SHATOTTO architecture for green living

What SHATOTTO architecture for green living does

SHATOTTO architecture for green living is a privately-held architectural consultancy founded in May 1995 by Prof. Md. Rafiq Azam and headquartered at 39 Suhrawardy Avenue in the Baridhara Diplomatic Zone of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The firm provides professional architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design services across residential, commercial, institutional, healthcare, religious, and public space typologies, with a defining focus on climate-resilient green architecture that integrates water management, indigenous vegetation, light/shadow, and Bengali mysticism into the built form. Its technical method emphasizes architecture as "energy gaining" rather than merely energy saving, with demonstrated outcomes such as the Shahid Haji Abdul Alim Playground's 500,000-liter rainwater storage capacity and the award-winning Rasulbagh Children's Park.

The firm operates a project-based professional services revenue model, negotiating fees engagement by engagement across government, private, and public sector clients. Notable engagements include the Jol Shobuje Dhaka program for Dhaka South City Corporation (31 parks), the SP Setia Headquarters in Malaysia (Top 10 Green Buildings of the Decade), the Bangladesh Chancery Complex in Bhutan, the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka, and the Islamia Eye Hospital. Geographic reach spans Bangladesh, Malaysia, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Australia, supported by an extensive awards portfolio (50+ international recognitions including World Architecture Festival, Architectural Review, IDA, and ULI Asia Pacific) and editorial coverage in Architectural Review, Dezeen, ArchDaily, Time Magazine, and AD. The practice is reinforced by the Rafiq Azam Travel Bursary (RATB), a South Asia–wide student travel-grant initiative launched in 2010, and the Rizzoli-published monograph "Old Dhaka New Story," both functioning as brand and talent-pipeline assets.

Go-to-market combines competitive bidding for government work, direct commissions from private developers, and inbound demand driven by international recognition. The firm is founder-led, with a partner-level management team across design (Nur E Zannat Jui), studio leadership (Sihaam Shaheed), technical operations (Md. Kamrul Alam), and senior architecture (Tohidul Islam), alongside in-house structural, electrical, and BoQ engineering capacity. There is no evidence of external funding, parent company ownership, or institutional investment; the firm operates as an independent practice.

Name

SHATOTTO architecture for green living

Legal name

Shatotto

Website

https://rafiqazam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SHATOTTO architecture for green living is a Dhaka-based architectural consultancy founded in 1995 that delivers climate-resilient green design across residential, commercial, institutional, and public projects for government, private, and institutional clients across South Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Sustainable architecture services
• Green building design
• Climate-resilient urban design
• Landscape architecture services
• Architectural design consultancy

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Consultancy: Professional services including detailed planning, design and engineering for varied project disciplines. The firm provides comprehensive services to government, private and public sector clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SHATOTTO is an architecture design consultancy providing detailed planning, design, and engineering services across varied project disciplines including residential, commercial, institutional, healthcare, religious, and landscape projects. The firm specializes in green architecture and climate-resilient design for the South Asian context, integrating traditional Bengali mysticism with sustainable water management, urban revitalization, and harmony between built form and natural elements.

Product overview

SHATOTTO architecture for green living is a single-firm architectural practice offering comprehensive design consultancy services across multiple building typologies. The firm provides architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design services for governmental, private, and public sector clients. Its portfolio includes residential, commercial, institutional, healthcare, religious, and landscape projects, primarily in Bangladesh with international projects in Malaysia, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Australia. The firm also operates the Rafiq Azam Travel Bursary (RATB) educational initiative and published the monograph 'Old Dhaka New Story' through Rizzoli.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Transformed 31 community parks and playgrounds in Dhaka through the Jol Shobuje Dhaka project
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jindal University of Art and ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026MoU signed between the institute and SHATOTTO architecture for green living. Prof. Rafiq Azam delivered a presentation to the students as part of the partnership.
• BRAC UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2024Host institution for Rafiq Azam Travel Bursary (RATB) selection and presentations. RATB is an initiative providing architecture students opportunities to travel abroad and gain global experience.
• Southeast University, DhakacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Host institution for Rafiq Azam Travel Bursary (RATB) selection. RATB winner Sadman Hossain Rakin awarded from this university in 2024.
• JPZ (JV)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Joint venture partner involved in the Shahid Haji Abdul Alim Playground project under DSCC's Jol Shobuje Dhaka initiative. The project transformed a dilapidated public space into a green playground.
• Cubeinside Design LtdminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Design partner involved in the Shahid Haji Abdul Alim Playground project under DSCC's Jol Shobuje Dhaka initiative.
• INDIGENOUSminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Architectural firm where Snigdha Arzoo worked prior to joining SHATOTTO. Represents professional collaboration network in the architecture community.
• Rafiq Azam Travel Bursary (RATB) NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Network spanning Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Australia providing travel grants to architecture students. Launched in 2010 and coordinated by Ar. Zannat Jui since 2016.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Foster + Partners: Global architecture firm with extensive sustainable-design credentials across commercial, civic, and master-planning projects. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same international, sustainability-focused commissions SHATOTTO targets in South/Southeast Asia.
• Heatherwick Studio: London-based design studio working at the intersection of architecture, urban design, and public realm. Comparable as a globally awarded design firm focused on placemaking, landscape, and signature public projects of the type SHATOTTO delivers for DSCC and other clients.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Global architecture and landscape practice known for sustainability-driven, climate-responsive urban and landscape projects. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose portfolio increasingly overlaps with SHATOTTO's climate-resilient urban design and park revitalization focus.
• Shigeru Ban Architects: Tokyo-based global architecture firm with strong humanitarian, sustainable, and material-innovation focus, including community and disaster-resilient projects. Comparable as a broad incumbent recognized globally for socially conscious architecture in Asia.

Direct peers

• Ken Yeang (T.R. Hamzah & Yeang): Malaysia-based practice pioneering bioclimatic, green, eco-design and vertical greenery across Asia. Comparable as a tropical/South Asian architecture firm with deep specialization in green-building and climate-resilient design.
• WOHA Architects: Singapore-based architecture studio internationally recognized for sustainable, green, and biophilic architecture in tropical and South/Southeast Asian contexts. Highly comparable to SHATOTTO's climate-responsive, green-architecture focus and award-winning South Asian portfolio.
• Vo Trong Nghia Architects: Vietnam-based practice known for green, sustainable architecture integrating vegetation and climate-responsive design across Asia. Comparable niche as an Asian studio combining sustainability credentials with international award recognition and tropical-climate focus.
• Studio Mumbai: India-based architecture and design studio led by Bijoy Jain, focused on craft-based, contextually rooted architecture in the South Asian region. Comparable as a design-led, award-recognized South Asian firm with international media profile and philosophical/material-driven approach.
• Balkrishna Doshi (Vastu-Shilpa Consultants): India-based architecture practice led by the late Pritzker laureate Balkrishna Doshi, focused on contextual, sustainable Indian architecture. Comparable as a founder-led South Asian practice with deep award history, philosophy-driven design, and international recognition.

Regional players

• Volume Zero Ltd. Bangladesh-based architecture practice and SHRAB selected for work with former SHATOTTO architect Sihaam Shaheed. Comparable as a domestic Bangladesh-based design firm competing for similar private and institutional clients in the Dhaka market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@architectrafiqazam_officia8590
• Facebookfacebook.com/189LUyTJnJ
• Instagraminstagram.com/rafiq_azam.shatotto?igsh=ZnNwY2hmd2Fyc3Z6
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shatotto-architecture-for-green-living

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SHATOTTO architecture for green living