Adil Najam
We have had some fascinating discussions about on ATP about buildings and architecture. A few days ago Pervaiz Munir Alvi took us through a tour of Pakistan’s architectural history (here). His concern about architectural neglect was not unsimilar to that expressed by Raza Rumi (here) and SAJ Shirazi (here) earlier. Earlier we have looked in detail at the architectural legacies of various cities, including Lahore (also here), Karachi (also here), Multan and, of course, had spirited discussions about the new ‘7-star’ hotel – The Centaurus – being built in Islamabad (here and here).
The discussion has been rich and many have already identified what their favorite buildings in Pakistan are. Maybe we should invite others to also join the discussion identify structures that ‘do it’ for them.
What are your architectural preferences? Which buildings in Pakistan do you find aesthetically pleasing? Which would you consider most emblematic of Pakistan and ‘Pakistaniat’? In short, what is/are your favorite buildings in Pakistan? And, always, why?
We don’t need any rules, but a few guidelines; if I may.
- You can name any building that you want, as long as it is in Pakistan and that actually exists (sorry, Centaurus does not count; not yet!).
- It does not matter if it was built before or after 1947, as long as it still exists.
- I expect that a lot of the entries will be commemorative structures (mousuleums, monuments, etc.). That is to be expected. I woudl love to also hear about which functional buildings (hotels, office towers, bridges, etc.) you find most fascinating.
- Do please also tell us why you like a particualr building (that is much more interesting than you telling us why you do not like someone else’s choice!). If you have any interesting information about the building, do please share.
- We hope to eventually turn this into a running list of “ATP Reader’s Choice,” so please do ask your friends who are interested in such issues to also come and post their choices here.
Except for the Cathedral School and the climb up the Hiran Minar I can personally relate to all other sites mentioned by Watan Aziz.
“Daur peechay ki tarraf ay gardish e ayam tu.”
OK, here we go,
Cathedral School, Lahore. My school and comfort zone for years and years. I managed to get to the clock tower in 2nd grade and was able to see Lahore from high above for miles and miles.
Nila Gumbd Market, Lahore. I loved the maze of the markets inside the Anar Kali. I imposed a “tax” on my mother for the fruit famous “chaat”.
Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Place where lives are saved.
“Ajayb Ghar”, Lahore. My childhood fascinations.
Harappa. I only went there once, but still recall vividly the amazing construction. Our heritage.
WAPDA House, Lahore. Home of the first mainframe computer in Pakistan. The building was amazing and super cool. I spent a good part of my childhood there. Knew every nook and cranny.
Al-Falah Building, Lahore. The first high rise of Lahore. Another building of my childhood past times.
Gulistan Cinema. If you wanted to see a movie in the good old days, that was the place to go. The grandest of the grand theaters. And if you needed to get a good fill of your stomach, well, the guy with the best “tikian” was there. And to top it off, why of course the guy with the “Kashmiri Chai”.
GC. Need one add?
Tollinton Market. A place by itself and unto itself. Ahhhh, those “hunter beef” slices. mmmmm
Ganga Ram Hospital. I learned to bike there as a tyke!
Hiran Minar, Sheikhupura. Besides for all it is about. I went up the minar with a classmate (of the female type) in my 7th grade. All those stairs, one by one, just the two of us. Heart beating not for the height but being alone with a gal. Now how could I ever forget that experience? (RT, I still remember it with a smile). And stop; we were both good!
Chuburgi, Lahore. I do not know why, I always looked up to its towers every time I went by. As if, magically the 4th would be there.
“Darwazas” of Lahore. Fascinated by them. “Sheranwala”, loved it for its long entrance and majestic rise. Walking through inner city was always a Hansel and Gretel experience for me. I would leave mental crumbs along the way to so as to remember how to get back to the car parked way outside.
“Duo Moria Pull”, Lahore. Well, the name said it all. Only if you knew what it was like with “Aik Moria Pull”.
Assistant Commissioner’s Office in Shadara. It was actually in an old fort. What an entrance! Complete with a sephoy standing in the front. My earliest childhood memory of any office building.
I like all the mosques in Pakistan as long as they are converted into community centers where all the men and “women” are equally invited without guns and bombs.
beautiful pictures, and great comments.
Masjid e Tooba (Gol Masjid), Karachi – It has some interesting architectural features, such as, pretty large dome balanced on a rather low circular wall with no central pillars. Accoustics used to be such (not sure if it is still) that no sound system was needed inside the dome.