DESCO Head Quarter

Abstract
The design of the DESCO Head Office emphasizes a dynamic dialogue with the city, serving as a landmark for a public utility company. Strategically located along a busy street with diverse surroundings, the building’s form is dynamic, transparent, and welcoming. A chamfered rectangular mass exposes its central southeast section to create an urban plaza, while continuous glazed facades feature lines inspired by vehicle speed, providing shade and visual connectivity. Functional and climatic considerations shaped the transformation from a cube into the DESCO Head Office.

Design Process
Starting from a cube constrained by site regulations, the southeast corner is pushed to capture monsoon air and create a courtyard, forming a public plaza. The cube extends northward for vehicle drop-off, while west-facing tunnels allow sunlight and airflow through the building. The top face is tapered to optimize solar response.

Plaza & Zoning
The courtyard tapers upward, creating an elegant public entry. Vertically, the building includes underground parking and mechanical spaces, ground and first-floor entries, office floors above, and a multipurpose hall with roof garden at the top. The inner courtyard divides office floors into north and south zones with core facilities on the west.

Facade & Louvers
A continuous flowing louver screens the building, folding up or down to provide visual and physical apertures while protecting interiors.

Urban Scale & Experience
The main approach from the fast-moving airport road emphasizes bold formal expression, while the local road entry features a double-height aperture for pedestrians and vehicles. Cylindrical light tunnels on the west create dramatic interior spaces, allowing occupants to enjoy sunset light.

Design Team
Architects : Mohammad Naimul Ahsan Khan, Farzana Rahman, Mehadi Hasan, Nusrat Azim Mithila