New Contextualism
New Contextualism

Architecture. Context. Relationships.

Research

An ongoing conversation.

The published record of New Contextualism, alongside the scholarship from which it grew. Every record has a persistent address and a citation.

01 The archive

  1. 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 ↗
  2. 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 ↗
  3. 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 2023b
    Source ↗
  4. 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 ↗
  5. 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 2023
    Source ↗
  6. 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 ↗
  7. 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 2023a
    Source ↗
  8. 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 ↗
  9. 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 ↗
  10. 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
    Source ↗
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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 ↗
  15. 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 ↗
  16. 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 ↗

02 Wider references

Works cited and further reading.

Works listed in the references of New Contextualist texts, followed by an editorial selection of further reading on contextualism, place and urbanism. Inclusion here does not imply that an author is associated with the movement.

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. Lefebvre 1968Lefebvre, Henri. 1968. Le Droit à la ville. Paris: Anthropos. Record
  5. Norberg-Schulz 1980Norberg-Schulz, Christian. 1980. Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture. New York: Rizzoli. Record
  6. Rowe and Koetter 1978Rowe, Colin, and Fred Koetter. 1978. Collage City. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Record
  7. 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
  8. Venturi 1966Venturi, Robert. 1966. Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture. New York: Museum of Modern Art. Record

03 Documentary sources

Profiles and listings.

Web pages cited for biographical and event details, with the date they were consulted.

  1. 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
  2. BRAC University n.d.BRAC University. n.d. “Mohammad Habib Reza, PhD.” Faculty profile, BRAC University. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://www.bracu.ac.bd/node/1077. Record
  3. Context BD 2024Context BD. 2024. “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
  4. 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
  5. 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

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