For the ultra-poor in Bangladesh, day-to-day survival is the primary concern of life. From the outside, it may seem that the ultra-poor communities live in the most basic forms of shelters. However, a closer look reveals that the building practices of these communities address sustainability, affordability, and a host of socio-cultural and environmental issues with deeper concern and wisdom than is immediately apparent.
My objective was to better understand rural people and their homesteads—the perceptions and thought process behind designing outdoor spaces and compounds, the concepts of land organization, and the materials used, among other things. In order to truly understand the landscape of the village and its people, I started living in Holholia, in a small neighbourhood called Mozelpara, and was welcomed into the home of two TUP members, Dholi Apa and Shoru Apa. Despite their inability to afford a decent meal for themselves, they would arrange the best possible meal for me, for example, some taki maach with stir-fried potatoes and rice.