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JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
Volume 35 Issue 1
ISSN (P) 1728-7715 - ISSN (E) 2519-5050
JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN
Journal DOI: www.doi.org/10.53700/jrap_neduet
ARCHITECTURE & PLANNING Issue DOI: www.doi.org/10.53700/jrap3512025

LIVING ALONE IN THE CITY: EXPLORING THE COMPLEXITIES OF SINGLE YOUNG

ADULTS HOUSING IN THE URBAN CONTEXT OF DHAKA
Asma Siddika*

Article DOI: ABSTRACT

www.doi.org/10.53700/jrap3512025_1
Worldwide renting and sharing is very common among cities, especially for single-
Article Citation: person households. But the living environment is not always welcoming in most
developing countries due to the lack of policy-level intervention. Dhaka, a rapidly
Siddika A., 2025, Living Alone in
urbanizing city, attracts people from various regions, but it also presents a range
the City: Exploring the Complexities
of challenges, particularly for those who live alone. These people, often students
of Single Young Adults Housing in
or migrant workers, come to the city with aspirations for higher education and
the Urban Context of Dhaka, Journal
better employment opportunities. However, their dreams often clash with the harsh
of Research in Architecture and
realities of urban life. The study focuses on the difficulties the single-young
Planning, 35(1). 1-15.
households, highlighting the living environment and their specific needs due to
their independent lifestyles. Most of these individuals are excluded from state
welfare and housing support and depend on both formal and informal private rental
housing sectors where the main housing typology includes the shared flats and
private hostels. Often these housing options provide poor living conditions and
are further complicated by social and political challenges. By analyzing multiple
case studies in Dhaka, the research uses qualitative methods to gather in-depth
CC
CC insights into the lives of these young adults. Through photographs, drawings, and
BY
open-ended interviews, the study captures the nuanced experiences of this population,
Copyright Information:
This article is open access and is shedding light on their struggles with isolation, the difficulties of urban living, and
distributed under the terms of Creative their pursuit of meaningful social connections. It also examines how they adapt
Commons Attribution 4.0 International the shared living arrangements including spaces, utilities, furniture, and food.
License.
Ultimately, this research aims to contribute to a growing body of knowledge on
single living in urban environments, particularly in the context of developing cities
like Dhaka. The insights gained from the study may help in creating more supportive
and responsive housing policies and social structures thereby improving the quality
of life in the city.
* Assistant Professor, Architecture Department,
Ahsanullah University of Science and
Technology (AUST), Dhaka. Keywords: Adult Household, Living Environment, Shared Life, Single-Young,
[email protected] Dhaka.

the rental sector is a neglected topic, as is the case in other

INTRODUCTION developing countries. In Dhaka, around 80 % of people live
in rental houses since most of the people migrated more
In recent years, challenges to the global housing market than 60 %. (Statistical Yearbook Bangladesh 2022, 2022).
have been associated with fast urban growth, migration There exist lots of informal settlements, and around 10.2
patterns, reduced housing stock, quality and affordability, million people live in informal settlements (Statistical
and government policies. In Dhaka, the public sector still Yearbook Bangladesh 2022, 2022). Renters in informal
needs to meet the demand, and housing supply mainly settlements have to pay more rent per sqm than in the formal
depends on the private rental sector. The development of sector due to high demand and scarcity of space for the

Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue) 1
poor. Here, around 70% of the land is occupied by higher negotiation of privacy and personal space is a major concern
and higher middle-income groups, with only around 30% in shared houses, and it is associated with behavioral and
of the total population in the city. So, lower- and lower- psychological issues.
middle-income people always need help to gain access to
the housing market (Dhaka Sturcture Plan 2016-2035, 2020). At first, research fixed some selection criteria from the
Like other megacities, due to the space crisis and lower findings of the initial reconnaissance survey. To investigate
affordability, renting and sharing are very common in Dhaka. and collect data regarding the selection criteria, three zones
However, there is very limited research in this context on were selected in Dhaka: Tejgaon, Moghbazar, and Motijheel
the field of the rental market in the housing sector, especially (figure 2). In the next step, the research follows convenient
on 'shared typology.’'This research deals with a sub-market random sampling to select fifteen cases from those three
of the private rental sector focusing on single people 18-34 specified zones for qualitative analysis. All the houses
years old who come to the city with the hope of self- accommodated single-young households, including students,
establishment by higher education or an excellent job. Due job holders, or job finders aged between. The questionnaire
to the lack of accommodation facilities like student hostels survey included only the single young adult households
or workers dorms in different government and private aged between 18 to 34 years. The analysis excludes public
colleges, universities, and other institutions, rental house is housing provided by the government to public servants and
the only option for these students and migrated workers. low-income private accommodations in the form of slums
Since these groups of people are mainly single people, they and squats.
often share their rental house with another single adult
household to reduce the house rent. Locally, these people Based on the preceding background, the research question
are known as 'bachelor' people, and their shared house is is to know how the specific group of people, single adult
called a 'mess house.' Often, these single people are neglected households, experience shared living away from the parental
as tenants. Besides, they have to face other social and political home in a highly populated city like Dhaka. To answer this
difficulties. The most common phenomenon is that house question, the research addressed the following research
owners do not want to rent out their flats to bachelors; objectives:
sometimes, family households are very reluctant to accept
them as neighbours due to having different lifestyles and First, to narrate the housing circumstances of the shared
independent attitudes. Sometimes, extra pressure is created house.
upon them by imposing different rules and regulations
regarding the timing of back home, rent payment date, extra Second, to explain the nature and extent of the multifaceted
bills for using different electronic devices, etc. Often, security problems with which they live.
forces raid mess houses for political reasons as a kind of
fascist attitude. Sometimes, mess houses turned into places Background Study
of political activity or terrorists' place.
Prevalence of single person household has been increasing
The research will highlight the emerging typology of shared
worldwide due to different reason which is also associated
rental houses (known as Mess houses in Dhaka) as a distinct
with urbanized development and shared living arrangement.
urban form, drawing from middle-income households in
This section highlights the current trend of single living
Dhaka, Bangladesh. From the reconnaissance survey, research
worldwide.
identifies they can be found in all parts of Dhaka and are
deeply interlinked with the city's urbanity. Mostly, they are
Prevalence of Single-Person Households Worldwide
situated near the educational hub, work centers, and any
university or college. Its spatial location gave cues about
The prevalence of single-person households has been
the entwined dependency of the single students and
amplified in several developed countries (Mackie, 2016).
employees. These can further be categorized into two central
The statistics of prevalence of single person household
units – private hostels for men/women and shared houses
among European countries shows it varies markedly due to
for men/women. Each of these categories has a distinct
housing support policies, social and political norm regarding
process of functioning and living experiences of people.
independence (Billari & Lifbrore, 2010). In England and
Though initially, to gain economic benefits, people adopt a
Australia the number is increasing day by day (De Vaus &
shared premise, the physical environment of these shared
Richardson, 2009; Qu & Vaus 2011). The frequency is
houses has an impact on their mental well-being. The
relatively high in Japan where 29% households are one

2 Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue)
person (Fukuda, 2009). In India, there also emerged the House Sharing by Single Young Households
trend of single living which enhances the trend of young
people moving to urban areas followed by reforming living In simple terms, home-sharing is an arrangement by which
arrangements (Dommaraju, 2015). two or more unrelated people share a dwelling within which
each retains a private space. However, no two home-sharing
situations are alike; each is tailored to the needs and desires
Housing Challenges of Single Living Worldwide
of the people involved (Oh & Choi, 2014). The term "shared
housing," also known as "collective living," has gained
Studies on Europe and East Asia identify two key housing
widespread acceptance across the globe and has its roots in
policy issues for young people. First, policymakers must
boarding houses and urban migrants from the 19th century.
ensure equal opportunities for young people to leave home
In areas throughout the U.K. and Europe, inner-city and
and live independently, recognizing the political, economic,
shared housing developed in response to workers' and
and cultural barriers (Mackie, 2016). Second, housing needs
students' demand for fexible and affordable accommodation
to be more accessible and appropriate for young people,
(Uyttebrouck, van Bueren, & Teller, 2020). The idea of
especially with the rise of the private rental sector and house-
'Shared living' is associated locally in Bengali with the term
sharing (Mackie, 2016). In Europe, economic constraints
–'Messbari', or 'boarding houses.' 'Messbari' is an urban
drive shared housing, which brings mixed experiences
Bengali coinage (Bhattacharya, 2024). Boarding houses
(Gentile, 2016; 2016). In contrast, cultural norms in China
sprang up in and around the major educational institutions
and Hong Kong limit independent living, with policies
and business areas to accommodate fortune seekers' never-
needing to better support young people's access to housing
ending paths (Frear, 2012).
(Li & Shin, 2013). Addressing these challenges is crucial
to avoid broader social and economic impacts (Mackie,
Scenario of Dhaka
2012). As a consequence of recent years housing challenges,
young people have been particularly affected as governments
Every year a considerable number of students come to Dhaka
have not always kept pace with contemporary social change.
to study at different educational institutions. Not only for
Housing regulations haven't always addressed the barriers
education, another group come to the city to search for a
that prevent young people from having equitable access to
better career. Besides every year, many students come to
independent living possibilities (Mackie, 2016). Young
the city for admission coaching. With the rapid increase of
adults are currently compelled to live in shared housing
the educational institutions in the city, the students' rush
arrangements with varying experiences due to a lack of
towards the over-crowded capital is also increasing. A very
housing options (Clark, et. al., 2018), though sharing spaces
few institutions have hostel facilities for students. The
is not always a happy medium despite the economic benefits
students who can live in those hostels find a convenient and
(Bricocoli & Sabatinelli, 2016). This scenario is common
havoc-free shelter with some facilities. However, most of
in developing countries and some developed countries like
the city's colleges and universities do not have sufficient
the UK and the USA (Baek & Kim, 2022).
seats or no hostel for their students. As a result, most students

