New Contextualism
New Contextualism

Architecture. Context. Relationships.

4.5 Research and Publications

Bibliographic Archive

Every record of New Contextualism and of the founder’s scholarship, with filters by type, author, year, layer, topic and collection. A filtered view keeps its address and can be shared.

In this section4 · Research and Publications

Published source

Updated 31 October 2026

  1. 2026
    Reading Bengal beyond religious boundaries

    Mohammad Habib Reza The Daily Star

    Argues that Bengal should be read on its own historical terms, through what the author calls ‘a syncretic cultural history’, a method of reading layered civilisational formation.

    Essay Founder’s earlier scholarship 23 June 2026 Reza 2026b
    Source ↗
  2. 2026
    Rethinking the origins of Bongabdo through Bengal’s ecological civilisation

    Mohammad Habib Reza The Daily Star

    Reads the Bengali calendar, Bongabdo, as a long-term expression of Bengal’s delta civilisation rather than the invention of a single ruler.

    Essay Founder’s earlier scholarship 14 May 2026 Reza 2026a
    Source ↗
  3. 2026
    Re-Establishing the Sacredness of Somapura Mahavihara: A New Contextual Heritage Management of a Buddhist Sacred Land

    Mohammad Habib Reza, Athena Rahman Esempi di Architettura

    Proposes a New Contextualist framework for managing Somapura Mahavihara, the Buddhist monastery at Paharpur, as sacred heritage. The only published text found that names a New Contextual heritage management.

    Journal article New Contextualism 3 February 2026 Reza and Rahman 2026
    Source ↗
  4. 2025
    New Contextualism: Architecture and Urbanism for People, Place, and Justice

    Mohammad Habib Reza, Upama Das Nitu Context BD

    Presents five guiding principles, the ‘ten-layer lens’ and the Read–Plan–Process sequence, with case studies from undergraduate theses and a competition entry.

    Essay New Contextualism 16 September 2025 Reza and Nitu 2025
    Source ↗
  5. 2025
    New Contextualism: An architectural philosophy for deltaic Bangladesh

    Mohammad Habib Reza The Daily Star

    Sets out five core tenets, including the ‘tenfold matrix’ of contextual dimensions, and describes the further development of the approach as New Contextualism 2.0.

    Essay New Contextualism 23 April 2025 Reza 2025
    Source ↗
  6. 2024
    Unveiling New Contextualism 2.0: Shaping the Future of Architecture and Urban Design

    Arch-Bangla Arch-Bangla

    A report of the February 2024 workshop on New Contextualism 2.0, with an account of each lecture and of the hands-on exercises.

    Report New Contextualism 21 February 2024 Arch-Bangla 2024c
    Source ↗
  7. 2023
    New contextualism: A path to a sustainable and equitable future

    Mohammad Habib Reza The Business Standard

    The founder’s first extended essay on the approach, setting out its principles, its origins in practice and doctoral research, and its place in teaching at BRAC University.

    Essay New Contextualism 19 December 2023 Reza 2023c
    Source ↗
  8. 2023
    Daylong workshop and lecture sessions held on “Exploring New Contextualism: An Approach to Architecture and Urban Design”

    BRAC University BRAC University News

    The university’s report of the first public workshop, with the programme of lectures and an account of the hands-on exercise.

    Report New Contextualism 21 June 2023 BRAC University 2023
    Source ↗
  9. 2023
    Exploring New Contextualism: an approach to Architecture and Urban Design

    Arch-Bangla Arch-Bangla

    An independent report of the 2023 workshop, with the lecture programme and speaker biographies.

    Report New Contextualism 12 June 2023 Arch-Bangla 2023a
    Source ↗
  10. 2023
    Case Studies of Successful New Contextual Projects: In Studios and Beyond

    Mohammad Zillur Rahman Workshop ‘Exploring New Contextualism: An Approach to Architecture and Urban Design’

    Lecture analysing how context was interpreted and translated into design in projects following the approach.

    Lecture New Contextualism 10 June 2023 Rahman 2023
    Source ↗
  11. 2023
    Introduction to New Contextualism and its Principles

    Mohammad Habib Reza Workshop ‘Exploring New Contextualism: An Approach to Architecture and Urban Design’

    Opening lecture of the 2023 workshop, introducing New Contextualism as a response to the limitations of contemporary architectural practice.

    Lecture New Contextualism 10 June 2023 Reza 2023b
    Source ↗
  12. 2023
    New Contextual Approach in Global Practice

    Tanjina Khan Workshop ‘Exploring New Contextualism: An Approach to Architecture and Urban Design’

    Lecture on how the components of the approach can be traced across different cultural and geographical contexts.

    Lecture New Contextualism 10 June 2023 Khan 2023
    Source ↗
  13. 2023
    Possibilities and Challenges of the New Contextual Approach

    Md Samiur Rahman Bhuiyan Workshop ‘Exploring New Contextualism: An Approach to Architecture and Urban Design’

    A critical lecture on the strengths and limitations of the approach, including an analysis of its ten parameters.

