1.6 Philosophy
The Ten Contextual Layers: Definitions
The ten layers through which New Contextualism reads a place, each defined in the terms the founder uses for it, with a page of its own.
In this section1 · Philosophy
The most explicit statement of the layers appears in the founder’s April 2025 essay, which describes ‘a tenfold overlapping analysis’ of context and characterises each dimension in a few words (Reza 2025). The purpose of the analysis is practical: it ‘prevents the imposition of predetermined solutions and fosters locally attuned responses’ (Reza 2025).
| No. | Layer | In the founder’s terms |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Social | community structures, demographics, lifestyles |
| 02 | Cultural | traditions, beliefs, aesthetics, rituals |
| 03 | Historical | layers of development, memory, significance |
| 04 | Political | governance, patronage, regulations |
| 05 | Economic | livelihoods, industries, affordability |
| 06 | Ecological | climate, topography, biodiversity, resources |
| 07 | Geographical | location, connectivity, regional influences |
| 08 | Scientific | material properties, technological possibilities |
| 09 | Urban | density, infrastructure, public space |
| 10 | Architectural | typologies, styles, precedents |
The April 2025 essay calls them dimensions; the September 2025 essay calls them layers (Reza 2025; Reza and Nitu 2025). This platform uses ‘layers’. Its ‘10-layer lens’ lists a spiritual layer in place of the political, and calls the scientific layer ‘Scientific/Technological’ (Reza and Nitu 2025). The layers are listed here in the order of the platform’s structure; the founder’s essays list them in another order, beginning with the social, economic and political (Reza 2025). The definitive formulation awaits confirmation by the founder.
Social
Who a place is for: its communities, people and ways of life. In the founder’s terms, community structures, demographics and lifestyles (Reza 2025). The social layer
Cultural
How a place carries meaning. In the founder’s terms, traditions, beliefs, aesthetics and rituals (Reza 2025). The cultural layer
Historical
What a place remembers. In the founder’s terms, layers of development, memory and significance (Reza 2025). The historical layer
Political
Who decides: the governance and rules that shape a place. In the founder’s terms, governance, patronage and regulations (Reza 2025). The political layer
Economic
How a place sustains life. In the founder’s terms, livelihoods, industries and affordability (Reza 2025). The economic layer
Ecological
What a place depends on. In the founder’s terms, climate, topography, biodiversity and resources (Reza 2025). The ecological layer
Geographical
Where a place sits. In the founder’s terms, location, connectivity and regional influences (Reza 2025). The geographical layer
Scientific
What can be known and built. In the founder’s terms, material properties and technological possibilities (Reza 2025). The scientific layer
Urban
How places are organised together. In the founder’s terms, density, infrastructure and public space (Reza 2025). The urban layer
Architectural
What has been built before. In the founder’s terms, typologies, styles and precedents (Reza 2025). The architectural layer
Sources
New Contextualism
- 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