Banjaiga Architectural Magazine

A 40 plus-year-old house, an enthusiastic client, and a need for transformation and updating it to modern trends and finishes; this is where it all started.

The project underwent 2 phases of design and construction. 1st Phase was to renovate and alter the existing living areas and utility spaces which started in mid-2016 and was completed in the first half of 2017. The idea was to make the house working areas manageable and functional and at the same time improve on the living areas. There was no requirement for a complete architectural overhaul.

It’s been a while. More than a year. I would gather my thoughts, write down a few lines, gibberish sometimes and sometimes meaningful, but always ended up with nothing. Never got to finish anything because it was either too plain or too complicated. Nothing is ever good enough for me.
But then again why do I care? It’s my words, my thoughts. Who cares if it is perfect or outstanding? The pressure of doing something amazing keeps us from doing even the minimal. It scares us to the point that we can’t even get started, or begin doing something we love.

So here I am, beginning. Nothing fancy or out of this world, just something that has been on my mind for quite some time now. My thoughts were all over the place when they got aligned with a question I read on my friend’s Instagram story: What color is nostalgia?
And the answer came to me naturally, without thinking much, with no extra effort.
Its warm hues of crimson and red, the colors of the sky drenched in the setting sun, sinking into the horizon, taking with it the burdens of the day. Nostalgia is the deep purple creeping over those hues followed by the greys and blacks of the night.
Cliche right?
This cliche scene of dusk is so everyday and ordinary but so exceptional still.

No matter where I am in the world this cliche takes me back to my childhood.

The memory of my childhood is dreamlike.
I remember the wind in my hair, and the green of the sun-drenched grass almost ethereal in quality.
I grew up amidst trees. Climbing on soaring pines, scraping knees while plucking mulberries, and chasing after goats are my fondest memories of that time.
The winter, no matter how severe and cold was a beautiful sight. The last week of school was me trudging through shoulder-deep snow, dragging myself and the layers of warm clothing my mom would drown me in. Coming back home to burning wood and warm tea, I still love the winter, no matter how many people make it out to be the villain.

After harsh winters the sun would deliquesce the snow, revealing the needle-like leaves of the evergreens, the birds would sing their songs and the days would be longer and brighter. Those summers spent playing outside in the forest are treasures from my childhood, I carry to this day and will for all my life.
I am one of the fortunate few who have had a chance to grow up so close to nature. I don’t fancy myself a 90’s kid, but the early 2000’s in my hometown were like the 90’s era, more or less. The much-awaited and only children’s show that aired after a week was the only time we spent in front of the huge, round television set.

On the Ayubia road, right after Barrian, a small private road leads up to a total of three houses in the neighborhood, where we were all like a close-knit family. The place is named ‘Dhairian’, and rightly so. Derived from a ‘dhairi’; (small hill or dune), it’s looking upon valleys on either side, through which you can witness the sun rising and setting on opposite ends.
Protruding over the kitchen balcony is our neighbor’s ancient walnut tree, which brings in the aroma of the unripe walnuts throughout the summer. They would ripen and start tumbling down like hailstones in early fall which meant everyone gathering around, cracking them open, and commenting on how amazing they turned out — every year.
The bond with nature I developed is due to the natural location of my childhood house. The cities don’t have the clear night sky dotted with millions of stars. They don’t have still evenings, where the only activity is birds returning to their nests. Neither do they have the crunchy and thick oak-tasting walnuts, no matter how expensive. I still yearn to run, carefree and barefoot on the grass; to listen to the trees rustling and watch the clouds in the blue sky’s backdrop.

Those summers spent in Dhairian, where the only screen-time was the drama on PTV from 8 to 9 p.m. after which only hooting owls and chirping crickets could be heard, are worth time-traveling back to.
I thank you Zaeema for asking such a beautiful question. It helped me sort through the chaos my mind was in.
I am glad I did this. Let’s hope it's not another year before I come back.

Arif Masoud started his professional career in 1975. 20 years later he still did not have any house of his own in Pakistan. His Mother (like all mothers) wished for him to have one in his home country... The year was 1994, when her wish came true. He knew she would be happy if he gets a “plot” in the beautiful city of Islamabad... but he also knew that she would be happier if he gets a bigger piece of “Farm land" where she can have a life full of Life of her own!

Reuse, Adaptation, Renovation, Regeneration.

‘squirrels in the trees, hummingbirds, indigenous bees, hoping for the right ties to bring in the fireflies!’

The 70’s straight-line single storey duplex house was remodelled and renovated to integrate the elements of the locale; the site, climate and the social setting.

This residence was conceived as an environmentally responsive house in the middle of DHA. The aim was to design and build a house which is user friendly, contextually relevant and sustainable. A concept where the residential building produces its own energy and grows its own food.

Har Sukh Mansion a project by Kamil Khan Mumtaz in Bedian (outside of Lahore), can be studied as the one which best illustrates the culmination of years of consistent experimentation with traditional building construction, exploration of styles and forms, and as a testament to his architectural philosophy.

The complex is the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Jawad, their 4 children and their husbands and children. It includes artists’ studios and accommodation, a dance studio, an amphitheater, a music facility and an indoor swimming pool.

Structurally, it is the most successful contemporary example of the use of traditional fat and ribbed dome brick construction. The fat dome is a relatively fat spanning system, which allows another floor above it, doing away with the need for steel reinforcement and concrete.

These traditional building systems, including the art of “pukka kalli” or highly polished lime plaster, not only bring the carbon footprint of the building down, they bring the interior temperature down as well by a couple of degrees in the summer. In Lahore’s climate, and Pakistan’s general state of electricity shortage, this is, naturally, highly desirable.

On the outskirts of Lahore, in Bedian, the building rises up from the fields surrounding it as something that has always belonged to this land, to the earth of the Punjab.

The public buildings include the open-air amphitheater, immediately to the right of the entrance, and the artists’ and dance studios. These are connected linearly by a colonnaded verandah, which doubles as the potential backstage area, and can be separated by curtains during public performances.

The Office Is Designed With The Intention Of Creating A Happening Work Environment That Promotes Health, Interaction And Ease Of Movement. A Centralized Work Space Is Established With Varying Desk Configurations That Creates A Unique Circulation Around The Office, And Allows Employees To Work Both As Individuals And As Groups. A Walking Track Outlines The Workspace, Not Only Allowing Employees To Quickly Travel Across The Length Of The Office, But Also Promoting A Healthy Work Lifestyle. A Central Circular Green Space Provides A Bloom Of Green. Adding A Point Of Connection To The Natural World. The Offices And The Meeting Room Are Divided From The Workspace With Glass Partitions, Staying Connecting With The Employees While Still Maintaining A Modicum Of Privacy. Phone booths And Casual Benches Allow Employees to Take a Breather Ab between Works. In This Way, A Natural Flow of Spaces Is Created, Facilitating And Efficient And Healthy Work Environment.