    Lecture New Contextualism 10 June 2023 Bhuiyan 2023
    Source ↗
  14. 2023
    Understanding the Context and its Influence on Design Decisions

    S M Kaikobad Workshop ‘Exploring New Contextualism: An Approach to Architecture and Urban Design’

    Lecture on how site-specific factors shape design decisions in architecture and urban design.

    Lecture New Contextualism 10 June 2023 Kaikobad 2023
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  15. 2023
    বাংলায় নাথ ধর্মের উৎপত্তি ও বিকাশ [Origin and development of the Natha sampradaya in Bengal]

    Mohammad Habib Reza Gangeya Janapad

    An article in Bengali on the origin and development of the Natha tradition in Bengal.

    Journal article Founder’s earlier scholarship 2023 Reza 2023a
    Source ↗
  16. 2021
    Cultural continuity in the Sultanate Bengal: Adjacent ponds of the mosque as a traditional phenomenon

    Mohammad Habib Reza Esempi di Architettura

    Traces the cultural continuity of Bengal from the ancient to the Sultanate period, and reads the pond beside almost every Sultanate mosque as one sign of that continuity.

    Journal article Founder’s earlier scholarship 2021 Reza 2021
    Source ↗
  17. 2018
    A community-involved strategic management plan for Chhoto Katra

    Mohammad Habib Reza Re-Imagining Bengal: Architecture, Built Environment and Cultural Heritage

    A chapter proposing a community-involved management plan for Chhoto Katra in Old Dhaka.

    Book chapter Founder’s earlier scholarship 2018 Reza 2018a
  18. 2018
    Re-Imagining Bengal: Architecture, Built Environment and Cultural Heritage

    I. Ahmed, Mohammad Habib Reza (eds) Copal Publishing Group

    An edited volume on the architecture, built environment and cultural heritage of Bengal, co-edited by the founder.

    Edited book Founder’s earlier scholarship 2018 Ahmed and Reza 2018
  19. 2018
    Rethinking the Post-Gupta Bengal: Settlement and architecture

    Mohammad Habib Reza Re-Imagining Bengal: Architecture, Built Environment and Cultural Heritage

    A chapter on settlement and architecture in post-Gupta Bengal.

    Book chapter Founder’s earlier scholarship 2018 Reza 2018b
  20. 2017
    Evaluating morphological changes of household environment: A case study of migration in Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh

    Nandini Awal, Mohammad Habib Reza WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

    A conference paper on how migration reshapes the household environment in Mohakhali, Dhaka.

    Conference paper Founder’s earlier scholarship 27 June 2017 Awal and Reza 2017
    Source ↗
  21. 2014
    Bahla: Harat al-Aqr, documentation and heritage management plan

    S. Bandyopadhyay, G. Quattrone, M. F. Goffriller et al. Ministry of Heritage and Culture

    One of five documentation and heritage management plans for traditional oasis settlements in Oman to which the founder contributed.

    Report Founder’s earlier scholarship 2014 Bandyopadhyay et al. 2014
    Source ↗
  22. 2008
    Bengal Gupta Viharas: Did such a Phenomenon Exist?

    Mohammad Habib Reza The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences: Annual Review

    An early article from the founder’s research on the Buddhist monastic architecture of Bengal.

    Journal article Founder’s earlier scholarship 2008 Reza 2008
    Source ↗

Foundational Writings

The records of New Contextualism itself: the founder’s essays and articles on the approach, the lectures and reports of its workshops, and writing by its co-authors. Show only these records.

The founder’s wider scholarship, on the architecture, settlements, heritage and civilisational history of Bengal, from which the approach grew. Show only these records. See also Civilizational and Historical Research.

Critical and Comparative Literature

Works cited in the texts of New Contextualism, followed by related literature selected by the editors, including other uses of the phrase ‘new contextualism’ and responses to the founder’s writing. Inclusion here does not imply that an author is associated with the approach.

Works cited in the texts of New Contextualism

  1. Frampton 1983Frampton, Kenneth. 1983. “Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of Resistance.” In The Anti-Aesthetic: Essays on Postmodern Culture, edited by Hal Foster, 16–30. Port Townsend, WA: Bay Press. Record
  2. Gehl 2010Gehl, Jan. 2010. Cities for People. Washington, DC: Island Press. Record
  3. Jacobs 1961Jacobs, Jane. 1961. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House. Record
  4. Lynch 1960Lynch, Kevin. 1960. The Image of the City. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Record
  5. Relph 1976Relph, Edward. 1976. Place and Placelessness. London: Pion. Record

Further reading (editorial selection)

