December, 2017
Thesis Report submitted to the Department of Architecture, National College of Arts, and Rawalpindi Campus in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of B.Arch.
ADVISORS
AR. DANIYA ATTA
AR. SAIMA SALAHUDDIN
AR. EJAZ QADRI
AR.ZAHRA HUSSAIN
Dedicated to my parents, and to the great personality Ashfaq Ahmed who made me fall in love with Lahore.
By the grace of Allah Almighty I would be humbly acknowledging my parents for patiently standing by me and financially backing me to accomplish what have today.
The teachers have been a constant support in my design development process and I am really thankful to, Ma’am Daniya Atta, Sir Ejaz Qadri, Ma’am Saima Salahuddin and Ma’am Zahra Hussain for helping me with the concepts that laid the foundations of my thesis.
I am very thankful to Sir Taimur khan mumtaz for giving me his precious time and helping me to understand the basic concepts.
I am greatly in debt to Arsalan Waseem,Osama Masoom,Bushra Arif, the friends I needed to cope up with such large amount of work and without them I would not have been able to achieve the final product.
Zaigham Atta, Maheerah and Zaineb Ali have always been there to help me.
Lastly, though obviously not the least, come the friends who have been a constant moral support during and before my thesis. Mehr awan, Neha shamim, Rizwan Sheerazi, Aqsa Khaliq and Hiba saadia, you have been the great friends who helped me get to my goals on a routinely basis.
Thank you for your time and concern. Without you it wouldn’t have been bearable or easy.
A thesis research, that is good, makes a great contribution to the existing body of knowledge. Although, we literature is available, but exposure to such concepts is fundamental to serve the people in a way that can help them develop a bond with their environment as well as their history. The idea is to bring the human experiences and their heritage to light.
Acity is more than bazaars, building and monuments. The thing that actually defines a city is its atmosphere and ambiance, which is built by the residents of that place who make up the city’s spirit and soul.The walled cityis the hub of Lahore and it has greatly influenced the life style of its residents.
Mythesis is about makingpeople experience the feelingoflivingin walled citythrough architecture. The objective is to create some space in the city that is new to the surrounding, yet it does not change the sense of its surrounding.
1) Redefining the essence of walled city Lahore through architecture
2) Revivalofartinthearea,sothatthelocals canbeeducatedtohaveameaningful engagement in the process of art and culture
3) To provide a space which celebrates the culture of walled city
4) To let people experience the rich culture of the area by providing them space within the walled city
The essence, that walled city used to have some time ago, has vanished now. Most of the old buildings i.e Havelis and houses look like ruins now. The reason is that the people who were given the responsibilityof maintainingthese buildings neither had the knowledge nor the resources to maintain these buildings. The residents of the place are not aware of the importance of the place they are living in, due to this reason some of the buildings also got demolished illegally by the locals.
The life style of the people of the city as well as its architecture is changing rapidly. Unfortunately, this change is not very positive. One of the major draw backs of the change is that people are not able to interact as they used to because new buildings being built are not according to the environment of the city.
The major motivation behind this project is to bring the essence of this historical city back to life using architecture as a tool. This project could serve as a major tourists’ site where tourists can have a taste of the rich culture of the city, and fully indulge in its traditions and values.
4.0SITELOCATION:
Chotta bazzar “chotta mufti baqqar”,Delhi gate, Walled city of Lahore.
At this time, the walled city is undergoing the process of restoration
AKCSP has collaborated with WCLA to undertake this process. The two parties are in need of skilled craftsmen who are masters of their craft. The task involves the restoration of buildings as old as 13 years old, and that is the reason the craftsmen are being invited from all around the world, so that the process of conservation and restoration becomes a reality. WCLA has been working on this project for 7 years.
To fill the void of skilled people there is a need of a training center. The center could help the locals acquire the skill, which could contribute to the process of restoration, and at thesametime give thelocals anopportunityto earn.Skilledcraftsmen from other countries could help in training the locals, and as the trainees become skilled there won’t be a need for the services of foreign craftsmen. The end result would be a publicprivate partnership, where both sectors could benefit each other.
The early history of Lahore is obscure but evidence in the shape of indo batican coins found in the ichra area imply a settlement area sometime in the period from mid-300 BCE to the second century CE.Early histories establish that it was in the possessions of the Rajput Chauhan’s of Ajmer in the second half of the seventh century, and over several centuries may have been in the hands of various other local powers, sometimes from the western afghan
Architecture of Lahore represents the era of three different values and cultures like Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. Every culture has its own type of architecture in it which lends well in the sense to make it one of its kind
There are almost no buildings left in Lahore from pre Mughal times, the basic building material used in Mughal architecture in Lahore were brick and timber was often very elaborately carved but extra ornament was provided using stone particularly red sand stone and marble, polished plaster and kalikashi tile work, stone had to be imported from far afield so it was used in most prestigious buildings
Mughals were fond of monumental architecture whatever they have built in their reign was very grand fromtheirlivingpalacestotheirmosqueseverythingwas grand in its architecture
Their palaces were arranged around char bagh where fountain was built in the middle and water channels run throughout the building to make environment cooler their accommodation were around those bagh mostly single and double stories they had courtyards in the middle for circulation of air inside rooms
Theyhad intricate decorations on their doors and jharokas, mostlydone bywood which was hand carved.
