NCA Degree Show 2017-IV: Prospective architects present their designs

Theses focus on urban sprawl, preserving old city centres and environment

LAHORE: As many as 46 students from Department of Architecture at National College of Arts have presented their thesis work as a part of a 17-day annual graduation exhibition which began on 18 January.

Tackling urban sprawl, preserving old city centres and achieving environmental sustainability emerged as one the major underlying themes of thesis presented by students.

Hina Chaudhry’s work titled as ‘Sustainable mixed use development’ is about finding solutions of urban sprawl. According to Hina, among several root causes of sprawl, one of the major ones is strip commercialisation, underutilisation of land parcels and low density residential development. Her project aims at promoting Nodular development based on live-work-relax paradigm, which entails that all the facilities would be near living spaces.

She explained there was a dire need in Lahore for concentrated large scale development projects that would control sprawl through developing under-utilised parcels of land and regenerate city centre.

Ahmed Tahir’s project is about revitalising Chowk Bazar Multan. According to Ahmed, as a combination of commercial and residential sector, Chowk Bazar is a victim of outmigration and commercialisation.

In order to stop the decay of cultural heritage, Ahmed said there was a need for improving living standards of residents who deserve to be equipped with modern facilities so that they could maintain their affinity with land and their culture.

Ramsha Hassan’s thesis project focuses on preservation of Makli hills. She said the historical monuments at Makli dates back to 14th to 18th century. Today many of the graves and tombs are endangered due to unfavourable climate conditions and vandalism.

Elaborating her work, Ramsha said the project was based on suggestion from World Heritage Organisation which deems it absolutely necessary to create a buffer zone to prevent further deterioration and encroachments.

According to Shahnaz Khan, her project ‘Gwadar Airport - A cultural gateway’ focuses on a design of an airport terminal that invokes the concept of a gateway as a way of reflecting nation’s unique identity.

“Moreover the central idea was to apply the theories of critical regionalism so as to develop an iconic place maker where travellers share an experience of place and a sense of belonging,” Shahnaz explained.

Muhammad Aun Turk’s thesis tiled as ‘rehabilitation of vehicular circulation in walled city of Lahore’ proposes to save the historic legacy of the walled city from vehicular damage and revives the ‘last logic' which is designed around dimensions of movement and needs of human body and mind.

Turk explained that it is necessary to re-design this environment not only for the present but also for future by using tool of pedestrianising to reduce vehicular congestion which is affecting cultural heritage.

Another student, Muhammad Shahbaz’s project aims at creating a research and entertainment facility in Hingol National Park.

According to Shahbaz, the national park is home to a huge diversity of wildlife, ecosystems, habitat coupled with beautiful landscape, beaches and religious and historical features. This project revolves around tourism and impact of human behaviour on nature.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2017.