  1. Alexander et al. 1977Alexander, Christopher, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray Silverstein. 1977. A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction. New York: Oxford University Press. Record
  2. Jencks 1977Jencks, Charles. 1977. The Language of Post-Modern Architecture. London: Academy Editions. Record
  3. Komez Daglioglu 2015Komez Daglioglu, Esin. 2015. “The Context Debate: An Archaeology.” Architectural Theory Review 20 (2): 266–279. https://doi.org/10.1080/13264826.2016.1170058. Record
  4. Latif 2026Latif, Asad. 2026. “Reza’s Bengal.” Dhaka Courier, July 3, 2026. https://dhakacourier.com.bd/news/Column/Reza%E2%80%99s-Bengal/10294. Record
  5. Lefebvre 1968Lefebvre, Henri. 1968. Le Droit à la ville. Paris: Anthropos. Record
  6. Lejano and Kan 2015Lejano, Raul P., and Wing-Shan Kan. 2015. “Seeing urban regeneration through an institutional lens: toward a new contextualism.” International Journal of Urban Sciences 19 (3): 257–268. https://doi.org/10.1080/12265934.2015.1043328. Record
  7. Norberg-Schulz 1980Norberg-Schulz, Christian. 1980. Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture. New York: Rizzoli. Record
  8. Rowe and Koetter 1978Rowe, Colin, and Fred Koetter. 1978. Collage City. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Record
  9. 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
  10. Venturi 1966Venturi, Robert. 1966. Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture. New York: Museum of Modern Art. Record

Documentary Sources

Web pages, listings and reports cited on this platform for biographical details, events and student work, with the date they were consulted.

  1. Arch-Bangla 2023bArch-Bangla. 2023b. “Redevelopment of RDA Market Area.” Arch-Bangla, December 14, 2023. https://arch-bangla.com/redevelopment-of-rda-market-area/. Record
  2. Arch-Bangla 2023cArch-Bangla. 2023c. “Reviving Ram Mala Complex, Comilla.” Arch-Bangla, December 21, 2023. https://arch-bangla.com/reviving-ram-mala-complex-comilla/. Record
  3. Arch-Bangla 2024aArch-Bangla. 2024a. “Ahsania Mission Children City, Jessore.” Arch-Bangla, January 12, 2024. https://arch-bangla.com/ahsania-mission-children-city-jessore/. Record
  4. Arch-Bangla 2024bArch-Bangla. 2024b. “Goyna Gram: Reviving an Artisan Community.” Arch-Bangla, January 30, 2024. https://arch-bangla.com/goyna-gram-reviving-an-artisan-community/. Record
  5. Arch-Bangla 2024dArch-Bangla. 2024d. “Crafting a Resilient Mru Settlement and Sustainable Tourism Coexistence.” Arch-Bangla, November 25, 2024. https://arch-bangla.com/crafting-a-resilient-mru-settlement-and-sustainable-tourism-coexistence/. Record
  6. Arch-Bangla 2025aArch-Bangla. 2025a. “Remarkable NEXUS CITYSCAPE by BRACU You Need to Know.” Arch-Bangla, January 17, 2025. https://arch-bangla.com/remarkable-nexus-cityscape-by-bracu-you-need-to-know/. Record
  7. Arch-Bangla 2025bArch-Bangla. 2025b. “Reflections on New Contextualism: Voices from Practice and Academia.” Arch-Bangla. Accessed October 31, 2026. https://arch-bangla.com/reflections-on-new-contextualism-voices-from-practice-and-academia/. Record
  8. ArCHIAM n.d.ArCHIAM. n.d. “Dr Mohammad Habib Reza.” Team profile, ArCHIAM. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://www.archiam.co.uk/team/mohammad-habib-reza/. Record
  9. BRAC University n.d.aBRAC University. n.d.a. “Mohammad Habib Reza, PhD.” Faculty profile, BRAC University. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://www.bracu.ac.bd/node/1077. Record
  10. 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
  11. Context BD 2023Context BD. 2023. “Reimagined Jamuna Future Park as a Civic Space | BRACU.” Context BD, December 2, 2023. https://contextbd.com/reimagined-jamuna-future-park-as-a-civic-space-bracu/. Record
  12. Context BD 2024aContext BD. 2024a. “Exploring New Contextualism 2.0: An Approach to Architecture and Urban Design.” Context BD (events). Accessed October 19, 2026. https://contextbd.com/events/event/exploring-new-contextualism-2-0-an-approach-to-architecture-and-urban-design/. Record
  13. Context BD 2024bContext BD. 2024b. “The Value of Null.” Context BD, April 23, 2024. https://contextbd.com/the-value-of-null/. Record
  14. Context BD 2025Context BD. 2025. “Reflections on New Contextualism: Voices from Practice and Academia.” Context BD (events). Accessed October 19, 2026. https://contextbd.com/events/event/reflections-on-new-contextualism-voices-from-practice-and-academia/. Record
  15. Heritage Council of Western Australia 2025Heritage Council of Western Australia. 2025. “State Heritage Conference 2025: The Heritage Ecosystem. Program.” Government of Western Australia. Accessed October 31, 2026. https://www.wa.gov.au/system/files/2025-05/state-heritage-conference-2025-2.pdf. Record
  16. UIA World Congress of Architects 2023UIA World Congress of Architects. 2023. “Mohammad Habib Reza.” Speaker profile, 28th UIA World Congress of Architects, Copenhagen. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://uia2023cph.org/speaker/mohammad-habib-reza/. Record
  17. 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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