FUTURE OF THE PAST: RE-THINKING THE BAPTIST CHURCH

Dissolving the Boundary

GROUP 05
SURVEY FINDINGS

Historical background
William
• About 225 years ago William Carrey came to this region for spreading Baptism. And about 150 years ago Baptist church was built. Carrey
• The land was donated by a Hindu women to Sri Jishu for worship. The compound was total 100 bigha in size, which is now reduced to 40
bigha due to land extortion
Baptist
Church,
Koylaghat,
Infrastructure Khulna
• The church compound includes cemetery, children home(institute), Ghusolkhana, shops, library, pastor office, residence(6-7 family), caretaker
accommodation, hostel for approx. 80 children, church(old and new).
• This is the head office of Baptist community in Bangladesh, they also have 10 other local organization all over the country. There are 21 more
churches in Khulna under Baptist Community. Among all of the infrastructures in the site, Baptist Church is the oldest one.

Playground

Gocholkhana

Residence

School

Shops
Old church New church
Bangladesh Bank Public Road Waterbody
Officer’s Quarter
Cemetery Hostel

• The community has some domestic cows, which provide food for the children staying there.
• They also have ponds. One of them are used for baptism and some are for fish farming.
• They have some shops in front which works as a income source and safety for the community and also for regular use.
• There are two playground for the children. Their neighborhood friends are also allowed there.
Pastor Office

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SURVEY FINDINGS
Baptist
Activity (usages) Church
as
• Old church was previously used as prayer space. Due to space shortage, a new church was constructed and it is used as a community space as prayer space
well. The old church is now used for funeral of the dead and used for the children for many cultural and learning activities known as Sunday (previous)
school.
• The school provides bible training and primary education for disadvantaged children.

Interior of
Baptist
Church (present)

Funeral of
dead body

Cemetery Old church New church Pond

• People with their children gather in the church for interacting with each other. New Church
• Weekly prayer (Wednesday), Good Friday, Star Sunday, Christmas, yearly religious assembly is the time for the gathering of the people. During as Community
the big events, people come from all over the country and world(Japan, German etc). Center

Structural Condition
• Chunshurki (চু নসুরকি) was used to build the structure of the Vulnerable
old church. Roof
• The roof of the old church is structurally weak.
• The window didn’t have any grills on them when
constructed, it was added later.

Window
(present)

Door
(present) 1
SURVEY FINDINGS

Admin
Bangladesh
• A committee takes care of the whole compound and decide what kind of changes will be made. Baptist
• They have two committee, one for controlling the church and another does voluntary work for community Church Sangha
• This committee changes every 4 year and this committee has future plans for building a larger church..

Necessities (Committee & Community People)

• The community people does not have any plan for demolishing the old church, as it is a traditional building with cultural significance. The style Christian
of this building is rare in Khulna which they want to preserve. Commission
• CCDaB works on climate change. They also have plans with this community, which will include office buildings inside the compound. for
• LMI also have plans with this church. The hostel was built by them. Development
• People want a library with proper resource, dedicated Sunday school for children, public toilet, plaza, accommodation facility, community space in Bangladesh
and public participation respecting the religion significance.

Liebenzell
Mission
International

“ভাঙছি না,
ভাঙবো না”
-সাধারণ মানুষ

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PROBLEM MAPPING
As an accessible urban area,
it is an opportunity to
accommodate and acquire
land for public space as well
as heritage branding.

The heritage site is not

visible from the road.

A graveyard beside the old

church having a history of
200 years.

Wasted space with a lot of

green potential, creating a
space for unsocial activity.
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PROBLEM MAPPING
The church compound lies in
a constrained environment
from the surrounding
neighbourhood.

Buildings creating a strong

sense of boundary in middle
of the site, depriving the
front side from the greenery
in the back.

Inefficient economy based

land use.

Unused and unorganized

greenery creating
environment for insects
beside the boundary.
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PROBLEM MAPPING
A pond with historical and
spiritual value is situated in
west side of the site.

Though, now they use it for

fish culturing, unplanned
system doesn’t take the best
out of the water body.

Lack of human interaction

encourages antisocial
activity after evening in
rupsha stand road.

Undeveloped
pedestrianization and road
network.
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PROBLEM MAPPING
Ignorance about the history
of the site and structures
among visitors and
inhabitants too.

Lack of social space for

sharing experience which
creates a communication gap
with other communities.

The unplanned buildings

divides the site,
disconnecting the front and
back of the land.

Absence of community -
driven participatory(public
participation) activity in
government directed
conservation activity.
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SWOT ANALYSIS

Community
engagement in
Baptist Church

Multipurpose
activity

Lot of
natural
resources

Lack of
space in the
church

Insufficient
road width

Huge display
of flora and
fauna

Roof at a
very risky
position

Absence of
conservation
activity
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ISSUES, OBJECTIVES & DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Personalized
land use
pattern
creates dead
zone after
working hour

Green spaces
used as waste
dumping
zone

Large solid
boundary walls
are neglecting
the exposure
of Baptist
Church 1
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK CONCEPT FORMULATION

Creating an Inclusive
Community

All people have the right

to be part of decisions that
affect their lives and
groups they belong to.

Security issues,
community gap with other
communities, lack of
interaction has caused
Baptist Church to be a
“Gated Community”.
Placemaking, heritage
branding, establishing a
common ground between
people from different
religion can turn the
Baptist Community into
an inclusive community.

The Baptist Church

compound is a rich source
of natural resources which
aren’t used efficiently.
Integrating these natural
resources with people
from diverse background
will result in sustainable
public spaces.

