iii Iflliiii I I I II IIII ] 1L 1 I III IIII III II I II I II IlttEI 1111 l JI 1I..L uuuulff uuuulf LI I

IN SEARCH OF APPROPRIATEARCHITECTURE: A Jamat Khana in Hunza, Pakistan

by

Khalil Karim Pirani

Bachelorof Arts, Universityof Pennsylvania Philadelphia,Pennsylvania 1984

Submittedto the Departmentof Architecturein partial fulfillment of requirementsof the degreeof Master of Architecture atthe Massachusetts Institute of Technology

February 1989

Signatureof the Author Khalil Karim Pirani Departmentof Architecture January17, 1989

Certifiedby Ronald Lewcock Professorof Architectureand Aga Khan Professorof Designin IslamicSocieties ThesisSupervisor

Acceptedby mre Halasz Chairman,Department Committee for GraduateStudents

'In the name of Allah @ Khalil Karim Pirani 1989. All rights reserved. the most beneficentthe most merciful' The authorhereby grants to MITpermission to reproduceand to distributepublicly copies of tla&tatsisW4=pmontlu whole or in part. " OFTEHNOLO6Y OFTENoGY

t AR 07 1989 11 1R07 1989

UR- UAEUBREES ii IN SEARCH OF APPROPRIATE ARCHITECTURE: A Jamat Khana In Hunza, Pakistan by KhalilKarim Pirani

Submitted to the Departmentof Architecture on January 17, 1989 in partial fulfillmentof requirementsof the degreeof Masterof Architecture

Abstract

In today's world of technological advancement,communication has become easierthan ever before. This, along with its benefits,has inflictedsevere blows to architecture in developing nations. Concepts have been imitated and technologies transposed without any concern or regard for appropriateness. Changeshave been acceptedwithout a care for the past and without any sense of future direction. This indifferent attitude is proving detrimentalto the future built environmentof ThirdWorld countries.

Hunza,a region locatedin the northof Pakistanand untoucheduntil the last few years, is facing new challengesbecause of increasedcommunication not only with developedparts of the country,but also with the rest of the world. Its natural beautyand difficult mountainterrain has attractedpeople from all over the world byway of the newlybuilt Karakoram highway.

iii In this hazy mist of change in Hunza, the local architectureis being severely affected. People are using new building materials in their own way of constructionwithout any fear or concern.

A searchto establisha comprehensivebase for an appropriatearchitecture in the spiritof Hunza is beyondthe scopeof this thesis, but an attempt has beenmade in my own way to discover an architectureresponding to currentneeds and using appropriatematerials, while keepingin sight Hunza'shistory, tradition and culture whichthe faithof the locals,Islam, demands. Thisthesis addresses theseissues

by using the design of a jamat khana in the village of Karimabad,Hunza, as a vehicle. A community building of this significance may help in providing a forum for local builders,masons and craftsmenwhere they can revitalizetheir traditional ideas and searchfor appropriatesolutions -- whateverthe needbe.

ThesisSupervisor: Ronald Lewcock Title: Professorof Architectureand Aga KhanProfessor of Designin IslamicSocieties, MIT

iv Acknowledgement

Thanksto:

ProfessorRonald Lewcock for his sensitiveand criticalguidance; also for making himselfavailable whenever needed, and for including MasoodKhan in the team.

To MasoodKhan, Bill Hubbard,and ProfessorWaclaw Zalewski for their valuable input as thesis readers.

To my sponsors,especially the Aga Khan Foundation,for makinga better future possible.

To Didier Lefortat Aiglemont,for providingresearch material and for discussions on the subject.

To Sheema Aamir, Sarfaraz Abdullah, Yew-Hoe and Ruth for their help and support.

Finally,thanks to my family (especiallyto Amir)for their encouragement,support and prayers,without which I may not havereached this far.

v Table of Contents

Abstract ...... iii Acknowledgement...... v Table of Contents ...... vi Introduction ...... 1

I-BACKGROUND Chap.1 Village of Karimabad ...... 4 Chap.2 Religion ...... 14 Chap.3 Architecture ...... 21 Chap.4 Change ...... 36

1I- IN SEARCH OF APPROPRIATE ARCHITECTURE Chap.5 Concepts and Search Process ...... 45 Chap. 6 The Design Searched ...... 68

Ill-REFLECTIONS ...... 101

Appendix

1. Seismicityin the NorthernArea of Pakistan...... 110 2. Building Materialsin Hunza and their Costs ...... 117

IllustrationCredit ...... 130 Bibliography...... 131

vi Introduction

A jamat khana is a placeof prayerfor the Shi'iaImami Ismaili Muslims, where both men and womencongregate to pray in spiritualunion. It is generallyused twice a day and accessis limited to the believersof the faith only, particularlyduring the prayerceremony.

The word jamat meansa group or congregationof people,and khana means a house. Hence, jamat khana is a house for congregation. Since it becomes a regular meetingplace for the membersof the community,it is normal for other communityactivities and affiliated offices to be a part of the jamat khana.1 The design thesisproposes contains shopsas part of the jamat khanacomplex. This unusualconcept for an Ismailijamat khana is proposedonly as a responseto the demandsof the site and existing situation. It aids in achievingan appropriate building accordingto the context without compromisingthe sacrednessof the prayerhall.

This will be a placeof congregation,of order,of peace,of prayer, of hope,of humilityand of brotherhood. --His HighnessPrince Karim Aga Khan2

1 This thesis, involving the designof a jamat khana, has been a journey of an opportunity and a challenge -- an opportunity to search for a definition of appropriateand suitable architecturefor the Hunza valley, and a challenge to search for an appropriate design solution reflecting the local traditions of the communityof Karimabad,Hunza. Two steps have been involvedin this exercise. The first has been to understand and study critically and thoroughly the personalityof Hunza. This involvednot only an understandingof the local people and of their aspirations,culture and tradition;but it also included the history of their building system and the changes it is undergoing;the reasons for these changes and the direction the building industry might eventually take. The secondstep involveda seriesof design searchprocesses to determinewhat kind of solutions might meet the requirements of the program and be suitable to the area. The solutionselected as appropriateis one of many that reflect the culture and tradition of the region. The considerationsfor this design search besides climaticconditions, site, available building materials and availableskills, have been the faith(Islam), the culture,the historyand the aspirationsof the people.

