SADA
School of Art, Design and Architecture
THESIS CATALOG 2018
THESIS 2018 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO
SCHOOL OF ART, DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE School of Art Design and Architecture at National University of Sciences and Technology (Islamabad) opened its doors to prospective architecture students in 2010 and since then has grown from strength of 70 to 300 plus aspiring architects and designers. The ideology behind this School is to provide ‘holistic’ design education which is encoded within its mission statement ‘Prepare creative individuals sensitive to context with a holistic understanding that would encompass intuitive ability, theoretical understanding and process driven solution’. Currently two undergraduate degree programs are being taught at NUST-SADA namely B.Arch. and B.ID. (Industrial Design). Both programs aim to inculcate and sensitize students towards conceptual and context related outcomes. It has been the primary ambition of the institute to create an environment conducive for creative learning and in this regard facilities in light of contemporary design thinking have been provided to students. These include IT labs - both general and specialized for Building Sciences, a digital Workshop that includes laser cutters and 3-D Printers, Photography Studio, Model Making and Textile workshop, a library with 3000 plus titles along with subscriptions of major national and international design and architectural journals and magazines, an in-house stationary and printing shop for students. The school also encourages students to be part of co-curricular activities and in this regard is patron to NUST Fine Arts Club, where students can learn and share their skills with other institutes. Also to have a practice oriented approach students at NUST-SADA are encouraged to participate in national and international level competitions. Alongside academic learning, summer training is a compulsory attribute of both the programs, it consents to the real life experience of an architectural/design establishment thus the holistic nature of profession encompassing both academia and link with industry is offered. NUST-SADA aims at producing graduates sensitive towards demands of context, client and industry while preserving their individual identity.
CONTENTS Rector’s message Principal’s message Thesis Coordinator’s message Sidra Iftikhar Iqra Imtiaz Amna Qaisar Qureshi Osama Jamil Hadia Azed Tayyaba Nasir Amin Hadi Latif Khan Neha Ahmad Javaria Imtiaz Hafsah Bint Shams Nabeel Rooshan Ramsha Marghoob
05 06 07 08 14 20 26 32 38 44 50 56 62 68 74
Khadija Zohair Mahil Shehzad Mahnoor Fatima Maria Shams Khan Muhammad Naqi Ejaz Nadir Zamir Mahmud Wafa Rizvi Rida Fatima Suha Azim Saba Adil Malik Muhammad Waqas Ghani Zuha Jabeen Tariq Ghuncha Shaheed Bushra Mansoor Thank You Note
80 86 92 98 104 110 116 122 128 134 140 146 152 158 164
Lieutenant General Naweed Zaman, HI (M), (Retired)
RECTOR’S MESSAGE The hallmark of NUST is that it does not graduate its students without invoking in them the highest levels of commitment and diligence. And today, it gives me immense pleasure to felicitate all graduates and their parents on their sublime accomplishment. I hope that as alumni, they would cherish their affiliation with their alma mater and contribute to its growth in every possible way. In contemporary times, institutions of higher education are more inclined towards multi-disciplinary programmes. Though NUST began its glorious journey as an Engineering & Technology university, it has fast emerged as a comprehensive university, offering courses in a myriad of disciplines. It is manifest in the establishment of NUST constituent institutions, such as School of Art, Design & Architecture (SADA), within the conglomerate of highly advanced Science and Technology institutions. SADA, within a very short time span, has created a respectable niche for itself in architectural studies at the national level. This creditable achievement has been possible owing to the selfless contribution of its faculty towards the development and teaching of robust curriculum, and the hard work of its students. Lately, the School has introduced a mechanism to embolden students to showcase their creative designs in live projects and competitions, both within and outside of NUST. The programme is one of the several initiatives, aimed towards creating opportunities for our students to get themselves acquainted with their potential employers. Let me also commend the efforts of graduating students and their faculty for producing this excellent publication. It has had everything in it to inspire students, faculty and professionals associated with the field of Architecture. Hope you enjoy the read!
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PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Ar./ Plnr. Sikander Ajam Khan M.Arch (USA), MSc (UK), PCATP This publication is the work of the fourth batch of graduating students of B.Arch degree course. The architecture program is leading towards maturity, but a lot still remains to be accomplished. Skills and competencies developed in various courses have to lead towards improved standards in terms of deliverables. This can only be accomplished by looking at world leaders in architecture pedagogy and architectural practices, and getting feedback from Industry regarding current thesis. Industry will readily accept our graduates, if they have a clear worldwide role regarding the profession, and can work independently, providing leadership to the profession. At present, about six percent of the PCATP members are our alumni and we hope that this number will double in the next few years. From the above figure of alumni who have entered the profession, about seventy five percent are women. Our graduating students are achieving admissions in top ranked worldwide universities with good results, while some have secured jobs with well reputed architects abroad after completing their masters. Our students are receiving scholarships in European, and US universities. These are extremely healthy signs for any new school of architecture. For the coming year the focus of the school will be on improving the quality of work of the graduates, its infrastructure, and entering into memorandum of understanding, with high ranked international universities. This publications and the two preceding ones point to the direction that the school is taking. It is reaching out to professionals and other Schools in the region. I am thankful to our faculty and especially those at the thesis level who have worked hard with their students in producing quality of work, which forms part of this publication. I further congratulate parents and their wards for their dedication, and hard work, which is reflected here.
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THESIS COORDINATOR’S MESSAGE
Ar. Raza Zahid AA Dipl. RIBA, PCATP I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the successful completion on the fourth thesis at the School of Art, Design and Architecture, NUST. The graduates whose work is published in this catalog have to be commended for their hard work and the quality of architectural designs produced in the span of a single semester. And equally importantly, the faculty who, along with myself, have guided these students over the past year; our principcal Ar. Sikander Ajam, Ar. Mian Muhammad Naseer, Ar. Naveed Aslam have all been instrumental in supporting and mentoring thesis students through the demanding and often challenging process of the thesis semester. A special thanks to Dr. Anita Kapdia, who in addition to tutoring thesis students, has also been involved in the supervision and running of the thesis program. SADA is slowly but steadily evolving as a design school. With each graduating batch, the school has continued to make adjustments to its program to ensure that the students not only meet the standards required of them at SADA but also are suitably equipped with the right skills to enter the world that exists outside of its walls. The demands of a single semester thesis require a focussed pursuit of an idea and the capability of being able to translate it into architecture in a short time frame. The resulting projects vary in scale, typology and complexity but have all reached architectural solutions that do justice to the aspirations set at the beginning of the semester. This catalog is a celebration of the diversity of ideas and directions that the students have explored and in many ways is a testament to the creative and experimental environment offered by the school. The quality of work produced by our thesis batches over the years is evident from the awards our graduates have won, both at national and international levels. Many have been admitted into prestigious universities abroad to pursue Masters in Architecture, while others who have entered the professional environment, have received favourable feedback from the architectural offices. We believe that the current graduating batch will match and indeed exceed the standards set by their predecessors and wish them the very best for their future. This catalog, as always, is dedicated to our young graduates and their families.
