Mustapha Khalid Palash – Accomplished Artist and Architect

Considered to be one of the leading contemporary architects in Bangladesh, Khan Mohammed Mustapha Khalid Palash is also a talented artist, with his first solo exhibition, Of Conflict and Harmony, taking place at the Gallery of Fine Arts of Asiatic Society in Dhaka. Having been raised in a household where art was important, and with his father being a painter, Palash’s creativity was encouraged from a young age, and this experience is evident in both his artistic and architectural creations.

Born in Dhaka in 1963, Palash was educated at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, from which he received his Bachelor of Architecture in 1988. His career led him to join forces with fellow graduates, Mohammed Foyez Ulla and Shahzia Islam, to establish Vistaara Architects. Their work includes a variety of projects, from residential to commercial, and offices to hotels. Fully involved in his chosen career, Palash is a member of the Institute of Architects Bangladesh, the World Architecture Community, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, and an associate member of the American Institute of Architects. Some of the projects in which Palash has been extensively involved include Dhaka’s magnificent shopping mall, Bashundhara City, which opened in 2004 and attracts an average of 25,000 people per day, as well as the Grameenphone Corporate Head Office, the Banglalink Head Office, the Robi Head Office, Radisson Bay View Hotel in Chittagong, the Hilton and Westin hotels in Dhaka, and the Lab Aid Cardiac Care Hospital.

It has been noted that often architects are also talented artists, with historical examples being Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect and engineer Michelangelo, and Italian artist Bernini who was also an architect and designer. This hold true for Palash as his architectural creations have become a permanent part of the Bangladeshi city landscape, and his works of art are appreciated by art-lovers. This accomplished architect and artist held his second solo exhibition earlier this year, entitled Of Conflict and Harmony at the Gallery of Fine Arts Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.