Anotherprimary concern of the thesis has been to raise questionsabout future building systems appropriate for the Hunza region. In the course of this investigationattempt was made to discover the potential within the society to allow difficult choices and to reflect its hopes and thus to contribute to an understandingof how interventionsmight be made in the area. The design of the jamat khanahas beena vehiclefor approachingthese issuesand is utilizedto

2 show the stateof architecture,technically and traditionally,in a particulartime and place.

The idea of doing a thesis on theHunza valley of Pakistanoccurred to me in Fall 1986,after I made my first trip to the region,thanks to the Aga Khan Programfor IslamicArchitecture at MIT. As in many other Third World countries, designers and planners in Pakistan, together with the government, have neglected the plight of the rural villages. This is true for the whole of the Northern Area of Pakistan,which has been like a neglectedbackyard of the nation. Due to the increase in communicationwith the rest of the countrythe peopleof the Hunza region have becomeperplexed about the appropriateand proper use of the building system, and a sense of anarchism pervades in the whole region. Constructionwith new materialsis being done at the expenseof the old without any concern for the future environment. If the people in Hunza allow this, it is very likely that future generationswill lose touch and respectfor their own culturaland spiritual values which may be followed by dissatisfaction with the new system in the courseof time -- but then it may be too late.

1 For a detailed descriptionof the functionand the role ofjamat khanain the Shi'ia ImamiIsmaili Muslim community, please refer to Chapter2.

2 FoundationCeremony of BurnabyJamat Khana, Canada,July 26,1982.

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Chapter 1

The Village of Karimabad

"Wemust learn tounderstand them (monuments of past)well, notsimply to preservethem as museumsof pastglories, but to feelin everypart of them-- a stonemasonry, a brickdome, a window,an ornament,or a gardenarrangement -- that unique spirit,that uniqueway that made these monuments Islamic. Only thenwill we beable to impartthe same spirit to thetechnical meansand to theforms of today." -- His HighnessPrince Karim Aga Khani

4 The Hunza district in Pakistan is one of the world's most remote and difficult to reach regions becauseof its mountainousterrain. This area contains a large number of Muslim population and forms a significant componentnot only of Pakistan but of the entire Islamic world. The peopleof the Hunzavalley are farmers by occupation. The local culture, tradition,art and architectureof the region add richness not only to the sub-continent but to the whole of the Muslim society. Within this mountainousHimalayan region sits a small village, Karimabad,70 miles north of Gilgit (which is the hub of the region) and 520 miles from Islamabad. At one time, Karimabadwas the capital of the Hunza valley becauseof its beauty and strategiclocation. The vernaculararchitecture and the built environmentreflect a unique culture, and the indigenous method of construction makes optimum use of the available building materialand expertise.

Karimabad(which used to be called Baltit) sits in a valley formed by two mountains -- Rakaposhi which is 23,400 feet high and Bohajaghur Duansir,22,170 feet. The village, in the Tropic of Cancer,lies between the 36th and 37th latitude and the 74th and 75th longitude. It is about 5,000feet abovesea level and lies in a high seismiczone. The village has about 600 houses and the population is approximately 12,000. Agricultureis the most commonoccupation here and in the whole of the NorthernArea.

5 N/ -- /

USSR

CHINA

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-_ TIBET ' a--

PAKISTAN

USSR .--- CHINA INDIA -Iarimabad

(e -) - Chitral Gilgit

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imabad ralpiidi INDIA

Lahore Fig. 1.1 Locationmap of Karimabad.

6 Baltit Fort

ProjectSite

Fig.1.2 Aerialview of the Karimabadvillage. The settlement in Karimabadbegan 600 hundredyears ago when the Baltit Fort was built. It acted as the guardianof the village people,and most of the old houses were built aroundor inside it. The fort can be seen from the west side of the village only and, as typically found elsewhere,was also used for observationand defense against enemies. The natural integrationof the fort, its topography,its location and material in some

7 way represent a small-scalereplica of the mighty, dominating mountain that surroundsit.

The climatic conditionsinfluence many aspectsof life and hence are very important. The village has a continentalmountainous climate which is very dry -- cold in winter with a few inches of snow, and warm in summer. There is very little rain -- mostly in April through July, so the land is dry. The winds runningthrough the valleys are quite cold in

Fig. 1.3 A cluster of housesas viewedfrom theBaltit Fort.

8 winter, and in order to preserve heat, the interiors ofthe houses are small. This size is also necessarybecause the village is in a high seismic zone. Furthermore,to limit thethermal exchange between theoutside and the inside of the building, there are very small openings in the walls (at times none) and only one in the roofs. This characteristicforms the basic architecturalfeature in the housesof the region.

Generally, the entire region, including Karimabad village, lacks a traditionalenergy source becausethe quantity of wood available is very small becauseof deforestation,and importationof natural gas and oil is quite expensive. Sun is the only natural source of energy available. A Fig. 1.4 A typical alleyof a Hunza village. small mountainstream, called Barbar, runs through the village and can possiblybe usedto generatepower and run small mills.

The rural architecturein the village is an immediateresult of the above factors. The basic housing unit, located on the alluvium, traditionally consistsof a single squareroom with one entranceand one openingin the roof. Until a hundred years ago, the family size varied from 5 to 15 persons per unit. Today the family is smaller, but several households live in one unit. In the past all the choreswere carried out in this single room, but today the kitchen has beenseparated from the main room and there is additionalspace for storage. In summerthe verandah provides double living space. Some houses have courtyardsin which residents keep their animalsand grow fruit trees.

9 The house is unhealthfulbecause there are not enough openings. This rudimentary solution to preserve the interior temperature and the seismic problemshas provedto bea sourceof toxic diseases. The small openings do not provide sufficient ventilation for the smoke which is producedby cooking. In winter the womenand the childrenspend most of their time insidethe house and men go out only occasionally. Hencethe villagers are exposedto little direct sunlight and fresh air in the winter. Moreover,the inadequateopenings allow very little natural light inside.

The water supply for the village is a mountainstream called Barbar. It meets not only the drinkingand domesticneeds of the villagers,but also the irrigation of the fields. The villagers have constructed artificial wells which act as water reservoirsfor every neighborhood. Very few (4 or 5) of the new houseshave plumbingconnections with an overheadtank. These tanks get their supplyfrom the samestream.

Another primary utility, electricity, has been very recently introduced. For the majority, electricity is supplied only two or three days of the week. A special connection with a power station provides an electric supply everyday,and only the affluenthomes, public buildingsand hotels havesuch an arrangement.