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Sidra Iftikhar sidra.iftikhar-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
FABRIC-ATING ARCHITECTURE Museum of Fashion H-10, Islamabad The project was initiated by understanding how the techniques used in garment construction can be translated into the tangible and intangible aspects of architecture. The process involved a hands-on approach to analyse the characteristics and opportunities in each technique. The concluding analysis then informed the decision in the design process. The technique of weaving was then applied to weave circulation patterns and context with the site. Pleating was applied in the roof structure and volumes of spaces were knotted together with the help of pedestrian pathways and bridges. Moreover, being a Museum, the space demanded the celebration of circulation and therefore the idea of circulation as a ‘catwalk’ was applied in the proposed programs, which changed their conventional nature. Site analysis was utilized in the first stage of this process where the site profile and orientation not only defined the basic ground manipulation but also started to formulate the areas of interest. It was then merged with the conceptual underpinning of the key spaces in the project to create spaces based on programmatic needs. The idea resulted in two distinct volumes that create a dialogue with each other through bridges, stitching them together. The tangible and intangible aspects were laid out for a clear vision of the path that needs to be followed. The tangible aspect was dealt with by creating a skin that not only talks about pleating or weaving literally but also metaphorically, translated through creating a user, program and context responsive façade. On the other hand, the intangible essence of the techniques were incorporated through making sure that the programs weave into each other by merging, fluid transitions and transparency (that diminishes physical boundaries). This leads to experiencing the clothing from a different perspective. The change of scale, and experience of, different clothing construction techniques in a new context, creates an enhanced understanding of the techniques. The circulation acts as a thread that weaves into multiple functions, acting as a metaphor for warp and weft. Here, multiple aspects of clothing and clothing construction is studied and applied which makes it a holistic attempt towards the idea. The design of the building, situated next to the Kashmir Highway, acts as a landmark, its undulating roof mimicking the surrounding landscapes.
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Iqra Imtiaz iqra.imtiaz-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
STELLERENA Redeveloping dialogue between the stargazer and the night sky Adjacent Islamabad Highway, Rawalpindi Space is filled with plethora of moments of magnificence. From the Eagles Nebula where gas giants clatter in pools of energy and stars form with burning fury, to the lonely hydrogen atom, drifting endlessly into the abyss, cutting through nothing but absolute darkness. And to the 10 year old girl lying on her back on a chaarpai on the roof in a village, gazing up at the night sky for hours, wondering what therein lies the kind of mysteries and answers to the universe. The dense city shows much less sky and everything it contains. Thus the project attempts to recreate an entire narrative for those filled with wonder of the night sky and what lies beyond by proposing a planetarium, which is divided into various platforms throughout the vertical configuration. Six projection planes serve as a methodological diagram for constructing the planetarium where each plane is occupied by a diverse architectural strategy (mirrors, sticks, tubes, spirals, hills, and elevator), projected onto one another, producing a labyrinth of simultaneous time narratives and scales. The planetarium grounds users through abstract learning as they navigate the entanglement while warping their perception of space-time. While traveling through a series of architectural space-time scenarios, users are enlightened with astronomical scenes that transcend human perception. They are simultaneously probed with foregrounded space, time, and light conditions that question the very basis of our on-going exploration of astronomy. The nodes and connections of the mechanism are iterated to fit the circulation required around the narrative experience. The Orrery’s elements are broken down vertically. The core is divided at various distances into platforms, which project different distances from the core itself. The multiple platforms are then connected to each other with more vertical cores for circulation and structural support. Shells and chambers, located at multiple levels on the platforms, hug the main central atrium– its pieces gravitating towards each other in the centre. From pitch black spaces filled with so much nothingness as that of a black hole, to rooms crammed full of the small specks of the most distant stars, or places where one is dwarfed by the sheer power and heat of suns, the architecture acts as a kind of a labyrinth, giving users the chance to submerge themselves into the endlessness, raw power and wonderment of the galaxy.
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Amna Qaisar Qureshi amna.qaisar@sada.nust.edu.pk
TAWAZUN School of Design NUST, Lake side, Islamabad The project proposes a School of Design to emphasize the dialogue between rational as well as creative thinking within the realm of Architecture, using the metaphor of the human mind as inspiration. Architecture is essentially an interdisciplinary profession hence, a design initiative that encourages symbiotic interdisciplinary learning by softening the boundaries between correlated academic fields to facilitate an integrated system of learning using porosity and inclusiveness as a guiding tool, is proposed. The form depicts this intention by merging and overlapping two contradicting zones that house workshops as well as studios, connected by a bridge, which mimics the two distinct hemispheres of the brain (the authoritative and impermeable and the porous and inclusive). The bridge acts as a transitional space to bring the two zones together and to highlight the programs, taking up multiple identities as a social, recreational and interdisciplinary zone separated by levels of privacy and varying heights. The right side of the design is gradually deconstructed to emphasize the duality in the mind and encouraging a merging of the creative zone, housing the studios, with the interdisciplinary collaborative spaces. To create duality within the geometry and form, a gradual spatial and volumetric transition is proposed. The architectural design starts as a singular contained volume from one side and progresses to disintegrated geometries, forming a comb like relationship with the context. This allows the interdisciplinary workshops to become porous by providing visual connections and walkways as a means of achieving integration and collaboration. The program entails a school of design, which harbours the notion of harmony between technical and creative activities and collaborative workshops to invite students from various departments within NUST, making the metaphor of the human mind and the duality it holds as a guiding tool for the project. The outcome of the project is to translate the analogy of the right and left brain and what they signify into the tangible and intangible aspects of the school building to achieve an atmosphere most conducive for a holistic design process. Nature of the perceived spaces aims towards inclusiveness, collaboration and interactions between users to facilitate learning.