Monumental mosques like Badshai mosque by Aurangzeb alamgir oppositefort and Wazirkhanmosque inside Delhi gate by wazir khan was made in Mughal times they are known for their intricate work of stone mostly the planning of these mosques were made on the idea of hasht bahisht which revolves around
the idea of heaven it is formed due to two rotating squares which evolves into an octagon andthenall the geometryofmosques is basedonthis geometryfrom elevations to plans to single details all is based on this geometry.
Constructionstyleofsikh periodis foundat chuna mandihaveli,theirbuildings revaled bricks laid with mud mortar,lime kankar plaster and timber lentils.
Roofs were timber beams laid next to each other or if laid further apartwith smaller joints spanning between them then covered with planks finished with lime screed or floor tiles
They decorated their buildings with sculptures of different animals often done with carved stones it is seen in nau nihal singh haveli inside Bhatti gate now known as Victoria school. Use of jaali work is also seen in their buildings.
Most of the buildings of early colonial periods are made by sir Bhai ram Singh he was student of Lockwood Kipling who was head of then mayo school of arts know as national college of arts he took keen interest in architecture of Lahore he did much to enhance the status of local crafts man on brick work he said,
“That the practice of cutting and carving burnt bricks is here carried out to unusual perfection” and also praised the brick grilles manufactured to enclose but ventilate rooftop privies, with geometric and sometime even floral perforations
He did not Admire plaster work as he thought it was faulty as to both materials and execution.
Bhai ram Singh was involved in designing of lot of colonial public buildings on mall road Lahore. He was master in pattern making he use cut and ornamental bricks as well as terracotta
The culture of Lahore is a manifestation of the lifestyle, festivals, literature, music, language, politics, cuisine and socio-economic conditions of the people. North-west of
Lahore contains the heart of Lahore - its original cultural property in the form of mosques, forts, gateways, residential buildings, palaces, tombs, alleyways and open squares. These when coupled with the traditional cultural activities and social relationships, enhance the character of the Walled Citywith its individual buildings and bazaars. Old Lahore is the dense, tottering, bazaar-city of Kipling's stories, and some of his titles, like The Gate of a Hundred Sorrows, could serve as name plaques every few steps. Old Lahore is anarchic, energetic, crowded, feeble, exuberant, and aromatic; however, it lost much of its grandeur when most of it was burnt down during the partition of British India.
Thetrue "Lahori"lifeis visibleeverywherewhenonewalks throughits narrowwinding alleys. In early morning, the traditional breakfast of "Halwa and Poori" is seen being made by the corner of the street. One really enjoys the paper thin "Poori" made of flour and fried in boiling hot oil with a "Bhaaji" a dish made of grams and potatoes with pickle and onions, followed by "Halwa" a sweet made of sooji, sugar and ghee. After this rather heavy feast, Lahoris never forget to drink a glass of "Lassi” made from yogurt, sugar and water in one gulp.
Life inside the Walled City of Lahore is lively and fascinating. The marriages are a scene to be seen. During the spring season, the festival of kite flying or Basant attracts rich and poor from all parts of Lahore to the Walled City. The life inside the Heera Mandi or the red light area being the part of the Walled City is different from the rest of the Walled City of Lahore. One can see the dancing girls standing in the jharokas of the brothels and music being played especially after late evening.
Walled city is the place that comprises works of Mughal,sikh and colonial and now modernconstructionitisalsosaidbyhistoriansthattherearetracesofurbansettlements too it is also said that they might have been in fort area and also in the zones of bhati and shah almi gates and inside gumti bazaar on the north. It was fortified by the wall in Mughal era. Walled city comprises of very steep and narrow streets and whole of the city is elevated from the rest of Lahore and it had total of 12 gates and 1 mori
Name of gates of walled city are
1. Bhati gate
2. Delhi gate
3. Kashmiri gate
4. Lahori gate
5. Roshnai gate
6. Sheranwala gate
7. Akbari gate
8. Masti gate
9. Mocha gate
10. Shah almi gate
11. Yakki gate
12. Taxali gate
13. Mori
Delhi and taxali gates were probably part of the original long distance trade routes
Delhi Darwaza(gate), one of the most famous gates of Lahore, was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar The Great. The gate opens towards Delhi, the capital of Mughal dynasty, and it is situated in the east. It was considered one of the busiest gates of Lahore during ancient times. There is an archeological-styled building located north of the gate that is currently being used as a government school for girls. The gate also contains a number of old Havelis that attract tourists.
