The well-known heritage buildings in Karachi built during the British Raj works as a source of inspiration for many artists. However, this is not always the case. Durriya Kazi, a seasoned artist and Head of the Visual Studies Department, University of Karachi, is less attracted to the well-known colonial structures. The old pre-partition houses scattered across the city is what Durriya Kazi admires the most.

"When it comes to pre-partition buildings, I am less attracted to the old heritage buildings in Karachi. The ones that I admire the most are old houses constructed with classy architectural design and style, especially in old Saddar town. The design was of the sort that we could relate to. They matched our lifestyles. They were made keeping in mind the factors of comfort and proper functioning. Besides the preservation of famous old heritage through various drives and preservation campaigns, we need to preserve those old houses too," said Durriya while sharing her views.

Commenting on pre-partition homes currently surviving in the metropolis, Durriya is of the opinion that those old dwellings talked more about 'us' as what we were back then. The most attractive feature was the courtyard which was then a major component of the residence. "These were the designs that we have lived with. One has to value this besides other structures too."

The designs of residences in recent times do not much attract Durriya compared to old structures. "Houses today are more westernised and don't talk much about 'us'. The old ones actual depicted our taste, representing us well. Current ones talk more about looks and less of comfort.  Old houses were built keeping in mind the actual needs of those times. For example, an air conditioner was never an essential part of every household thus the structure used to feature appropriate cross-ventilation and courtyards which is no longer the practice.

However, old houses are not the only inspirational structures for Durriya. When it comes to post-partition buildings, Durriya's finger, with no hesitation, stops at a renowned city landmark, the Habib Bank Plaza. Established in 1963, it was Pakistan's tallest building on its completion and enjoyed the status for almost four decades until the MCB Tower was completed nearby in 2005.

Durriya appreciates the Habib Bank Plaza the most due to the fact that the 22-storey building presents an unusual banking-related concept. "I value the grand edifice of Habib Bank Plaza which gives the impression of 10 paisa coins stacked up one on top of the other. It was very creative idea by a well-known architect Leo A. Daly. I simply adore the way this idea has been executed," said Durriya.

– Meena Ahmed

When 46-year-old architect Arshad Faruqui tries to recall the first building that fascinated him, he sees the Palace Hotel – the colonial era structure that once stood at the PIDC intersection. The big windows, the dome and the bricked wall made him peek at it every day on his way to school. But he is by no means a nostalgist.

For him, there was something very simple about the Palace, which was razed in the 1970s to make way for the luxury Sheraton Hotel. Beauty is not in the extravagant, he says. "I have always liked those structures which normally won't make anyone jump in their seats while driving by," he told Kolachi. "The inhabitants of Karachi have changed. They have stopped caring about their own comfort."

That is one reason he likes the Bath Island houses, which are located along the Clifton Bridge. "They are climatically friendly and unlike what you see these days, the door does not open to a big lawn. Rather, you simply walk into the drawing room."

The builders of these houses put their efforts into making a comfortable living room, which is used throughout the year, he says. "Nowadays, all the focus is on the drawing rooms, which are opened once in a blue moon."

Son of a civil engineer, Faruqui always liked the idea of creating small spaces that are livable for people. "I enjoy how little change in surroundings can functionally improve life at an office or home." However, the architectural landscape of the metropolis is changing. It reflects the fast lifestyle citizens have adopted. Privacy is preferred. And attached bathrooms have become a necessity. 

In recent years, tens of thousands of buildings have been constructed in a haphazard way. New projects don't have gardens, there is no playing ground and shops are attached to every building as builders try to maximize profit. With shifting societal values, the concept of comfort is being looked at in monetary terms. Faruqui says that surge in price of land has pushed builders to accommodate the maximum number of flats in a building, ignoring the importance of the free passage of air and light. "Since we don't have patience to live as a community, little regard is paid to the upkeep of locality," he says. "This makes these buildings look even worse."

The building bylaws state clearly the parameters on which builders have to work, he says. "But unfortunately, they have not been properly implemented. This needs to be changed."

These days, even the houses are constructed with a view to have more rooms and people who have deep pockets seem to prefer luxury a little too much. "Itwaar (Sunday) bazaar has really damaged the taste of citizens," Faruqui says. "A contractor cannot be expected to look at the pictures from a foreign magazine and replicate them according to the local climate."

