Exploring to the Deep: An Oceanarium Complex

Student Name: Afra Anjum Suchana
Year: 2024
Studio: X (Thesis)
Institute: Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology
Studio Teachers: Prof. Dr. Farida Nilufar, Dr. Maher Niger, Ar. Zishan Fuad Chowdhury, Ar. Ishrat Badhan & Ar. Md. Iftekhar Rashid (Supervisor)
Typology: Recreational
Height: 30m
Land Area: 720 acre (Island Master Plan Area) & 50 acre (Oceanarium Site Area)
Build Area: 8 acre (Oceanarium Master Plan)
Basement: None
Location: Sonadia Island, Moheshkhali, Cox's Bazar, Chittagong

Project Introduction:

In August 2010, the economic zone act was passed in parliament providing the overall framework for establishing Economic Zones throughout Bangladesh. Under this act-The economic zone authority (BEZA) was established under the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and governed by a board chaired by the prime minister. The project was mainly established to support the Ecosystem by controlling the public access and illegally occupied areas in the island and conserving nature.

This project, the oceanarium was a part of Sonadia Eco-Tourism Park (BEZA) which works in the 980-acre area. Before starting the design phase I studied the eco-tourism park project and saw that it will hamper the whole ecosystem and the Sonadia dip. I decided to give a proper master plan for this oceanarium project and select the site from the island by studying the water level, land pattern, and site forces.

The site is surrounded with bay of bangle, mangrove forest and sonadia river. It's mainly in cox's bazar. Easily accessible from cox's bazar and moheshkhali by boat. There is also jhau forest and fully vacant land and some people who work for BEZA lives here for security. It can be cost as potential tourist spot by which we can increase tourism.