From Plots to Systems: Rethinking an Existing Residential Block for a Self-Sustaining Future

Abstract

Rapid urbanization in Bangladesh’s secondary cities has produced planned residential
neighborhoods that appears functional yet remain spatially rigid and socially disconnected.
Although widely considered adequate, such areas rarely address long-term sustainability,
adaptability, and community resilience—challenges shared by housing systems globally. In
this context, Rajshahi, the primary regional center of northern Bangladesh, offers a
representative yet underexplored case. This paper examines the redesign of an existing
residential block in the Padma Residential Area by reimagining housing not as isolated plots,
but as an interconnected urban system. Using a design-led research approach, the study
combines field surveys, occupancy mapping, environmental analysis, and spatial design
exploration. The block is reinterpreted through five integrated strategies: climate-responsive
net-zero housing, Self-sustainable productive landscapes, flexible housing layouts,
community-oriented infrastructure, and modular plug-in systems for incremental upgrading.
The findings demonstrate that coordinated block-scale retrofitting can significantly enhance
environmental performance, spatial adaptability, and social interaction, offering a transferable
model for secondary cities facing similar housing challenges.