The clusters of commercial buildings, which have been constructed in the financial hub, play a major role in defining Karachi. But among all these, just few stand out. The Shell House, Pakistan head office of the multinational petroleum giant, was built in 1976 on the Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman Road. The design was the work of renowned architect Habib Fida Ali.

"It was constructed years back but it still looks new and relevant to this age," says Faruqui. "The structure is appropriate for Karachi's climate with its simple fair-faced concrete. Such projects are maintenance-friendly as you don't need to paint them again and again."  

The building, which houses the head office of Sui Southern Gas Company near the Civic Centre, is another example of concrete and steel put to efficient use, he explained. "The glass in punched into the structure. It makes good use of sunlight and casts beautiful shadows inside the rooms."

– Saad Hasan

With time, people and places hold a special significance for some of us. Writer and poet Fahmida Riaz remembers a number of places which she says were the crowning glory of Karachi, but have now been left to wither away slowly. Born and brought up in Hyderabad, Karachi holds a special place for her. She, however, admits that she is not particularly a "building person at all." On coaxing, she simply speaks about the most important feature of Karachi. "I really want to see once again the Burgad and Peepal trees in Clifton and other areas. Trees hold so much of history within them and it is unfortunate that some of the very old trees in many areas have been brutally chopped down."

For some people, says Fahmida, trees are the easiest way of remembering their childhood days when they would just sit under their shade to study. "In one way or the other, we are bound to get close to certain things, as they take us back, even if for a while, to the person we once were and the memories attached to it."

She also spoke about the people that once lived in Karachi before partition.  Looking at some of the remaining signs of Hindu and Parsi settlements on her way home, takes her into a different time zone. The fact that many of these settlements are built in some of the busiest areas, still holding their own, amazes her. "It is from these buildings that we can gauge how the people lived before us. It was a much simpler life. And to look at these places now brings one closer to them in a way which can't be expressed. Their presence alone is very touching."

With a child-like laugh, she says that she does not look back so much, and getting a bit sombre, she counts Frere Hall as one of her favourite buildings. She adds that it is indeed a great work of art. During the British rule, Frere Hall served as a Town Hall and was the hub for socio-cultural activities. The people of Karachi had, and still have, considerable fondness for it, "for the simple reason that it was meant for so much activity. For writers, it was a meeting point to discuss a number of topics ranging from literature to politics to the mundane activities of the day. For a student, it was a place to buy books from the hawkers sitting on the roadsides or to sit in the library (Liaquat National Library) inside to read as many books as one wished to." Apart from that, the Venetian gothic building is a beautiful sight to watch she says. With an octagonal tower crowned with an iron gate, the hall was built to commemorate the outstanding services of Sir Bartley Frere, when he was called to the viceroy's council in 1859.  "All in all, it is a beautiful building  just to look at, though I deeply regret that Karachiites can no longer enter it," she adds wistfully.

– Saher Baloch

"The Sindh High Court is one of the most elegant buildings from pre-partition times," said Dr Noman Ahmed, Chairman, Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University of Engineering and Technology.

Elaborating, he said the building was designed with the characteristic properties of symmetry and balance with a very decorative and well kept landscape in the front and the backyard. The access of the building is well-defined with an elegant portico that displays the grandeur which was synonymous with the headquarters of the judiciary during the British period, he added. The Sindh High Court despite the fact that it has passed 70 years of its life, appears to be as evergreen as it may have been during the British colonial period, he said.

Asked which building in his opinion is the most elegant building of the post-partition period, he said it was the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, despite the fact that it was mired in controversies of various kinds.

"The original design, which was selected after a well-organised international competition, was that of a British architect named Raglen Squire. This design was very simple and allowed the landscape of the size to dominate the overall competition. However, on the insistence of Mohtarama Fatima Jinnah, the design was scrapped and a new design was proposed by a family architect, Yahya Merchant," he pointed out.

"Nevertheless, the location of the monument, its connection to the city and the overall landscape quality still makes it a very popular public space for the ordinary citizens of Karachi," he said.

The mausoleum also brings nostalgia since it has been the venue of huge political gatherings. For instance, when Mohtarama Fatima Jinnah died and it was decided to bury her next to the grave of the Founder of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, police used tear gas to disperse the crowd ignoring the fact that it was a very sad occasion.

The mausoleum has also been the venue of a mammoth public gathering of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. Again, when the chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party and twice Prime Minister, Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto arrived in Pakistan after exile during the Musharraf era, she was supposed to deliver a speech at the mausoleum but her huge rally was obstructed at Sharea Faisal when an attempt was made to eliminate her.

