Corporate Works
Yasmeen Lari began her own practice, Lari Associates, in 1964 and began her work with only a handful of crew members to help her. She is considered among the pioneers of Brutalistic Architecture of the 20th century for her use of natural materials with little to no ornamentation.
|
A few of her works include: Angoori Bagh Housing, Lahore: 787 units of housing for low-mid income families Naval Officers' Housing: 276 units of housing for Pakistan's naval officers Taj Mahal Hotel, Karachi: an example of "instant Islam" architecture, consisting of 450 bedrooms, banqueting hall and restaurants, auditorium, pools and a shopping arcade Pakistan State Oil House, 1977: Largest market oil company in Pakistan ABN Amro Bank, Karachi: Netherlands based bank branch in Pakistan After 36 years of practice, Lari retired her professional career as an architect in 2000 in hopes to pursue writing and heritage-related work. |
The Heritage Foundation
Technological advance and a desire for modernity has so far been a destructive force in our major cities; […] Unless urgent measures are taken we will lose all that took centuries to refine and brought humanism to our environment.
The Heritage Foundation, located in Karachi, Pakistan, was founded in 1980 as a family trust by Yasmeen Lari and her husband, Suhail Lari.
Mission of the Heritage Foundation: "To document and conserve the traditional and historic built environment of Pakistan; create an awareness of Pakistan’s rich and diverse historic architecture and art; and to promote cultural heritage for social integration, peace and development." The Heritage Foundation works hard to save and preserve culturally sensitive sites across Pakistan. Two major sites they have had a hand in restoring include the World Heritage Sites of Makli and Lahore Fort. Today they maintain several historical sites across Pakistan. As an example, the banner to the right, Sindh Heritage Sites, overviews their current work in the Sindh region. In October 2005, Lari expanded her work and the work of the Heritage Foundation to include disaster relief and rehabilitation. Below is an image of the Heritage Headquarters in Moak Sharif built by Lari and her team in 2005 to test various structures before they are built in the field. The center now includes a women's center, a small learning center for children, and a clinic to provide healthcare for the residents of the village. |
There is so much more information about the work the Heritage Foundation has done and currently is doing. Check out their website and Facebook page (linked under Summary page) to learn more.
|
With the little time that I have left in my life, I need to find ways urgently to transform mindsets and bring about a paradigm shift, in order to save our priceless heritage and to prevent loss of lives from disasters!
Take a Short Study Break
Recent Natural Disasters in Pakistan
On October 8, 2005 an earthquake hit Pakistan measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale. Lari soon after began helping rebuild these communities using the vernacular architecture she had practiced in previous years. In the following years Pakistan was hit with several floods, 2010 and 2011 both being notable in size, and earthquakes, including one in 2013 that left at least 250 dead. One of the major causes of deaths during these disaster was concrete blocks from the buildings people were in fell and crushed them. After each of these disasters, Lari, with the help of the Heritage Foundation, came to help rebuild with vernacular architecture.
I never thought I’d be working in that kind of area [disaster relief], but like everybody else in Pakistan, when the earthquake happened I just had to go. I didn’t have a lot of money. I didn’t have an office. I had given up my practice. I was only doing a little bit of heritage work. I had nothing – no workforce, no money. I just went out to see what could be done.
Building Vernacular Architecture
Lari's post disaster shelter response is now known as the KaravanRoof shelter. These shelters are made of mud bricks with an adobe and lime covering in combination with the use of bamboo bracing. These buildings have less chance of collapse being life threatening and are in many cases stronger than basic concrete buildings. This form of design is known as disaster risk reduction (DRR). Since 2005, Lari has designed about 2,000 different DRR compatible housing and shelter units which have been replicated thousands of times. Today more than 40,000 shelters have been built based on Lari's building and construction model. Lari strives to train the community on how to build shelters that are long lasting and leave a zero-carbon footprint.
Watch the two short clips below that show the materials and methods that make a zero-carbon footprint possible.
Watch the two short clips below that show the materials and methods that make a zero-carbon footprint possible.
