BUSTLE

A bus stop is designated space, where passengers board and alight from vehicles. The main idea behind the project was to create a system where the need of the locality can be accommodated, while installing a stopover for public transit, that stands out amid the hustle and bustle of Dhaka city.

Farmgate is one of the busiest and versatile areas in Dhaka metropolitan city. It not only serves as a significant commercial area, but also has a large number of educational institutes and residential neighborhoods. Farmgate is also known as one of the major transportation hubs of the city offering diverse transportation options, allowing one to travel to the other side of Dhaka as well the country. The node is connected to major roads like Kazi Nazrul Islam avenue, Green road etc. Furthermore, Ananda Cinema Hall, one of the city's popular and traditionally renowned movie theaters, is located here. Considering all these, we have decided to design a bus stop in this particular node. However, it can be implemented on various busy locations around the city.

Given the context, this bustling node calls for a dynamic installation with versatile activities that would cater the needs of the robust crowd. Hence, we have come up with a design solution ‘Bustle’, that may be the perfect response to the context.

Naturally, the area is overcrowded and bustling with human activity throughout the day. Hundreds of people come to Farmgate node and wait for the bus to reach their destination. The process of waiting has inherent conflicts in it. On the one hand, the wait is inevitable and they must spend a long time waiting or doing nothing. On the other hand, people cannot usually afford to this free time because of the busy schedule.

The exterior of ‘Bustle’ is beguilingly decorated with rickshaw-art which reflects the traditional local art style. In Bangladesh, rickshaw is a three-wheeled pedicab- every conceivable part of the rickshaw is painted with very bold, bright and raw colors. In addition to geometric designs, there are depictions of flowers, birds and even popular actresses. The popping colors of ‘Bustle’ reflect the robustness of the space, it has been placed into.

‘Bustle’ will be installed not only as a generic bus stop, but also as a meeting space of people from all over the city. People can enjoy conversation over a cup of tea while waiting for their vehicle. Some might prefer to read newspaper or solve the crossword. ‘Bustle’ is an opportunity to solve a need of a locality. It is kitted with facilities such as tea stall, bookshop, nursery etc. to promote the local sellers. Depending on the location, the provision of the facilities can be modified as well.

A national study in 2017 found that, numerous old and unfit buses are repaired and colored to ply around the highways of Bangladesh posing risk of serious accidents. Disgusting smoke emitted from such vehicles also adds to environment pollution and poses health hazards. Initiatives have been taken to prevent the movement of unfit vehicles by BRTA (Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation). However, it is not possible to seize all unfit buses due to lack of adequate places to keep those. What if we reuse these old buses as building material for the bus stops? It will not only solve the problem, but also will encourage people to reuse available resources in an environment friendly way.

Currently, urban areas of Bangladesh generate 633,129 tons/year of plastic waste of which 51% plastic waste gets recycled and the recycling of the remaining could save USD 801 million every year. Though recycling is the best economic and environment friendly practice to get rid of this enormous plastic load, in Bangladesh recycling practices are still in nascent stage. Moreover, people find it easier to dump the plastic waste in open places or near roadside or in the river or sea shore rather than discarding them in a proper manner to be used for recycling. In Farmgate area, a number of street children can be seen collecting plastic waste from the roads. As a temporary fix, we can introduce a new habit of recycling: a simple and very effective way to clean up plastics and help the street children in the process. To demonstrate this idea, ‘Bustle’ introduces a vending machine that collects plastic bottles and offers books and magazines for children and adults. On daily basis, local waste management workers can fetch the piled-up plastics.

‘Bustle’ can integrate an app-based ride sharing service for the passengers covering near-by areas. Instead of using internal combustion vehicle that harms the environment, it uses bicycle, a method of transportation that is good for both the user and the environment. With the rising concern for climate change, eco-friendly vehicles such as bicycles became a popular method of transport in large cities. These bikes have zero carbon emission and provide a healthy workout to the general mass.

The design is a modular approach since the programs of installation can be changed or modified according to the need of a particular region. For example, the elements of the structures are prefabricated and can be easily assembled on site.

Main aspects of ‘Bustle’

• A stopover with basic bus-stand facilities-ticket counter, waiting zone, toilet etc.
• A proposal to prohibit the movement of unfit buses and reuse them for different purpose.
• A landmark in the area demonstrating the traditional local art and the diverse and rich context.
• A platform for local sellers to promote their business.
• A booth for app-based bike sharing service to encourage the use motor-free vehicle i.e., bicycle
• An approach to cleanup plastic waste temporarily