I chose this site because it was the main entrance of the walled city in earlier times. Everytrader used to stop bythis point for entering into the walled city. Ibelieve it could
serve as an entrance point even today. The restoration process also started from this site that is why there is a need for a training center in the vicinity of the Shahi Guzargah.
Wazirkhan, oneofthemost famous mosques of Lahore,is also situatedinsidetheDelhi Gate. As soon as you enter into Delhi you can see the shahi hamaam, which was used by the Mughals of that area in earlier times. The Shahi Hamam was in total ruins before it was restored by the WCLA and AKCSP.
Shahi hamam is situated inside Delhi gate as soon as you enter Delhi gate one can see shahi hammam Shahi Hamam also known as Wazir Khan Hamam was built by Wazir Khan in 1633 A.D. who lived during the era of Shah Jehan.
It is said that, in older times, whenever anyone entered the walled city, that person used to take bath first in the hammam and then started any work.It was used for many centuries, but as soon as bathrooms became more and more common the concept of hammam got abandoned. In earlier times it was used for the purpose of sauna bath/steam bath etc. There were special people inside the hammam who used to provide services to the people in the hammam.
The Hamam has a total of 21 rooms. Out of these 21 rooms, eight, with marble pools, were used for fresh water baths. Another eight were hot water baths, while five rooms were steam baths built in the style of Turkish baths. The walls and roofs had exquisite floral paintings, while the roof centers had natural light openings. Alongthe sides water ran in cascading fashion in specially designed sitting areas. There were special rooms where the bathers would lavish themselves and servants would scrub and oil them to enhance their beauty. To one side the water would pass through a series of revolving brass pipes, under which log fires would heat them. A portion of the water also flowed towards another sets of brass pipes, under which fires would convert them into steam.
ChittaGate,DinaNathWellandKotwaliGatewereonceintegralandprominentfeature of Chowk Wazir Khan. At present these have been severely damaged and are broken in their physical relation with Chowk. Chitta Gate which provided the main entrance to Wazir Khan Chowk is in a ruinous condition. Most of the original building fabric has been lost and the remaining structures are vulnerable to natural and manmade threats. Similarly, the old well of Dina Nath on the north eastern side of the Chowk is seriously damaged and encroached upon.Dina nath haveli is now under use of two families it was allotted to them at the time of partition at first 20 families use to live their but then they started leaving it and now only two families live there
Dina nath haveli has very thick walls and it is also said that it has some secret tunnels inside it too it has got excellent circulation system through ventilators and windows its ventilators are designed in a very different way
The Wazir Khan Mosque, locallyknown as Masjid Wazir Khan was built in 1634-1635 AD during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Kakim Aliuddin (sometimes referred to as Hakim Ilmuddin), the then Governor of Punjab, built the mosque in seven years.
Without any doubt the Wazir Khan Mosque is the most beautiful mosque built in the era of the Mughals. The mosque is known for its complex tile work and fresco painting. It has arelativelysmall prayer hall and a largecourtyard,which is typical of theMughal style architecture. Bricks laid in kankar lime, red sand stone brakets and terra-cota grills are the materials that were used in the construction of the mosque. The ceiling of the mosque is laden with attractive tile work, and the walls are made up of a combination of tile and fresco work. There are four minarets in the four corners of the mosque that are 107 feet high. The minarets have also been decorated with mosaic tiles. The mosque depicts the importance of the Islamic religion, and it also reflects the aesthetics and royalties of that era.
Currently, it is under restoration process, and all the encroachments around this mosque have now been removed.
Chotta is the word derived from cho hatta where cho means four and hatta is a pinjabi word meaningbazaar or space to socialize so mysite is in chotamufti baqar also known as chotta bazzar
Chotta bazzar is situated at alongside the back wall of wazir khan mosque it consists of two cho hattas connected together it is connected with the main bazar of Delhi gate and most of its residential properties are converted into commercial ones with the passage of time so this is more like a commercial area outside and residential inside
Reason to choose this as my site is that it is very easy for the people currently working on the project there to train and assist the local trainers at the center as it is connected to royal trail and it also features some of hgh architectural merit buildings in it along with some vacant spaces to be designed specifically for the center
I can use both old buildings along with the new ones in order to maintain the spirit by complementing old and new style of architecture
As soon as I entered in this area the most important factor was to know what impact this site has when we first see it or any user of the area so I started with the subjective mapping of
1. Historical buildings and landmarks
2. Event spaces
3. Existing land details
4. Visual depth
5. Built densities
6. Foliage
7. Paths
The most important of the mapping was event spaces where I highlighted about any event occurringon the site temporaryand permanent for e.g. tourist zones, photo walks, local people communicating through their jharokas, people sitting on tharras (informal seating space) What is the purpose of their events,how do the affect the site,and how can I incorporate them in my design.
5.4.1.1CONCLUSIONS Lots and lots of events are taking place all the time in streets whether its morning or night
People are using their windows as part of streets they are all the time peeking into street
They all are very connected to their neighborhood.