Figure-1: From Left; Mumbai ‘Chawls’Kolkata’s Diverse Boarding Houses.

Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue) 3
have to go for the private rental sector. These migrated better the lifestyle domain. It has also investigated the
single-young people come to the city, leaving their family patterns of sharing (spaces, utilities, furniture and food).
for a better future, and most of them are students who are The response to the questionnaire was collected from the
economically dependent on their family or young individuals who were present during the field survey. Field
professionals. Considering mainly economic reasons, shared survey conducted after working hour to ensure the presence
rental houses or hostel/board in rented flats are the only of maximum households.
options. In this situation, private hostels in rented flats are
springing up randomly through the city but offer a poor Sample Selection
living environment. Messes or board in rented flats in
different areas of the city face many complexities and Following convenient random sampling, fifteen houses were
harassments due to social and political difficulties. selected from three different parts of the Dhaka city
corporation area. An initial reconnaissance survey of the
Dhaka's phenomenal growth makes Dhaka an economic hub present housing situation of study groups helped set up their
and educational hub with a resultant 63% total growth due selection criteria; later, the shared houses were identified in
to migrated population in 2015 when the housing delivery terms of particular criteria in discrete locations in Dhaka.
system mainly depends on the private sector (Ahmed & These criteria led to the formulation of two types of shared
Johson, 2014). Local builders in Dhaka have been feverishly accommodations to determine as cases (Table 1).
constructing temporary accommodations to meet the high
demand for affordable, centrally located, and stigma-free
housing. They created a stock of small rental apartments in
mid-rise buildings that met migrant students' demands and
workers away from their families. These structures are
modeled on student housing and derive their name as
'shared/mess housing.' This specific typology is part of an
old lineage of urban housing, such as the Mumbai 'chawls'—
workers barracks. A research on Dhaka’s student hostel
highlights that when students share their rooms with others,
shared spaces produces problems in terms of territory and
private space (Siddika & Ferdous, 2018) which is also
supported by another research in newzeland by Khajehzadeh
and Vale (Khajehzadeh and Vale, 2014).

Methodology for investigation

The present research has been designed in two parts: a

theoretical part based on a literature review and an empirical
investigative part based on field surveys and interviews.
The research will start with a literature survey conducted
on published data (e.g., newpaper report, research papers,
books, standards, codes, and websites) to know the present
situation of the single young household worldwide. This
research follows a qualitative methodological framework
through interviews and observation as a means to acquire
data on individual life experiences. In this study, the unit of
analysis is individual persons and shared house where they
live. The study employs open-ended methods to allow all
types of experience and observation to be connected.

The field survey involves collecting photos and drawings,

and the questionnaire survey investigates the household's
socioeconomic and demographic structure to understand Figure-2: Selected Zone for Field Survey.

