Showcasing architect models from Lyari to a village in southern Punjab

The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment (FABE) at the Nazeer Hussain University (NHU) recently held its annual Architectural Thesis Jury, showcasing the diverse and innovative projects of graduating students.

The students demonstrated their commitment to exploring creative solutions under the guidance of their thesis coordinators, architects Hanee Murtuza and Andaleeb Rizvi. FABE Chairperson Murtuza, who has been instructing final-year thesis for over 15 years, appreciated the students for putting their year-long efforts into presenting varying topics to the panel of top architects and academics of the country.

The jury panel included architects Abbas Reza Jaffery, Amir Nazir Chaudhary, Arif Belgaumi, Danish Ali Abidi, Fahim Khatri, Ghufran Bashir, Kamran Ansari, Najmi Hassan, Sadia Fazli, Sheema Aamir and Sikandar Hayat Khan.

An architecture thesis is the culmination of a five-year rigorous training programme based on research, design and critical thinking. Students take up real-life architectural and urban design issues to provide relevant design solutions to present in the final thesis jury.

Among the top students, Sundal Waseem’s research focused on the hidden narratives and aspirations of the residents of Lyari. Her design aimed to amplify the voices of the marginalised and foster community-led transformation. She proposed a correlational space for the heart of Lyari.

Moving away from the city, student Areeb Khan took up community housing, focusing on intervening in the deltaic region of Kharochan. He proposed sustainable socioeconomic solutions to address the challenges of sea intrusion and flooding faced by downstream communities due to upstream water-related infrastructure.

One of the jurors, architect Kamran Ansari appreciated the dedicated faculty, and said the students presented “pretty mature work, which, from visualisation to realisation”, presented a promising picture of the future of architectural education.

“Many students presented out-of-the-box projects,” he added while pointing to the work of student Shahid Zafar, whose proposal explores the revitalisation of Dera Din Panah, a village in southern Punjab.

He documented the historic shrine of saint Din Panah (Syed Abdul Wahab Shah Bukhari as per the Muzaffargarh Gazette’s Volume 34), whose tomb is considered the village’s identity. Student Muhammad Huzaifa presented a blueprint for inclusivity focused on autism spectrum disorder.

The jury panel, comprising esteemed professionals from the field of architecture, provided valuable feedback and guidance to the students. The event served as a platform for the students to showcase their talent, receive constructive criticism and gain valuable insights into the professional world.

The university’s architecture programme is renowned for its rigorous curriculum and emphasis on practical application. The architectural thesis display is ongoing till Saturday, January 25, 2025.

The NHU has a robust architectural programme that is accredited by the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP), which regulates the professions of architecture and urban design and town planning across Pakistan.

In its visit last year to accredit the graduating batch, the PCATP team had appreciated the FABE for actively working on academia-industry linkages by participating in international design competitions.