Artist are all around the space near Delhi gate area there are people who are taking pictures and communicating with local people
Local people taking interest in ongoing restoration work.
Through visual depth I considered the flat surface of the buildings as one shade and perspective another then one for the path and one for the sky. It all makes up four different colors defining space and rest is all black
I chose different points of views then did mapping through these points.Through this mapping depth of the area is clear about how to go for any new construction in this space and how does it affect the user
5.4.2.1
CONCLUSIONS There are a lot of visually appealing buildings in walled city but it is so congested that hardly sky can be seen
No open areas
Narrow streets
Buildings looks connected visually
In built densities I considered the onlybuilt structure of the site which are manmade it contains three colors for poles, bill boards and buildings
Point of views along the site where same as of visual depth
It gave a clear idea of the built densities of the site their depth and impact on site
5.4.3.1CONCLUSIONS Buildings almost have height of 45 feet and less than this streets are so narrow that there is hardy and space where sky can be seen
Paths are defined in the map under in three different categories according to their use
Primary
Secondary
And kucha which is more like a chowk connecting two or more streets
Next step in my documentation was to document the existing houses around the site
First one was at the back of demolished plot plans and elevations of the houses are under
This house was used by 7 to 8 families before but now only one family is left rest of them have left it and move to suburbs of the city
Reason to leave this space was increase of family members and no proper space for them in the house along with more and more commercial activities of the area
The ones living inside are there just because they don’t have any other space to move
House is designed typically with the courtyard in the center and rooms around it with the balcony on the first floor providing shade for the people of ground floor to move around easily
The only windows which were functional are the ones at the façade others were not functional as they were close due to construction of new houses around this house
Height of the roofs is 17 feet and total floors were three, bricks were used as jali grill on the roofs and jharokas facing courtyard at first floor were present
Wooden brackets beneath balcony were replaced by metal brackets to provide support balconies were also present in front of every window in the façade
Wooden roofs were present only in some rooms others were plastered with cement by the household as the old wood was not fit for rainy seasons
This was present inside a very narrow street where house were constructed very close to each other only balcony and main entry door of the house were visible in its façade
This house doesn’t had light in its room except for the one window in the main façade which was giving light only to the balcony
There were only two rooms in the house
Total three floors each floor having around 7 family members
House was not sufficient for the present family members
Another very small courtyard was present inside the house which was a communal 6 feet by 6 feet communal courtyard for three houses
Window connecting to this courtyard was not functional as they did not find it safe because other two houses were not in use for many years and they were afraid of insects and snakes which can enter through that window
Height of its roof were 14 feet
5.6.3HOUSENO3
This house was present on the right side of the site
It was long vertical house which was constructed before partition
Roofs of its room were varying in heights
Some were 20 feet and some were 16 feet
It had one room one hall with kitchen and bath
One if its room was used as the parlor by the lady of that house
o They don’t use ground and first floors because of no presence of sunlight.
o For this purpose their roofs and streets serves as a socializing space for them.
o Their most favorite activities revolve around food as soon as the lady of the house is cooking everyone gathers around that space and they mostly eat there while she is cooking
o They use balconies to talk to their neighbors
o Theydon’tcare muchabout theirprivacyso most of the
main doors of their houses are open most of the time and their windows were also open.
o Old ladies of the houses were sitting in the windows connecting towards the street for interacting with other neighbors
o They didn’t had whole window covered with jail but they act as balconies when open with only 3 feet grill attached to it
o Windows serves as both
To provide light through design which can enter into the building
To revive small communal courtyards.
Use of design elements as functional elements too for e,g. jail work that helps in maintain temperature of the building by passing cool air through
How these elements function as a structure
Maximum interaction inside the building to be designed as per the patterns of their life’s how they like to live
Study of light is very important
Use of glass walls can be incorporated or any open spaces as they don’t have privacy problem with in their area
Streets around the building to be designed specifically for socializing
6.0INTRODUCTION
A lot of detailed study is required when going on the journey of designing in a rich historical context. This is because you have to take into consideration the already built structures, as well as the newstructures beingintroduced. This means in orderto design we have to go back to the history of designing in a historical context.
There are so many distinctive styles of architecture in the world that come from different eras of the human progression and development. All these different styles tell us about the people of that time and place. Then came the concept of modernism that spread in the whole world and prospered everywhere. Since then, the building styles got separated into two categories i.e. Traditional and Modern. Traditional style is specific for a particular area but modern style belongs to the whole world.
Replicating the masters design, in the earlier days, was considered a respectful gesture by the masters. The theories and practices of the Italian Renaissance Architects were based on Classical Roman examples. The Renaissance revival of Classical Rome was as important in architecture as it was in literature. A trip to Rome for studying the ancient buildings and ruins was considered a fundamental part of the training of an architect. The vocabularies of the Renaissance buildings consist of classical orders and architectural elements such as columns, pilasters, pediments, entablatures, arches and domes. The status of the profession from skilled laborer to an artist was raised with the help of architects that were trained to become humanists. Their goal was to make structures that could charm both emotion as well as reason.
