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The new Government, new hopes
Saturday, 21 June 2008The past government was boasting artistic freedom but on ground nothing has really changed. The institutions like Alhamara and arts councils keep busy with promoting confused notions of nationalism, culture and history which combined with favouratism and corruption mars any creative expression. The unpredictable political situation forces quick fix and precious funds are wasted in imposing ready made solutions. The govenment needs to take real initiatives, like developing a national curriculum for art & music education and introducing art education at primary level schools.
We sincerely hope that the new govt. both in Punjab & federal level will try to materialize concrete programs for the preservation and sustainance of traditional arts....we hope...
Shadi Lal house Government Polytecnic Institute
Friday, 21 September 2007Every time a student walks past a really urgent, expressive piece of architecture that belongs to his college, it can help reassure him that he does have that mind, does have that soul." Louis Kahn Students at the Government Polytechnic Institute Lytton Road are on the streets protesting the planned move by the Punjab Government to move their campus to a new location.
It is our plea that the government considers and reviews its decision in the best interest of the students both present and future and the great city of Lahore as a seat of learning.
Historical buildings are rooms and walls that shelter the city soul and need protection from heedless destruction. The important question is how do we preserve history and yet continue to serve the needs of the present. What merits protection , what can be dispensed, how do we preserve are issues which will always be debated but some of these questions have been extensively explored and found agreement in the form of international charters pertaining to conservation of heritage.
The architectural value and context of the building in its setting are perhaps the most important considerations in planning for conservation in this case.
The college building which is one of the structures on the site was built by Sir Shadi Lal as his residence in the early part of the twentieth century. Sir Shadi Lal was a judge of the Lahore High Court and one of the first Indians to qualify as for the Indain Civil Service which he later quit in favor of legal practice.
It is a typical hybrid architecture of late colonial period combining neo-classical layout, very English masonry construction and services with local architectural elements. Its art historical value rests not on its quality of architecture but its representative value as a residential building type of a certain scale. There are fewer examples every year of such buildings as Lahore changes and grows. It is indeed a candidate for conservation but how should it be conserved merits serious focus.
Government Polytechnic is providing education to thousands of Lahori girls who have as much a right to be housed in a worthy building as anyone else or more so. It is true that heavy use is not recommended for delicate historical structures but Sir Shadi Lal built a strong structure which has withstood abuse and survived. What we have lost through this neglect is the finishes and embellishments and also have aggravated threat to the structure by continued water damage. We can dream of making this conservation project a truly participatory venture it can lead to not only to saving the building but also be of didactic value for the students…create urgently needed disciplines supporting building conservation …surveying and documentation classes….decorative art and craft classes….
The polytechnic is providing the area with an important public institution and is very conveniently located for the vast majority of students….this issue of lacation needs to be considered…Chuna Mandi college principal has often spoken of how its location inside the city walls allowed many girls to have college education who would never have afforded or be permitted to go outside for education.
If the venture of the Punjab government is only based on land value multiplication and dreams of hotels for the tourists who had a morbid interest in walking through dead cities it is very wrong…
It is definitely worth the input of professionals and citizens who care about the city.
Green Lahore
Friday, 22 June 2007A Green Lahore
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The canal presents a great opportunity for creating a green corridor through the city. Keeping it porous, pedestrian friendly, bike friendly and connected to the greens in the adjacent areas will be crucial for realizing this dream. The city government has decided to do a new series of piecemeal new road projects on the Canal, these include an underpass at the Muslim Town crossing where an overhead bridge built only two years ago was dismantled and other preparatory work for the underpass has been initiated. It is critical that citizens demand a public hearing on the proposed project. Architects, urban designers, engineers, city planners, landscape experts, concerned citizens should look into this project.
