A VACATION RETREAT
KUSHIARA RESORTS
Nestled among the rolling tea gardens and veiled hills of Sylhet, the resort breathes with the land’s quiet rhythm. It offers listening to the whisper of rain on leaves, the song of distant rivers, and the soft mist that drifts through the relaxing spaces.
Location: Dhara Dharpur, Dakshin Surma, Sylhet
Client: Md Humayun Ahmed
Land Area: 10 Acre
Structure Consultant: Asim Kumar Mondol
MEP Consultant: FORM.3 architects
Construction Year : Ongoing
The resort site located adjacent to a canal. The site is surrounded by dense greenery and water bodies. The canal provides a scenic natural boundary creating a tranquil setting for visitors. The resort is well integrated into the surrounding green and wetland environment, maintaining a balance between built-up areas and natural features.
The resort is designed to blend seamlessly with the natural landscape of Sylhet, creating a tranquil retreat centered around water and greenery. At the entrance, the reception pavilion sits adjacent to a serene water body, featuring an open, nature-embracing structure with warm materials and a calm walkway that guides guests into the property. Nearby, the multipurpose hall overlooks the lake and offers both indoor and outdoor spaces for gatherings, framed by wooden architecture and shaded seating areas woven into the landscape. Deeper into the site, clusters of cottages are arranged around the natural lake, each positioned to maintain privacy while preserving the sense of a peaceful, lakeside community. The resort includes a variety of recreational zones – restaurant, swimming pool, dedicated play zones, gymnasium and many more.
The cottages appear to rest lightly within the landscape, allowing the terrain and vegetation to flow naturally around them. Their pitched roofs and simple, vernacular forms suggest a warm, intimate retreat experience structures designed not to dominate the environment but to coexist with it. Clustered along the gently curving edge of the lake, the cottages offer uninterrupted views of the water, with trees scattered organically between them to provide shade, privacy, and a sense of immersion in nature. These cottages form a peaceful refuge where guests can enjoy the calm of the water, the rustling of trees, and the embrace of nature.
The interior zones seem to unfold in layers an indoor living or sleeping area transitioning into a semi-open verandah or lounge, and finally to an open deck that reaches out toward the water’s edge. This gradual shift from enclosed to open space creates a seamless connection between the cottage and its surroundings, inviting guests to move closer to nature without abrupt boundaries.
The structure itself feels light and transparent, with slender supports and an extended roofline that frames the view while sheltering the transitional spaces beneath.
The resort’s landscape is thoughtfully crafted to celebrate the rich ecological diversity of Bangladesh, using planting strategies that enhance both beauty and environmental resilience throughout the year. Various types of water-edge plants soften the boundaries of the lake. Native plant species are prioritized across the site, ensuring harmony with Sylhet’s climate and supporting the local ecosystem. High-canopy trees are strategically placed to provide shade and comfort, creating cool, dappled spaces for guests. Interspersed among them are colorful flowering trees that transform the resort with vibrant seasonal displays blooms that shift with Bangladesh’s changing climate, offering fresh visual interest in each season. Additionally, butterfly-attracting trees and shrubs introduce a layer of liveliness and ecological richness, inviting fluttering movement and enhancing the sensory experience of the resort.
