ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I demonstrate the complex interrelationship among the tangible, intangible, cultural and natural aspects in the creation of unique cultural spaces in Old Dhaka. Conservation of this historic urban landscape requires an understanding of the generic rules of its socio-spatial and morphological organization that defi ne the cultural signifi cance of the place. While the unique architecture of historic building stock is undoubtedly a paramount part of the tangible heritage of any historic place, its urban morphology should also be safeguarded, as the latter provides the inherent form and structure that organize the building stock into a coherent entity (Cohen 1999; Silva 2013). My focus in this chapter is thus on the morphology of Old Dhaka and to defi ne its key spaces and characteristics. Using multiple methods for data collection and analysis, I focus on fi ve specifi c areas of Dhaka (Chawk Bazaar, Shankhari Bazaar, Gol Talab, Lalbagh Fort and Ashan Manjil) to illustrate this thesis. Interviews and a questionnaire survey were conducted to identify the historically, culturally and architecturally signifi cant spaces of Old Dhaka. Space syntax methodology was applied to
identify different morphological patterns of Old Dhaka at different historical stages and to establish the relationship between functional activities and the urban form of these cultural spaces.
