Communities of the Ganges delta in Bangladesh have lived between land and water for centuries. Flooding will become even more frequent as the effects of climate change intensify. Good design is essential if this challenge is to be addressed. Winner of the AKAA in 2016, Architect Marina Tabassum’s practice in Dhaka, has used low-cost, sustainable substances in its designs. The Bait Ur Rouf Mosque, built in 2012, sits on a raised plinth to protect it from floodwater. Peter Clegg, a British architecture firm, took a different approach when building the Aga Khan Academy. The academy is elevated from the ground. It features attenuation areas, five feet below ground level, which allow water to drain away, perforated brick facades to deal with heat and humidity and shaded paths and verandahs which allows the use of air-conditioning to be limited to classrooms.

The Aga Khan Development Network, the Aga Khan National Council, and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in collaboration with the Institute of Architects Bangladesh have honoured architect Saif Ul Haque - one of the winners of the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Bangladeshi project, Arcadia Education Project in South Kanarchor, was celebrated and recognised for excellence in architecture, at a ceremony held in Dhaka on 2 November.