The people of Karimabadand the surroundingregion are very religious Fig. 1.5 The centraljamat khana in the Karimabad and consciousof their tradition and culture. Every village has mosques village.

10 and jamat khanasfor prayers,and they also serve as communitycenters for social and cultural purposes.

Karimabad is undergoingsome rapid changes both economically and traditionally. There are two reasons behind these changes. First is the village's proximity to the KarakoramHighway, an importantengineering achievementcompleted about ten years ago. This highwaycrosses the Himalayanmountain belt betweenPakistan and Chinaand representswhat at one time was the silk trading route. The villages near the highway, including Karimabad,have begun to enjoy a great deal of commercial activity. Secondly, in 1977, the Pakistan governmentended the tribal ruling systemof the regionand the rule of the Mir of Hunza also came to an end. The peoplegained some freedomto leave the village, and the younger generation has begun moving to moredeveloped parts of the country. Today it is commonto find that at least one man of each family has gone tothe cityeither for educationor a job. Uponreturn, he tends to act as a catalystfor change,both in the householdand in the village as a whole.

To clearly understandKarimabad's history, one must analyze the roleof the Baltit Fort in the village. The settlementof the village began some 600 hundred years ago when the fort was built. Its history is not precisely known, but the existing structure, which is quite large and Fig. 1.6 One of the bays of the Baltit Fort. composedof many additions, developed in several stages. It is also

11 believed thatthe artisans who built this structure came from Baltistan,a district in the southeastof Karimabad. When thePrince of Hunza married to the Princessof Baltistan,the fort was part of the dowry. Thefather of the princesssent an army of masonsto build two forts --- one in Altit

Fig. 1.8 TheAltit fort located aboutone milefrom Karimabadvillage.

Fig. 1.7 Viewof the Baltit Fortas seen fromthe housesbelow it.

12 and the other in Baltit i.e., Karimabad. It was designed to house and protect the villagers and their animals when necessary -- for example, during a siege. This explainswhy the fortresshas so many small rooms and largestorage areas. This monumenthas strongassociations for the people now as it reflects the art, the taste, the culture and the craftsmanshipof the people and also remindsthem of their history and heritage.

Next to this fort, the peoplehave strong affiliationswith the jamat khanas in the village which fulfill not only their religious need but also act as catalysts in their social and cultural activities. Currently, there are eightjamat khanas in the villagelocated homogeneously.Their history is not preciselyknown but the existingones in the village show the attention and reverencethey receivefrom the people in terms of constructionand maintenance.The size and capacityof jamat khanasgrew as increasein populationand changes in communalactivities took place. Today, the village requires a new facility, to accommodatetheir religious activities and the changingadministrative structure of the communityin the region. Fig. 1.9 Carvedtimber screen in the Altit Fort.

1 AgaKhan Award for Architecture,Architecture & Community:Building in the IslamicWorld. NewYork: Aperature Publishers, 1983. p. 11.

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Chapter 2

Religion

14 Religion-- may it be easternor western, or pastor present-- has been the major force in governingthe culture and traditionof a society. It acts asthe spiritof a body which is the societyof a place. A differencein religionis easily reflectedin the cultureand tradition of the people; same is true for the people of the Hunza region.

As mentioned in the previous chapter, the religion of the people in Hunza, including the village of Karimabad, is Islam. The whole of the Karimabad populationis of the Shi'ia ImamiIsmaili Muslim sect. For the approximately12,000 inhabitants of the village, there are eight jamat khanas, i.e., places of

Fig. 2.1 The Garden Jamat Khana in Karachi, Pakistan congregationalprayers. The term jamat khana originallymeant a place to pray. With the passage of time, more social institutions and offices developedwithin the communityand eventuallybecame attached to the physicalfacility of the jamat khana. So today with numerouskinds of organizationsand institutions,the term jamat khana refersto the whole complex of which the prayer hall still is the most significantspace. The jamat khana being proposedin this thesis is a complexthat will functionallyreplace the existing central jamat khana of the village, which is simplya prayerhall.

In order to clearly understandthe role of a jamat khana in the life of an ordinary IsmailiMuslim, and also to help understandthe cultureof the peopleof the Hunza region,it is essentialthat the Shi'ia Imami Ismailifaith of Islambe discussedbriefly.

15 Islam proclaimsto be the faith that was revealedto ProphetMuhammad ibne Abdullahof Arabia in the late sixth and early seventhcentury A.D. Its followers today numberaround 0.9 to 1 billion. Of its two majordivisions, the Sunnisform the largemajority while the Shi'ias(or Shi'ites) are a minority. The Shi'iastend to be found more frequently in non-Arab countries but except in Iran, Iraq and Bahrainthey are a minority. Within each division are many smallergroups and interpretations.The IsmailiTariqah (interpretation) is part of the Shi'iaTradition.

The primary philosophical difference between the Shi'ias and the Sunnis concernsthe leadership,particularly in spiritual matters,of the Muslimsafter the death of ProphetMuhammad. During his lifetime ProphetMuhammad was both the secularand the religiousleader of his followers. Duringthe last 8 to 10 years of his life he saw his followershiprise from a few thousandto tens of thousands. Justificationto both his secularas well as religious responsibilitiesmade him, at the same time, a Prophetand head of government. It must be understoodthat a highlystructured or formal form of governmentdid not exist in Islam at that time and hence the Prophet'srole as secular head of the Muslims is generally not likenedto a head of government.

Upon the death of Prophet Muhammad,issues concerningthe continuationof that leadershiparose. Byand large,the Sunni Muslimsmaintained that after the Prophet'sdeath each Muslimwas left to interpretand practicehis faith according to his understanding.The guiding light in this instance wasto be the holy book, the Quran, revealedto the Prophet,his life, sayings and teachings. Historical

16 evolutionof this division of Islam has created institutions and mechanismsfor generatinga commoninterpretation for sectionsof the population.

The Shi'ia Muslims, on the other hand, believe that the successor to the leadershipof the Muslimcommunity both in spiritualand temporalmatters was the Prophet'scousin and son-in-law,Ali. This leadershipwas to continuethereafter by hereditythrough Ali inthe Prophet'sfamily, which accordingto the Prophet consistedof five closely related members in his lifetime. This family is called PanchtanPak and in the Shi'iabelief the successor-- calledthe Imam-- was to be a descendant. This became the fundamentalconcept of Imammate,i.e., the belief that an Imam inherits both forms of leadership. The Shi'ia division, historically,split up into manysub-groups, mostly over questionsof legitimate heirship. The Ismailisare probablythe onlygroup today that claimsto follow a living,manifest Imam whom they claim to be the direct descendantof the Prophet and Ali.