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Osama Jamil osama.jamil-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
‘A SPACE THROUGH AGES’ Creating a dialogue with historical sites Qilla Kohna, Multan Architecture is timeless, but buildings cohabit continually in territory. New architectural insertions in historic settings, which are considered for this thesis research, are additions to larger older urban environments. A critical issue faced in these conditions, is accommodating change to heritage places and adding new layers to their environment in ways that recognize, interpret, and sustain their values. Modern renewal proposals can contribute in reuniting old fabricated individual spaces that have grown apart by the passage of time, and are diverse in characteristics in terms of programmatic influence, contextual usage and architectural vocabulary. An approach that utilizes the emotional effect of spaces and shows sensitivity towards the historical context can form relationships between the old and the new and indulge users in a journey that both reconnects and revives the linkages between public and the elapsed legacy. Chahar chiz ast tofa-i-Mooltan Gard Garma Gada-o-Goristan
“With four special gifts Multan abounds Dust, Heat, Beggars and Burial Grounds”
Multan city is renowned for its notable genesis and the astonishing narratives attached to it for centuries. The expression ‘exquisite’ describes the atmosphere and the ambiance of Multan city and is a reflection of the current scenario with its historic attributes. The verses mentioned above have become an icon for the inhabitants of the city and capture the quality and ambiance of Multan by summarizing it in just four expressions. These four antiquities have untold ingrained connections to the settlement’s antiquity and cultural background. The experiences they evoke are used as inspiration for the project and are translated into contemporary spaces with the aim of inducing similar spatial environments that reconnect the user to the history of the place. An immaterial affiliation towards a historic setting can be produced by re-creating and translating the emotional expressions of its past through an architecture that is a reflection of the modern times.
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Hadia Azed hadia.azed@sada.nust.edu.pk
TASTE BOX A Space for the Celebration of Food Melody Food Park, G6, Islamabad A body within its capacity for action creates spaces through its actions, gives it meaning. Likewise, the programmed activities or events occurring in a space are seen to generate spaces as well as being generated by spaces. Through this thesis a possible experimentation on the various relationships between spaces and events and their respective effect on users is carried out so as to create an architectural space that is seamlessly integrated within a program, and is designed to accommodate the events taking place in the context. The aim of this thesis is to investigate, analyse and conceive a public place for the celebration of food by altering the existing relationship of users with the current space and events so that architecture of Melody Food Park transforms the event of ‘eating’ into an uplifting experience, allowing the site to become a source of supreme urban delight for the city, moving the ideas of preparing and consuming a meal beyond physiological necessities, and towards notions of pleasure and nostalgia. The event of eating when understood in a public domain can vary from a formal dining experience to an informal street food affair, and somewhere in between these two extremities lies a much less explored, semi-informal eating experience; one that is currently the only existing event taking place on site. The architectural proposal aims to not only cater for the formal and informal dining experiences in the form of restaurants and food stalls but also provides the required infrastructure for the in-between, in order to realise its full potential working around the site. The design is derived from the standard kitchen module but extended and subtracted according to different programmatic requirements, in order to conceive a public space that not only provides a variety of spaces but also a perfect environment for people to dwell in. The proposed programs are spread across the site, the spaces constructed from lightweight materials that not only respect the existing fabric of the context but also convey an extroverted nature providing visual porosity. Raised volumes not only provide a panoramic view of the context but also allow uninterrupted pedestrian movement in the lower level. Covered walkways stitch various programs together and are placed alongside the kitchen areas, which result in the transformation of the food preparation into a kind of informal performance.
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Tayyaba Nasir Amin tayyaba.nasir-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
IMMATERIAL MATERIALITY Investigating Salt in Architecture Khewra Salt Mines, Jehlum District One of my favourite architects, Kahn, speaks about material as if it were a sentient being, a living thing that is as much present within a space, as the visitor and the ability of something tactile and tangible as a physical material to define and dictate intangible aspects like experience or spatial quality. The thesis investigates the possibility of using Salt, found in abundant quantities in Pakistan, as an architectural material, and its influence in defining not only the spatial ambiance of the architecture but the programs as well. The aim of the project is to study, explore and investigate the tangible and intangible, material and immaterial aspects of the Rock Salt found at Khewra, and to apply the conclusions drawn from these studies as a premise for the architectural language developed for the building. The tangible aspects of this study, the outward form of the material are greatly dependent on the physical attributes of Rock Salt; colour, grain, shape, texture, cleavage, lustre and hardness can directly influence the spatial ambiance and mood of the space. The intangible aspects of Salt Rock, its morphological and qualitative changes (chemical and healing properties), help define the building typology and most importantly its program; i.e. salt therapy and recreation. The site is located on a valley far away from any urban setting, and offers the perfect setting for a retreat, away from the clutter and noise of the city. Four words; faults, folds, joints and burrows (concluded from the studies on salt rock) inform the design in plan and section predominantly. Each term works in either subtraction of form or the addition to it, resulting in a hybrid combination of the two. The contours on site provide the opportunity to design the salt complex in multiple levels, some of which are carved into the hill and others, which protrude out of it. Salt rock is used for internal partitions and built-in furniture, both through means of addition and subtraction. The type and amount of natural light entering the building defines the use and longevity of the salt. A ‘salt garden’ for the public extends the use of the material into the open, continuously changing the space as it erodes.
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Hadi Latif Khan hadi.khan-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
REDEFINE THE GAME Investigating an Architecture inspired by Video Games Fateh Jung, Islamabad
Project Castellum is the result of an exploration into the art of level design and narrative building in video games, and its potential to be projected onto, and inspire an architectural design. By doing so, it attempts to liberate architecture from the conventional norms that govern the spatial and programmatic layout of buildings and has the potential to invoke the same kind of spark that one may find inside a video game, a platform often used to escape reality for brief moments where one is able to reside in the virtual space. The project also aims to use the game structure to understand how and why video games are the next turn of the technological era. Video gaming has gained popularity in Pakistan in the recent past, and teams of talented professionals are now investing time and money into creating games loved by the masses. The project attempts to apply the same effect inside the structure of a building, and to explore the potential of the physical space and the virtual reality to mesh inside a workable structure. The development of the basic framework of the project was the result of an exploration and understanding of the sequential narrative that is common to all video games. The one idea that sits most interestingly inside a video game is the forced sequence/ circulation path a user may have to interact with in order to progress. While you may be able to traverse upon a large area, the game inherently requires a user to go through certain programs whilst also experiencing the arena or map from every angle, yet the experience of the game is unique each time. The architectural proposes adopts a similar idea by providing free space transforming layouts and massive open spaces under a curving roof, ensuring a space that would be traversable yet experiential in its own way. The final design also incorporates certified tested pathways that would be taken through a maze, allowing chosen users to witness what they would wish to first, without them taking the decision for themselves. The curiosity of the user within the environment remains intact while they traverse from conventional architecture to a more explorative and cleverly forced movement path.
