“Public architecture and related open spaces are situated within the larger context of any city and the city is a living organism, within which all architecture, urban design, public open spaces and networks become integrated via formal and informal public engagement and an understanding of collective problem solving, finding innovative ways to reclaim and reimagine contemporary cities.”
Asiya Sadiq The Rising Tide Exhibition Catalogue, Curated Naiza Khan, 2010, Artists Statement
Studio Title / Spatial Restoration as a means of Social Rejuvenation in Hyper Transforming Contexts Case Study – Ongoing Restoration Project KHALIKDINA HALL and READING ROOM in Karachi
Tutor / Asiya Sadiq
Topic / Tangible and Intangible Architectural and Urban Heritage Conservation and Rejuvenation in Hyper Transforming Urban Cultures
Semester / Third
Engagement / Urban Cultures
Language / English
Location / Campus Brussels
11th Karachi Studio – Context
This studio will be the 11th in the thematic of Hyper Transformation Studios – Case Karachi. Initiated in 2013, the Karachi studios aspire to address the emergent urban cultures and spatial issues faced by hyper transforming contexts and the role of the design practitioners in solving these. Responding to the critical urban cultures issues identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the COP26 the past Karachi studios have worked on the various scales and issues of urbanity and urbanism, making equitable and harmonious future cities across the global South.
About the Case Study
The KhalikDina Restoration and Renovation is an Ongoing Project in Karachi being undertaken by the tutor Ar. Asiya Sadiq in partnership with the NGO Numaish Karachi, in collaboration with Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the Cultural Protection Fund – UK and the British Council, Karachi
The importance of the KhalikDina Hall and Library (KHL) restoration and renovation project itself is manifold. The proposed interior restoration is a precursor for KHL to become a safe, aesthetic, and active collective space in the area and the city. The adjoining communities will be the primary beneficiaries, especially the youth. In Pakistan, 63 percent population comprises youth validating the importance of the proposed revival of the public library, reading room and ancillary public facilities.
KHLs interior restoration will provide spaces for the target groups to gather and engage in positive social, cultural, and intellectual activities. Its central location, historical importance and adjoining mixed use areas will attract people from diverse income and social groups creating a common ground for community interaction and societal development.
The architectural documentation and restoration of KHL in collaboration with Numaish Karachi will incorporate both the tangible and intangible aspects of heritage conservation. These will be addressed by respecting the history of the built fabric, formal and informal activities on site and local craftsmanship.
The restoration work is an outstanding example of local craftsmanship for woodwork, stone cleaning and lime plastering. The contemporary design and lighting additions are aesthetically blended to create a balance between the old and the new materials in the main library hall, the reading room, and the mezzanine spaces with archives and AV facilities once readily available and accessible will hopefully inspire its users to take pride in it developing a sense
of well being. In fact, this investment towards the physical restoration of the Khalikdina Hall and Library is also an investment into the social fabric of the area.
The restoration process itself can be inspiring, developing the youth’s interest towards heritage revival, area development, old crafts revival, and the making of a collective culture and spaces. These intangible outcomes of the building restoration, built upon by SAP, Numaish Karachi and the other partners can feed into the replication of such public space making projects in the old and new areas of Karachi resulting in the revival of multi-cultural, multi class and diverse public spaces.
Design Question and Framework
The current studio topic of Spatial Restoration as a means of Social Rejuvenation, will address the Socio-Spatial Debate and answer the Design Question, can multifaceted heritage buildings like KhalikDina Hall and Reading Room be restored to fulfill the roles stipulated below.
- A contemporary Socio – Cultural Hub which can fulfill the future needs of its adjoining communities
- An impetus for connecting and mobilizing a network of existing social infrastructures of which it becomes a part
- An oasis of social actions and activists, thinkers, artists and other like-minded citizens in a market driven economy and city
The Research and Design Parameters for the above questions will be.
- Issues of urban and architectural heritage degradation in hyper transforming societies,
- The role of time and space in the transformation of tangible and intangible heritage assets
- Importance of creating synergies between the built and open spaces in a heritage area
- Understanding and reconciling the past, present and future social and spatial fabrics in a heritage area in Karachi
- Working within the framework of the city, citizens and spaces the above thematic will be researched and responded to proposing innovative design ideas and strategies within the global overarching debates of; globalization, neoliberalism, land scarcity and density, climate change, migrations, increasing populations, decreasing resources, multiple disparities, and impacts of pandemics like COVID – 19. The role of the spatial practitioner, profession will also be questioned while researching the identified design issues and solutions which are expected to be socio-spatial and engaging with the local context and
Studio Methodology
- The studio is organized as teams of 2-3
- Weekly outputs are presented digitally in class and uploaded to a google drive provided link for the data to be accessible to all
- Data from the 10 previous Karachi studios and the ongoing KhalikDina project are made available to all
- Each student is marked weekly based on their individual and team participation and outputs
Studio Planning and Outputs
- Weekly Design Development Process will lead to intelligent, innovative, well analysed and well developed
- Documentation and Analysis Leading to a Conceptual Framework
- Socio-Spatial and Governance Strategies and Programming
- Spatial Interventions, Strategies and Projects (architectural/urban design/urban development)
A detailed week wise planning with weekly goals and outputs, dates for mid and final juries and links to the google drives will be provided on the first studio day.
Team Wise Final Submission
- Digital Cumulative PPT Presentation
- Exhibition Posters,
- 02 Copies Booklet
Links to Previous Karachi Studios Expo and Book And VDO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFP1jwQzrpE
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vva0krrk2bqn6ya/KARACHI_Booklet_FINAL.pdf?dl=0