New Contextualism
New Contextualism

Architecture. Context. Relationships.

5.10 Movement and Community

Student Engagement and Opportunities

How students have engaged with New Contextualism, in studios, theses, workshops and competitions, and what opportunities are open.

In this section5 · Movement and Community

Editorial summary Awaiting the founder’s approval

Updated 31 October 2026

Most of the documented work on New Contextualism has been made by students, in the studios and thesis supervision through which the approach has been developed at BRAC University (Reza 2023c; Reza and Nitu 2025).

Studios and theses

In the founder’s design studios, students are encouraged ‘to embrace New Contextualism through a tenfold overlapping study of the broader context’ (Reza 2023c). Theses documented on this platform are listed under Teaching and Studio Projects, with further student work published elsewhere.

Workshops

Both public workshops combined lectures with hands-on exercises. In 2023, participants applied the approach to a design challenge in groups (BRAC University 2023); in 2024, the exercises were led by the presenters and ten alumni mentors (Arch-Bangla 2024c). See Events.

Competitions

Student entries framed by the approach have been placed in international competitions. An entry on water edges secured second position in a competition organised by the Aditya School of Architecture, Mumbai (Context BD 2024b), and an entry that ‘followed the principles of new contextualism’ was among the winning entries of the Surplus Properties for Housing competition hosted by Dalhousie University and Arch Hive in 2024 (Zahid 2024).

Opportunities

None open at present

No scholarships, internships, studios or calls for students are currently offered through this platform. Opportunities will be published here, with their terms and deadlines, when they are announced.

The proposed governance structure includes an NC Student Nexus: an independent, student-led space for research, peer critique and reading groups, organised in regional chapters and hosting annual challenges. It has not yet been formed.

A guide to New Contextualism for students, co-edited by Upama Das Nitu in collaboration with the founder, is listed as in progress (BRAC University n.d.b).

Sources

New Contextualism

  1. Arch-Bangla 2024cArch-Bangla. 2024c. “Unveiling New Contextualism 2.0: Shaping the Future of Architecture and Urban Design.” Arch-Bangla, February 21, 2024. https://arch-bangla.com/unveiling-new-contextualism-2-0-shaping-the-future-of-architecture-and-urban-design/. Record
  2. BRAC University 2023BRAC University. 2023. “Daylong workshop and lecture sessions held on ‘Exploring New Contextualism: An Approach to Architecture and Urban Design’.” BRAC University News, June 21, 2023. https://www.bracu.ac.bd/news/daylong-workshop-and-lecture-sessions-held-exploring-new-contextualism-approach-architecture. Record
  3. Reza 2023cReza, Mohammad Habib. 2023c. “New contextualism: A path to a sustainable and equitable future.” The Business Standard, December 19, 2023. https://www.tbsnews.net/features/habitat/new-contextualism-path-sustainable-and-equitable-future-760366. Record
  4. Reza and Nitu 2025Reza, Mohammad Habib, and Upama Das Nitu. 2025. “New Contextualism: Architecture and Urbanism for People, Place, and Justice.” Context BD, September 16, 2025. https://contextbd.com/new-contextualism-architecture-and-urbanism-for-people-place-and-justice/. Record

Documentary sources

  1. BRAC University n.d.bBRAC University. n.d.b. “Upama Das Nitu.” Faculty profile, BRAC University. Accessed October 31, 2026. https://www.bracu.ac.bd/about/people/upama-das-nitu. Record
  2. Context BD 2024bContext BD. 2024b. “The Value of Null.” Context BD, April 23, 2024. https://contextbd.com/the-value-of-null/. Record
  3. Zahid 2024Zahid, Fatima Binte. 2024. “Bridging the Gap: Innovation that reconnects.” BRACU Express, May 22, 2024. https://bracuexpress.com/bridging-the-gap-innovation-that-reconnects/. Record

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