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Neha Ahmad neha.ahmad-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
AN ELEPHANT PARK Landscape Architecture as a tool for enriched animal environments Adjacent to Jehlum City The typology of the zoo has seen little change over its history and does not attract the same number of users as it once did, leading to its closure in a number of cities internationally. Zoos were and are still being designed primarily for the pleasure of the human eye, and place little importance on the needs of their primary users, the animals. Naturalistic facades and expansive enclosures do little for the well being of the animal, and give the illusion towards appearing more ‘natural’ for the visitor. The majority of zoos fail to provide environments that are either comfortable or engaging for the animals, leading to psychological issues and early death. My thesis proposes an alternative to the zoo typology, catering primarily to animals that are already in captivity by providing parks that offer the physical and climatic environment specific to the needs of each animal. The proposal caters for the Asian elephants, and provides an environment that is designed for their needs by incorporating spaces of enrichment; behavioural and environmental, into its design. The role of the visitor is shifted from a mere spectator to an active participant, creating meaningful interactions and providing programs that would shift the visitors focus from simply looking at the animals to being fully immersed in their routine and environment. The idea of landscape articulation has been explored throughout the project, where a thorough analysis of the climatic influences and the local flora and fauna resulted in the manipulation of landforms in order to create a gradient of environments conducive for the elephant; public and private, cooler and warmer, interactive and non-interactive, etc. A network of pathways overlaid on this allows the visitor to see or interact with the elephant at designated zones, whilst maintaining private areas for the animal. Various programs are distributed along the site, those relating to the visitors are mainly along the periphery and those requiring physical enclosures are embedded into the ground and act as a boundary for the park. The changing water level of the Jehlum transforms the landscape on a seasonal basis and shifts the patterns of land use, which have been designed to respond to the changing weather. The resulting outcome is an enriched transforming landscape, catering to the daily physical and mental needs of the elephants.
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Javaria Imtiaz javeria.imtiaz-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
WATER IN ARCHITECTURE A Spa Resort for Therapy and Wellness Rawal Lake, Islamabad Water has long been an integral part of our society, an element we interact with on a daily basis, forming the very foundation of our lives and our bodies. Since ancient times, mankind has gravitated towards water, resulting in the development of major cities along the water edge. Locations in close proximity to water are sought after not only for the visual advantages that the element offers but also for the opportunities of interacting with it, both in terms of recreational activities as well as the ambiance large water bodies can provide. Whilst there are numerous examples of buildings that take advantage of the scenic landscape, there are few that interact with water beyond the visual, in ways that allow the element to become an integral part of the architecture itself. This thesis explores the relationship of architecture and water through the design of a spa resort that offers both a bodily and a poetic experience of water. The intent is to study how water and architecture can interact, influence and reinforce one another to exist as an integral part in a harmonious environment. Moreover, this approach also sees man’s interaction with water as an individual entity as well as the perception of an architectural space. The objective is to create a space that encourages therapy & wellness, by balancing the spirit and mind. The thesis explores the relationship of water and architecture in space at conceptual as well as programmatic levels. Water holds a living quality, shaping and sustaining everything around us, including our own beings. It possesses a set of fundamental properties as an element, which is explored at multiple levels and conditions. The exploration attempts to derive a design language inspired by the various properties of water, translating these into architectural spaces that create a positive impact on the human mind. Through the use of architecture, water, wind, light are made to interact with each other in varying configurations, leading to a range of different spatial and atmospheric conditions that compliment the programs offered at the Spa.
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Hafsah Bint Shams hafsah.shams-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
LIMINALITY IN SPACES An Arts Center as a mediator between contrasting spaces Golra Railway Station, F-13, Islamabad The word liminal refers to the intermediate state between two points, and in architecture, it talks about the thresholds and transition spaces between two distinct and contrasting zones. These spaces are flexible and can morph their nature according to the need of the user and events inhabiting them. They are transformative, temporal, in and out of flux, and engage users from its context in a dynamic dialogue. The experience of the one who traverses these spaces is of a heightened sense of awareness about being in the state of transition. The site of Golra Railway Station presents an innate liminal character because of events that keep on evolving and changing throughout the day. Moreover, the site being a bypass railway station helps the traverser reminisce the good times of train travel and shifts them between the past and the present. This led to the design decision to create a space that would accentuate the heritage aspect of the station by establishing a contemporary structure next to it. This was also furthered through the analysis of precedent studies that address ideas about building next to old structures. This led to the development of the idea of creating an architectural solution for these liminal spaces that would help act as a mediator between the surrounding contrasting spaces and would lead to a healthy dialogue between them. The existing programs on the site also helped in providing the basis for the building program to be developed; the extension of the Golra Station Museum into multiple galleries for example. The site also hinted at what the mediating or liminal space should provide to the users, like reading alcoves, semi-private Zen gardens for photo-shoots etc. Therefore, the design of an Art Centre as a response to the needs of the site, providing a ground for experimentation and for using liminality as medium for mediating the contrast between the heritage site of Golra Railway Station and the new Art Center.
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Nabeel Rooshan nabeel.rooshan-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
DAASTAN GAH Adapting the Architectural Space of Miniature Painting Saidpur Village, Islamabad The intent of the thesis was to utilize the themes and techniques of spatial representation in miniature paintings to create narrative focused architecture. The idea was to study how miniature paintings depict space and how the inherent geometry and framing of that depiction can be translated to architecture and used to tell stories in a similar manner. To do this, I used the method of delayering miniature paintings by 2d diagrams and 3d modelling to understand how the design and composition of the spaces represented are used to tell stories. This provided me with techniques with which I could then begin to create an architecture that helped convey the narrative of my site, Saidpur. I took the local legends of the village and used the medium of miniature painting and drawing to convert these stories into sectional narratives, which came together to build a narrative myth of Saidpur, which would be conveyed through the spatial design of my building. I chose the program of an Art Museum, since Saidpur village had historically been an arts and crafts village, but this aspect was currently declining. An art museum would serve as a space which would showcase the artisan work of the village as well as a space which could allow the master artisans to pass on knowledge of Saidpur’s rich cultural history to more people, keeping their heritage alive. The process of translating this began with selecting a site near the centre of the village, to allow for maximum user catchment, along the contours of the foothills that surround Saidpur. The main building masses are placed based on the gesture of the Four Ponds of Saidpur, a lost part of the village’s history, and programs are then zoned according to access points and connections. What follows is the process of using the techniques taken from miniatures, such as the rhythmic distortion of plans and the overlapping floor plates and forms, which allow for simultaneous narratives to unfold within the space. The spatial experience is then designed based on the narratives from the site, such as the entrance, which is based on the descent into the lake depicted in ‘The Sheep/Alligator’s Dive’, and the local galleries, whose narrative is based on the Zinda Pir’s shamanic ascent through the dark, djinn-infested hills surrounding Saidpur in ‘The Pir’s Progress’. The result is a building, which utilizes and adapts the techniques of miniature and their transformation into three-dimensional space to narrate an architectural myth of Saidpur.
