Banjaiga Architectural Magazine

General Post Office - (GPO) is perhaps the most vital landmark of Murree. As it looks down on the main spine Mall road. It has a dense historic relevance and over time it has become a landmark for its entire vicinity.
The internal rearrangement and the overall renovation and revitalization of GPO has been catered by ODD. Program allocation has been reiterated; Two-thirds of the total area is to be reallocated as a cafe / sitting area, whereas One-third of it will remain as the initial program (GPO).

The project is envisioned as a modern educational facility and a college building that acts as a knowledge hub for the region and would inspire the youth to seek higher education. The site is nestled between lush mandarin orchards in the city of Toba Tek Singh. The building is a part of the greater 50-acre education and healthcare campus aimed at providing quality education to the entire central Punjab region.
The program of the project comprises of lecture halls, computer and sciences labs, a well-equipped double-storey library, and two seminar halls along with administrative and faculty offices organized around a courtyard which forms a central multifunctional communal space. The entrance at the north side breaks away from the orthogonal form of the building and creates an inviting approach by lifting the seminar hall, on top of which sits a massive wind-catcher allowing natural ventilation. The courtyard rises vertically providing a visual connection from all floors and facilitating natural air flow throughout the building. A translucent fabric canopy floats over the courtyard which provides shade against the direct sun and contrasts the solidity of the built form with an ethereal lightness. Link bridges spanning over the courtyard provide connection on all floors and offer break-out and informal gathering spaces for students.
One of the many challenges of the site was extreme temperatures in hot seasons thus there was a need to insulate the building without compromising the quality of light entering the spaces. In response to this, a double skin façade was conceived on the southeast and west sides of the building. This considerably cools down the temperatures inside the building by mitigating solar gain and allowing the building to have a unique identity. This perforated screen, built with 690,000 red bricks, is a perfect amalgamation of local craftsmanship and technology, designed in response to the intense local climatic conditions. The pattern of the screen echoes the surrounding foliage, the concept of which is to embody a growing tree of knowledge.
The site, located in a small rural town, posed several challenges ranging from limited access to skilled labor to lack of advanced building materials. Pre-cast and in-situ terrazzo floors are used extensively alongside the red bricks façade. To consciously reduce the overall carbon footprint, the building mostly employs locally manufactured materials, all of which allows us to celebrate the indigenous architecture and traditional language. The design process is motivated by sensitivity and a climate-conscious approach which has allowed us to create architecture that stands as a modern landmark while being firmly rooted in its context.

Text description provided by the architects. The Student Centre was conceived as complete facility for recreational respite and “to create a space which encourages social interaction.” In addition to the student lounges, computer lab, societies’ offices, indoor play areas, gym, badminton courts, a dining hall and coffee shop and various open spaces for students to gather, the most notable feature that determined the form of the structure is the amphitheatre.

The challenge of locating an amphitheatre within the limited available area of the campus was resolved by placing it on the roof of the Student Centre. Two tapered triangular masses intersect at a point that accommodates the geometry of the amphitheatre section.

The beauty in its access lies in the exterior façade with the tapered edges that conceal the stairs and a landscaped ramp leading to the roof. The ramp, covered with the grass, is contiguous with the surrounding landscape; thus, at first glance, it appears as if the building emerges from the ground. There are pockets of green space introduced on the roof as well and collectively, the ramp and these areas provide natural thermal insulation. The façade itself follows the architectural language of all the new IBA campus buildings, also designed by the same architects. Fair-faced plaster bands, silbatta stone and recessed glazing are its standout finishes.

Internally the spaces are more than connected through a horizontal platform; double height spaces create visual interaction and the use of framing the outside environment, as well as incorporating landscape within, allows for visual fluidity. The interior that is meant to be “youthful”, is a combination of natural materials and exquisite detailing, ceiling ducts exposed. The majestic use of color is through vinyl graphics designed by the architects themselves. Each space is illuminated with natural light and views into intimate landscaped areas, more like personal spaces within a communal setting.

Text description provided by the architects. Kapadia residence is situated in the KDA Officer’s society on 600 sqyds. This apartment like residence is the culmination of strong design tools used to sensationalize a visual experience through the provoking of different senses. Evocative of a beach house (as per the clients request), the abundance of natural light, the constant gush of wind, an external terrace, and the calming white exterior advocate calm and peace within a private neighborhood.

The objective of the Architect was to freeze his acquired perception of what architecture of the moment is, through the built form, open spaces, planning, and visual experience, all the way down to the finer details. This intention alone is what makes the house inspiring, to be able to depict the architect’s impression within a built space in order for all to comment or respond too.

This design proclaims a lateral gesture; it’s a two family house, so the consensus was to stack one residence on top of the other to create two apartments. One is approached directly from the street front, and the other from an axial staircase that is placed up against the main façade. The plan, designed on a 15’ by 15’ grid, includes two voids, one placed in the east and one towards the west.

These light wells alleviate the density of the model, which in section, also places emphasis in defragmenting the mass, creating drawings in which all lines match, or flow into one another, all while allowing for naturally lit spaces. This, according to the architect, ensures balance, continuity, and consistency. In section, the whole image should read as one; all lines, shapes and indents respond to one another compositionally.

Residing on a corner plot, there is an attempt to screen views towards neighboring homes and to focus towards the park. The wind oriented façade is composed of a weave of hollow concrete blocks. This screen, aside from breaking the stark monumentality of the outwardly solid façade, provides shade from the sun as well as conducive for wind permeability.

For the desire of creating a simplistic elevation, the screen places itself as a visually enhancing element. It also faces the wind direction thus it channels the influx of wind effectively; the sloped profile of the roof plays a role in this too, with wind ventilators inside to allow for the breeze to enter.

As design was laid to paper, the initial approach was to consider all the site attributes and constraints and derive the plan from the site itself. Facing a neighborhood park, it was pivotal that that direction of the house should be the least barred, whiles all other facades maintain distinct privacy facing inwards.

Flexible, adaptable and shared spaces encourage effective interaction that foster active learning, spark creativity, speed innovation and improves productivity.


An effective and evolving ecosystem of spaces is accomplished through the intentional combination of spatial zones, designed to accommodate and anticipate changing organizational and employee needs. The places that bring people together need to provide choice and control over where and how they work. They need to respect and reflect who the people are as individuals, teams and organization. Each office space should have their own breakout spaces to connect to the exteriors.

The visual smoothness of the concrete is juxtaposed with the exposed bricks that are comparatively rough – illuminated by the fluorescent lights which have been installed following the grid which the plan of the space follows.

The meeting room is designed to be a porous and transparent – that allows the studio work environment to penetrate into the meeting room – which allows the client to understand the ideology and fully encapsulate/essence feel involved into the design process. Materials used are unapologetically there.

Traditionally courts have always played an integral part in local architecture, be it residential, institutional or religious building types. These central spaces become the main socializing hubs for people. In the Telenor office this concept is used as a focal point, interconnecting blocks around large water bodies in the internal courts encourage social interaction between the users.

The Tech Office is an attempt to manage the fast paced culture of a TECH office environment and keeping functionality as a key component in it’s limited space. With impromptu meetings and small collaborations, the multi purpose meeting conditions promote a variety and multi-levels of interaction with in the workers.
The Wood Clad wall is to bring in a neutral tone in the office, with a close to nature feel.

As natural as it can get! Inviting warm natural textures and tantalizing freshness of colors is what this health-juice corner is all about.