Sustainability meets aesthetics: Sobuj Chaya wins design award

Kazi Fariel Nusibha (Senior, ARC) won the 26th DOT Student Design Award in Category C, designated for 2nd & 3rd year students. The Delvistaa Foundation organized it as part of “DOT: Journal on Art & Architecture”. The award recognises creative projects that prioritize sustainable design, architecture, and environmental awareness.

Fariel observed the drawbacks of fully glazed facades, including uncomfortable glare, trapped heat, and high temperatures, which inspired her winning project, Sobuj Chaya. As a solution, her design features vertical greenery as a cooling element. It is distinctive because it skillfully combines architecture and sustainability. In the project, the building is divided along the north-south axis to minimize heat gain and enhance ventilation and daylight. Its precise technique makes the community more welcoming by improving thermal comfort and softening the urban presence. She also created clear visuals and analysed past entries to ensure the best presentation.

The accolade means a lot to her. “It encourages me to continue designing with both innovation and responsibility in mind,” she says. She credits the faculties, seniors, and BracU’s coursework for helping her develop the technical foundation needed for her project. She learned valuable lessons in time management, collaboration, and adaptability, which helped turn her idea into reality.

Fariel hopes to design structures in the future that are both practical and environmentally sustainable, while also fulfilling people’s needs. She shares, “Even if you mess up sometimes, that’s how you learn.” To create a difference, she advises her fellow architecture students to stay curious, try new things, practice their skills and most importantly, work together.