Due to this architects stared researching about the kind of design they can come up with in built historical context so then different ideas were applied in which some failed but some were up to the mark, the reason buildings which were design considering their context around were successful
The reason being was even if those building were contrasting ones and had glass in their materials but they did not disturbed the sense of place of the area and the material
they used were local materials which helped in creating the feel of the context around this type of architecture is known as postmodernism
The main goal of postmodernism is that the architect should take inspiration from history and traditions, ideas of complexity theory, double coding, irony and cultural context. Postmodern architecture is defined by new techniques that are used in an old pattern, and the use of color, texture and classical allusion design strategy to defined modernist principles.
A new building should relate to the essential characteristics of the district and setting and complement the character with creative yet compatible new design. To do so relies upon reading and understanding the patterns underlying the character of each area and each setting, as well as the role of time in creating and maturing ,These patterns evolve the urban landscape. Such characteristics would include:
the way in which a building is located on its site
The manner in which it relates to the street and its scale height, massing, form and materials.
When these design variables are arranged in a new building to be similar to those seen traditionally in the area, visual compatibility results These basic design relationships aremore Fundamental thanthedetails of individual Architectural styles. It is possible, therefore, to be compatible with the historic context of the district, While creating a design that is identifiable as being Newer than the historic buildings of the area.
Architects: Enrique Mirales
Location: Old town, Edinburgh, Scotland
Area: 322917.3125 sft
Project Year: 2004
In July1998, the architects EMBT of Barcelona and Scottish partners RMJM Scotland, won a competition to design the new building for the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. The team presented a series of charts showing where the design of Parliament: as a leaf and branch, with a strong symbolic meaning. This drew the attention of the jury and led to winning the proposal
Before the parliament house the site belong to brewery company they had their factory there then the building was not in use for many years and because of its historical context it was given for the parliament
The Old Town of Edinburgh stretches from the gates of Edinburgh Castle, down the length of the Royal Mile, and outwards from that cobbled ‘spine’. The narrow ‘closes’ originating from Royal Mile give this part of Edinburgh it’s character. In the 16th century one of the high-rise buildings, that the area was then dominated by, collapsed. At present there is a plaque in its place that commemorates the victims. Edinburgh is not only famous for the castle, but also for Edinburgh’s ‘Underground City’. “Mary Kings Close’is the most famous of these excavated areas that attracts visitors.
The building is located on land owned by a brewery of 1.6 hectares, where he was the QueensberryHouse (a historic mansion that is used as a militaryhospital) and is an area that is surrounded by Dutchman style buildings.
The design has a very strong symbolic basis: one thinks a building that reflects the land on which it arises.
The study based its proposal on three points: the Scottish landscape, its people and its culture. That’s whythe building is situated like a small town, with streets and buildings of varying scale, and allowed to go through different feelings while it runs.spacesthe buildings are arranged in two groups, container buildings, which form an “L” and contains a group of three buildings: the mansion Queensberry, the Royal Mile and Cannongate tower and the south wes tby the contents of buildings “ L” a series of leafshaped towers that house services for parliamentarians. Before them lies the great hall of parliament, crowned by a group of naturally lit skylights and give identity to space.
In the east side are the most important buildings: the tower of the press and the House debates, and before they have a pergola that connects the building with the outside. Towards the south will feature a series of gardens worked by Miralles.
Each space has a different structure. The entrance building endings are characterized bytheirhighqualityconcreteandhas threedomes dottedwith crosses (takingtheimage of the Scottish flag). The columns invade apparently arbitrarily.
In the debating chamber, the roof consists of three large wooden trusses with 120 knots, and fabricated stainless steel connectors inAberdeen especially for the building.
The elements comprising the structure are laminated European oak compression elements and stainless steel for the elements in tension. The assembly buildings have been designed in prestressed concrete to get lights for more than 14 m.
It is used largely for banana timber Scottish European oak and banana, as well as concrete and stone.Although each sector has materials that characterize them:
In the towers of the assembly, using reinforced concrete frames, covered Kemnay granite, from Aberdeenshire. There are decorative panels made of oak and black and gray granite. The roofs are covered with stainless steel.
On the west side, the representative office, there are windows of stainless steel. Some of the windows have exterior design with a lattice of oak. In the debating chamber, all based coatings are made from European oak and banana. The western side of the camera has 1000 m2 of laminated glass panels. Each panel has a sheet of banana strips placed in horizontal layers between two glass and shaping the forms that mimic human forms. The furniture was held in banana and oak.