The Shi'ia emphasison leadershipin bothspiritual and secularmatters of human life comes not only from their particular traditions and understandingof the Prophet'slife andteaching but also fromthe fact that the Quranhas addressedall aspects ofhuman life. In a very (historically)contemporary context, the Quran relates directly to physical, socio-cultural, economic, political, intellectualand emotionalissues of Muslims. TheIsmaili tradition maintainsthat the Imamshave alwaysfulfilled both these roles. Prominentexamples are the FatimidCaliphs of

North Africa and Egyptand of course the more recent Sir Sultan Muhammad

17 Shah Aga Khan Ill. This interpretationmandates that the Imammateinvolve itself in mattersof materialand spiritualsignificance to the followers. Another natural consequenceof the interface betweenreligion and material life is that the value structureof societybecomes closely inter-woven with religion,and hence the two are inseparable. In Islam,humanistic values suchas honesty,integrity, kindness, t 4 . care, hardwork, etc., are consideredpious virtues.

The Ismailis,numbering around 15 to 20 million, live in more than 25 countries IN * aroundthe world. They are almost invariablytiny minoritiesin the countries of their residence. Only a small fraction lives in countrieswhere open practice of

Fig.~Th rneAyS~ ~2. Ka ~ aa * hn faith is permitted. Within this group a very substantialproportion lived, until very in Kaachi Pakstan recently,in areas dominatedby Sunni Muslims. A natural result was introversion and isolation. It has been only in the past two to three decadesthat this attitude has begunto changein any majorway.

A place of congregationfor the Shi'ia Imami Ismaili Muslims assumes a very significant place in the life of the community. Ismailis call their place of congregationalprayers a jamat khana or house of congregation. It is usually a propertyof the Imammateand accessis restrictedto membersonly, particularly during prayer. However, prayeris notthe only activityperformed there. In fact, the jamat khana is also a socialand cultural center in many ways. The lattertwo functionsstem primarilyfrom the fact that the Ismailiinterpretation of Islam sees faith as encompassingmaterial life. Also, as mentioned,this belief sanctifies as religiousall materialactivity that is humanitarianin nature.

18 Thus a jamat khanain many ways acts as a spiritualand socio-culturalnidus for Ismailisin most partsof the world. The secularrole is generallymuch strongerin the developingworld, where public social institutionsare generallynot very well- developed. In these areas the jamat khana tends to play a very vital role in the community life of Ismailis. The administrativefunctions of the community are often performedfrom the same physicalpremises. It is, therefore,not uncommon to find variouscommunity administrative offices in jamat khanas. Suchoffices may

be national,regional or localcouncils, variousboards that look into and attemptto influence health, education, recreation, religious education and family and societal life, class rooms for education, etc.. Thus, Boy Scout movementsare jamat khana based in many locations in India and Pakistan as are bands and orchestras. Notonly are marriagessolemnized, but servicesof arbitrationin family Fig. 2.3 Interior view of the Burnaby Jamat Khana and business disputes are offered, too. Employment assistance services, prayer hall, located in British Columbia, Canada. educationalseminars and short courses, economicadvice and health check-ups, the list is as varied as it is long. Furthermore,glorification of voluntaryservices as relating to religious values, generates a phenomenal resource of volunteer manpower which is then channeled into community and general societal development.

The primary function of a jamat khana, however, is spiritual. Hence, the most prominentpart in any jamat khana is generallythe prayerhall. In accordancewith the almost ubiquitous Muslim tradition, seating inside the prayer hall is on a covered floor, except of course for people with special needs, for whom a few chairs will generally be provided. Genders are generally segregatedwithout

19 formal partitions, each occupying approximately one half of the space. Two priests, the mukhi (chief) and kamdia (deputy) and their female counterparts (mukhiani and kamdiani) manage the various rituals and prayer ceremonies. Managingdoes not necessarilymean performing or leadingthe services. It simply meansthat the mukhi and kamdiawill authorizeand regulate the performance. They are also responsiblefor the physicaladministration of the jamat khanaand will sit onmost administrativebodies that run the other socialfunctions described earlier. Thus,while they are not preachersthey will look after religiouseducation activitiesin their jurisdiction. And, while they are not health professionals,they will sit on healthcommittees, etc.. The entire socialorganizational structure is of a complex,matrix type, but theexecutive officers of the jamat khana (as the mukhi Fig. 2.4 One of the jamat khanas in Altit, Hunza. and kamdia are often referredto) haveconsiderable authority and respectin the community.

Thus the jamat khana isan integralpart of the life of individualsand of the Shi'ia Imami Ismaili Muslimcommunity, as a whole. Its design and architecturemust consider its many dual functions -- spiritual and temporal -- as well as the surroundingin whichit sits.

Fig. 2.5 A jamat khana in Alyabad, Hunza.

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Chapter 3

Architecture

21 To designany building, it is essentialto study and understandthe characterand personality of the built environment of the surrounding region. This section, therefore contains background information about the various types of architecture that exist in the Hunza regionin general and in Karimabad in particular. It also includes information aboutintroduction of cement and steel in the region, and how an increase in communicationaffected the local building industry.

Building Materials For years most Hunza families have had some memberwho through necessity learnedhow to work with stone ortimber. These artisansand masonswere and still are responsible for constructing the vast majority of buildings in the rural parts of the Hunza. Becausebuilders learn from oneanother, most of the buildings and housesare built using a similar design and constructionmethod. The best examplesof indigenousarchitecture in the NorthernArea of Pakistanare found in the housingsector, which forms 99% of the local architectureof the Northern Area. The ingenuityof the locals is apparentfrom the way theyhave moulded their housesin responseto the availability of materials,climatic conditionsand culture.

In the village of Karimabad theprimary construction materials, both in public and private buildings,are stone, timber, mud and limestone. It is only recentlythat cementconcrete blocks have been usedfor construction. So far concreteblock Fig. 3.1 Traditional systemof constructionwith stone constructionincludes some hotels, a few houses and one school. Stone is and timber.

