REBUILDING PLACE IN AN URBAN SPACE

Submitted by: ANAM SHAUKAT AR-005

INTRODUCTION: The city of Karachi is governed by many old buildings and historical facades which has political and social importance. These buildings and facades becomes the identification of the urban fabric of the city. These building and facades guards the spirit and identity of the place. The main aim of the thesis is to dig into the historical importance of the building and revive the GENUIS LOCI of the space along with the urban fabric associated with it. STATEMENT: REBUILDING PLACE IN AN URBAN SPACE HYPOTHESIS: The intention is to restore the historic monument as no less as works of art than as historical evidence. The architecture of an individual building is always a contribution to the general collective memory and accordingly is a part of cultural remembrance. The idea is to restore and reuse the GENUIS LOCI, THE SPIRIT AND IDENTITY OF THE PLACE. OBJECTIVE: 1. To preserve the important historic features of the building while permitting new development and additions which are compatible with those features. 2. Every effort should be made to provide for the continued, appropriate use. If the original use or a reasonable intensification for the original use is no longer feasible, adaptive uses intensification of the original use is no longer feasible, appropriate adaptive uses consistent with the applicable land use regulations encouraged. 3. Documentation to the understand the dynamics of the building. 4. Make the historic buildings economically feasible by putting them to use instead of demolishing them or allowing them to deteriorate. SCOPE OF THESIS: To collect the data and information that could help in design of the project. DESIGN PHASE: 1. Since the old town area is a vast area, to revitalize it one needs to intervene on the urban level. But for the undergraduate thesis the main focus will be on architectural design and to some extent urban design also. 2. Design intervention will made which will deal with the present challenging threats to the historical building and its survival according to present day needs.

FRAMEWORK: The scope of the work involved in this project revolves around three tasks: 1. Documentation of the building faade/details. 2. Stages of transformation from the old use to new use. 3. Adaptive reuse of the historical building. EXPECTED RESULTS: The historical building which will be functionally and architecturally efficient and will be capabale of controlling its function and enhancing the historic enviornment. CONTINUITY DIVERSITY PROXIMITY STEWARDSHIP CONNECTED COOPERATIVE READABLE NEIGHBOURLY WALKABLE PRIDE CONVENIENT FRIENDLY ACCESS & SOCIABILITY ACCESIBLE INTERACTIVE LINKAGE WELCOMING

PLACE
SAFE CLEAN GREEN WALKABLE STABLE SITTABLE SPIRITUAL CHARMING ATTRACTIVE HISTORIC

COMFORT & IMAGE

USES & ACTIVITY

FUN ACTIVE VITAL SPECIAL USEFUL INDIGINEOUS CELEBRATORY SUSTAINABLE

Our surroundings are fundamentally influenced by architecture. From the wider cultural landscapes to the local neighborhood, historic buildings determine the character and appearance of our environment. The adaption of existing buildings to ensure their continued use is a central aspect of architectural design in existing built context. Although there is some overlap with modernization, adaptation is generally characterized by a change in the character of the building as a result of change of use or fundamental building works. Adaptation also means creative transformation, and the input of the architect is usually visible to a greater or lesser extent along side the historic characteristics of the existing building. The conversion of a building involves making sometimes significant changes to the building substance but respects its over all volume; the extension adds new function and built element to an existing building; and finally, the method of combination unifies several buildings into a single unit. The simplest way to ensure the continued development of a building is through a change of use. For many kinds of buildings, changes of use take place all the time without requiring significant alterations of the buildings. It all signifies the dialogue between old and new.

DIALOUGE BETWEEN THE OLD & NEW ADAPT JUXTAPOSE

Improvisation design HAND & GLOVE Solution, old and new exsist in harmony Old and new remain separate and distinct, it carries some shock value.

Venturi calls it pliable & flexible

Venturi calls it unbending & uncompromisi ng.

DESIGN STRATEGIES:
Every place is open to innovation as long as there is innovation. George Paccinato Developing architectural designs in the context of the exsisting building is no less demanding then creating a design for a new building. The development of an effective and functional building plan, a coherent design concept and the co-ordinate design of materials is just as important for old buildings as it is for new. In the process of converting an old building, the architect should be aware that a consistent approach is required in order to avoid the large no. of bespoke situation from leading to a variety of disconnected, individual solutions. At the same time the exsisting building should not be sub-ordinated to an artificial conceptual strait jacket, nor be disfigured to the extent that it is no longer recognizable-effectively resulting in the lost of its qualities. The tension between the specific individual characteristic of a building that has evolved over time, an the desire to achieve a coherent an cosistent design concept, is what characterizes architectural design in the context of exsisiting buildings.

RESTORATION/ADAPTIVE REUSE OF HOTEL METROPOLE:

Karachi in the present day is world mega city. Although its history is centuries old but it was during the British period in which its importance was marked. The site under consideration is located in the quarters formed by the British for the elites but the building was built after partition. In Karachi where every square inch of the built up spaces is at a premium, large space within the hotel Metropole lie disused. Though the building does not have any architectural value in terms of its faade, the main feature of it is its location. The building is located at GROUND ZERO OF KARACHI . Hotel Metropole is 3rd Degree value building according to heritage parameters. The highlighted features of the buildings which increases its merits are: Its has unique plan typology as it has a central courtyard which is not in practice anymore. It is representative of social, cultural and economic values. It contributes to the group value of an area. It is a corner plot with three facades on street/main road. At present it is a partially demolished, commercial building with a G+4 height. The building has high degree threat level as it is partially demolished.

Arif Hassan says in a letter to Dawn: METROPOLE HOTEL: A LOST HERITAGE Yes, Hotel Metropole is certainly heritage and a landmark. With its demolition an important part of Karachi s political, social and architectural history will be wiped out. I suggest that a part of the hotel should be conserved and integrated into the new design. This part could be the hotel enterance facing the Sindh club. In addition, within this conserved space, a Metropole Museum could be created. In this space a model of the metropole as it was in the 50s could be displayed along with photographs of various functions held there and the entertainment and the eating places that it housed since it was built. An advertisment should be placed in the newspapers asking people to contribute pictures, invitation cards etc related to metropole so that they could be exhibited . This area is a continuation of the past and no city can be thought of without a past and its enviornment and socio-cultural values can be revived without rightfully evolving and preserving its past. Also the development process can not be brought to a halt but it needs to be given an architectural direction-the very purpose of this project.