Lawyers, activists, doctors, teachers, students and other sections of the intelligentsia feel pride to culminate their rallies at the mausoleum. In other words, it has a great symbolic value.

The armed forces pay homage to the Leader of the Nation on important occasions besides diplomatic missions and dignitaries. It is also a venue where the common man and lovebirds meet in a society that has been brutalised by adventurers.    

– Shahid Husain

Amidst the chaos and the hustle-bustle of Saddar, a cathedral, a house of worship for Christians, elegantly stands tall and firm. For Perween Rahman, an architect and director of the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP), the St Patrick's Cathedral located in the heart of Karachi, is her favorite building.

"The St Patrick's Cathedral is a very dignified building. I like it not only because it is a serene place but it is also a spiritual one. The cathedral is designed in such a manner that it is a wonderful place to meditate in."

Located on the Shahrah-e-Iraq Road near the Empress Market, the St Patrick's Cathedral is considered to be the centre of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi and is headed by Archbishop Evarist Pinto. Widely considered to be as the province's grandest church, the St Patrick's Cathedral was constructed in 1881. Built in the Gothic style, the cathedral measures 52 meters by 22 meters. As many as 1,500 worshippers can congregate at the cathedral at a single time. Designed by three members of the Society of Jesus (an order of religious men), a beautiful white-marbled statue of 'Christ the King' greets the visitor before he makes his way towards the mass hall which is adorned with beautiful carvings on glass panes. St Patrick's Cathedral is most visited during important festivals such as Christmas, where hundreds of people turn up for special prayers and masses.

Rahman, who used to study at the catholic St Josephs' school situated near the cathedral, has observed and explored the structure of the historic building up close. "I really admire the stone design of the cathedral as it is really beautiful. Also, the inner structure and carvings are extremely beautiful."

– Rabia Ali

Veteran politician, social worker and former City Nazim of Karachi Naimatullah Khan says the Khaliqdina Hall on M.A Jinnah road is one of his favourite structures of the pre-partition era in Karachi. Built in 1906 with a generous donation from Ghulam Hussain Khaliqdina, the venue was meant to provide 'locals' with a place where they could enjoy literary and other pursuits.

"I have been very fond of this building since my arrival in Karachi, not only because of its structural qualities but also for its significance in Indo-Pak history. It was the building where Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar was tried by the British during the Khilafat Movement," Naimatullah Khan says, while highlighting the historical importance of the famous monument.

Naimatullah Khan says this excellent and spacious building, that cost Rs. 33,000 when it was built at the start of the 20th century, was among the few places where the local population of Karachi, especially Muslims, could gather and indulge in literary activities, hold their social gatherings and discuss day to day affairs.

 "Most importantly, it gained fame and historical importance when the great Muslim leader of the subcontinent, Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar, was tried in this building on charges of inciting people and sedition," he recalls.

He said when he was elected City Nazim of Karachi in 2001, he learnt that the Karachi Municipal Corporation had paid no heed to the preservation of the historical building for the last many decades. When he visited the place, he found it in shambles.

Naimatullah Khan said he immediately directed the concerned city government department to restore the historical building to its original shape and added that by 2002, the historical Khaliqdina Hall was restored and refurbished, preserving its century-old architecture.

"I had also held several ceremonies at the hall during my tenure as City Nazim, including one at which I had announced the institution of the Maulana Mohammed Ali Jauhar City Government Literacy Award in recognition of his services," he informed Kolachi.

He said there was a need for constant monitoring and care for such historical places, as practiced in the developed countries, as they remind us of our past and history and the struggle by our forefathers and great leaders for our independence and well-being.

As far as his favourite place in Karachi goes, Naimatullah Khan, who will turn 80 in October 2010, said he had a soft spot for Karachi port as it distinguishes the city from any other in Pakistan.

"I personally believe that it is Karachi's port that makes it unique among the other cities of Pakistan. It is Karachi's port that feeds the entire country," he observed.

Former Karachi Nazim, who was once cited as one of the top 10 mayors of the world, said Karachi port needed improvement as the country's economy revolves around it.

"There is always a need for improvement, and if we improve facilities at Karachi port, bring it at par with other modern ports of the region, it will prove beneficial for the country's economy, and most importantly, for the city of Karachi," he added.

– M. Waqar Bhatti