22 found all over Hunza including Karimabad. It is either obtained and cut into manageablepieces on the site or is broken at the source. Mud is primarilyused as the mortar material and in special cases limestone is used as the external pointing material. The stone walls are usually 18"thick, and for a single story residentialstructure they are quite stable against seismic forces. Currently,the stone supplyfor Karimabadcomes from Husainabadand Alyabadvillages located about five to six miles away. Masons in a recent study mentionedthat a lot of stone is available near Karimabad, but no access road exists for tractor transportationto those sites. If link roads were built, stone acquisitionwould be easier andcheaper for the village.

Fig. 3.2 Interiorof a typicalHunza house. Likestone, timber is alsoa very significantbuilding materialfor constructionin the Hunza region. For the Karimabadvillage, Poplar, the most commonlyavailable tree in the region, is usually acquired from Chillas, a town south of Gilgit. The primaryproblem with the use of timber is that the quite oversizedtimber members that are used as beams and columns are not properly seasoned. Correct instructionsfor the use of timber can result in economizing,so proper usage of timberis an importantfactor in the buildingconstruction of the region.

The architectureof the region can be categorizedinto religious,domestic, and institutional.

23 Religious Architecture Religious architecture is primarily comprised of mosques, jamat khanas and lmambargahs. The quality of constructionhere is much better than that in the domesticsector. The constructionprocess of these buildings serves as a good examplefor local buildersand masons. The materialsused are primarilydressed stones with lime mortar, timber roofs, and timber flooring. One often finds decorativemotifs of geometricand floral pattern on timber columns and beams. These styles can be traced to Persian and Ghandaran culture which first influencedBaltistan and later spreadinto Hunza. Baltistanis regardedas a source of culture,tradition, and architecturalstyle for the Hunza region. Influencefrom the west of Hunza, notablyfrom Badakshan& Turkistan,is felt to a much lesser extent. Fig. 3.3 The centraljamat khana in Krimabad,Hunza

The buildersor masonsfound in this regionare usuallynot skilledartisans and the most commonway they obtain learningor experienceis throughapprenticeship. Since the public or community buildings are built with better quality dressed stones,limestone mortar, and above all with a lot moreprecision and care, these structurescontribute greatly to educatingthe young masonsand artisans.

Public architecturediffers not only in quality but in constructiontechnique from that of residentialarchitecture. For example,the roofing membersare of properly cut timber with galvanizedtin quite often found on top of it. In jamat khanas(and undoubtedlyin some mosques)one does not find columns and thus the weight of the roof is takenby the walls unlike in the residentialsystem. This system in

24 turn creates large spans with pitched roofs and would have probably been introduced during the British colonial rule.

Domestic Architecture The three kinds of domestic architecture are defined by the incomelevel and social statusof the inhabitants:palaces, middle-incomehouses, and low-income 0: houses. Eachis discussedseparately below.

I. Palaces The royal domesticarchitecture consists of castlesor palaces. The village has a castleor fort builtfor its ruler,called the Mir. In the villageof Karimabad,there are two such palaces: the first, called the Baltit Fort, was built about 600 hundred years ago for the Mir ofKarimabad while the secondwas built recently,and is the residence of the Mir's descendant. These structures are often built by the local masons and carpenters,but in special cases, well-knownbuilders are brought from otherdistricts.

The BaltitFort This fort sits in north Karimabadon one of the highest point of the village. It is accessibleonly from the north-westside and was designed to withstand long sieges. As the drawings (Fig. 3.5) show, the fort is composedof many small rooms, and it is believed that the constructionof the fort took place in several Fig. 3.4 The Fort developedfrom a nucleusof one, two or threeShingri towers which were gradually stages. DidierLefort, in his Mimararticle "The Baltit Fort" I analyzesthe complex connectedby a series of roomsto form thebuilding structure of the fort which over time has altered and obscured;for example,its as it standstoday.

25 x

OI .w Fig. 3.6 Woodensquare frames areplaced on top of each other to form a special roofingsystem. The openingformed is calledSagum.

X

Fig. 3.7 Longitudinalsquared timber tie beamsare used in the walls. Fig. 3.5 Floorplans and sectionof the Baltit Fort.

26 earlier forms, may have included as many as three shingri towers which are no longerdistinct architecturally.He mentionsthat the fort basicallydeveloped from

one, two or three of these towers, which were first joined by a series of rooms, and then surroundedby a layer of defensivewalls and guard rooms. Finally, the second and the third storieswere addedon top of the initial structure. The plans of the fort show us that it is basicallycomposed of small square rooms of which some have roofswith smallopenings.

Theseopenings are called sagumand are constructedin a very ingeniousway. A series of square wooden frames have been placed diagonally on top of one another.This arrangementis very clever becauseit serves several purposes at one time. The framesgive morestability to the structure.The layeredframes form a small slope on the roof thus easing the drainage. The opening works as exhaust for smoke and ventilation, and finally allows natural light in. Didier mentionsthat the internallayout of the complexdepicts a nucleatedvillage with a verytraditional way of lifegoing on there at one time. The internalspatial layoutof someparts of the fort resemblesa typical housingunit.

Fig. 3.8 Bay projecting fromthe southernfacade of the fort and is believed to be apartof later additions. II. Middle-Class Housing

The houses in the secondcategory are owned by middle class people. For the villageof Karimabad,this categoryincludes less than 5% of the total numberof houses.These housesare often constructedwith dressedcut stones, limestone mortarand carvedwood columns. The openingsare of high quality timber and

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va y,' b.b -. I.A-

Fig. 3.9 Planof a typicalmiddle-income house.

28 often with glass windows. Roof construction is quite similar to that described in lower class houses, but chimneys or ventilators are added in some cases.

The layoutof housesis quite similar to that observedin urban areas, and various indoor activitiesare segregatedinto different rooms.(See Fig. 3.9) The toilets here are usuallylocated outside the house in the corner of the yard. Often these houses have interior water pipe connections through which water is supplied from overheadtanks.

Ill. Lower-class houses The most commonlyobserved house pattern is that of the low income peopleof the region. This type comprisesabout 95% of the residentialarchitecture in the whole of Hunza. Historically,the patternconsisted of a big, approximatelysquare- shaped room with a fireplace in the center. Although no longer commonly built, this room is used for cooking, dining, sleeping, praying and storage activities. The segregationof spaces for the various activities in the room is achievedby varyingthe floor levelswithin the roomby 6 to 9 inches. The floor is eithermade of compactedearth or, in affluent housesof woodenplanks. The level changes are achievedby the help of plinth level beamswhich are connectedto wooden columns holding the roof. Houses with this traditional layout system are being

replacedby decentralizedplans in which separaterooms have been allocatedfor different activities.