Lari and her team train to community to build using the local and available materials. Core materials: bamboo, lime, and mud/adobe. Lime helps to stabilize the mud and provide water protection while bamboo cross bracing provides strength.
|
Bamboo is a versatile material and can be used for more than simply structural support.
|
Listen to a short clip of this Rebel Architecture segment on Yasmeen Lari as she describes the construction of the KaravanRoof shelter.
*Specifically listen from 12:33-14:36 (duration 2 minutes and 3 seconds)
*Specifically listen from 12:33-14:36 (duration 2 minutes and 3 seconds)
Rebel Architecture video filmmaker notes:
"Through the making of this film I realized that building the "earth way" means fluidity, not concreteness. It means working with the community, integrating it with structures of support and togetherness. Building homes, for Yasmeen, is about situating them. She guides her team to create this kind of space. Traditional, yes, but by no means can this approach be deemed irrelevant."
"Through the making of this film I realized that building the "earth way" means fluidity, not concreteness. It means working with the community, integrating it with structures of support and togetherness. Building homes, for Yasmeen, is about situating them. She guides her team to create this kind of space. Traditional, yes, but by no means can this approach be deemed irrelevant."
Below are few of Lari's building designs and the community at work constructing their new homes:
Power of Women
Culturally women in rural Pakistani villages were not expected to do or be anything but a housewife, cook and clean. Lari found that, of the women she interacted with, if you give them a task that is in the interest of themselves or their family they will get it done. As such, Lari began to teach and educate the women as well as the men of the communities. She taught them how to work with mud and lime to create mud bricks and taught them how to build Pakistan Chulahs, large stoves made out of mud and lime. Today the Heritage Foundation holds several workshops and training seminars to teach women and children various crafts to help them make a livelihood and help restore their dignity.
With the new stove we are elevating them [women], because the chulah is on an earthen platform. Their status in society is raised, because they’re not sitting in the dirt all the time and the hygiene is better. And it’s so easy to keep the chulah clean – if it gets damaged, it’s easy to repair it with mud. Whenever I have gone to visit them, the stove is always really clean. It’s amazing. They decorate them. There’s so much pride. And then the men start to really respect them. And that’s what we need to do – to help transform their lives by giving them dignity.
Follow your dream. Try to do what you really believe in. And don’t get discouraged, because there will be lots of hurdles in the way. But you must have the commitment and the strength to follow what you believe in.
Additional Information
Challenges of being the first Women in Pakistan practicing Architecture
From her early years, Lari was tested on whether or not she was deserving of the title architect. During her work on and the construction of the Finance and Trade Centre and the Pakistan State Oil Head Office Lari had to prove herself worthy enough of respect from both design professionals and construction workers. Upon arriving to the site of one of her builds to survey the work being done, she had to climb rickety ladders or stairs that were falling apart in order to get to the work that was being done. It was a small test to see whether or not she could do what only men had done before her. Lari continues to surpasses all limits and low level caps people put on her abilities. Despite how she often people told her things were impossible, she proved them wrong.
From her early years, Lari was tested on whether or not she was deserving of the title architect. During her work on and the construction of the Finance and Trade Centre and the Pakistan State Oil Head Office Lari had to prove herself worthy enough of respect from both design professionals and construction workers. Upon arriving to the site of one of her builds to survey the work being done, she had to climb rickety ladders or stairs that were falling apart in order to get to the work that was being done. It was a small test to see whether or not she could do what only men had done before her. Lari continues to surpasses all limits and low level caps people put on her abilities. Despite how she often people told her things were impossible, she proved them wrong.
For women in Pakistan, as I imagine elsewhere also, we have to "earn" respect in any field. As is well known, a woman carries a triple burden, and also has to battle at every front to achieve acceptance.
List of Publications by Lari and the Heritage Foundation
Earlier we studied books that the British gave us. Now we've written some of our own books. We need to write a lot more of our own books. Because our interpretation will be different. We've a lot to do, if we want our architecture to relate to our reality.