Draft:Saiqa Iqbal Meghna

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Saiqa Iqbal Meghna

[edit | edit source] Saiqa Iqbal Meghna (born 23 April 1984) is a prominent Bangladeshi architect and academic based in Dhaka. Known for her innovative approach to architecture, Meghna has made significant contributions to sustainable design, public and civic architecture, and architectural education and discourse in South Asia. As a co-founder and director of Studio Morphogenesis Ltd., she has gained recognition for her award-winning projects, including the Zebun Nessa Mosque for which she received 34^th JK Architect of the Year in 2025 for her project Zebun Nessa Mosque. The same year the project is recognized as TIME’s List of World’s Greatest Places.

Early Life and Education  

[edit | edit source] Meghna completed her Bachelor of Architecture at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), where she received multiple merit-based scholarships. She furthered her education with a master's degree from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) in Spain, supported by a partial scholarship. In 2015, she attended the Glenn Murcutt International Master Class in Australia, receiving a scholarship aimed at young female architects from developing nations. She has also twice received the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship as an exchange faculty member from BRAC University.  

Career  

[edit | edit source] Right after graduation Meghna co-founded Sthanik Consultants with her partners. Later she co-founded a collaborative practice Studio Morphogenesis Ltd., where she currently serves as one of the principal architects and directors. She is a faculty member in the Department of Architecture at BRAC University, where she has been instrumental in shaping architectural design pedagogy. Her career is marked by active participation in national and international discussions on architecture, focusing on topics such as design studio pedagogy and the role of women in architecture.  

Throughout her career, Meghna along with her team has been recognized with numerous national and international awards, including the IAB Award, ARCASIA Award, and the Monsoon Architecture Award. Her design philosophy centers on thoughtfully responding to context, community needs, and the surrounding environment. She values material integrity and considers architecture as a landscape phenomenon, emerging from and belonging to its surroundings in subtle, grounded ways. With a keen eye for material details, local climate, and artisan craftsmanship, she creates spaces that are both grounded and expressive. Her portfolio includes a diverse range of built works, from public spaces to religious and residential projects, all reflecting a nuanced understanding of local climate and cultural narratives. Her work is frequently exhibited internationally and cited for its contextual sensitivity and innovation.  

Major Projects  

[edit | edit source] One of Meghna's most notable works is the Zebun Nessa Mosque, designed for garment workers in Ashulia. This project has been acclaimed for its innovative blend of contemporary design and spiritual significance, earning national and international recognition. Other significant projects include:  

Shomaj Biggyan Chattar and Kola Bhaban Prangon at the University of Dhaka, focusing on enhancing public space.  

ARCASIA Bamboo Pavilion, a temporary structure that explores sustainability through material behavior.  

Recognition and Awards  

[edit | edit source] Meghna has received several national and international accolades, including:  

• TIME’s World’s Greatest Places 2025 – Zebun Nessa Mosque (first Bangladeshi architectural project to be featured).  
• 34th JK Architect of the Year Award – Zebun Nessa Mosque (Foreign Countries’ Category).  
• Shortlisted – Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture (current cycle).  
• Shortlisted – ArchDaily Project of the Year 2024 (Religious Category).  
• Shortlisted – Dezeen Award 2024 (Civic Category).  
• Monsoon Architecture Award 2023, Berger Award 2022, ARCASIA Award 2021, IAB Design Awards (2018, 2021).  

Earlier recognitions include:  

• 1st Prize, Holcim Green Built Bangladesh Contest (2010)  
• 2nd Prize, Gulshan Club Design Competition (2011)  
• 3rd Prize, Liberation War Museum Design Competition (2009)  

Academic and Public Engagement  

[edit | edit source] Meghna has been a keynote and invited speaker at numerous national and international platforms, including

• SOAS University of London: World Muslim Leadership Forum – “Art in the Formation of Cultural Identities”: 2024: Invited Speaker
• South Asia Institute, Harvard GSD: Emergent Practices in South Asia (organized by Rahul Mehrotra): Participant
• South Asia Institute, Harvard GSD: Emergent Practices in South Asia – Lecture Series #5 (Sthanik Consultants & Studio 4000):Guest Lecturer
• Yasmeen Lari / Gender Ecologies Project: Action research and student coordination (Zero-carbon structures in Dhaka and London): Participant and Coordinator
• Indian Institute of Architects, Odisha Chapter: Knowledge Series: 2020: Keynote Speaker
• ARCAAB: Panel Discussion and Conversation with Richard Leplastrier: Panelist
• Voices of Women Architects in Bangladesh: Webinar 2: 2020: Invited Speaker
• Institute of Architects Bangladesh: Discussion Program on Women in Architecture: 2019: Invited Panelist| Talks and Conversations by Six Contemporary Architects (Muzharul Islam 95th Birth Anniversary): 2018: Invited Speaker |  Working From Home During Coronavirus Crisis – Online Discussion: 2020: Participant
• Mongolbarer Shobha (Forum for Architecture): Lecture on ‘The Winning Entries of Liberation War Museum’: Invited Speaker (3rd Prize Winner) | Lecture on ‘The Winning Entries of Gulshan Club’: Invited Speaker (2nd Prize Winner) | Lecture on ‘E-Library’, Faculty of Business Studies, University of Dhaka: Invited Speaker | Lecture on ‘Architecture as Landscape’: Invited Speaker | Conversation on Architectural Design Pedagogy: Invited Speaker
• Department of Architecture, BRAC University: ANGAN – 10th Year Celebration: 2012: Invited Panelist (Saiqa Iqbal Meghna)

