ArchiTime

The Opening Ceremony

The Architects Convention 2003 was a three-day session organized by the Lahore Chapter of the Institute of Architects, Pakistan and was inaugurated by the Governor of Punjab, Mr. Khalid Maqbool. It was well attended by architects from all over the country and people related to building industry as well as students of architecture from NCA and UET. It was comprised of three major events: Mehdi Ali Mirza Awards, National Symposium on Contemporary on "Contemporary Architecture", and Building Materials and Technology Show.

The Governor of Punjab, Lt. Retd. Khalid Maqbool addressed the ceremony and assured all the help and assistance from the Government needed to promote and help the architects and the profession of architecture.

The Chairman, IAP, Lahore Chapter, Dr. Mehmood Hussain in his speech welcomed the Governor, the architects, the students of architecture and the recipients of Mehdi Ali Mirza Awards and thanked the Governor for taking out time for the ceremony from his busy schedule.

The President of IAP, Architect Arshad Abdulla, while addressing the ceremony highlighted the role of the Institute of Architects, Pakistan and urged the Government at National as well as Provincial level to help the institute in their agenda to improve the situation of the profession and the professionals in the country.

The Building Materials and Technology Show was inaugurated by the Governor of Punjab and later he visited all the stalls where the county's leading manufacturers and dealers of building materials exhibited their products. Some of the major sponsors presented their materials in the "Materials Presentation Forum" which followed the inauguration.

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IAP-KC Lecture Series

The third lecture of the seminar series being organized by the Karachi Chapter of the Institute of Architects, Pakistan was held in April. The speakers of the lecture were Architect Shahid Abdulla from Karachi and Architect Asad Ullah Varzagani from Quetta.

The IAP, Karachi Chapter intends to bring forward the leading architects of the country and present their work to the other practicing architects as well as the students of architecture to provide a forum for intellectual discourse. The IAP-KC is also trying to bring forward all those architects who have not presented their works in such forums.

The first speaker of the evening was Architect Shahid Abdulla of ASA (Arshad Shahid Abdulla). He talked about his work and his philosophy of Design and supported it with a presentation of his in slide form.

The second speaker of the evening was Architect Asad Ullah Varzagani from Quetta. He was not able to present more of his latest work as some problem occurred in his CD. He showed free hand sketches and rendering from his earlier works which he had done for other architects. His free hand sketches were very detailed and full of life. He started his presentation with his earlier works including his thesis, earlier projects and his free hand presentations and moved on to his recent works and their presentations done on the computer. The computer presentations, although they were very detailed, still lacked the life that was there in his hand rendered drawings. His rendering, as Tariq Qaisar said during the question and answer session, were a delight to see and which are very rarely seen nowadays in offices.

The Lecture Series being organized by the Karachi Chapter of the Institute of Architects, Pakistan has become a regular monthly event. It is well attended by senior practicing architects as well as young architects of the city. Such gatherings and forums were a major need in the architectural community for a long time and the IAP-KC deserves all the encouragement and applause for their efforts.

Mehdi Ali Mirza Award

On the second day session of the Architects Convention 2003, the "6th Mehdi Ali Mirza Award" ceremony was held. Fifty-two young architects from all over the country received this award. The students who had topped over the last ten years from NCA, UET, Dawood College of Engineering and Technology, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, NED University and Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture were awarded.

This award ceremony that has been instituted to acknowledge the contributions made by Architect Mehdi Ali Mirza, a brilliant member of the first generation, of an outstanding group, who laid the foundation of the profession of architecture in Pakistan after Independence. In recognition of his contribution to the profession, in 1979, the Institute of Architects, Pakistan unanimously adopted a proposal to institute a memorial award for academic excellence known as the "Mehdi Ali Mirza Award". This award is being awarded since 1980 to the outstanding final year student of architecture from each of the architectural educational Institution. The late Mehdi Ali Mirza was amongst the founder members and the first President of Institute of Architects, Pakistan. Unfortunately, this ceremony which should have been a regular annual feature could not be held during the last ten years.