29 The inhabitants have an extendedfamily system, and the average sizeof the family varies from 8 to 13 people. Most commonlythe houseshave two stories-- the upper for summer and the lowerfor winter. Since winter is cold, thelower levels of the house have no openings in the wall, only one in the roof, called sagum.

The low-incomecategory has two types of houses,(i) the Shino Gout (house) and (ii) the KhajunooGout (also known as HunzakutGout). Both categoriesare primarily basedon the same design concept but with minor differences in the layout. Khajun means peopleof Hunza, and hence Khajunoo Goutmeans the house of the Hunza people.For this study both the typeswill be consideredas one.

A typical house consistsof the followingspaces:( Fig. 3.10) 1. Shom: TheShorn is the entry area of the housewhere shoesare kept and is regardedrelatively less cleanarea. Onceremonial occasions theShom is used as a dancingarea by a manand thefamily sits aroundthe fire to watch. 2. Dhambor: Across from the Shorn is the Dhamborwhich is used for storing grain and otherfood itemsfor winter. 3. Maun: Thecentral cooking area, called Maun, is the most commonlyused space and the whole plan revolves around it. The fire used for cooking also provides heat to keep the house warm in winter. Above the fireplace is the square opening for ventilation.

30 1I

HTTI - - -A11J~TIi--

-

A , /

LHAge L~TrA

Fig.3. 10 Typicalplan of a low-incomehouse.

31 4. Shitti: On either side of Maun is the Shitti used for sittingand sleeping and is raised 6 to 9 inches higherthan Maun. There are specialseating areas for senior family membersand newlymarried sons. 5. Pan: Pan is the storagearea.

Roof Structure: There are basicallytwo types of roof constructionsystems. 1. Gasirkum: Inthe Gasirkumsystem, diagonal timber frames are put one on top of anotheras shownin Fig. 3.6. This set of framesforms a squareopening called sagumand sits on four columns. This roof arrangementis the same as described in fort roofing system. The four columns are connected at the plinth level by horizontalmembers. Traditionallyto avoidwater leakagein the roof,the villagers used a bark of long trees called halli on top of the branches.Today, instead of hali, plasticsheets are used becausethey are cheaper. Finally,gara, which is a mixtureof mud and water, is appliedon top. It is believedthat in olden days gara was preparedby mixing mud with apricotjuice to form a moredurable roof which needed less maintenance. Moreover, there used to be a special method of compactingthis gara in orderto producea goodquality roof. In somecases straw was mixed into gara to give more stiffnessand binding to the mud. It may be notedhere that the slope of the roof is a criticalfactor in preventingthe mudfrom washingaway and still allowingproper drainage. In most of the casesthe absence of eaveshas createdsome drainageproblem. Fig. 3.11 A shop being built with the Faskum system using oversized timber rafters.

32 In this constructionsystem the outsidewall actsonly as a curtainwall however,it is quite expensiveas it takes a lot of labor, requiresa specialkind of wood, requires morewood thanusual and takes moretime to construct.

2. Faskum: The Faskumsystem is simplylaying horizontal rafters on the wall to take most of the load. This systemis not as sturdy as the previous system becauseof the following: (a) the roof rests on the walls which act as the load bearingmember. The collapseof the wall, in case of earthquake,will cause the roof to fall also. (b) The columnssupporting the roof are notconnected to timber beamsat plinthlevel which helpthe structureto swaywith the lateral earthquake

forces by meansof a pin joint. (c) The roof structureitself does not make use of any diagonalbracing (as in the caseof Gasirkum)which makes it relativelycheaper

but less strong.

2001 Roof Covering: In both roofing systems,a very similar method is adoptedfor 2001 coveringthe roof. Wooden planks of about 1/2" to 1" thicknessare laid onthe beamsor raftersand halli is laid on top to avoid water seepage.2 The halli, is

coveredby a mixtureof mud,water and wheatwaste. This mixtureis calledgara and is usually8 to 10 inchesthick.

Walls: The most traditional way of constructingwalls was by laying alternate coursesof sun dried mud and timber. The functionof timber courses was to tie the structure together probably as protection against earthquakes. With the Fig. 3.12 Traditionalwall constructionwith transverse mud bricks and timber courseswere laid timber ties through the width of the wall. passageof time stone replacedthese

33 less often in the wall. In the Hunza region, houses builtabout hundredyears ago did not take into account to full extent the use of timber course in walls probably due to the scarcityof wood and its increasingcost.

Institutional Architecture Institutional architecture primarily consists of schools and government rest- houses. Karimabadvillage contains schools made of cut and dressedstone walls andtimber roofingsystem. The Aga Khan KarimabadGirls Academybuilt recently has used hollow cement concrete blocks and reinforced concrete. This has given the village peoplea new exposureto the use of cementblocks. Currently, anotherschool is under constructionin the village but with dressedstones.

Summary In general, the indigenous housing system of Karimabadexpresses originality, consistency and coherence. Though it does not tackle the seismic problems fully, it has a senseof ingenuity. The use of timber beamsat plinth level, andthe arrangementof square frames in the roofing system is a proof of this ingenuity. The division of spaces between open, semi-openand privatespace is depicted in its basic natural form. The simplicity in the use of building materials, the economizationin the use of interior space,the layoutof houses in the formation of clusters,the relationshipof these clustersin the formationof village,and above all the hierarchicalarrangement between the residentialand communalstructures of lifeof the people. This originality, reflectthe culture, the tradition and the way Fig. 3.13 Viewsof the Aga Khan KarimabadGirls howeversimple it may be, is not ordinarilyavailable in this presentage. Academy.

34 The domesticand non-domestic architectureof Hunza,including Karimabad, has different construction system and quality. Interventions from outside agencies have so far dealt with non-domesticarchitecture and hence thequality has been maintained;but the introductionof cementconcrete blocksto this categoryhas, so far, had bad affectson domesticsector in the region. Not much improvement has beenachieved in the overall indigenoushousing architecture of the region, becausethe recentconstruction is an economizedversion of traditional system usinginferior materialsto save cost,and alsobecause of the useof new materials without any know-how.If the traditional architecturalcharacteristic of the Hunza regionhas to be preserved, properinstruction systemregarding the changeand use of appropriate construction technique, alternateto the old system, is desperatelyneeded in the region,without whichthe characterand personalityin the future may not be what is lefttoday.

