2.9 Methodologies and Frameworks
Evaluation and Trade-offs
How the approach weighs competing conditions, attends to equity, tests futures and learns from outcomes, and where its methods are still to be set out.
In this section2 · Methodologies and Frameworks
Competing Contextual Priorities
Not every layer counts equally in every project: ‘not every layer carries equal weight each time, but together they ensure a fuller picture’ (Reza and Nitu 2025). The published case studies show the weighting in practice, with one thesis led by spiritual and cultural layers and another by ‘ecology, urban, and governance’ (Reza and Nitu 2025).
The published texts do not yet set out how the weight of each layer is decided, by whom, or how conflicts between layers are resolved. See Critical Perspectives and Open Questions.
Ethical and Equity Considerations
The September 2025 essay presents the framework itself as an answer to the ethics of trade-offs. When ‘trade-offs become difficult, ethics are overlooked’, it argues; ‘therefore, a structured advanced framework is necessary where choices can align around values caring for people, place, and planet that goes beyond style-chasing’ (Reza and Nitu 2025).
Its principle of equity sets a limit on every choice: design must ensure ‘that no project strips away people’s access to space, belonging, or shared resources’, and architecture ‘should be inclusive, equitable, and responsive to diverse needs’ (Reza and Nitu 2025).
Scenario Testing
Anticipating the future is a principle of the approach. Design ‘must anticipate the trajectory of societal needs, technological advancements, and environmental shifts’ (Reza 2025). The tools named for this are ‘data analytics, scenario planning and expert insights’ (Reza 2023c), and big data and AI, which ‘provide tools to model scenarios, forecast stresses, and anticipate needs’ when used responsibly (Reza and Nitu 2025). New Contextualism 2.0 adds proactive resilience: designing to ‘anticipate and adapt to future climate change impacts, such as sea-level rise and increased storm intensity’ (Reza 2025).
Monitoring and Learning
New Contextualism 2.0 proposes ‘explicitly mapping design intentions and outcomes against the global framework of the SDGs’ (Reza 2025; United Nations General Assembly 2015).
No monitoring of outcomes or post-occupancy evaluation of a New Contextualist project has yet been published. The documented applications are design proposals, not built works.
Sources
New Contextualism
- 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
- Reza 2025Reza, Mohammad Habib. 2025. “New Contextualism: An architectural philosophy for deltaic Bangladesh.” The Daily Star, April 23, 2025. https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/focus/news/new-contextualism-architectural-philosophy-deltaic-bangladesh-3878456. Record
- 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
Further reading (editorial selection)
- United Nations General Assembly 2015United Nations General Assembly. 2015. “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” Resolution A/RES/70/1, October 21, 2015. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda. Record