“Harnessing Sunlight to Illuminate Knowledge”
The Sir Fazle Hasan Abed Knowledge Hub was conceived by BRAC as a tribute to the life, values, and enduring legacy of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, affectionately known as ‘Abed Bhai’. Emerging from a closed design competition, the winning proposal transforms an existing interior of the BRAC Inn into a flexible, daylight-responsive gallery and knowledge space. The central architectural idea, “Harnessing Sunlight to Illuminate Knowledge,” positions daylight as both a spatial and moral equalizer.
In contrast to conventional museums that are often enclosed, dark, and static, the Knowledge Hub is envisioned as a living interior that continuously changes with the movement and intensity of sunlight. The dynamic interplay of light, shadow, material, and space creates an evolving atmosphere, allowing the building to remain experiential and alive. At the heart of this journey is the Grand Stairway, flooded with natural light and conceived as both a physical and symbolic ascent through knowledge, development, and the life of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. Daylight from the terrace is drawn deep into the building through an inclined light well carved through two intermediate slabs, transforming a technical intervention into a defining spatial experience.
The Hub is conceived as more than a museum or archive; it serves as a place of Inspiration, Direction, and Solicitude, encouraging visitors and young development workers to understand his philosophy of learning, service, simplicity, and compassion. The program integrates exhibition spaces, a bibliotheca, multi-purpose facilities, a children’s corner, research facilities, archives, personal art collections, reception, and a book and souvenir shop. A restrained material palette of cotta stone, as-cast concrete, and natural wood establishes a neutral yet tactile backdrop, allowing exhibits and activities to take visual precedence. The entrance features a terracotta installation of footsteps by artist Wakilur Rahman, symbolizing resilience and collective responsibility. Throughout the interior, visual connections to the external landscape and carefully coordinated artificial lighting maintain environmental awareness and consistent illumination. Ultimately, the Knowledge Hub becomes a living architecture of memory, where sunlight, knowledge, and human values converge to keep Sir Fazle Hasan Abed’s legacy active and continually experienced.
