See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/337869623

Rural and contemporary dwellings of Pakistan An Analysis

Article · December 2019

CITATIONS READS
0 44

1 author:

Summiya Iftikhar
National University of Sciences and Technology
2 PUBLICATIONS   0 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Contemporary and Rural dwellings of Pakistan, An analysis View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Summiya Iftikhar on 10 December 2019.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Rural and contemporary dwellings of Pakistan
An Analysis

Summiya Iftikhar
00000233825

Elective-Housing and Domesticity in Architecture

Instructor: Ma’am Zainab Javed
October 19, 2019
 Iftikhar ii

Abstract

Pakistan is a country whose dwellers share a million years of cultural development with diverse

ethnic group coexisting and influencing the dwellings of Pakistan. Human behavior, absolutes

and technology are factors which influence architecture. The architecture here in Pakistan has

developed over the years as the society progressed. The contemporary architecture of today is

indeed influenced by traditional and vernacular architecture of Pakistan. In fact Modern

architecture today is an extension of vernacular architecture. The UNESCO report “Traditional

forms of rural habitat in Pakistan” analyzes spatial arrangements, materiality and layouts of rural

habitats in Pakistan. This paper is an analysis of rural and contemporary dwelling of Pakistan and

the continuities and changes in them.

Keywords: Contemporary, Rural, Vernacular, Continuities, Changes, Architecture, Human

behavior.
 Iftikhar 1

The society today has progressed in many terms and so has our architecture but still we see some

traditional aspects of our rural habitats translated in our contemporary dwelling design. I have

compared my dwelling in Islamabad, Pakistan with rural habitats discusses in the UNESCO

report by Kamil Khan Mumtaz.

Houses are a physical manifestation of a society. Our traditional dwellings were more utilitarian

and shelter-oriented with simple basic plans to house the people rather than being detailed and

comprehensive contemporary design of today. Since our attitudes towards life has changed so has

our architecture.

Fig.1: Cave dwellings in KPK Fig.2: Contemporary dwelling in Islamabad

Mumtaz, Kamil Khan 1978. “Traditional form of rural

habitats in Pakistan” International social

science Journal, UNESCO.

The concept of privacy maintained in spatial organization of dwellings is prominent in dwellings

of Pakistan. It is interesting to note that this traditional aspect has been practiced in both rural

and contemporary dwellings of Pakistan. The planning cave dwelling of Margethkhal (Fig.2)

depicts importance of privacy since a narrow slit trench leads from the entrance to the main
 Iftikhar 2

living space at the end. Similar concept has been applied in my contemporary dwelling in

Islamabad Pakistan (Fig.2). The entrance to be used by the dwellers to reach the private spaces is

hidden.

In today’s society wealth is an important guiding factor. People prefer to showcase their wealth

and individuality in a space. A significant space after the main entrance is given to the car porch

however the plans of our rural dwelling are quite simple and basic with a courtyard in between as

a main open space rather than an open car parking space in contemporary dwellings. This

highlights the changes in the values of our society today and our inclination towards wealth as a

society rather than interactive communal spaces for a family.

Fig.4: Courtyard in Rural dwelling in Baluchistan Fig.5: Courtyard in Typical House in Lahore
Mumtaz, Kamil Khan 1978. “Traditional form of rural habitats in Pakistan” International social science Journal

Fig.5: Courtyard in Sultan Zarins house, KPK Fig.6: Car porch in contemporary dwelling in Islamabad
 Iftikhar 3

The similarity of courtyard occupying a significant space in planning can be seen in different

rural dwellings in Pakistan (Fig. 4, 5, 6) how it serves as a main space after the entrance with all

other spaces around it for people to interact whereas nowadays contemporary dwellings (Fig.6)

have a car porch right after the entrance showing the inclination of society towards automobiles

and wealth.

Private spaces

Semi-private

Public

Entrances

Fig.7: Spatial categorization in Sultan Zarins house, KPK

Mumtaz, Kamil Khan 1978. “Traditional form of rural habitats in Pakistan” International social science Journal,
UNESCO.

The privacy and hierarchy in spatial planning of rural dwelling of Sultan Zarin in KPK is visible.

There are two separate entrances for men and women. Then you enter the main living space with the

courtyard (semi-public space) with private spaces i.e. the bedrooms and kitchen lined at the back. The

same hierarchy is visible in my dwelling as shown

Private spaces

Semi-private

Public

Entrances
 Iftikhar 4

As you enter the dwelling there are two separate entrances i.e. public entrance to be used by

guests and private entrance to be used by dwellers. The spatial hierarchy and privacy is

prominent. The public spaces to entertain the guests are the front, the private rooms lined at the

back with semi-private spaces sandwiched in between. An interesting fact to note is that due to

bylaws and change in our values as a society the internal courtyard or rural habitats is replaced

by outdoor car porch and the living room at the centralized position. The same traditions and

cultural values have been passed down the generations and translated in rural and contemporary

designs accordingly.

Fig.9: Typical House in Lahore Fig.10: Contemporary dwelling in Islamabad

Mumtaz, Kamil Khan 1978. “Traditional form

of rural habitats in Pakistan” International social

science Journal, UNESCO.

Another aspect interesting to note is the placement of bathrooms. The rural dwellings had these

unsanitary places at the other corner of the courtyards or at any other place away from habitable

spaces due to lack of maintenance of drainage system however nowadays each space has its own

attached bathroom highlighting the significance of advancement of technology and services and

privacy of each of the dweller of a contemporary dwelling.

 Iftikhar 5

The above comparative analysis of rural and contemporary dwellings of Pakistan shows that

although society has progressed in many terms with the technology and changing absolutes

which has led to a certain degree of change in spatial planning of our spaces but still many of our

traditions have been translated from our rural design of dwelling to contemporary design of

today which has led to the conclusion that whatever we design is a reflection of the way our

society breathes in this world. Architecture is a physical manifestation of the people dwelling it.

Traditions and cultural form still find a way to be associated with today’s design.
 Iftikhar 6

Bibliography

1. Mumtaz, Kamil Khan 1978. “Traditional form of rural habitats in Pakistan”

International social science Journal, UNESCO. Accessed October 19, 2019.
2. “Vernacular Architecture in Pakistan.” Banjaiga, July 10, 2019.
https://banjaiga.com/vernacular-architecture-in-pakistan/.

View publication stats