An Outlook of Housing Transformation in Dhaka City

This paper contributes to the view that urban housing in most cities in developing countries is different in nature and more extent than that operative in developed countries. It addresses the emergence of multi-storied apartments through transformation in residential areas in Dhaka, one of the populous cities in the world and largest metropolitan region in Bangladesh, with a particular reference to a study conducted at Rupangar Residential Area. It identifies the key forces and processes underlying Dhaka’s residential transformation and the advent of multi-storied apartments. Fragmentation of functions and the uses of building stocks in relation to the socio-economic aspects with local conditions were sought in the survey. The increasing housing demand is essentially fulfilling by multi-storied apartments and steadily transforming the landscape and lifestyle of huge urban dwellers in Dhaka. It reveals from the study that apartment living gains much popularity and the dominance of informal apartments over formal apartments is more evident. More distinctly, piecemeal apartment development by the informal developers provides affordable shelter to the highest segment of city dwellers and Rupnagar presents a reasoned scenario urban housing transformation in the capital of Bangladesh.