Marina Tabassum (born ) is a Bangladeshi

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

. She is the principal architect of Marina Tabassum Architects. In 2016, she won the

Aga Khan Award for Architecture The Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) is an architectural prize established by Aga Khan IV in 1977. It aims to identify and reward architectural concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of Muslim societies in the field ...

for the design of Bait-ur-Rouf Mosque in

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city i ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

. In 2020, Tabassum was listed by ''Prospect'' as the third-greatest thinker for the COVID-19 era, with the magazine writing, “At the forefront of creating buildings in tune with their natural environments, this Bangladeshi architect is also embracing the design challenges posed by what we are collectively doing to the planet.”

Early life and education

Tabassum was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the daughter of an

oncologist Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (''ó ...

. Her family migrated to Dhaka, Bangladesh from India during the partition of Bengal in 1947. She attended Holy Cross Girls School and College. Tabassum graduated in architecture from

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, commonly known by the acronym BUET, is a public technological research university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Founded in 1876 as the Dacca Survey School, it is the oldest institution for the study ...

in 1994.

Career

In 1995 Tabassum founded URBANA, an architecture practice based in Dhaka, Bangladesh with Kashef Chowdhury. The firm designed a number of projects for about ten years. In 2005 Tabassum established her own practice, Marina Tabassum Architects, and she serves as its principal architect. Since 2005 Tabassum has been a visiting professor at the

BRAC University BRAC University ( bn, ব্র্যাক বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, also known as BracU) is a private research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 2001 as a branch of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed's BRAC un ...

, where she has also taught courses on Contemporary South Asian Architecture. She also conducts undergraduate studios at the

University of Asia Pacific University of Asia Pacific ( bn, ইউনিভার্সিটি অব এশিয়া প্যাসিফিক) often abbreviated as UAP is a private university located at Dhaka, Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the P ...

, and has given lectures and presentations at a number of other educational institutions and conferences. She has been the Director of Academic Program at Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes and Settlements since 2015. She also proposed the invitation of one of India's best architects Bijoy Jain to CAA 2013 in Bangladesh Tabassum was the designer of Bait Ur Rouf Mosque in Dhaka, which was completed in 2012. In 2016 the project was shortlisted for the Aga Khan Award.

Notable Works

* 1997-2006:

Museum of Independence The Museum of Independence ( pl, Muzeum Niepodległości) is a museum in Warsaw, Poland. It was established on 30 January 1990 as the Museum of the History of Polish Independence and Social Movements and is located in the former Przebendowski Palac ...

, Dhaka, Bangladesh * 2001: A5 Residence, Dhaka, Bangladesh * 2006-2011: Comfort Reverie, Dhaka, Bangladesh * 2009: Vacation House at Faridabad, Dhaka, Bangladesh * 2012: Baitur Rouf Mosque, Dhaka, Bangladesh * 2018: Panigram Eco Resort and Spa, Jashore, Bangladesh * 2020: Khudi Bari, Chars in the coastal areas of Bangladesh

Awards and honors

* First prize for the Independence Monument and the

Liberation War Museum The Liberation War Museum ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জাদুঘর ''Muktijuddho Jadughôr'') is a museum at Agargaon in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, which commemorates the Bangladesh Liberation War that led to the indep ...

by the Bangladeshi Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina Sheikh Hasina Wazed (''née'' Sheikh Hasina ; ; bn, শেখ হাসিনা ওয়াজেদ, Shēkh Hasinā, , born 28 September 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh since January 2 ...

(1997) * Architect of the Year Award, by the Indian Vice President

Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (23 October 1923 – 15 May 2010) was the 11th vice president of India. He served in that position from August 2002, when he was elected to a five-year term by the electoral college following the death of Krishan Kan ...

(2001) *

Anannya Top Ten Awards Anannya Top Ten Awards ( bn, অনন্যা শীর্ষ দশ পুরস্কার) is the prize for women in Bangladesh recognition of contribution to the fields of agriculture, industrial, trade, economics, acting, music, sports, ...

(2004) * Finalist of Aga Khan Award for A5, a pavilion apartment (2004) * Second runner-up of Nishorgo Architectural Competition (2006) *

(2016) * Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize (2021) * Soane Medal (2021) * Lifetime Achievement Award (2022)

Exhibitions

* Marina Tabassum Architects: In Bangladesh (2023)

References

Living people Bangladeshi women architects Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology alumni Year of birth missing (living people) Bangladeshi architects 21st-century Bangladeshi architects {{Bangladesh-architect-stub