Kashef Chowdhury's fascination for Kahn’s parliamentary building in Dhaka inspired this volume
of photo essays. Kahn’s design is characterized by an innovative architectural language that
combines western and eastern traditions forms and materials. Working from his Urbana
practice in Bangladesh Kashef Chowdhury designs architecture that is rooted in the history and
nature of its location – whereby the latter also relates to a spiritual and cultural level.
This explains his fascination for Kahn’s parliamentary building in Dhaka which inspired this
volume of photo essays. Kahn’s design is characterized by an innovative architectural
language that combines western and eastern traditions forms and materials. For instance in
view of the great importance of water in Bengali tradition he placed the building complex by
an artificial lake. Furthermore although it is defined by strict geometrical forms the
parliamentary building reflects the transcendental nature of the National Assembly defining
the hopeful founding years of the independent state of Bangladesh.