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Ramsha Marghoob ramsha.marghoob-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
SYNERGY A Wellness Retreat Rawal Lake, Islamabad As we progress towards the digital age, we tend to find it hard to cope with the overwhelming hassle that surrounds us and disconnects us from any source of tranquillity. We have caged ourselves in self-made boundaries that have affected us adversely, mentally and physically. Despite the presence of luxury of nature that exists around us, we tend to limit the spaces we inhabit to merely built structures having little or no reciprocity with what naturally exists around us hence reducing them to mere cages. The design focuses on architectural interventions that work collectively with natural elements that the site offers to enhance user experience in spaces that enable mind and body to relax. The site is rich in natural elements. Each program requires a particular element to be highlighted to a certain degree for the visitors to ‘feel’ the space making it different from how it would have been carried out in a completely closed opaque enclosure. Connection of each space with the outside is based on the requirements of the program it incorporates. Fenestrations, customized in each space, make that space specific to the program it offers. Spaces that require light in abundance have skylights opening towards the south with the roof plastered to diffuse the light. Skylights towards north are in spaces like meditation areas. Vertical openings also differ in each space. Some programs like meditation that require complete calm and no distraction are connected to the outside through skylights; spaces for expression therapies which help stabilize mental well being are designed to overlook the entire city in order to build a visual connection, whereas spaces for hydrotherapies act as an extension of the water body in the form of visually floating decks. Nature dictates the design in this project and each space is placed and oriented strategically according to the natural elements around it. The project focuses on using natural elements to their full capacity in coherence with architecture and encouraging the two to co-exist in order to create spaces that promote mental well-being, relaxation and a peaceful environment, leading to results that can not be achieved with either one of the two working independently, hence the title ‘synergy’
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Khadija Zohair khadija-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
DISTINCT YET CONNECTED Architectural response to the ethos of Bohra Culture Adjacent to Ayub Park, Rawalpindi Architecture is one of the physical manifestations and symbolic expressions of a cultural identity. Cultural practices, beliefs and ideologies, all influence the design of spaces and help build a distinct architectural image for those who adhere to it. While representing a specific culture, architecture also serves as a platform for promoting it, subsequently serving as a melting pot for other cultures to learn from each other and co-exist in harmony. Pakistan is home to diverse ethnic identities and thus presents an opportunity for spaces that encourage wholesome intercultural interactions among various cultural groups in order to diminish an atmosphere of ethnocentrism and creating mutually supportive and collaborative environments. The thesis focuses on a particular ethnic group: Dawoodi Bohras and aims to define the architectural identity of Bohra Community by embracing the idea of inter-culturalism within community’s existing structures. Dawoodi Bohra community is one such minority in Pakistan that projects a very distinct cultural image, from their attire, cuisine, ritual of communal dining to their pride in their collective identity and unity, there are a lot of aspects that the rest of the world has not had the opportunity to learn about. A Cultural Center - a public spectacle for the community is designed as a product that allows them to showcase their rich cultural traditions in an inclusive environment. In addition to this, it will also allow other ethnicities to converge, interact with and learn about Bohra culture and give other underrepresented ethnicities an opportunity to promote their culture and encourage wholesome inter-cultural interactions while creating an environment of acceptance, reverence and mutual support. The project takes inspiration from the spatial nature of one of the spaces inhabited by the community. ‘Mujtama’ is a communal zone where a Bohra gathers, interacts and integrates with the community. The temporal and communal nature of Bohra Mujtama has been exploited in the design of the project. The addition of a public spectacle and Cultural Center to an existing Bohra Community Center re-defines the architectural identity of Bohra space by transforming a religio-cultural Community Center into a socio-cultural civic space.
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Mahil Shehzad mahil.shahzad-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
WOODLAND Furniture Workshop and Learning Center G.T Road, Gujrat Furniture making is an interesting specialty, which requires a lot of expertise and craftsmanship. Despite being a highly profitable industry in Pakistan, the majority of craftsmen are provided with poor working conditions and have a lack of knowledge about the materials they are working with or the advancements in technology that can help improve the quality and complexity of furniture produced. The aim of the thesis is to provide a new platform for these craftsmen, with a focus on the use of wood, which will give them not only state of the art workshops where they can advance their skills but also a center for learning which can provide them with invaluable knowledge about materials and their usage. The combination of these two separate components in the same location is seen as crucial as the educational aspect of the proposal needs to be supported by its practical application. The layout of the design proposes a clear distinction between the workshops and studios by providing a central courtyard that acts as the primary space for relaxation and interaction. Dedicated pathways weave through both sections forming multiple connections in addition to the visual ones offered by the open internal facades of the development. This results in the creation of a harmonious space between the two, uniting them in an experiential, energizing and useful work learn space. The site selected, adjacent to the Gujrat bypass is close to existing workshops yet is relatively flat and rich in vegetation. The proposed architecture orientates itself to take advantage of the greenery as well as the wind orientation resulting in spaces, which are well lit and have good ventilation. In keeping with the theme of the program, the architecture is kept bare to reveal and highlight joinery details. Inspiration is also taken from the joinery details of wood furniture resulting in architectural fenestrations that are used for natural light and ventilation. The application of these details in room corners permits diffused light, and results in interesting shadows. As the project itself focuses on a skill, which is purely visual and at most haptic in nature, the crux of the project also falls on the articulation of the form, and the use of the joineries in the design.
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Mahnoor Fatima mahnoor.fatima-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
YOUTH OF OLD AGE Community Center for the Elderly G9/2, Islamabad The senior citizens in a society serve as its foundations and are responsible for the safekeeping and carrying out of its traditions. As such they are a vital part of the community and it is essential that we provide them with the care and attention that is a need of their age. Our religion puts great emphasis on the rights of the senior citizens and places great emphasis on treating them with respect and love. However due to the demands of the modern world, increased working hours and influences from the western culture, many in our society are unable to spend sufficient time with their parents, which results in feelings of depression, resentment and loneliness. The aim of the thesis is to design a space for the senior citizens that helps in not only breaking the monotony induced in their lifestyle but also helps in reinstating them as active and useful members of the society. It addition it can also provide provisions for a physically and psychologically therapeutic surrounding for those suffering from age associated depression. The project is divided into three major zones, each of which focuses on a particular set of programs necessary for effective mental and physical healing of its users. One of the zones caters to the learning component, one to the social, and the third to the healing aspect of the project. A central courtyard is responsible for joining the different zones together and serves as a common ground for interaction between various groups. The zones are also connected to each other through bridges that act as transition points between them and allow informal spaces for interaction. The overall building is aligned around the visual axis of Margalla Hills and is designed around an existing water stream passing through the site. To ensure that the spaces designed provide a therapeutic atmosphere, nature has been incorporated in the design in various ways. Elements such as natural light, wind, temperature and smell are taken into consideration and greatly influence how the building responds to its surrounding. The materiality of the building has been chosen by keeping the primary users in mind and is based on selecting materials that provide the most comfort and ease of mobility to the seniors. The building designed provides the users with a space to recuperate and to improve their physical and psychological health. It also provides them with a forum where they can feel like a useful member of the society.
