A Bangladeshi Rug Factory Designed Around Its Workers Wins the 2026 RIBA International Prize
Green Field Factory in Rangpur, home to about 5,000 mostly female workers, features courtyards, gardens, a rooftop daycare and an on-site medical practice.
A seven-storey rug and textile factory in Rangpur, Bangladesh, has won the 2026 RIBA International Prize, the Royal Institute of British Architects' award for the world's best new building. Green Field Factory, designed by Nakshabid Architects for Karupannya Rangpur Limited, was announced as the winner in mid-October.
"Green Field Factory redefines manufacturing architecture in South Asia and beyond." — Chris Williamson, RIBA President
A factory built like a home
The building serves about 5,000 workers, most of them women. Its design draws on the traditional Bengali homestead, with courtyards, verandahs, gardens and a green façade.
- Rainwater harvesting and passive cooling reduce reliance on mechanical systems
- A rooftop daycare and an on-site medical practice
- A shared canteen and community spaces
- One shared entrance for workers and management
"We asked a simple question: what if a factory were designed first as a home for the people who work in it?" — Bayejid M Khondoker, Nakshabid Architects
Why it matters
The jury, chaired by architect Bijoy Jain, picked a workplace where care for employees shaped the design from the start. The company's Shafiqul Alam Selim framed it as a business choice: "Taking care of people is not a cost to the business. It is the business."
Context
It is the second Bangladeshi project to win the prize. The first was Friendship Hospital in Satkhira, designed by Kashef Chowdhury of URBANA, in 2016. An architecture prize says little about daily pay or conditions, but the building offers a visible example of what a worker-first factory can look like.