1 Lefort, Didier. "The Batit Fort" in Mimar 20. Singapore: Concept Media Pte Ltd. 1985.

2 Thoughno longerused, haffi is a bark obtainedfrom a tree. A recentstudy showed that ha/i is not available in Karimabad and is imported, when needed, from the Nagar village which is located about a mile and a half away.

35 Chapter 4

The Change

Change is coming to these areas, with new roads, communications,ideas,and markets. Our children will know a world that is different fromtoday's..... Take for example,the new field of tourism. Your hills and villages are beautiful. They are natural resourcesthat can attract people ... but they are fragile; they can be destroyed by careless developmentand ugly new buildings. Village Organizations will need to plan, and train people, to preserve and develop their natural resources of beauty and simplicity that are unique in the world. -- His HighnessPrince Karim Aga Khan1

36 Changesusually occur becauseof two reasons:(1) new expectationsthat evolve

in the world every day, (2) pressures such as human, political, social or economicalthat somehowmust be met.

Like those in other Third World countries,the Hunza people have a normalthirst for imagesof modernityand materialprogress and for the symbolsof power. The rapid processof change is not only in their built environment,but in their culture and valuesas well. Gilgit,which used to be a centerof traditionalbuilding systems merely50 years ago is today a growingtown with concreteblock construction and

no senseof direction regardingthe future. This town has committedits future to a built environmentinsufficiently thought about and insufficientlyprepared.

Karimabad,with its close proximityto the Karakoramhighway, is in the early stage of destroyingits traditionalheritage and architecture. The introductionof cement concrete block technology is having a great impact on the village's built environment. New shops, especiallyhotels, are being built with concreteblocks alongthe main roadwayin the village. This irregularand rapidgrowth is acquiring the shape of a mini-bazaarof concretestructures. The recentlyinaugurated Aga Khan Girls Academy,built with reinforcedconcrete, has increasedthe exposure of the new building systemto the people.

Surroundedby all these situations,and in the absenceof any systemof guidance and instruction,especially for housingconstruction, the peopleof Karimabadare Fig. 4.1 Productionof cement-concreteblocks in Karimabad. boundto experimentwith new building materialsat the expenseof the erosionof

37 their traditional houses and building systems. Concrete blocks, galvanized tin sheets and steel are taking place of stone, timber and mud because of two reasons(1) ordinarycitizens tend to see new materialsas a symbolsof modernism and progress,whether they are suitableto the region or not. (2) Relativelyeasy availabilityof andeasier constructionprocess with new materials.

In the absence of proper guidelines, directions and knowledge of quality of cementblocks, the changescould prove to be harmfulto the future of the village.

Thingswill change,and no doubt they will changeradically. It is the responsibilityof people like yourselves --- the planners and Fig. 4.2 The Aga Khan Karimabad Girls' designers of our built environment --- to mobilize your Academy. intelligence and your technologies to ensure that they do not changefor the worse. -- His HighnessPrince Karim Aga Khan2

Factors responsible for change: Primaryfactors responsible for these changesin the Karimabadvillage are:

(1) Increasein communicationwith developedparts of the country. The opening of Karakoramhighway about ten years ago, which connectsthese remoteareas with Islamabadand Rawalpindi.This physicallink has beenthe primarysource of informationand communication.

38 (2) Changefrom feudalismto capitalism. Most ofthe villages, until 1974,were ruled by the local Raja or Mir, who completely controlledthe lives of the villagers.

People could not make any major decision about their education, housing or businesswithout the consent of Mir or his office bearers.Since the abolitionof this rule, peoplehave been governedby the Governmentof Pakistan.

(3) Decrease , local laboras morepeople are attractedto city jobs or education, becauseof the recentlyestablished highway.

(4) Desirefor changeand progress. Peoplewho travel to more developedparts of the country, develop aspirationsto have sanitaryfacilities, pipe-bornewater, householdappliances, use of an advancedbuilding system,etc..

(5) Scarcity and rising cost of local building materials like timber, and easy availabilityof altematematerials likecement regardless of differencein cost.

(6) Interventionby some governmentaland non-governmentalorganizations which have introducednew systemsto the region without any guidancefor the villagerswho are eagerto adoptthis newtechnology.

Architectural Changes:

The following changeshave taken place in the vernacularhousing architecture of Hunza.

39 Walls: Cement concrete blocks are beginningto be used for constructionby affluenthome ownersand business-people,as they are easier to handle,require less mortar and above all representa symbol of progressas comparedto stone. Older people realize the advantageof using stone versus cement blocks and continuebuilding in stone. Usually,the trend has been to replacethe 18" stone wall with a 8" cement concrete block wall. Making and laying concreteblock coursemay be faster than acquiringand cutting stone,but an 8"concrete wall has less bearingcapacity and is morevulnerable to earthquakeforces than a regular

18"stone wall or a nicely dressed8" stone wall. Moreover,concrete block wall has much less insulationvalue than that of a stone and mud wall. Calculations have shown that stone wall is aboutas expensiveas concretewall, dependingon how far stone has to be transported.3 A detailed cost estimate is included in Appendix2. Lime, locallyavailable, is also beingintroduced for mortarand interior plaster. It may be repeatedhere that only the affluentfamilies can affordto make housesof cementconcrete blocks in Karimabad,as stone is locallyavailable for house construction.

Change In Interior Design of Low-income Housing: Additional rooms are being added on the periphery of the main central space (Maun) to accommodatedifferent activities. Due to the additionof these new rooms, cooking area is no longer in the centralroom. This makeswinter heatingfor the whole house moreexpensive and difficult,but allows moreprivacy and inducesa healthyenvironment. The removalof livestock from the immediateproximity of the main spacemakes heatingmore expensive,as it contributedto the insulation

40 of the whole space. Wall openings,allowing more natural light and ventilation,are being introduced without consideration of seismic shear forces. Some recent houses have adopted a typical urban interior layout which deviates completely fromthe traditionalliving system.