4 Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue)
Representative cases from each type will be selected for Analysis
detailed case history analysis for qualitative investigation.
The selected case histories will be analyzed in detail for the This section analyze the profile of the study group single
identification of the overall experiences of single young young adults and their living arrangements in a shared
people with physical and social problems faced in their premise out of family.
shared accommodation. Including males and females, a total
of 62 participants' responses were considered, with 25 Leaving Home and Living Alone
students and 17 professionals. Field survey conducted both
on holiday and working to get different viewpoints. Cases The cultural trend in Bangladesh for young is staying with
within the selected criteria were selected to get maximum their parents until marriage or even for several years
variations with building type and male-female domain. afterward. This trend attributes by the factors such as
economic insecurity, high youth unemployment, extended
education periods, unaffordable housing etc. It seems to
Limitations
discourage youth adults, especially daughters, from living
independently. In survey, three main reasons of leaving the
This research explores the housing circumstances of single
parental home are found:
young individuals within shared rental houses, focusing on
behavioral, functional, physical, and social aspects. However, · Parental house is out of the city, so moving and living
certain limitations exist. Firstly, it was conducted within a alone for education or a job.
limited area of Dhaka city due to time and resource · The long-distance between the parental house and working
constraints. Secondly, surveyed shared houses were selected place or educational institution.
based on the availability of known individuals, limiting the · To enjoy proper educational environment and independent
scope for extended observations and comprehensive data life.
collection. Thirdly, while the study addresses architectural
aspects, gaps exist regarding the psychological impacts of The majority of the people, living in shared houses around
living away from family. Despite these constraints, the 81 percent come from out of the city. The long-distance
research offers valuable insights into the dynamics of single working or educational place with huge traffic congestion
young adult households in shared rental housing. of the city leads to leaving the parental house and their
proportion is 16 percent while the rest 3 percent of young
Ethical consideration: During the field surveying time, people shared house seeking better educational environment
researchers took photographs of personal spaces while than their home. This result indicates that young people in
obtaining their proper consent. Research has maintained Dhaka city choose this single living lifestyle only when
proper consideration to hide their real identity. they face a situation of crisis or urgency rather than for

Table-1: Sample Case Selection Criteria.

Reconnaissance survey Field Survey

Types of shared accommodation Criteria for site selection Selected zone
A · The area should be within the urban Based on the criteria following three
boundary and have characteristics of zones are selected in Dhaka. They
Private Shared House / Mess House Dhaka city's general urban fabric. are:
A2 · The site should be located near 1. Tejgaon
A1
Premises providing numerous educational or other institutions. 2. Moghbazar
Self-catering
common meals · The house should be a rental house 3. Motijheel
premises
where more than one non-famil y
household lives together as a shared From each zone, 5-samples of shared
B household. accommodations with 15 numbers of
Private Hostel / Dormitory · The house may be hostel-type where accommodations are selected for the
the number of students or professionals study. Individual participants are
Premises providing common meals live together, sharing some common selected randomly from each
facilities as a payment basis. accommodation.

Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue) 5
Table-2: Types of Cases (Shared House) Concerning Male and Female Domain.

Case Type (Type of Sharing) Female Domain Male Domain

(Number of Case) (Number of Case)

A1 (Self-catering) 2 0
A (Private shared / Mess house)
A2 (Common meals) 2 2

B (Private hostel) 4 5

Table-3: Types of Cases Concerning Building Types in Different Zone.

Rental House Type (Building Type)

Flat as the old-type building (total 9 houses) Multi-storied Apartment (total 6 houses)
Case type Selected zone Case type Selected zone
Type Number of cases Zone Number of cases Type Number of cases Zone Number of cases
A1 1 Tejgaon 2 A1 1 Tejgaon 3
A2 2 Moghbazar 2 A2 2 Moghbazar 3
B 7 Motijheel 5 B 2 Motijheel 0

