Crafting Togetherness

Crafting Togetherness is a collaborative programme initiated and led by Samdani Art Foundation, developed at Srihatta, Samdani Art Centre and Sculpture Park in Sylhet. The programme brings together local artisans and architecture students through workshops and knowledge exchanges focused on sustainable, vernacular building practices.

As part of the Samdani Art Foundation’s broader vision for Srihatta, Bangladeshi architect Rizvi Hassan, recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (2022), is designing a pavilion that will function as a public space for gatherings, workshops, performances, music sessions and other community-oriented programmes. While the pavilion is an ongoing project, it served as the central framework around which the Crafting Togetherness workshops were developed.

Samdani Art Foundation received a grant from the British Council under Climate Futures South Asia 2025 to support a year-long series of workshops and learning exchanges facilitated by Rizvi Hassan and his team members from Aronnyojon. These workshops created a platform for collaboration between architecture students and local artisans who work with indigenous, biodegradable materials such as bamboo, golla pata, and mud.

Over the course of one year, a series of workshops were conducted. The first workshop brought together 25 artisans and architecture students to collectively explore the design of the pavilion. During this session, artisans shared their vernacular building knowledge, particularly the use of golla pata for roofing. Through dialogue and hands-on discussions, participants collaboratively developed design ideas rooted in local practices and environmental awareness. Alongside the design development, feasibility tests were carried out to assess the use of locally available materials. This phase included identifying, sourcing, and preparing materials such as bamboo and golla pata, following traditional methods of curing and treatment to ensure durability while maintaining environmentally responsible practices.

As many of the artisans involved in the first workshop travelled from distant areas, Aronnyojon conducted further research and identified skilled female artisans living closer to Srihatta, known for their expertise in thatched roofing and bamboo stick weaving. Initially hesitant to work on-site, as they had never worked outside their homes, the artisans gradually gained confidence through a carefully considered working environment. By involving only female architecture students during the early stages, the project created a sense of safety and trust. Over the past four months, these artisans have been working regularly at Srihatta, with more women from the surrounding community now coming forward to participate. The second last workshop (8-10 November, 2025) focused on refining the structural design and developing a small-scale model of the pavilion. 

The final workshop (8-10 January, 2026) emphasized hands-on learning, with female artisans leading sessions on bamboo stick weaving techniques. This workshop included five resident participants who stayed on site, alongside nine students from Leading University. On the third day, twenty-seven additional students from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) joined the programme.

During this phase, resident participants also experimented with tile designs for the pavilion floor and developed concepts for wall elements and light fixtures, which will later be produced by artisans. One of the participating female artisans, who is differently abled and highly skilled in bamboo basket-making and embroidery, was unable to travel to the site. In response, workshop participants visited her home to learn directly from her practice, reinforcing the project’s commitment to care, accessibility, and respect for individual circumstances.

Overall, Crafting Togetherness functioned as a two-way exchange. Architecture students, many of whom primarily work with modern materials, gained first-hand experience with vernacular construction methods and sustainable building practices. At the same time, artisans were introduced to new design approaches and contemporary applications of their skills, expanding the scope of their work.

The final day of the workshop series concluded with a communal lunch, with neighbouring community members joining the participants. After lunch an open discussion was held involving invited architect Rajon Das, students from Leading University, SUST, BUET, participating artisans, community members, and students from Noyagram Primary School, located ten minutes from Srihatta. The discussion focused on the involvement of architects with local artisans to develop sustainable living spaces. The discussion was followed by a performance by artist Joydeb Roaja, known for working with found objects and natural materials, engaging both the audience and the surrounding environment. The gathering concluded with music by local musicians and the sharing of pitha, prepared and served by the female artisans. As a curator who has worked closely with local communities for many years, I approached the open day together with my colleague Swilin Haque with a quiet sense of anxiety, given the current instability in the country. At a time when cultural spaces are increasingly vulnerable, opening Srihatta to a wider public felt both necessary and uncertain. Yet the response from the community was overwhelmingly generous. Their presence, care, and encouragement affirmed that our approach, grounded in trust, collaboration, and long-term relationships, is meaningful.

