“An Uncharted Modernity”: The Architecture of Muzharul Islam - Nurur Rahman Khan (April 12, 2021)

As a witness to the famine caused by the British in India, Partition and the bloody aftermath, the futile East-West Pakistan relationship, the language movement, and the inevitable Liberation War, Muzharul Islam was not contained by the typical “postcolonial" hangover and neither was he an advocate of the “regional.” Islam saw “modernity” as a “politics” of nation-building and was therefore able to hold three otherwise opposed positions, without any conflict with each other: Marxist politics, the progressive attitude of the west, and the need for a strong a cultural identity. His architecture not only laid the foundation of modern architecture in the region but also set on to voice a perception of “modernity” that would fuse a solidarity of the thinkers, artist, writers and even politicians of his time. “An Unchartered Modernity” is journey of the works of Muzharul Islam, seen beyond the typical “gaze” of modern architecture. Muzharul Islam is considered one of the greatest architects of the Indian subcontinent and his work till date remains not only as a source for understanding “modernity” in Bengal, but also to look beyond the confinement of “regionalism” and charters a path in architecture where architecture is able to recalibrate its role.

Dr. Nurur Rahman Khan is a partner of the renowned architectural practice of Tanya Karim N R Khan and Associates. He graduated from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, and completed his Masters from the same institution with the honor of Ahsanur Rahman Gold Medal. He went on to do this Doctoral Degree at IUAV University of Venice. He is an educator who has taught and lectured in many universities and seminars and currently a Professor at Bangladesh University, adjunct faculty of Stamford University Dhaka, and visiting faculty at North South University. He also was a Masters studio guide at IUAV. He is a scholar on Muzharul Islam, Louis I Kahn’s work in the subcontinent and the critique of Modern Architecture in the region. He is the author of "The Assembly Building," a book published on the occasion of the birth centennial of Louis I Kahn, and "Muzharul Islam: Selected Drawings," the first book to be published on Muzharul Islam.