Aga Khan Academy Dhaka wins gold at the International Design Awards 2023

The IDA was created to recognise and celebrate exceptional architecture globally and to discover talent in the fields of design, graphics and creation. Annually, it welcomes submissions from all over the world to participate in several categories, such as architecture, interior, product, graphic and fashion design.  

Recently, the 17-acre campus of the Academy won the IDA gold award in the Educational Architecture Design / Primary, Elementary & Middle Schools category. According to its entry description, the Academy is described as a skilful “resurrection” of ancient designs, with a “meticulous orchestration” of unique architectural features, including the Maidan and courtyards.  

The Academy, which opened in August 2022, is the fourth in the network of the Aga Khan Academies. Each Academy prides itself on its significant architecture, acting as an intentional amalgamation of the local context and culture.  

To reflect on a few innovations in the design, one of the architects for the Academy from SHATOTTO Architecture for Green Living, Mr Rafiqul Azam, shared his inspiration during a recent campus tour with young architects.  

Aga Khan Academy Dhaka

"The ground and floors of the basement were built in such a way that water management serves in the best way possible,” he said. “If there is heavy rain, the water level of the floors will stand in such a way so that students experience how rainwater feels like. For a drizzle, the level of water will be almost null. However, the destination of the surface water is the underground.”   

Located in Bashundhara R/A near the Dhaka-Purbachal expressway, it has been previously recognised for its sprawling greenery, sustainable infrastructure and environmental commitment by the World Architecture Festival in 2017. The campus won the best “Future Education Project” award for its design excellence and efforts to make a social impact emanating from the mission and values of the Aga Khan Development Network.  

Additionally, the Academy received an Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) certification in 2022, making it the first building in Bangladesh to be given this. The certification is awarded to buildings designed to mitigate the effects of climate change.