Bengal is remarkably ancient and its contemporary features are also rich and diversified. They present us with a rich palimpsest of layers of history with deep rooted imprints of Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic culture, which range from the heart of older parts of traditional city enclaves to remote rural places. They carry the tangible and intangible elements of Bengal society and sustain local identity and culture. The local built environment, having both tangible and intangible cultural qualities, often without being one or the other, is not simple to define or capture. It is not linear and embodies multiple issues and elements. Local cultural heritage is not static; it is inherited as an element to be passed on through subsequent generations. It may be the cultural legacy, and continuity inherited in time that incorporates the identity of place and people from past into the present in a perpetual process that evolves with time and embodies local tradition, knowledge and value.

The local built environment takes shape through everyday practices. It is embodied and embedded in rituals and prosaic subsistence practices. However, other issues such as environmental performance, accessibility, their place in urban fabric and urban design are equally important.

There has been limited studies in this subject area and they were often focused and not comprehensive enough to cover all critical issues of architecture, built environment and cultural heritage of Bengal. This book takes a multidisciplinary approach to address historical issues, present trends and future possibilities from a wider perspective.

The objective of this edited book is to provide researchers opportunity to study the concepts and related practices of architecture, built environment and cultural heritage of Bengal: past, present and future. Topics can range from broader to specific issues. Idea is to have a deeper insight into the historic aspects of cultural heritage, where they stand now and future challenges. The possible issues covered in this book will be broader in context and subject matter. This has been done to make the edited book more flexible and to stimulate further research interest.

Several local and international publishers have shown interest in this book. The publisher will be finalized once all the chapter proposals are received.

Some of the possible topics for chapters include (but not limited to):

  • History of Bengal architecture
  • Environmental studies related to Bengal
  • Accessibility in heritage buildings of Bengal
  • Design aspects and possibilities of adaptive reuse
  • Heritage and its social aspect
  • Community participation in heritage conservation
  • Contemporary practices in heritage management

TARGET AUDIENCE: We seek contributions that will be useful references for the research community, policy makers, professionals from the heritage sector, cultural ministries and agencies, and wider communities and citizens interested on the selected topics.

SUBMISSION GUIDE FOR CONTRIBUTORS

Authors should submit 300 words proposals for the chapters. Once notified of the acceptance, author(s) should submit chapter outline that show the tentative topic and broad outline of the chapter contents. Both ongoing and completed research will be considered.

Each contribution must be original and unpublished work, not submitted for publication elsewhere. Chapters have to be no more than 25 pages or 8,000 words length and will be evaluated by the editorial board. Instruction for authors will be made available with the proposal acceptance. They are expected to submit camera-ready version of accepted chapters by the given deadline.

Only Chapter proposals NOT EXCEEDING 300 words that specifically addressed the above mentioned areas would be accepted. Prospective authors are advised to adhere to the following style:

  • Language: English
  • Font Face: Times New Roman
  • Font style: Regular, No spacing
  • Font size: 11 points Line spacing: 1.5
  • Citation/Referencing Style: APA 1 referencing style

SUBMISSION: Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically to:

Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed, Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

  • Email: iftekhar.ahmed[at]bracu.ac.bd

DEADLINES

  • Proposal submission deadline : 31st February 2016
  • Proposal acceptance notification : 31st March 2016
  • Chapter outline submission : 30th April 2016
  • Chapter submission deadline : 31st October 2016
  • Chapter reviewed and returned to authors : 31st December 2016
  • Camera-ready chapter submission : 31st January 2017