BDDL Peace Park redefines urban architecture

In a rare departure from Dhaka’s dense, concrete-dominated skyline, Bangladesh Development Design Limited (BDDL) has unveiled Peace Park, a unique housing project that blends sustainable architecture with community-oriented living in the capital’s Dhanmondi area.

Located at House 69 on Road 6A, BDDL Peace Park offers 18 residential flats—but more than just housing, the project represents a vision of inclusive, environmentally conscious urban life. With over 1,000 trees planted throughout the property, vertical greenery lining the walls, rooftop gardens, and common spaces made from recycled materials, the development has already drawn attention from urban planners and sustainability advocates.

“This is not a commercial venture—it’s a people-centric, green, inclusive space,” said MA Baten Khan, Managing Director of BDDL, at the project’s inauguration on Thursday.

The initiative was originally conceived by Professor Afzal Hossain Bachchu, who aimed to challenge the prevailing model of high-rise urban housing. “I wanted to create something that would tell our future generations that a city is not just about concrete—it’s about people, relationships, trees, and love,” he said.

Each flat owner at Peace Park is a co-entrepreneur, not just a resident. Designed as a cooperative model, the project enables residents to participate equally in decision-making, cost-sharing, and revenue generation. Income from rooftop gardens, a tea shop, and common facilities will be reinvested into maintenance and social welfare.

The complex includes a rooftop ‘Lazy House’ for rest and reflection, a children's library, a women-friendly reading corner, and a ‘three-dimensional common room’ equipped with books, audiobooks, and audiovisual facilities. A tea shop on the premises serves herbal teas—tamarind, basil, and ginger—all cultivated from the rooftop garden.

Accessibility has been built into the design, with ramps, lifts, and reading spaces for children, women, and the elderly, making the complex age-friendly and inclusive.

In a gesture uncommon in Bangladesh’s real estate sector, BDDL has honoured the workers who built the project. A permanent plaque bearing their names has been installed at the building’s entrance. Additionally, a Shramik Shishu Shiksha Fund has been established, through which four children of construction workers received educational support at the launch event.

“This is a matter of dignity and recognition for the people who make our homes possible,” said Baten Khan.

The project was formally inaugurated by UNDP Resident Representative Kamaluddin, PKSF Managing Director Md Fazlul Quader, Marie Stopes Bangladesh Country Director Kishwar Imdad, poet Asad Chowdhury, and children’s author Rahim Shah, among others.

“In a city where social and natural spaces are shrinking, Peace Park offers a breath of fresh air—literally and symbolically,” Kamaluddin said.

Fazlul Quader described the initiative as “a social movement” that presents “a humane path amidst the growing isolation and inequality in urban life.”

BDDL plans to replicate the Peace Park model in other cities, targeting middle- and lower-income groups. According to the developers, the aim is to establish a new standard in urban housing that is environmentally responsible and socially inclusive.

“My dream was a place where people wouldn’t just stay—they would live,” said Professor Afzal Hossain at the closing of the ceremony. “A place where neighbours share stories under trees, and children grow with nature.”

BDDL Peace Park now stands as more than just a residential building—it is an architectural statement and a potential model for sustainable urban living in Bangladesh.

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