The Parliament’s heating and hot water systems are all highly efficient and air conditioning is limited to the IT server rooms, all of which minimize emissions of carbon dioxide. In the majority of areas, instead of air conditioning, a central system controls a large number of windows which can open at night during warm weather to allow the building to cool. This system is supplemented with air handling units.("Scottish Parliament - Data, Photos & Plans - Wikiarquitectura")
1) The main parliament block of the building is attached with the old building but it doesn’t dominate the old building as its elevation height is lower than the old buildings elevation so it respects the historic building
2) Colors of materials used in the outer façade of the building matches with the other buildings surrounding it
3) Use of materials is same as buildings around
4) The residential building is very close to the building around now known as THE PARK BUILDING which has residential plus other functions such as dental practices etc. so the parliament buildings section is not much ornamented, elevated or strange in manner but it is more simpler towards this side the only element is the use of window shape is same as that of the rest of the building
5) The elevation of the building is with varying heights to match the terrain of the area which helps in creating feel` of the place
Architects: Bernard TschumiArchitects
Location:Acropolis,Athens, Greece
Area: 21000.0 sq.ft
Project Year: 2009
Exhibition space: 90,000 square feet
The Museum is conceived as a base, a middle zone and a top, taking its form the archeological excavation below and from the orientation of the top floor toward the Parthenon.The Museum stands less than 1,000 feet southeast of the Parthenon.The topfloor Parthenon Gallery offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the Acropolis and modern AthensAt street level the building is a 21st century architectural wonder. Its glass reflects a 1940s Romantic Byzantine building, and it is designed to maximize the light pouring in through the giant windows.("New Acropolis Museum / Bernard Tschumi Architects")
It sits on the site of ancient Makrygianni and the ruins of Roman, and early Byzantine, Athens. The site is still being excavated today and large columns hold the new museum above the ruins where archeologists are still digging and revealing
SOCRATES PRISON
PANTHEON
HADRIANSARCH
OLYMPIOS DIOS
THEATRE OF DINOSES CISTER
SOLDIERS SAILORS MONUMENT TEMPLE OF HEPHAESTUS
Table 2.2
The New Museum of theAcropolis was designed to accommodate the most remarkable sculptures of ancient Greece. It is situated adjacent to the Parthenon, which is one of
the most significant buildings of the western civilization, lying in a region of earthquakes surrounded by warm weather. The museum has simple architecture with mathematical and conceptual clarity of ancient Greece.
The project is based on three concepts that transformed the potential limitations of the site: electricity, motion and tectonic and programmatic concept.
More than any other museum, the light was taken as a primary concept in design. As this exhibition of sculptures, the conditions differ from those found in an exhibition of paintings. It is, first, a museum of natural light, related to the presentation of sculptural objects within it.
The tours offer visitors a rich sequence based movement, both through time and spatiality.
The manifestation of the building structure is reflected on the outside and inside of it. It is structured in such a way that is designed around the specific needs of each part of the program.
The volume of the building is articulated at the base, middle and upper level, designed in a magnificent manner that serves the specific needs of each part of the structure. The entrance hall lies at the base and looks over the Makrygianni excavations, temporary exhibition spaces and all the support services as well as a gift shop.
The large square of double-height trapezoidal shape lies in the middle of the museum that accommodates the galleries of the archaic period of the Roman Empire. A multimedia auditorium, a bar that overlooks the archeological excavation restaurant
with a terrace and spectacular views of the Acropolis are housed in the mezzanine of the museum. The Parthenon Gallery has been placed in the upper part. The gallery has been arranged around a covered space transparent. Ideal light is provided by the transparent cover to the sculptures. One of the objectives of the main gallery is to bring the Parthenon Marbles, currently scattered in various museums. The circulation in the museum is raised in chronological order, so that the visitor crosses an architectural and historical tour.
The building was built on a network of columns, carefully preserving archaeological remains from the site. The piles penetrate the ground to the underlying bedrock and float on roller bearings capable of withstanding an earthquake of magnitude 10 Richter scale.
The building was designed in relation to the durability and resistance to the passage of time, so that the building age with grace, despite the heavy volume of traffic in an international tourist destination. The materials were selected for their simplicity and sobriety: glass, concrete and marble.("New Acropolis Museum - Data, Photos & Plans Wikiarquitectura")
Acropolis museum proportions are same as the proportions of pantheon which is the reason why both buildings complement each other whereas one is purely postmodern and pantheon dates back to ancient Greek times
Golden ratio is used in acropolis museum same ratio was used in pantheon
Orientation of the pantheon museum which is the top most floor of the building is arranged accordinglywith the pantheon so as when visitors are moving around they can have perfect view of pantheon along with its artifacts displayed
Building aesthetics are same as that of pantheon whereas material is different in the new building but feel is same as pantheon
Use of column in pantheon whereas Columns are not used as façade in the museum whereas windows and there frames works same as columns
View of the museum has been considered in its design one can view historical buildings around it from inside and when viewed from outside same buildings reflects through its reflecting glass material
Ruins are respectedin the constructionofthe museum, wholebuildings stands onframe structure.
