Apart from economic and environmental significance, public spaces have been argued to be one of the most important integrants of urban life for their social role. Nonetheless, a large number of public spaces in different contexts do not promote heterogeneity and lack in publicness. The exclusion of the marginal people from using public space has become a rising issue. However, built environmental design and management play significant roles in contributing to this exclusionary nature in state-owned but privately operated public spaces. To assess the extent and depth of exclusion, this study initially investigates the user condition of the park, who comes to the park, the number of visitors, and above all, the presence of marginal people. Later, with the indicators of accessibility, the study explores the shortcomings of design and management aspects, which are responsible for exclusion. This qualitative research employs a case study approach and uses observation and interview methods in the urban context of Bangladesh. Empirical data is collected from Linear Park in Khulna, a recently developed riverfront park by Khulna City Corporation (KCC) which is leased to a private organization. Findings from this study reveal that different roles of both public and private bodies are responsible for diminishing publicness in both development and use phases. Accordingly, design and management considerations for such urban parks need to be revised to ensure the public space is more comprehensive and inclusive to serve the diverse groups of people.

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Decolonization in tropical architecture upholds cultural identity and diversity in both its material and non-material forms. The Rakhaine, a diasporic ethnic minority in southern Bangladesh, migrated from the former Arakan state more than two centuries ago. They have gradually adapted their cultural way of life as well as their vernacular dwellings to their displaced context, especially in the last few decades. Their cultural identity shows a new dimension, which is termed hybridization in postcolonial discourses. Considering the above context, this research initially aims to understand the unique spatial-physical morphology of the Rakhaine's traditional stilt houses. Later, the study explores different influences behind the current hybridized transformation taking place in their vernacular dwelling. Through a qualitative case-study approach, an in-depth comparison of two dwellings was undertaken to document and understand both their traditional and hybridized aspects. Theoretically influenced by decoloniality, tropicality and hybridity, this study contributes to decolonial and postcolonial studies in tropical architecture and will be of interest to academics and professionals in understanding the unique in-betweenness of cultural hybridization of ethnic minorities in the South Asian and Southeast Asian contexts.