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Maria Shams Khan maria.khan-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
REMEMBERING 1947 A Museum dedicated to the Partition Shakarparian, Islamabad The aim of this thesis project was to pay homage to the events of 1947 and to preserve the memories of the people who lived through those times. The intent was to create spaces to house within them the narrative of the partition of 1947 from a human perspective instead of a political one. The design phase was initiated by exploring the formal and spatial consequences in terms such as divide, slice, split, tear etc., which in many ways symbolized the experience of the partition. Various material explorations were conducted to observe how these words manifest in different materials. These observations were further studied, transformed and exaggerated through physical models and collages and resulted to hint at architectural spaces. These, in conjunction with the dominant themes observed in oral narratives of the partition, were used to weave together an experience of spaces separated into various themes relevant to those times. The site selected, in the Shakarprian area in Islamabad, not only provided the appropriate visual and physical prominence that the program demanded but also presented an exploration of a literal manifestation of the partition by virtue of the topography and the layout of the site. The galleries in the museum are divided into four distinct zones. The first gallery deals with the pre-partition events and the idea of an inherited nostalgia leading to a gallery which focuses on the history of material memory, followed by one concerned with the actual events of migration and the specific experiences of those involved, and at the culmination of these, a memorial space not just for those whose names and histories are remembered by the ones they left behind, but also those unnamed souls, who have on one to remember them.
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Muhammad Naqi Ejaz muhammad.ejaz-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
DIALOGUE BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT Cultural Center Old City, Rawalpindi The project revolves around exploring the existing as well as the long lost culture in the heart of Old City Rawalpindi. As mentioned in the thesis statement, “The historical buildings, complemented by forward looking and bold architecture, form an ensemble which not only rejuvenates the urban significance of the building, but also revives the symbolic character of building”, the aim of the project is to cater to an already existing building, Rose Cinema (Fawara Chowk), through ‘Adaptive Reuse’, with the intention of rejuvenating the surrounding area by redeveloping the symbolic character of the building that has diminished over time. After detailed documentation of the existing building and the neighbourhood town, a narrative has been developed that led to defining the programs of the proposed facility, based on the needs of the stakeholder. This led to the proposal of a theatrical performance space in place of the cinema, as well as additional features like exhibition and event spaces, which complement the primary program. Also, a second category of programs include the social activity spaces, that cater to the daily life activities, such as street vendors etc., that otherwise do not get proper allocation for their workflow. A part of the building has been preserved to the original state as built in the 1940’s, while other areas have been complemented by a completely contrasting architecture that re-defines the identity of the building The design development process was initiated by taking one portion of the building, the cinema, as the starting point, which had to be eventually transformed into the new space. Initiating from the internal zoning of the proposed design, which was based on the original zoning of the building, the design led to a new formalized zoning where additional programs were incorporated. The form of the new structure evolved out of a detailed experimentation through digital and physical 2D and 3D sketches and models, resulting in new architectural additions that puncture the existing structure in some areas and protrude onto the public space in others creating a dialogue between the old and the new. This gives the development not only the programs that were direly needed, but also provides it with a new identity, eventually aiding in the rejuvenation of the vicinity, in particular though pedestrian bridges that connect various nodes across the Fawara Chowk to the refurbished building.
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Nadir Zamir Mahmud nadir.mahmud-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
HEALING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE Rehabilitation Center for Sports Injuries Naval Anchorage, Islamabad The concept behind this project is to discover ways in which architecture can become a tool for catalysing the process of healing for a patient, in specific by providing rehabilitation facilities for athletes suffering from sports injuries. The design development revolved around specific design strategies, where the aim was to provide an architecture that could not only accommodate the user’s limitations in movement but also provide the appropriate atmosphere for a stressed out state of mind. The design process was initiated by studying specific healing environments based on Evidence Based Design strategies, and the possibility of certain elements of the architectural language like rhythm, repetition, and curved edges in playing an important part in making the spaces visually more familiar, more comfortable to experience, understand and use. The design outcome hence becomes a complex made up of four different modules, disintegrated and placed sensitively based on contour heights, views, program requirements and privacy factors. Fluid circulation pathways act as the connecting tissue between the modules, and balance off the large mass of the built volumes. A central garden acts as the focal point for the design, with a dynamic water body flowing through it. A central axis that originates from the entrance continues through to the training grounds creating a visual hierarchy between spaces. The entry through the foyer reveals the whole experience of the building, and continues through a series of threshold points towards the training ground located at the end of the development. Breakout spaces are provided along the circulation pathways to accommodate a patient’s limited movement, providing areas of rest and interaction, and giving the user a sense of accomplishment. Nature plays an important role in the design, providing visually porous spaces that blur the boundary between the inside and outside, allowing the building to knit itself into the site, in order to maximize the presence of nature throughout the building. The curved forms of the buildings mimic the language of the circulation pathways allowing the eye to flow through the spaces, and provide a sense of fluidity and movement.
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Wafa Rizvi wafa.rizvi-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
SENSORY APPROACH TOWARDS INCLUSIVE EDUCATION School for Children with Autism F-6, Islamabad This thesis aims to understand the different architectural and sensory elements to design an inclusive early learning school for children with autism. The inclusivity in design would help the children with their learning and integration within the community by offering them services and facilities highly required in their early years. A growing number of children in Pakistan are diagnosed with autism spectrum. Throughout the country there is a sheer lack of awareness of mental disorders as the issue is often stigmatized and hence overlooked. This leads to children being admitted in mainstream schools, which becomes further detrimental to their mental growth. Autism is a condition, which influences the sensory perception of individuals; a prime example of this is the individual’s understanding of space. Their capability to learn and thrive can also suffer in environments that have been designed for neurotypical individuals. Research suggests that designing sensory sensitive environments would allow children to learn as well as act as a catalyst in various types of learning that would only benefit a child who doesn’t fall under the ASD spectrum. Spaces designed to stimulate and control different senses were explored in the design process of this thesis. Design strategies such as compartmentalization, flexibility, transition spaces, breakout spaces, porosity to the outdoors and the incorporation of play- in the child’s daily routine were implemented along with many others. The end result was a design based around the idea of transitioning students from one space to another through controlling the connection of the indoor environment with the outdoors. The design is highly site sensitive with each of its functions placed according to their ideal environment on the site with a sensory spine running through its centre with all therapeutic support facilities placed along its way. The school would provide a controlled sensory journey for the Autistic students and their nuerotypical peers allowing them to carry out their school day with a variety of zones to play, gather, work as well as interact with the community forming an inclusive learning environment.
