"Architecture has been the most Adventurous and evolving journey of my life."
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I was captivated by the ingenuity of Robinson Crusoe—surviving with makeshift shelters hand-crafted under harsh, unforgiving conditions. That early fascination with resilient environments stayed with me. Growing up immersed in both art and science, I found in architecture a discipline where logic meets imagination—where I could build, question, and explore at once.
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I earned my Bachelor of Architecture from North South University in Dhaka in 2012, followed by an unorthodox and deeply formative experience at SCI-Arc in Los Angeles (2015–2016), where I delved into radical form-making, material experimentation, and perceptual theory. These experiences shaped how I see, feel, and approach space.
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Influenced by Louis Kahn’s timeless monumentality and Peter Zumthor’s sensory minimalism, I design with sensibility over convention. I question standards—like the default 5×4 window—seeking designs that honor light, shade, air, privacy, and presence in harmony.
“Who needs standard sizes when you can customize—or tear down a wall to create something meaningful?”
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Even the materials we take for granted inspire inquiry:
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“Glass promises clarity but blocks over half the photons. If transparency is an illusion, how do we design with integrity?”
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While my foundation has been rooted in urban and institutional projects, a recent opportunity to engage with rural architecture in Ontario—through barn preservation, log cabin restoration, agritourism development, heritage and shoreline sensitive design has expanded my understanding of place.
Inspired by Rem Koolhaas’ inquiry into the countryside as the next frontier of architecture and Uttam Saha’s reflection that “Cities can no longer accommodate us all—but villages still can,” I now embrace both urban and rural design as vital, interconnected realms for our future.
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After completing my Master of Architecture at the University of Waterloo in 2024, my practice now focuses on adaptive reuse, carbon-conscious construction, and place-based design strategies. I integrate Indigenous knowledge with global perspectives to craft contemporary architecture that is both culturally sensitive and socially responsible—rooted in care for people, place, and planet.
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publication:
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https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/10012/20280​​​
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exhibition:
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Robotic Clay, Material Syntax Artifact project exhibited at the Glass and Clay Museum, Canada, 2023
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"affordable housing" - competition entry project was exhibited at Iab, DHAKA, 2019
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M.arch 2gbx - public appearance project was exhibited at SCI-Arc "spring show", Los Angeles, 2016
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Participant of Inter-University photography exhibition curated by NSU Canvas Club, Dhaka, BD, 2014
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b.arch thesis - school of architecture project was exhibited at
national museum of Bangladesh, 2013
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Portfolio archive:
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https://issuu.com/rifataraislam/docs/portfolio_2024
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https://archinect.com/people/cover/150202631/rifat-ara-islam
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https://issuu.com/rifataraislam/docs/6_9_2018_rai_a
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https://vimeo.com/manage/421888137/general
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https://vimeo.com/manage/421887049/general
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https://issuu.com/rifataraislam/docs/islam_rifat_portfolio_march
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https://issuu.com/rifataraislam/docs/binder
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