This important event has already been held twice in Karachi and twice in Lahore. The last ceremony was held in Lahore in March 1992. Since then the ceremony could not be held for various reasons. The institute of Architects, Pakistan - Lahore Chapter had the honour of organizing and hosting this grand function this year.

Syed Babur Ali was the Chief Guest of the Ceremony and presented the Life Time Achievement Award to Architect Zaheeruddin Khwaja in recognition of his 55 years of service to the profession of architecture in the country. Syed Babur Ali in his address, thanked IAP for the providing him with the opportunity to honor Zaheerudin Khwaja and congratulated Architect Zaheeruddin Khwaja for his achievements and for the Life Time Achievement Award. Architect Zaheeruddin Khwaja, while addressing the audience, talked briefly about his career spanning over a period of half century and thanked the Institute of Architects, Pakistan, for giving him the honor and for appreciating his works. Born in 1922 in Kenya, Khwaja Zaheeruddin became an architect in 1946 and was the founding member of the Institute of Architects, Pakistan.

The ceremony this year was a major break through for the Lahore Chapter of the Institute of Architects, Pakistan, and they should make this ceremony a regular annual event to honor and encourage the students who receive their architectural degrees with distinction.

The National Symposium

The National Symposium on Contemporary Architecture was held as part of the Architects Convention 2003 on the second day of the ceremony, where prominent architects from all over the country presented their works and discussed what form and philosophy of the Contemporary Pakistani Architecture should be. The symposium was divided into three sessions where in each session a panel was comprised of three architects, the presenters and the session moderator.

Architect Arshad Abdulla, the President of the Institute of Architects, Pakistan was the moderator of the first session and the panel included Architect Professor Kausar Bashir, Architect Shaukat Nawaz Raja and Architect Khadija Jamal and Architect Tariq Qaisar, Professor Pervaiz Vandal and Dr. Mehmood Hussain were the presenters. Dr. Mehmood Hussain presented an interesting paper on what the 'Contemporary Architecture' of the country should be. His paper stirred questions like how much progress has been done in architecture in history of Pakistan? And does Pakistani Architecture exist at all? According to Professor Kausar Bashir, Dr Mehmood's presentation gave an overview of 5 decades and was very appropriate to start the deliberations of the symposium. Professor Pervaiz Vandal also touched on the same issued and talked about 'Colonialism and Art' which was followed by a presentation of his work. Architect Tariq Qaisar talked about his philosophy of design supported by a presentation of his latest works which included the State Life Building in Faisalabad, Sindh Club, Bay View Academy and British Council in Karachi.

The second session was chaired by Architect Yasmeen Lari. On the panel were Architect Ayesha Noorani, Architect Amin Sheikh and Architect Imrana Tiwana. The presenters of the session were Architect Ghafer Shehzad, who spoke about the 'Contemporary Mosque Architecture in Pakistan' and talked about four mosques in particular; Dr Abdul Rehman, who gave an interesting analysis of the shifting of Capital from Karachi to Islamabad and the development of Islamabad as a city and as a capital; Architect Kamil Khan Mumtaz, who gave a presentation of his design philosophy and showed two of his current projects that he is working on and Architect Pervez Qureshi who also talked about his design philosophies in the context of two of his projects, both in Multan, one was the Multan Arts Council and the other was the Services Club. In between, the Nazim of Lahore also joined the session and in his address to the audience he placed special emphasis on reviving the culture and our origins and the steps taken by them in this regard. A lot of important issues were put forward by architect Yasmeen Lari in context of Lahore and its historic old town.

Architect Syed Aqeel Bilgrami was the moderator of the third session and Professor Noman Ahmed, Architect Shama Usman, Architect Fauzia Qureshi and Architect Nayer Ali Dada were in the panel. The presentations in the last session covered various issues. Where in one presentation Architect Salman Mansoor gave a presentation of his recent project in Rawalpindi, Architect Yawar Jilani talked about his approach towards architecture and gave an overview of his various projects almost all over Pakistan. Architect Rizwan Azeem talked about 'Architecture of Pleasure' supported by a colorful presentation, while Architect Amna Ahmed spoke about her design approach and presented her recent project of conservation in Lahore which is the Shaadin Manzil. The architects in the panel, overall, appreciated the works of all the architects and their effort to blend their buildings in its context and surrounding.