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Rida Fatima rida.fatima-bach13@sada.nust.edu.pk
CONSTRUCTED INTANGIBLES A Wellness Retreat Shahpur Dam, Attock District Architecture is an enclosure of an ambience. It is not a mere shelter, but a tangible that carries within, immaterial qualities of fleeting nature. People are likely to remember material aspects of space if that space has ever given them an ephemeral feeling that cannot be explained through visuals alone. Our understanding and perception of space is not only based on the information fed to our eyes but is the result of all of our senses working together. This thesis aims to explore an architecture that does not give preference to the sense of sight alone but is the result of an exploration that attempts to capture fleeting moments that contain all kinds of emotions. It aims to build for what cannot be touched, yet can be felt just as strongly as a rock under your feet. Tangibles and intangibles go hand in hand, creating an atmosphere that defines the emotional experience of the building. The intention therefore is to design a structure to guide and capture these immaterial moments and aspects. It is morphed by and for the elements of the site, both tangible and intangible. The building corresponds sensitively to the site and the program locates itself onto it according to the activity proposed and the nature of atmosphere required for it. It tries to capture the sounds and smells, the mood and feeling of the site. Hence, a construction of intangibles. The program, which is recreational in nature, in this case is not merely a side element but helps give purpose and meaning to spaces of exploration instead of having them purely as artefact spaces. Each space requires a specific environment, which is achieved by using the natural features taken from the site. All of the existing elements of site are categorized based on a particular mood and relate to specific programs that can enrich them. The architecture as a result is a series of spaces that is developed in accordance with these intangibles and is shaped by them, in a language dictated by the tangibles. The location of the site chosen is one that has all of these features at different parts, so that the building twists, turns, breaks and burrows itself it order to amplify its varying conversations with the site.
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Suha Azim suha-azim-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
ARCHITECTURE AS A FACILITATOR Saudi Art District Jeddah, Saudia Arabia The thesis attempts to provide an architecture that will cater to one of the rising needs of the Saudi Kingdom; spaces for public interaction. To ensure that the project caters to a large base of users and stakeholders, the programs will focus on the ‘Arts’ culture, which has been missing from the country’s social scene for so long. This will recognize the essence of the region through its culture and translate that into architectonics to derive a fusion between what was and what might be as the Vision 2030 developments prevail. In a region that has previously been so direly deprived of such activities or services, the introduction of such an integrated program would give them a platform to more openly express themselves. The “Saudi Art District” will be a pedestrian zone and will provide platforms for the rising art culture and art enthusiasts in a district, which already caters to a variety of creative categories in the artistic hub of the Saudi Kingdom, Jeddah. It will be the first of its kind within the Kingdom, becoming a precedent for the future developments that may be planned for the upcoming transformations linked to the Vision 2030. The intervention, proposed for this location, is an important step towards progressive development for the creative wing, providing platforms for a variety of artistic categories. The design is a district/complex, which is placed carefully across from the Sports City, on the proposed master plan of the “Cultural and Design City”. Majority of the user influx will include not only enthusiasts of the creative category but also locals and international users interested in the rising art scene. The proposal also provides offices for the governing body of the district as well as multiple exhibition spaces for ‘Jeddah Art Week’, an event that lacks a dedicated space. The design takes inspiration from the atypical Saudi vernacular and traditional architecture and the overall language of the plan and form correspond to circular patterns that have strong ties with the region. In Islamic geometry, the circle symbolizes unity and diversity in nature, and forms the foundation of many Islamic patterns. Another significant inspiration in the development has been taken from the local Arab “souks” or an open-air marketplace, which are the tensile tents of the Bedouins, and the essence of the Arabian oasis.
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Saba Adil Malik saba.malik-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
INTO THE WOODS A Retreat for Contemplation Margalla Hills, Islamabad ‘Into the woods’ talks about a series of programs that allow the user to experience and celebrate the tranquillity and holistic spirit of being in the wilderness of Margalla Hills. The major architectural moves made in relation to the site revolve around the terrain which implies a natural circulation of it’s own. The topography of the site required an architectural solution that was fragmented and embedded into the contours of the landscape. As the primary influence on the design was to enhance the site’s experience and its impact on the users, the geometric language in plan adheres to the directionality implied by the terrain. This led to a series of keywords, such as humble, immersed and secluded, which helped guide the kind of architecture that emerged from the topography. The proposal takes inspiration from the local atmosphere and the various experiences offered by the context, from strolling under the dense canopy of the tress, the paths carved by the glistening water streams that criss-cross the site, to the rustling sound of the leaves in the wind; the design attempts to not only capture but also enhance these experiences by providing vantage points and proximities that were previously not possible. Raised pathways start from the entrance of the retreat and connect to the various cabins spread across the site. They allow the users to navigate through the dense foliage of the trees instead of walking under them, covered resting zones offer panoramic views for contemplation and encourage the users to interact with the natural environment. The design is divided into separate zones for services, contemplative areas and cabins. Each cabin offers a unique experience based on its location and direction; some are introverted cabins, some frame the city views while others hide in the density of the trees. The programs for the contemplative zones are designed to capture the immersed experience of the trail. Rammed earth walls, stone masonry and glass bricks are used in various combinations throughout the design, which help the various architectural interventions visually settle into the context.
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Muhammad Waqas Ghani waqas.ghani@sada.nust.edu.pk
CONTEMPORARY SCHOOL Redefining the School Typology G-11/2, Islamabad The thesis attempts to redefine the current school typology that is prevalent in Pakistan by not only addressing the issues faced by the majority of schools in the area but by also critiquing the methods of education and the environment that the school buildings currently offer. A thorough analysis of the schools in the city of Islamabad revealed a number of issues including overcrowding, primarily due to the increase in population, as well as a lack of facilities that are now considered essential in the modern world. Whilst the government continues to introduce new educational policies every ten years in order to keep the curriculum updated, little change takes place in the buildings that need to accommodate them. The typical layout of most schools does not allow enough flexibility to be able to accommodate or adapt to the changing demands of the education system. In addition to this, the spaces allocated for learning offer little inspiration to its young occupants and fail to provide the kind of environment that is conducive for learning. The design of the new school proposes a series of measures that will help ensure a certain amount of adaptability and flexibility and will encourage the students and faculty to occupy the spaces in different ways. The initial design study, which is based on a modular system, uses the Lego kit as a tool for building different compositions, which allow for multiple voids and in-between spaces to be accommodated within it. This process proved immensely useful in being able to study different configurations that would not only respond to the concerns highlighted by the site analysis but also allow a study of the pros and cons of each configuration. The final layout proposes a number of volumes that overlap to form a complex configuration with a central space that serves as the heart of the school. A multitude of voids in between these blocks are proposed as spill out spaces or extensions of the class environments and can also be utilised for the expansion of the school when required. Movable lightweight partitions provide much needed flexibility in the day to day running of the school and help create an environment that holds the attention of the students. Nature is incorporated in the design through visual connections as well as the green ‘living’ walls that offer climatic advantages.