enjoying an independent lifestyle or a better environment difficulties as living alone, etc. Detail analysis shows that
as seen in many developed countries. the number of occupants who don't share their bedroom
though live in a shared premise is not so little, about 37.10
Socio-economic Profile
percent of the total participant. In that case, their rental cost
Single young adults in a Shared houses have represented is two to three times of those who share their bedroom with
a product of economic constraint rather than choice, their two-three other occupants. For these single rooms occupying
growth attributed to rising housing costs, low incomes, person the unavailability of single-person apartments or
and the relative scarcity of social housing. Figure 3 shows safety issues or other options rather than economic constraints
most of the students are economically dependent on their lead to choosing a shared premise. Table 4 shows that most
family and self- income when only a few students are of the participants share their bedroom with two other
fully economically self-dependent. Students who are occupants within 3-5 sqm. Bedroom space when per capita
dependent on both these mainly earn money from private rental space is 8-12 sqm. for most of them. So for most of
tuition, tuition in a coaching center or online business, the cases, bedrooms are too much-congested. The 'sharing
etc. Most of the professionals are economically fully self- status' is the amount of 'sharing' taking place within the
dependent and more than 50% the professional supports households, and in the survey, four situations found that are;
their family. Last of all it can be said that students are shared bed, toilet, and kitchen; shared bedroom, toilet, and
mainly dependent on their family and cost of living is kitchen; shared toilet and kitchen; only shared kitchen
important toward them rather than professionals. whereas maximum participant share the toilet, kitchen and
Rental Profile bedroom and only few share their bed with other.

The survey found a wide range of varieties in the rental Forms of Sharing
system when per capita living costs are associated with
multiple factors such as house quality, the number of In surveying shared houses there are mainly two types of
sharers, allotted space per person, sharing type, etc. There sharing occurs that is a private mess/shared house (A-type)
are also variations in reasoning to become a sharer rather or private hostel (B-type) when mess house is further
than to live alone. In this issue, economic constraints and subdivided into the self-catering system (A1-type) and
unavailability of the single-person apartment are the major providing common meal system (A2-type). The survey result
causes followed by other reasons i.e. safety, to avoid social shows that only female households are using the self-catering

6 Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue)
Figure-3: Economic Status of Single Young Person Household in Surveying Population.
Source: Field Survey

system (A1-type); maybe there subsist any psychological Private Hostel

issue so that females are sometimes comfortable with self-
In this type of sharing, landlord or head tenant rent a house
catering rather than sharing common meals. The survey
from a landlord and then further rent out the house toward
result also shows that most of the private hostels are in a
many sub-tenants with overall control. This type is a profit-
renting flat of old buildings maybe because of low house
making business, and sometimes the landlord runs the
rent and to get benefit the scope of internal modification
business own-self. Usually, this type of hostel is built for a
toward multiple single households. The living cost sometimes
long time for many tenants living together with low rent,
may be higher in A-type sharing rather than B-type (Table
and often floor plan is modified with temporary partition
5).
walls. In this situation, the large room is divided into several
Shared Rental House (Mess house) separate rooms or dining spaces, and living spaces are
moderate, with partitioning to a bedroom.
In this house sharing type, a private house/flat is rented with
its rooms as they were designed without any changes to the Comparative Analysis of Shared Rental Flat (Mess House)
floor plan by some unrelated adult households. As the and Hostel
apartments are mainly designed for family-type households,
here, the dining space, bathroom, and kitchen are usually The internal layout (figure 3 and figure 4) shows no significant
shared spaces for all residents, and bedrooms are allotted difference in the layout plan of shared house and hostel
to the individual resident or multiple residents. The research because both are a rental flat, but considering the overall
found the following four states to lead a shared house. living pattern, there is a considerable difference.
· Shared houses made up of friends who have come together
to live with one another. Mess house and hostels offer a sharing lifestyle, but the
· Shared houses of 'random' who all found each other considerable difference started with profit-making. Private
through means such as websites and are sharing a property; hostels were happening with planning of profit gain and
· Friend/random hybrid households where some people are shared houses forms to benefit economically/socially through
friends but have since had to enter random to fill gaps to sharing. At some instant, hostels are a formal set-up wherein
maintain the tenancy of the property; most of the cases, and this is a long-time establishment.
· Owner-occupied shared households where the owner is Hostel fees are also a fixed payment, including all services.
a resident and shared with one or more tenants, usually On the other hand, mess houses are very informal in terms
to afford to own the property. of the distribution of spaces, foods, responsibilities, etc.
· This type of arrangement rents out a flat for a long time often this informal arrangement seems like a family within
or a short time and includes diversified living arrangements. a limited number of occupants rather than hostels with a

Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue) 7
Table-4: Rental Profile of Single Young Households.
Source: Field Survey
Attributes Frequency (n= 62) Percentage