The overall symposium was very interesting and presented a lot of valid question regarding the appropriate architecture for our region. Although there was very limited time for the presenters as well as for the architects in the panel to comment on the presentations but still few very interesting questions from the audience were addressed in each session and provided a platform for the architects as well as the students to overview what shape and form the current architecture of the country is taking and what should be done and what should be the key issues for them to resolve the currently evolving state of chaos and the question of the identity of Pakistani Architecture.

'Forget the past and move ahead', Architect Syed Ali Zafar Quadri, Chairman Pakistan Council Architects and Town Planners (PCATP) issued the instruction to the newly elected Executive Committee (2003-2005) of PCATP, while chairing the very first Executive Committee Meeting of the tenure held in Lahore on April 11, 2003. He also urged the executive committee to give special attention to resolve the problems and difficulties faced by architects and town planners in the different departments of the country.

Chairman Quadri expressed his deep concern over the deteriorating conditions of Architecture Education in Pakistan. Referring his visits to NCA and UET, the Chairman criticized the insufficient facilities provided at NCA for the education of Architecture. He showed his dissatisfaction for the design studios which are not equipped with basic facilities and are not used efficiently. He was surprised to know that no Basic Structure course is introduced in the curriculum of Architecture education. It was also pointed out that in spite of having paid the recommended fee by NCA to PCATP long ago; no inspection was carried out by PCATP Sub Committee yet.

Regarding the deep concern of the Executive Committee of PCATP for the appointment of non-architects in the various Development Authorities in Punjab for the approval of building plans, it has been suggested that a copy of KBCA (Karachi Building Control Authority) Bye-Laws would be forwarded to all Executive Committee members so that they can pursue with the concerned authorities under the umbrella of PCATP in their respective areas to follow and form such Bye-Laws.

It was also stated that the Multiple Licensing issue is still not sorted out completely even in Punjab and Mr. Nusratullah Shaikh and Mr. Zaheer Alam Shiekh were appointed to follow up the matter with Punjab Development Authority.

Discussing the unprofessional conduct of issuing approvals of the drawings not duly stamped by the qualified and registered architects, the Executive Committee decided to issue an ID card with a validity date to all registered architects and a copy of which must be forwarded to the Authority to get approval of any drawings prepared by them.

The main focus of 11 points agenda meeting was the formation of PCATP/ Sub Committee to look after various matters. The appointment of Regional Office Coordinator (ROC) in four provinces of Pakistan and Sub Office Coordinators for the term 2003-2005 was also finalized as under:

ROC Punjab Arch. Arshad Mahmood
ROC NWFP Arch. Rehan Ahmad Chaudhry
ROC Balochistan Arch. Asad Varzgani (Non-Executive Committee Member)
ROC F.C. Area Islamabad Plnr. Ayub Tariq Sheikh
ROC Sindh Arch. Farida Abdul Ghaffar
Sub Office - Multan Plnr. Ch Abdul Ghaffar
Sub Office - Hyderababd Plnr. Muhammad Masood

The Chairman PCATP, Syed Ali Zafar Quadri is aimed to conduct a Seminar in collaboration with Institute of Architects Pakistan (IAP) and Pakistan Engineering Council to synchronize the services rendered by various professionals for the betterment of building industry in the country.

Forming a Job Cell and developing the PCATP Website are the next tasks to be accomplished by this Executive Committee. On this occasion various committees were formed to solve the Architects and Town Planners problems.

For the first time in the history of PCATP, the Managing Editor of ARCHI TIMES, Architect Murtuza Shikoh was specially invited to attend the Meeting and the Chairman acknowledged the services rendered by ARCHI TIMES and ARCHITECTURE + INTERIORS (A+I) for the promotion of Architecture in the community. He appreciated the efforts of Architect Murtuza Shikoh to provide a platform for the entire community of architects to raise their voices. In this regard he directed the Registrar to issue a letter of appreciation to ARCHI TIMES.

