and professionals arrange accommodation near their workplaces and campuses. I am grateful to my supervisors, Prof Dr Mohammed Zakiul Islam and Brishti Majumder, for their guidance.

Why did you choose to work with accommodation units?

Since I hail from Jessore, fitting into a new city was a major challenge, and it took me almost a year to manage a seat at the hostel. I often had to share flats with young professionals, and our schedules did not match. I soon realised that these flats are designed for families, not students or working individuals. So, a lot of common space is wasted and we need to share spaces to find accommodation within a budget. My thesis is a solution to the problem I faced as a new student in Dhaka. 

The author is a medical student and a freelance journalist who likes reading, scribbling, and blogging. Email: mislammonamee@gmail.com.