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Zuha Jabeen Tariq zuha.tariq-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
THE EDGE (IN BETWEEN) Architecture for Transforming Landscapes Mangla Dam Lake, New Mirpur City The thesis seeks out to provide the people of Mirpur AJK a getaway space, a momentary refuge, while simultaneously trying to preserve the soul and highlighting the qualities of the site. The current project originated from the need of a place for escape in a small city that lacks such spaces and is currently experiencing the effects of rapid urbanization. The natural forces acting on the site serve as the main inspiration for the design and therefore make the intervention extremely site specific. The site regularly goes through a transformation owing to the changes in water level that take place seasonally. In addition to this, the flora and fauna bring about their own transformation, from lush gold in the spring to a glistening expanse of water in the summer and finally the undulating green valleys that reveal themselves in the winters, once the water levels have decreased. This quality of the site as a transitional/ transformative space serves as the concept of the design. It is ephemeral, transitional, blurring, undefined and requires an architecture that can respond to these qualities. The formal creation is inspired by and designed to respond to the site topography and to not only preserve the temporality that the site offers but also to build on it. The major benchmarks during the process of the project were as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Comprehension of the site scenario both in its tangible and intangible aspects Recreating the intangible qualities into architectonics Formulating a program scenario in parallel to site scenario Iterating the design according to conceptual and site requirements
The design hence produced includes a variety of temporal activities taking place within it, from the changing water level gallery to the submerging sculpture gardens and the seasonal festivals that are incorporated into the proposed programs. The placement of these functions are carefully decided to ensure the merging with the pre existing uses on site thus creating a fluid transition from one to the other.
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Ghuncha Shaheed ghuncha.shaheed-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
ARCHITECTURE AND STORIES Center for Literary Arts Lotus Lake, Shakarparian Stories and architecture have existed since the beginning of time. They share a striking similarity of evoking emotions through unfolding narratives and sequencing. Due to digitization and technological advancement, current building design is seldom about experience owing to the preference for scientific reasoning, a diminishing urban realm, and the commodification of architecture, which ultimately results in a loss of captivation between people and architecture. This thesis aims to reinvigorate experience within architecture by using story telling as a design tool. It aims to understand parallels between story-telling and architecture and establishes a metaphorical link in the design process using literary elements of a great story, like foreshadowing and hyper-amplification to achieve a similar sense of intrigue, captivation, empathy, emotion and inspiration through architectural language and narrative. The proposal for a recreational and educational program combines different forms of story-telling and exhibits it through one building, using the experience derived from the Little Prince’s literary devices. This thesis gravitates towards creating a Center for Literary Arts, proposing not only a physical platform for performing stories, but also spaces for exhibiting and expressing one’s interest in stories and language, serving both a recreational and educational purpose for the public, as well as workshops for young writers and enthusiasts to learn the required skills. Story telling and reading not only provides relaxation and fuel for the mind but also can create a much needed disconnect from the everyday monotony of the city. The selected site, near Lotus Lake in Shakarparian, provides the right environment in this regard, as it is famous for encompassing most of the cultural activities offered by the city, yet is located at one end of it, adjacent to a green belt. The Lake also contains the tangible features and intangible qualities, which can evoke emotion, inspiration, empathy and connection among people. This natural environment serves as the setting for the project, and helps translate the literary devices extracted from the book into three dimensional spaces, the articulation of which require natural elements to perform with architecture in order to create captivating and inspiring atmospheres that can evoke an empathetic setting and a consolidated sense of place.
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Bushra Mansoor bushra.mansoor-barch13@sada.nust.edu.pk
GIRAH Dialogue Center H-9/3, Islamabad All places speak. The role of architecture in the public realm is mediating the communication between the tangible and intangible, the built and the unbuilt: the form as the counterpoint actor to the user on the stage of life. Each piece of architecture has its own personal language, derived from the site and its surrounding context, its significance in time and history and the users for which it has been created. Exploring the role of architecture in reducing tensions and developing a broader, more open outset in the minds of its users is the main aim of my thesis. This has two symbiotic aspects: the role of nostalgia and cultural history in re-affirming a sense of identity and belonging, and the role of nature in bringing together people of different backgrounds, their shared experience of a space becoming the spark that fuses the ‘wires’ together. Architecture should be context-specific, but one thing all architecture has in common is its link to the earth, the element that ‘grounds’ it. Exploring the design of shared spaces, especially outdoors, are instrumental in this regard—creating a strong fabric that can hold together a future of coexistence, acceptance and dialogue. The design revolves around knots as intersections to generate dialogue between form, site and programme. Where two things overlap, something new develops which can be in the form of courtyards, atriums or roof gardens to harmonise the built with the unbuilt. A dialogue centre built across a nallah has multiple dimensions to it. First of all, it is a response to the city as a whole, generating a new perspective for unused and polluted areas within its dense fabric. Secondly, it creates relationships within the immediate context. It responds to nodes in its vicinity and shapes itself accordingly. It also creates a dialogue within its natural terrain and brings the user in. It creates social joints: at points enveloping it to give the impression of a protective embrace and at times opening out to the wider site. With its distinctive roof design and façade detailing, it will be an icon in the city, bringing together people of different cultures for a more inclusive future.
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THANK YOU We are grateful to the following architects, whose critique, input and feedback has been instrumental in the completion of the theses. Abdullah Omer Ahmed Mukhtar Ali Umer Alvi Arif Masood Arif Belgaumi Asad Ismail Khan Asadullah Varzghani Ayesha Sarfaraz Azra Zaigham Bayyar Khizer Fizza Haroon Hasnain Lotia Hamir Soomro Iftikhar Azam Kalim Siddiqui Khadija Jamal Murad Jamil Mian Naveed Asghar Minhas
Nadia Usama Nasir Iqbal Raza Ahsan Raza Ali Khan Tareen Pervaiz Ahmed Pervaiz Mughal Rashid Aslam Makhoom Rashid Toosy Sajid Khan Salma Bano Salman Pervaiz Shahab Ghani Shama Usman Syed Ghayyoor Obaid Tauseef Ahmed Usma Bin Murad Uzma Zain Vasif Shinwari
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NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY Contact Address: H-12, Islamabad, Pakistan Website: www.nust.edu.pk Email: info@sada.nust.edu.pk Tel no: (+92) 051-90855401
National University of Sciences and Technology