Glass floor is used to get proper view of the ruins from museums floor
Artifacts are placed in a chronological order when visitor starts walking they can view buildings along with artifacts. They are placed according to their connection with buildings
Walls of the museum have casted sculptures of the original pantheon wall to create sense of pantheon
There is a special space designed for restaurants so social programming is also considered with its other important elements Use of natural light, circulation and program is designed properly
Use of natural light is designed properly
124 HUDSON STREET
Architect: BKSKArchitects
Project Type: Multi-Family
Project year: 2003
Location: Tribeca, NYC
Area: 9-story, 92,000 square foot
It is a residential building, designed as a contemporary homage to the elegant loft structures of the Tribeca Historic District. It occupies a long-vacant site facing the Holland Tunnel clearing, and takes advantage of that openness and light with its industrial-scale The design was praised by the Landmarks Preservation Commission as sensitive to the neighboring buildings, and is now much admired as a handsome and well-detailed addition to the already rich historic context. The residential interiors are conceived with a modern sense of simplicity and spaciousness that reflect the character of a loft setting, while offering the full range of amenities that would be expected of a luxury apartment.("124 Hudson Street")
6.5.1Hudson Street
Hudson Street is a north-south oriented street in the New York City borough of Manhattan running from Tribeca to the south, through Hudson Square and Greenwich Village, to the Meatpacking District.
This area was used as a parking lot before
Building’s façade matches it surrounding buildings very well it has same frame structure with window and cantilever shades at ground floor
Sill and lintel level of the buildings around 124 building is same which creates a continuation within buildings
Triparted windows are used in the building same style of windows is used in older buildings around it.
It has connected parapet which makes it feel like one building at first glimpse
Use of colors of the material is same.
Use of frieze in the building to match connected building
Courtyards have also been used in buildings around
124 is connected to the buildings around visually but it has a courtyard space inside it which allows other buildings to have privacy and breathing space so it is connected visually but it doesn’t intervene in others context
Difficult sites if observe keenly can help in achieving good architecture
With sensitivity it is possible to accommodate a modern design which will complement the old one
The use of traditional materials are not incompatible with contemporary architecture.
Good design extends into public areas beyond the building
Successful architecture can be produced either by following historic precedents closely, by adapting them or by contrasting with them
Views and vistas can be enhanced by the building
Contrasting buildings which are not designed with same style as that of buildings in it context can still have the feel of that place
Sense of place can be achieved through
The buildings design which is the result of dialogue between architect and local people of the area can produce good results in terms to create feeling of the place
7.0 THE TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC GEOMETRY
In nature, we can see geometry all around us the sense of unity and oneness in nature is all through the geometry which is sometimes underlying and as we explore it we get to know it
This principle of connections and unity among nature describe harmony and rhythm and how does it affect us that is why architects and artists have created masterpieces by exploring geometry and reading through cosmos. Many forms in the nature are associated to geometry for example the formation of sunflower or hexagonal cells of honey bees
In the art and architecture of traditional society these principles inspire ones creativity to explore it and use it, the use of geometry in tradition architecture in historical buildings and monuments which is available to us to read and research tells us about the history and how they have used it in architecture along with the functionality if the building
Nature forms systems that are symmetrical or in rhythm and sometimes both, man has used theses in architecture by creating symmetry or rhythm with these symbols this all is created with one center which is the basis of the rhythm or symmetry which also tells us about the first principle of Islam(TAWHID)
I have tried to find and know how these systems and geometry are used in the buildings inside walled city and in other traditional buildings
7.2.1
LAL HAVELI
What I came to know through the geometry of lal haveli was that although its site is not based on a perfect square but it is still following the rules of traditional geometry the lines of two rotated square marks the walls of the room and the rest is designed according to function
The chuna mndi haveli’s courtyard does not follow the rules of geometry as it is not centralized but the spaces inside the haveli and the rooms deigned inside totally follows the basic rule of hasht bahisht geometry
The elevation of the house is based on half hasht and the heights are also based on the geometry.
7.4 HOUSE NO D/3264
SOOTAR MANDI BAZAAR
HOUSE D/3264(SOOTAR MANDI BAZAAR)
This house totally follows the geometry as its site is square but a part of it which does not come inside the geometry is there fulfilling its function and the wall thickness of the plan is also taken from the small hasht made inside the square if the room which is followed in th plan of house
BADSHAHI MOSQUE
Its plan is totally based on hasht bihisht the path toward the iwan and the dome all follow the geometry the centralization of the iwan and the grammar of A B A is used everywhere in the design with all this it totally respect the function along with aesthetics
The reason why I looked for the geometry in older buildings inside walled city and others based on those concepts of geometry was to know and explode how architects of those time have used these proportions in their buildings How do the cater function along with the geometry and these concepts are common to man even till now as they are regardless of time and place
Even till today viewing Badshahi mosque is still as magnificent as it used to look ten years ago so the feeling of these buildings will remain like this forever
With this I started exploring plans and elevations of various houses inside walled city and others based on geometry those were majorly pre-colonial and some were these which were traditionally inspired
HASHT BIHISHT
Theoretically Ebba Koch thesis provided the guidelines regarding hasht bihisht
According to her “In architecture Hasht-Bihisht (lit. Persian - Eight Paradises) refers to a specific type of floorplan common in Persian architecture and Mughal architecture whereby the plan is divided into 8 chambers surrounding a central room.