Exhibitions  

[edit | edit source] Her work has been exhibited at:  

• Time Space Existence 2023, Venice (European Cultural Centre)  
• UIA World Congress of Architects, Copenhagen (2023)  
• Bengal Stream, S AM Basel, Arc En Rêve Bordeaux, DAM Frankfurt, and Bengal Gallery Dhaka (2017–2023)  
• The State of Architecture in South Asia, Delhi (2023)  
• ARCASIA Forum (2019)  

Publications

[edit | edit source] Meghna has authored and co-authored articles in academic and professional contexts. Her work appears in:  

• Design for Resilient Communities (Springer, 2023)  
• Architectures of Transition (Altrim Publishers, 2023)  
• Bengal Stream: The Vibrant Architecture Scene of Bangladesh  (Swiss Architecture Museum)
• Emergence of a Third Form: Contextual Intervention of Contemporary Design Thinking, International Conference on “Architecture, Education and Society”, Barcelona, Spain, 2014 — Published as part of the Architecture, Education and Society proceedings.
• Contextual Customization of Design Process: Design through the Digital and the Material, University of Porto, 2013 — Published in the proceedings of Future Traditions: Rethinking Traditions and Envisioning the Future in Architecture Through the Digital.
• Contextualization of the Digital: Design through Material Behavior, Commonwealth Association of Architects, 2013 — Conference: Architecture, Response and Responsibility.
• Generative Pattern through Material Behavior: Fabric as Flexible Formwork, University of Bath, UK, 2012 — Presented at the 2nd International Conference on Flexible Formwork.
• Theorizing Sustainable Architecture: Post Modernity for Sustainable Ethical Aesthetics, Edgehill University, UK, 2009 — International Seminar on Theorizing Sustainable Building Design (SBD09).
• Street as a Sustainable Cultural Space, National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan, 2010 — Conference: 3rd International Conference on Sustainable Building Design in South Asia (SBD10).
• Recuperating Unknown: Design through Material Behavior, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), 2012 — International Seminar on Architecture: Education, Practice and Research.
• E-Library, University of Dhaka, 2016 — Published in DOT Art and Architecture Bangladesh, Issue 03, Vol. 01.

Legacy  

[edit | edit source] Saiqa Iqbal Meghna's work represents a growing movement toward socially engaged and contextually aware architecture in Bangladesh. Her designs, particularly the Zebun Nessa Mosque, illustrate how architecture can create a sense of community and spirituality simultaneously while reflecting the cultural and environmental context of Bangladesh. Through her efforts, Meghna continues to inspire a new generation of architects committed to making a positive impact on society.

References

[edit | edit source]

1. Khan, Sarah (March 13, 2025). “The World’s Greatest Places of 2025/Zebun Nessa Mosque” Time.
2. Emergent Practices in South Asia #:5 Sthanik Consultants & Studio 4000 - YouTube
3. Bangladeshi Architecture in TIME World’s Greatest Places | Zebun Nessa Mosque: The first Bangladeshi landmark in TIME’s World’s Greatest Places | The Daily Star
4. টাইম ম্যাগাজিনের ‘দ্য ওয়ার্ল্ডস গ্রেটেস্ট প্লেসেস অব ২০২৫’–এ স্থান পেল আশুলিয়ার জেবুন নেসা মসজিদ | প্রথম আলো
5. Zebun Nessa Mosque – Al Fozan awards
6. Zebun Nessa Mosque in Ashulia - Studio Morphogenesis  | Arquitectura Viva
7. প্রকৃতির পরশেই প্রার্থনা হবে যেখানে | Zebun Nessa Mosque | Nandonik Nirmaner Golpo | Prothom Alo (youtube.com)
8. Saiqa Iqbal Meghna's vision for the Zebun Nessa Mosque | The Daily Star
9. Explore Bangladesh's Most Beautiful Mosques This Eid | Top Historical Mosques to Visit in Bangladesh During Eid | Must-See Mosques in Bangladesh for Eid Travelers | Eid Travel Guide: Visiting Bangladesh's Iconic Mosques | 7 beautiful mosques in Bangladesh you must visit at least once! | The Daily Star
10. Zebun Nessa Mosque / Studio Morphogenesis | ArchDaily
11. Studio Morphogenesis wraps Bangladesh mosque in pink concrete (dezeen.com)
12. Zebun Nessa Mosque: A spiritual oasis at the brink of an industry and a lake in Bangladesh (stirworld.com)
13. Zebun Nessa Mosque | Studio Morphogenesis Ltd. - ArchiDiaries
14. Kola Bhaban Prangon at University of Dhaka / STHANIK Consultants | ArchDaily
15. Shomaj Biggyan Chattar at University of Dhaka / STHANIK Consultants | ArchDaily
16. Dhaka Bangladesh : Saiqa Igbal Meghna — OZ.E.TECTURE (ozetecture.org)
17. Context BD• An Enclosure of Permeability and Aperture: ARCASIA Pavilion at Dhaka
18. Context BD• E-Library | Faculty of Business Studies, University of Dhaka by SthaNiK
19. Poetry of the Architect - Colors Magazine
20. Reimagining unattended spaces at the DU campus | The Business Standard (tbsnews.net)
21. The Statesman / Studio Morphogenesis Limited | ArchDaily