Sharing type - Private rental house (mess house) 34 54.8

- Private hostel 28 45.2

Sharing status - Shared kitchen 6 9.72

- Shared kitchen and toilet 16 25.81
- Shared kitchen, toilet, and bedroom 38 61.29
- Shared kitchen, toilet, bedroom, and bed 2 3.22

No. of occupants in one bedroom - Single 23 37.10

- 2 people 10 16.13
- 3 people 27 43.55
- 4 people 2 3.23

Per capita rental space - Less than 8 sqm 12 19.35

- 8 sqm-12 sqm 30 48.39
- 12 sqm- 16 sqm 12 19.35
- More than 16 sqm 8 29.03

Per capita bedroom space - Less than 3 sqm 8 12.9

- 3 sqm-5 sqm 34 54.8
- 5 sqm- 10 sqm 14 22.58
- More than 10 sqm 6 9.72

Per capita rental cost including - Less than 3000 tk/month 2 3.23
meal charge and other services - 3000-5000 tk/month 16 25.81
- 5000-8000 tk/month 36 58.06
- More than 8000 tk/month 8 12.90

The motivation for sharing - For lowering rent 25 40.32

toward the rental house - For safety 7 11.29
- For not being alone to avoid social difficulties 10 16.13
- For the unavailability of single-person
apartments or other options 20 32.26

Table-5: Rental Cost for Different Types of Sharing at Selected Zones (Per Capita Rental Cost).
Source: Field Survey (2018)
House type Rent type Tejgaon Moghbazar Motijheel
(Tk/month) (Tk/month) (Tk/month)

A1 House rent excluding 4000-6000 - -

(Self-catering) meal charge

A2 House rent+Meal (4000 to 6000 + (2000 (2000 to 5000 + (2000 to -

(Common meal) charge+service charge to 3000 + (300 to 500) 3000) + (300 to 500)

B House rent including 3000 to 6500 6000 to 6500 3000 to 6500

(Private hostel) meal charge and other

8 Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue)
large number of occupants with unknown flat-mates. The House Rent
most advantages of hostels are offering all things in a package
where one newcomer to the city finds a place to live with Different houses adopt different approaches to managing
necessary furniture (bed and table), including meals and house rent. In shared, rented house rent is distributed to all
other services with minimum responsibilities to manage shared members. The process of distribution can be
everything. However, sometimes because of profit-making configured in multiple ways.
attitude, hostels offer a poor environment with crowding
· House rent is uniformly distributed to all shared household.
rather than mess house where informal arrangement always
There are no considerations of space allocation. For
tries to achieve a better environment economically.
example, there may be a small or large room in one flat,
and each household may not be uniformly benefited, but
The Process of Finding Shared Accommodation
house rent will be equally distributed to all members
(Figure 3 & Figure 4).
Finding a room/seat in shared accommodation may seem
straightforward, involving browsing ads, making calls, and
· House rent is distributed according to the seat. At first,
viewing rooms. However, the reality can be more complex,
the house is divided into several seats, for example, three
with considerations such as proximity to work, environment,
seats in the large room and two seats in a small room. If
and compatibility with housemates. Shared living involves
one sharer wants to occupy two seats, he/she has to pay
a laborious process for both seekers and advertisers, as it
rent of two seats. Sometimes share of house rent is fixed
involves establishing routines and practices for harmonious
according to some values like the small or large room,
coexistence. Advertisements vary based on the type of
room with attached veranda, room with attached toilet,
accommodation, with hostels using commercial approaches
etc.
and private shared houses often preferring familiarity among
residents. Specific requirements, such as non-smoking or
employment status, are often mentioned in advertisements.

Figure-4: Private Mess House (From left, Type A1 & A2, Flat 3B, R#6 @Niketon, Flat A3, Green Nahar Villa, Mogbbazar, Dhaka).

Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue) 9
It is common in the case of shared house that if one seat is · Food responsibility is given upon specific one household,
vacant for one month, then rent of that seat will be distributed and he benefitted with meal charges,
to all those residing within it. In private hostel house rent · All households are responsible for food arrangements.
including 2-3 meals is fixed by the authority
At the point of food arrangement, the housemaid is an
Food
unavoidable issue, and often it seems to housemaid has a
significant contribution. High dependency on housemaid
Food arrangement includes food purchase, storage,
arises problems when housemaid makes absent for the reason
distribution, shopping, shelving, cooking, and eating. In the
of illness or other. In that case, usually, they prefer the
hostel case, all the process of food is done by hostel authority,
nearest cheap hotels or self cooking.
and individual households have no other responsibility
without collecting food from shared dining or kitchen. In a Discussion on Opportunities and Complexities in Shared
shared house, most of the cases food is prepared commonly, Premise
but the self-catering system also found. In the survey, it
seems that the self-catering approach was only adopted by Shared living and opportunities: Connection and support
female domain, maybe because of the females' attitude.
Different approaches are also found in shared food systems According to respondents, although they chose to live in
which are shown below: shared accommodation with no other suitable options, the
· Food arrangement responsibility is given to one or two residents shared a vision of sustainability (social and
enants (called mess manager) by rotation. economic), which instantly created a commonality between

Figure-5: Private Hostel; Type B (From Left, Roja VIP Chattri Hoste, Ramna Chattri Hostel-2nd Floor).

10 Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue)
 TEJGAON AREA
Case 1. Roja VIP Chattri Hostel, Monipuripara, Farmgate,
Tejgaon, Dhaka.
Case 2. 23/A/6, Hazi Arab Ali Villa, Happy Homes Kunipara,
Tejgaon, Dhaka
Case 3. Nibedika Chattri Hostel, Monipuripara, Farmgate, Tejgaon,
Dhaka
Case 4. Flat 3A, Road no. 6, Niketon, Tejgaon, Dhaka
Case 5. Flat 3B, Road no. 6, Niketon, Tejgaon, Dhaka

Figure-5a: Tejgaon Area.

MOGHBAZAR AREA

Case 6. Flat A2, Green Nahar Villa, Baro Moghbazar, Dhaka

1237
Case 7. 3rd floor, House, Wireless, Moghbazar, Dhaka
Case 8. Ad-Din Women’s Medical College Hostel, Wireless,
Moghbazar, Dhaka
Case 9. Ramna Chattri Hostel, Baro Moghbazar, Dhaka 1237
Case 10. Flat A3, Green Nahar Villa, Baro Moghbazar, Dhaka
1237

Figure-5b: Moghbazar Area.

Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue) 11
 MOTIJHEEL AREA
Case 11. First floor, 12 Arambagh, Motijheel, Dhaka
Case 12. Aponghar Hostel, Arambagh 1st Lane, Motijheel, Dhaka
Case 13. First floor, Sonartori house, Arambagh, Motijheel, Dhaka
Case 14. Fifth floor, Sonartori house, Arambagh, Motijheel, Dhaka
Case 15. Students home, 6/D/1 Engineering flat, Arambagh,
Motijheel, Dhaka

Figure-5c: Motijheel Area.

them. This vision connected various people from diverse houses: private shared/mess houses and private hostels. First
backgrounds and developed strong social network and social of all as a group of single young households, it is difficult
bonding toward social sustainability. Aside from the instant to find potential houses due to social misperceptions and
connection formed through sharing, residents had sudden politically unstable situations. In this regard, the choice goes
or regular events to meet, greet, and get to know one another. to private hostel.

At this point, frequent interaction between residents is In a mess house, different informal systems for 'sharing
essential. Although conflict sometimes arises, informal space arrangements' exist that arise spontaneously to address
demarcation responsibility distribution increases the level multiple issues or sharing problems. Basically, what system
of interaction. will be followed to manage a shared house depends on the
interpersonal relationship between the households; that is
As stated by the residents, they enjoy lots of practical and how a group is formed to live in a shared house. In mess
moral support in shared living. In the premise of a shared house, all problems mainly occurred because of informal
house, though everyone lives out of their own family, there ways of management and using a single-family house for
is evidence of a family environment within the home. The multiple shared households. First, difficulties to find potential
issue of support is also related to how the residents are housemates, and this problem is heightened when existing
connected. housemates have to share extra house-rent to fill the gap of
one sharer. Second, there are challenges to getting equal
Shared living and complexities: Social and physical space distribution within the households when the house is
problems not designed for multiple households. Third, complexities
due to fixation of house rent, when all the residents do not
The research found the diversity and complexity of 'sharing' get equal facilities such as an attached toilet or attached
arrangements within two basic different types of shared veranda, same room space, etc. Fourth, to run a mess house,