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CONCEPT FORMULATION
DISSOLVING THE BOUNDARY

“When you go through

deep waters,
I will be with you”
Isaiah 43:2

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 DESIGN DECESIONS

Community people can enjoy the

benefits of a public waterbody with
aesthetic appeal

Section AA’

Designing buildings which reflects the significance of heritage Designing the proposed church in semi basement so
The roof of the new
building style in a contemporary approach that the bigger form of new church doesn’t
church becomes a public
plaza dominate the old church

Section BB’

• Community hall • Music and dance • Residence and guest
should be in front of classes will help the
road with dedicated cultural activities of
access so that public the church get
can use it without exposure via
accessing the integrating the
church area neighborhood
people through kids
• Old church will be
house should be in used as library and
a more private zone Sunday school
which doesn’t • Playground will
interrupt the church integrate the
activities neighborhood with
church people through
kids
• The prayer garden
should be able to take
advantage of rich
natural resources of
the site
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SITE INFORMATION & INTRODUCTION SITE LOCATION

The heritage site is

Located in the Upper
North –East side of
Khulna.
`

Baptist Church
(Cultural significant The site is 450m away
element) From Rupsha Traffic
Moor and connected
by main road thus easily
accessible by foot and
Rupsha other vehicles.
stand road

Khan Jahan
Ali road

Catchment
Area

The coordinates of the

Rupsha Baptist Church.

22°48'20.2"N 89°34'37.6"E
Khulna City
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ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH

Rupsha Baptist Church was built under supervision of William Carey

in 1821, who was a Christian missionary.
Characteristics of
Renaissance Architecture
As he was an European, It was intended towards Gothic but can be identified as
remained restricted within the conventional classical idea of
the area for occidential influence.
-symmetrical
plans

-semi-circular
or segmental
arch

-flat
or coffered
Pointed Arch ceilings

Segmental Arch -occidential

influence

Hood Mould

Colonial Facade

Characteristics of
Gothic Architecture
can be identified as

-heavy
decoration

-pointed arch
Buttress
lancet window

-hood mould

-buttress

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SIGNIFICANCE OF BAPTIST CHURCH

• First Baptist church in Khulna megacity in 1821.

• First pastor were British missionaries.
• Second missionary was Goganchandro Dutto.
• He was first elected chairman of Khulna Municipality.
• 33 bigha land area with scenic natural beauty.
• Special place for Christian community.
• Many renowned missionaries had preached dictum in this church.
• This church works as a mother church of Baptist community.
• This church has an important role of preaching works of Baptist community in
Khulna region

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PHILOSOPHY OF BAPTIST CHURCH & DISTINGUISH WITH CATHOLIC

Baptist, member of a group of Protestant Christians who share the basic beliefs of most

Protestants but who insist that only believers should be baptized and that it should be done
by immersion rather than by the sprinkling or pouring of water.
They are against infant baptism.

• Catholics believe that you can confess your sins to a priest.

• Catholics tend to make the sign of the cross on the chest.
CATHOLIC • Catholics also have extra books in addition to the Bible.
• Believes in infant baptism.

• Baptists tend to pray directly to Jesus and do not make confessions to priests.
• Baptists believe in the resurrection of Jesus and have an empty cross to symbolize the same.
BAPTIST • Unlike catholic Baptists only study the Bible.
• Baptists are against infant baptism.

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DOCUMANTATION

AISLE

The Church is one storied.

The plan is Symmetrical.
The Church contains an
Alter, a Nave and two
Aisle at both side .

AISLE

Both front &back right

side of the church for
entry.

A back door is also

situated behind the Alter .

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DAMAGE MAPPING

As the church is date back

to 1821 making it more
then 200 years old . The
Present condition of the church main material of this built
form is Surkhi Mortar.

Exposure of masonry
Plaster detachment
Presence of vegetation
Termite attack
White fungus As the façade of the
building exposed to
rain ,the plaster of outer
surface is falling apart
making the masonry
exposed.

North Facade

And the wooden doors

and windows are
damaged by termite
attack.

The roof of the church is

the most vulnerable area.
As the roof is only made
of Shurki Mortar it is in
high risk . Inside of the
church is mostly covered
with white fungus.

Front Facade Inside Condition

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CONSERVATION APPROACH & PROCESS

Restoration refers to the process of care, as well as the professional field of practice concerned with material heritage and is at the heart of this The meaning of conservation
emerging, cross-sectoral landscape of cultural heritage stewardship. is a careful preservation and
protection of something;
Adaptive reuse of building is one of the a methods of architectural conservation that aims at retaining its heritage even as it continues to serve other especially planned
function. It is a movement in planning, designed to conserve old monuments & areas in order to tie a place's history to it's population and culture. management of a natural
resource to prevent
The importance of regular maintenance lies in it being a pragmatic, cost effective, practical, and sustainable approach for the preservation of exploitation, destruction, or
heritage sites and buildings neglect.

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CONSERVATION APPROACH & PROCESS
We are going through four
conservation methods to
conserve Baptist Church:
Indicators
Reconstruction,
Methods Maintenance,
Adaptive reuse &
Restoration.

Windows of the church are

Window pretty much damaged. Some
of them are already been
replaced by steel windows.
These need to be restored in
its own old form.

Roof is the most damaged

Roof part of the church . Most of
them are falling off . Its need
to be restored and
maintained as soon as
possible.

Door Doors are not heavily

damaged . Some parts of its
needs to be restored and
maintained.

Wall Walls are covered with

white fungus which needs a
proper maintenance.