The eight divisions and frequent octagonal forms of such structures represent the eight levels of paradise for Muslims. The paradigm however was not confined solely to Islamic antecedents. The Chinese magic square was employed for numerous purposes including crop rotation and also finds a Muslim expression in the wafq of their mathematicians. Nine fold schemes find particular resonance in the Indian mandalas, the cosmic maps of Hinduism and Buddhism” (Koch, Ebba. The Complete Taj Mahal)
In the book sense of unity the writer Nader Ardalan has describe it as
“the most significant interaction of the circle and square in traditional art is the mandala or cosmogram which has been represented in many form throughout the cultures of man.as the refelction of the cosmos and the cosmic processes within all things the mandala works through numbers and geometry it recapitulates the permanence of paradise as an idea and its impermanence as a temporal reality”
According to my investigation this form of traditional geometry creates a sense of unity as how two squares act together to create one central space it creates rhythm and harmony in the building the overall look of the building creates the spiritual feeling
E.Koch has describe this plan form as:
“the complete nine fold plan as it became current in Mughal architecture consists of a square (or rectangle), sometimes with corners fortified by towers but more often chamfered so as to form an irregular octagon (termed ‘muthamman Baghdadi’ by the Mughals).the layout is divided by four intersecting construction lines into nine parts, comprising a domed chamber in the center rectangular open halls in the middle of the sides in the form either of pishtaqs or of flat roofed verandahs supported by pillars(the Mughal ‘iwan’) and two storey vaulted rooms or blocks in the corners, reflected on the façade by superimposed vaulted niches (nashiman)..(in the radially planned versions of this scheme the corner rooms are linked to the main domed chamber by additional diagonal passages….the term ‘hasht bihisht’(“eight paradises”) has been interpreted as a reference to the eight rooms surrounding the central chamber’ (Koch Ebba ,1991)
After investigating all the plan forms I have concluded that one becomes aware of the use of traditional geometry along with the function as how to use it without disturbing the function of certain space. By this I get a clear idea of how to use rhythm proportion and harmony in the plans and how sometimes take function over geometry but in a certain manner, and how to relate man made things with their archetypes, how beauty can be enhanced according to geometry and how to create timeless architecture
SITE:
Chota Mufti baqar, Delhi Gate (walled city of Lahore)
There is no space for artists inside walled city where they can work and conduct researches
No proper space where data about the city is archived
People around the city don’t have any idea about how meaningful and important their area is and how they can help authorities to save this culture and architecture
The historical city is not helping the country economically wherever it can do wonders for the economy of Pakistan
How local people can be incorporated in the process of restoration to help uplifting their area
What is the need of this space(walled city)
How can it become a hub for artists where they can work alongside local people
What kind of space uplift the value of a site?
Numerous websites have also been visited in order or educate oneself of the information on walled city
By visiting o the site several times and by living there for a day
Communication with local people there and with the craftsman working there for restoration
By visiting walled city Lahore authority office and collecting various information
Providing platform for local artisans and for artists throughout the world
To create public private partnership
To help understand local community the importance of buildings around them through providing them platform
Artists’ professional development
Economic benefits for the artist, the host, the region, etc.
Cultural development for the artist, the host organization, the local community
Organizational learning and capacity building for the host organization and for community organizations
Space where artists from all over the world and people who wants to conduct research can live and enjoy the true essence of walled city
To create a space where local people can learn basic techniques to be used in process of restoration so that they can help the authorities and both can benefit each other in a meaningful way
The basic design has been achieved by exploring geometry around the site
Use of courtyards inside the building to help with the weather conditions as well as the design followed around the site.
Massing of the plan through references of hasht bihihst geometry.
By creating a space which blends in with its surroundings by using basic design elements for e.g. jharoka etc.
The Design of the residency has to act as a tool that reflects the uniqueness of the walled city and their history the idea is to create a space where one can communicate with each other and experience their surroundings
The design is conducted to maintain an experience with surroundings, built (archaeological site) and buildings surrounding it
The buildings are placed in a way that views of Wazir khan mosque can be seen from most of the parts of the buildings artists’ studios have been given utmost importance while considering views and their functions
Elements like courtyards, tharras, jharokas, waterbodies,char bagh,arches etc have been used in the buildings according to their functionality and requirement
Lahore the architectural heritage by lucy peck
Topophlia of space and place anna suvvorova
Making Lahore modern by William j glover
Streets: Critical Perspectives on Public Space
History of Lahore by kuhniya laal
Images reference: all images of aspect 1 are taken by me
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