Shahid Haji Abdul Alim Playground | Shatotto

Abstract

Shahid Haji Abdul Alim playground is a revitalization project in a dense old part of Dhaka. For many years this park was abandoned by the community due to it being illegally occupied and used for indecent activities. The ground’s walls were hosted vagrant camps and its greenery had all but disappeared. In response, the design philosophy was to remove the peripheral walls and return ownership to the community with TRUST and RESPECT. The use of harvested rainwater and creation of spaces for everyone in the community made the project not only SUSTAINABLE, but also a CELEBRATION.

Introduction

The Shahid Haji Abdul Alim Playground is located in Old Dhaka north of Lalbagh Fort, one of the remaining relics of the Moghul rule. Formerly known as “Balur Math” (Sand Field), the Abdul Alim Playground existed as a pond before 1965. Due to indiscriminate waste dumping, the pond was gradually filled and covered with sand, earning its previous namesake. After the “Jol Sobuje Dhaka” initiative’s 437,500 USD revitalization project which concluded in 2019, the 5,600 square meter playground was transformed into a bustling hub that supports and sustains its community.

State of things prior

Prior to the revitalization project, the playground was left abandoned due to mistreatment, poor planning, and improper maintenance of the land. The area had become home to drug abusers, vagrants, illegal/unlicensed storefronts, and other practices which were socially frowned upon. These deviant activities were facilitated by the ill-planned boundary walls that enclosed the playground. Because of the tight roads and high structure/foot traffic density of Old Dhaka, the peripheral walls hindered the flow of movement within and around the playground while simultaneously restricting access through the area. Additionally, the walls were misused as backdrops for unlicensed storefronts and vehicle parking which further hampered movement around the exterior. The interior was used by the socially deviant for illegal/anti-social practices which further discouraged people from visiting the playground. The area’s unusable nature was compounded by the fact that it lacked basic facilities such as seating areas, walkways, waste/recycling bins, and lawn for sports. The rough unkept terrain contained numerous mounds and holes which pooled waste and dirty water making the playground inherently unsafe and unsanitary especially for children looking to play. The area lacked a proper drainage system which contributed to the pooling of waste water as well as hampered the growth of plants and grass.

As it stood, the playground did not contribute meaningfully to its community and rather created an atmosphere of distrust and disrespect which in turn caused the community to abandon it as wasted space.

Goals

The primary goal of the project was to return the playground to its community as a place to be valued and respected which in turn would provide value and care for its users. To that end, the aims were to improve accessibility, flow of movement, design aesthetics, environmental and financial sustainability, and overall usability of the playground.

Process

The process began with dismantling the peripheral walls which acted as both a physical and psychological barrier. The removal of the walls not only unified the playground with its surrounding space, but also reunited it with the community who had abandoned what was to them a closed off unwelcoming space.

Without walls restricting the playground, the focus moved to making it usable and sustainable for the community. This involved installing basic facilities such as seating areas, walkways, and waste disposal bins. To breathe life back into the dry ground, a rainwater collection trench was dug around the playground area which connected to a new underground water storage area. This cistern would serve to collect any excess water from rainfall for purification and reuse by the community. These uses include irrigation for the grass on the playing field and for surrounding plants, drinking water, and water for cleaning. The extra space on the eastern end of the playgrounds was used to construct a multipurpose building containing a café, a veranda, and the water purification system.

The results

After completion, the playground has become a cleaner, usable community hub capable of accommodating its users. With the removal of its decrepit wall and addition of new walkways, the playground has become much more accessible. With new trees and grass, it is pleasing to look at and provides a relaxing atmosphere. The updated field in the center has been cleared of any hazards and has had fresh green grass planted, making it a perfect place for youth to play. The grass is maintained using new automated sprinklers which use collected rainwater. The new multipurpose building housing the water purification system and café has a veranda from which people may spectate ongoing games while enjoying a snack. The café provides a source of income for the playground’s upkeep which combined with the rainwater collection system contributes makes the space a rather self-sustainable hub.