ARCHVISION 2003, to be held in Islamabad in May, has been postponed due to unavoidable circumstances. The event will now be held on the 20, 21 and 22nd of September at Marriott Hotel, Islamabad. "Keeping in view that the IAP Rawalpindi/Islamabad chapter intends to establish three milestones in architecture discipline i.e. the establishment of "School of Architecture" in Islamabad, the establishment of "Lifetime Achievement Awards" in Architecture under NC's (IAP National Council) umbrella and the "Scholarship Awards" for the merit-based final year architecture students from all over Pakistan, the executive council of the IAP R/I has decided to hold the forthcoming ArchVision 2003 in the third week of September 2003 to be able to put all this together into this yearly event" said Murad Jamil, the convener of this year's event.

ARCHVISION has become a grand annual event in the Capital of the country. Following the tradition, this year's event is also expected to be grand. In addition to the Architecture School, Student Scholarship and Life-Time Achievement Awards initiatives, a publication on Pakistani Architecture is also being taken out. The usual Building materials exhibition, and architects' work will also feature in the event. It is expected that a large number of architects and professionals will attend the event.

The ARCASIA FORUM 12 comprises of three main events: the ARCASIA Council, a Seminar of the ARCASIA Committee for Architectural Education (ACAE) and the ARCASIA Awards for Architecture.

Theme of the FORUM 12 is Globalization and Asian Architecture.
ARCASIA expects leading architects and thinkers especially from member countries to participate in this important event of Asian architects. ARCASIA FORUM 12 International Seminar will be an event to discuss and debate pressing questions concerning Globalization and Asian Architecture through presentations of keynote speaker, specially invited sub-theme speakers, and sessions on five sub-themes.

Call for Papers
Globalization and the discourse on it have overwhelmed the present era of human history. Very few human activity or process is free from the affect of this global linkage. Architecture is no exception.
Architecture creates the physical context, the context for working, living and support services that globalization of economy, culture and lifestyles demands. In the architects' creative endeavor towards a better built environment, globalization has given them better access to materials, technology and concepts, and has widened their opportunity to practice across national boundaries. Globalization, however, is not benign. While offering potentials for creativity and growth, globalization also poses a threat of overwhelming dimension to cultural diversity, identity, local initiatives, and above all environmental sustainability. The physical reflections of globalization on city, the context for architecture, include 'commodification' of space, erosion of the specificity of place, inequality and the quartering of urban space, and 'residualization' of social housing. Amidst apparent homogeneity, there exists a hierarchy between countries of the West and East. Even countries within Asia differ greatly in the ways they integrate into, benefit and suffer from globalization. Where such is the predicaments, as in most of Asia, globalization is a challenge.
How should the Asian architects face this challenge? How best can the Asian architects reconcile the dialectic interdependence of the global and local dimensions of architecture? In particular, should architecture embrace an uncritical appreciation of globalization for the material gains of a few elite and transnational corporations or marshal a concerted resistance against its homogenization of cultural diversity, destruction of the specificity of place and erosion of socials justice? These are the moot questions for a critical discourse in the globalization-architecture nexus.

ARCASIA FORUM 12 will be an event to discuss and debate these pressing questions.

ARCASIA FORUM 12 invites both general and country specific papers that would provoke thought and encourage dialogue. Authors might like to consider the following sub-themes:
* Materials and Technology
* Culture and identity
* Social Divide and Responsive Design
* City and its Context
* Practice and Pedagogy

Deadlines:
Abstracts of no more than 300 words should reach the organizers not later than June 30th 2003 with a brief resume. Abstracts should have a clear title and contact details of author with indication of the sub-theme of the paper. Selected papers will be published in the Seminar Proceedings. Acceptance of abstract will be notified by e-mail on 31st July 2003. Full papers of no more than 4000 words must reach the organizers by the 31st October 2003.

E-mail: seminar@arcasia12.com