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.
Adil, I agree on the Frere Hall. It is one of the beautiful buildings we have inherited. To my lay eyes it seems to be in the same category of architecture as the Government College Lahore. European. Also St. Joseph School and Karachi Grammar school are nice old colonial buildings. The Junior section of karachi Grammar School recently built in Kehkashan Clifton area is also good speciment of modern — yet traditional — architecture.
I agree with BhindiGosht (what a name!) that the blue mosque and the commercial building next to it in F-10, Islamabad, very near to the Margalla Towers that collapsed in the earthquake, are beutiful buildings. So is Pak-Saudi Tower in the so-called Blue Area (again, what a name!). It’s a nice blend of modern and traditional.
By the way, from where did they get all that water in front of the Agha Khan Hospital? Is it a leftover from the recent ‘floods’?
People might jump on me for this one, but I happen to like the old Habib Bank building in Karachi.
Fawad, thanks for the info on the gurdwara within the Ranjit Singh complex of buildings.
MQ, I agree that with that ground in front of it Islamia College Peshawar has to be one of the most pleasing building of that era; although Frere Hall in Karachi might be vying for that spot. Unfortunately, when I last saw it (4 or so years ago) it was in a bad state. I hope things have improved; I suspect not. There were, in fact, a number of very elegant college buildings – Government College in Lahore, St. Josephs in Karachi, Gordon College in Rawalpindi, Murray’s College in Sialkot – that have either gone into disrepair or the cities have so converged on them that they have lost their charm.
[quote comment=”4294″] If ever there was desecration of a building, this was it. And it calls for a punishment under the Hudood laws![/quote]
If you can find four Muslim male witnesses who could testify to this then we are all game.
Islamia College, Peshawar, is probably one of the most aesthetically pleasing buildings in Pakistan. What strikes you most, when you look at it, is its vast expanse, the symmetry and the copper color of its bricks. In spite of several small and large towers and arches the building does not look busy like the Ziarat Rest House in the picture. And, unlike the 7-star monstrosity that we discussed elsewhere, there is a softness about the Islamia College building.
In the middle of the building, below the clock tower, is where Roos-Keppel Hall, named after the co-founder of the college, is located. It is a formal assembly hall, where life-size oil portraits of the founders of the college, Sir George Roos-Keppel and Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum and other luminaries, gaze down at the audience from the walls. This is where graduation conventions, and other important functions were held.
Unfortunately,however, like so many other things in the country, it seems, the Islamia College building and its affairs have also fallen in the hands of Philistines. I learned recently that Roos-Keppel Hall was being increasingly used as a banquet hall. On one occasion, I am told, even barbecue grills and ‘degs’ of rice were set up inside the hall to service a function as if it were a shadi hall! If ever there was desecration of a building, this was it. And it calls for a punishment under the Hudood laws!