12 Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue)
the head tenant or mess manager must take multiple and unwillingness of suppliers (landlords) due to social
responsibilities regarding the management of food, funds misperceptions on the supply side. On the demand side,
etc. A problem arises within the selection of mess managers multiple problems occurred due to shared living with different
with the reluctance of households to take responsibility as lifestyles and choices, converted family houses for sharing,
an extra burden, and sometimes mismanagement and and different space requirements. Their living arrangement
misunderstanding occur. Fifth, complexities due to adjustment often short term and they consider economic accommodation
with variance in daily routine, lifestyle, food habits, etc., with In the solution, there required planning strategies
and the amount of this problem depends mainly on the regarding specific urban schemes and housing typologies.
'sharing status' and interpersonal relationship between
households. CONCLUSION

In the case of a private hostel, the situation is not too different, Though the number of young single-person households is
but the fundamental difference is here; a shared increasing day by day, they are still a minority group of
accommodation is run by following a management team's people. So, our society and government are not wholly
rules and regulations. So households get all facilities in a concerned about the issue. Since accurate statistics are also
package system within seat fare and are bound to accept the missing so the private sector is not also interested in, providing
hostel rules without any negotiation. The first problem of for this group of people. Unlike many Western developed
mess house regarding sharing extra house rent does not exist countries where the younger generation is living away from
here because each is responsible for only his or her occupied the parental family to seek greater independence and freedom,
seat. The second and third problems of equal distribution of the situation is quite different in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in
space and facilities are also present here since private hostels terms of culture and the housing market. Here single
are also situated in single-family residences with or without individuals live independently to build their career started
small conversion. However, here residents have no right to from student life to job career where city centric development
say anything about this problem, so there is no scope of the acts as a fuel.
chaos and no negotiation between residents. The fifth problem
regarding different lifestyles and issues of sacrifice is constant Shared living appears to be particularly suited to young
for shared living depending on their sharing status. However, adults who are strongly committed to their future careers
the private hostel's main problem is the poor quality of food, and the labor market. It is a flexible household form, that
services and space crowding because of the landlord's profit- can provide 'professional standard' accommodations and
seeking attitude. As a result, it has seen that most of the ready access to a social life for time-constrained and
hostel raise their seat fare, considering increased demand. geographically mobile people. The study has used the
empirical case study of shared accommodation as a context
With some exceptions, most participants narrated a more and means to know about the perception and problems of
individualistic approach to sharing space and goods that living away from the parental home by focusing on 'sharing'.
gave primacy to individual taste and routine over time. How While domestic 'sharing' has been examined thoroughly in
sharing was managed was not an easy task for those involved, different researches, little research has explored such sharing
often problematized by the length of stay (how long someone
has been in the house). The problem between one household practices amongst peer-shared accommodation. A diverse
versus many households under one roof is a constant feature picture is seen in the evaluation of different shared
of 'sharing' practices. 'Sharing is inherently rational and households. Mainly, the problems arise with the quality and
interpersonal, so the form and quality of the interpersonal quantity of space. These issues are also related to other
relationships within which sharing occurs fundamentally social issues such as the relationship with society, dealing
affect the nature and success of sharing within shared with conflict and 'moving on', and personal issues like
households. Besides, these psychological things are essential feelings of crowding and privacy. It is argued that “sharing”
within sharing, such as self-perception, behavior, privacy consume less and make an attitude toward sustainability.
needs, etc. However, this research found the presence of critical situation
at different level of sharing, the conclusion wants to highlight
Overall problems occurred mainly on two sides, i.e., supply- the scope and opportunities of sharing. Beside the space
side and demand side. There are an overall housing shortage crisis, shared houses provide a compact and well-networked

Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning: Vol. 35, 2025 (First Issue) 13
living environment that is significant for sustainability. The · What is being shared (space, goods, and responsibility)?
research findings contribute to knowledge regarding the
experiences and barriers to successful sharing which have · How is sharing taking place?
been largely unexplored. The essential factors of 'sharing'
At this point, this research does not try to generalize the
that should be considered while designing are the following:
findings however scope and opportunities of shared living
· Who is sharing, what is the quality and the form of sharing, provides valuable indication toward sustainable living
and what is the relation between the sharers? worldwide.

· Why is the sharing taking place (is it elective or necessary)?

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