Beyond the grant period, Crafting Togetherness is envisioned as a programme with lasting impact. Once complete, the space at Srihatta will continue to host workshops, performances, and cultural gatherings through partnerships with local organizations. Knowledge generated through the project will be documented and shared through future workshops, publications, and online platforms.

Ruxmini Choudhury, Curator, Samdani Art Foundation 

About the Climate Futures: South Asia:  

Climate Futures: South Asia is a bold, artist-led initiative supporting creative solutions to the climate crisis through grants, mentorship, and global collaboration. It empowers artists and organisations to reimagine the arts for a sustainable future, driving climate action and resilience across the creative sector.

The programme awards grants to artists and cultural organisations in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the UK.

Read more: https://arts.britishcouncil.org/projects/climate-futures-south-asia 

About the British Council: 

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. It supports peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding, and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide through work in arts and culture, education, and the English language. The British Council works with people in over 200 countries and territories and is on the ground in more than 100 countries, reaching 600 million people in 2022–23.

About Arannyojon

Arannyojon’s design philosophy is grounded in a deep respect for nature and communities. The collective emphasizes sharing knowledge of sustainable and sensible practices while also learning from others. Its goal is to create spaces that not only meet users’ needs but also empower them to care for their environment. Arannyojon advocates for a more inclusive and collaborative approach to architecture. By understanding the unique identity, values, and culture of each place, the collective strives to create spaces where people feel a sense of ownership and belonging. Building trust with local governments, partners, and communities is a key aspect of this process. Arannyojon views architects as mediators, working collectively to develop solutions. Through this approach, it aims to reshape architectural practice and demonstrate its potential to foster positive social change, expanding the possibilities of what architecture can achieve for both people and the planet.

All participants:

Team Samdani Art Foundation

Ruxmini Reckvana Q Choudhury

Swilin Haque

Mohammad Sazzad Hossain

Team Aronnyojon

Rizvi Hassan 

Khwaja Fatmi

Zareen Tasneem Sharif

Md Fazlul Haque

Md Ruhan Al Faruk

Md Arafat Makki

Md Minhajul Abedin Chowdhury

Resident Workshop Attendees 

Sadia Sabrin Tarannum 

Rokaiya Sanjida

Aniqa Ibnat

Abrar Khalil

Amiya Shankar Das 

Student Workshop Attendees 

Leading University Sylhet:

Sharmistha Sarker

Tajrian Hoque Rumaisha

Rubaida Hossain Anika 

Shawti Alam

Nishat Yes min 

Mayesha Ahmed

Wahid Ahmed 

Suraiya Chowdhury

Anik Karmakar 

SUST Sylhet:

Udita Das

Sakiba Nawar

Miss. Noshin Mahjabeen Farah

Saba Raidah Faruquee

Noor-E-Zannat Zakia

Αnanna Nishat

Mehajabin Jannat

Rifah Nunzibah Rahman 

Jannatul Ferdous Toma

Khadiza Tun Nisa

Noosrat Zahan Sejana

Monira Akter Mim

Khosrat Jahan Tamanna

Farjana Kabir Prity 

Tanzia Nusrat Suha

Mehjabeen Arobi

Kazi Sakian Mahmud

Md. Ishteyak Huda 

Rafid Ahmed 

Amartya Biswas 

Md. Farhan Tamim Bhuiyan

Shusen Nag

Avishek Chakrabarty 

Atik Arafat Alvi 

Muntasir Akil Tuhin 

BUET Dhaka:

Mahfuz Mahi

Nakshatra Ishrat

Guests:

Architect Rajon Das, Sylhet

3 Teachers from Leading University

5 Primary School Teachers of Noyagram Govt. Primary School

Artisans:  

Soiful Apa - Bamboo Weave Work Lead

Jamal Bhai - Bamboo Work Lead

Jiyaul Bhai - Concrete Work Lead

And 17 others 

Performance by Joydeb Roaja.