Change In Domestic Roofing System: The traditional Gasirkum system is being replaced by the simple Faskum system which does not offer enough structuralstability to withstandearthquake forces. This is primarilytrue where the builder/ownerbelongs to a younger age group. Moreover,polythene sheets are being used very widely, instead of halii to avoid water penetrationas it's much cheaper to acquire. It is believed that these polythenesheets are not good for the roof timber because of the high difference in winter temperaturesbetween the interior and the exterior,which results in condensationand causes the wood to deteriorate. Bituminous sheets available in Punjab province are being introduced slowly, primarily by those who understand the disadvantages of polythene sheets.

The institutionalarchitecture of the region has also undergonea lot of changes. Historic evidences reveal that, like the Baltit fort, mosquesand other buildings used to have flat roof. With the changein the politicalsystem, especiallyduring the British rule, pitched roofs were introducedin communal buildings. All the jamat khanas visited in Hunza have pitched roof system, whereas, traditional mosques in south-westernChina still have the flat roofing-- maybebecause of Fig. 4.3 The Aitika Mosque in Kashi, China (above) and the Amin Mosque in Turfan, China, represent the inadequatecommunication with other regions. traditional system of construction. 41 Advantages & Disadvantages of changes: (1) As imported materials like cement and steel are being usedin the new building industry,the localeconomy flow is directedoutside the region,which in turn affectsthe general economyof the region.

(2) A suddeninflux of new materialsand technologyand an absenceof skilled labor and technical know-how has resulted in low quality and sub-standard structures which are much less likely to take earthquake forces than the precedingones. The low quality of constructionhas been primarily becauseof the absenceof skilledlaborers who now want towork in more developedparts of countryfor better remuneration.

(3) The architectureof the poor, even whenbuilt with indigenousmaterials, has becomeprogressively of low qualityas artisansand masonsonly want to work with new materials.

Summary In the community or public sector, cement-concrete block technology has become more and more common as it is presented by the dealers as cheaper than stone and also as a sign of progress. Fortunately,this lose of quality is not gone unnoticed,recent study revealsthat peoplewho are familiar with both the systems are beginning to recognize thedifference between the two systems especiallyconcerning heating and stability.

42 1 Speech at the conference of the Village Organizations held in Baltistan, Pakistan. November 20, 1987.

2 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The ChangingRural Habitat. Singapore: ConceptMedia Pte Ltd. October1981.

3 Hasan, Arif. "Evaluation Report on Self-Help Housing Construction in the Northern Areas of Pakistan". Karachi: 1985. (Unpublished report).

43 Part i

Search for an Appropriate Architecture

The journeyof love is a very long journey, But sometimeswith a sign you can crossthat vast desert, Search and search again without losing hope, You may find sometimea treasureon yourway. ---Mohamadlqbal

44 tr~I ~H ~~ft t'r iH 'fftr' 'H'tH' 'H'tHr 'HfiHf 'H tr 'H' 'H' i'H''ff '' ''if ' 'ffuH if'' 'H 'H'f 'H'if if ' H

Chapter5

Concepts and Search Process

For Muslims the relationshipbetween a person's life and his or her physical surroundingsis a particularly critical matter. For us there is no fundamentaldivision between the spiritual and the material: the whole world is an expressionof God's creation and the aesthetics of the environmentwe build are correspondinglyimportant. --- His HighnessPrince Karim Aga Khan 1

45 The word search,as usedin this thesis, is definedas the stages through whichthe design progressedon its way to beingdiscovered. This process hadtwo steps: (1) The formationof conceptsand ideasin accordancewith the establishedcriteria, which later acted as the focus or objectiveof the study. (2) The meansor ways to expressthe conceptsestablished in the first step through a physical form called architecture. The second step has been more challengingand difficult to achieve and discover. The primary criteria for this physical form has been not to simply imitate the traditionalconstruction system of Hunza,but to develop a search for an optimal solution -- a solution thatdoes not discard old values and traditions,but thatalso makes use of currentlyavailable materials and that meets people'saspirations for future progress.

What is Appropriate Architecture?

".... I don't mean a soullessmimicry of the pasttraditions of architecture,but a generationof new design, using the aestheticand practicalbases of thesetraditions." 2 -- His HighnessPrince Karim Aga Khan

Appropriatearchitecture can be definedas an artifactnot only responsive to the climatic conditions,physical environment,earthquakes, or to the availabilityof the site,but somethingwhich is an evocationpartly of the faith (Islam), partly of the culture, partly of the history of the village

46 and the region,and partlyof the aspirationsof the people. Thesequalities give a buildinga senseof belongingand identity,not only to the area and the regionbut also to the peopleand culture. All thesecharacteristics are presentin the NorthernArea and are firmly rooted in its people, culture and traditions, and must be reflected in the new jamat khana in a harmoniousway.

It is an inescapablefact that one always knows when one is in the Himalayanregion. The elementsof identitylike flat roofs,stone, mud and timber, small openings and windows, wood detailing, and terracing structures,are part of an architecturalvocabulary for the Hunza region. The searchand definitionin this thesishas also beenabout suchelements which give an identity to an architecture of a certain region. The appropriate architecture for the jamat khana needs to transform and adopt these elements according to the program,site, and building materialsused. It cannotbe a facadehiding the new functionsbehind a shallow imitation of the past. Nor can it be an outdated or unrealistic systemof organizationand humanrelations. The villageand its peopleare changingand thesechanges have to be acknowledgedand reflectedin the new architecture,and in doing so, the lessonsof the past shouldnot be forgotten.

47 Search Criteria The design should addressthe following criteria:

(1) Before starting the design search for a new jamat khana in Karimabad,Hunza, every effortmust be madeto understandand learn how the traditionalform and systemof the regionevolved, so that the eventual design can be relevant to the future and appropriateto the traditionsof Hunzawhich would allowman to growaccording to the guidance ofAllah to the fullest maturity of which his spirit is capable.

(2) Hunza valley possesses a strong culture and tradition which is expressedboth in its architectureand the lives of the people. Theselinks with historic heritage should be maintainedin the new design, yetnot denyingto them those contributionswhich moderntechnology can makein improvingthe quality of their life without losing the culture and heritage. Thus the architecture should be sympatheticto both the spiritual and aestheticheritage of the Karimabadvillage.

(3) An equilibriumhas to be found and formulatedbetween, the ideas that are comingfrom themore developedparts of Pakistanand theexpressions of local traditions.

(4) Modern construction system may be integrated with traditional systemsto take advantageof those featureswhich offer greaterseismic

48 stability to buildings.

(5) The searchprocess should carefully address the questionsabout what technologiescan be employedin the changinghabitat of Karimabad?What building materialsshould be used and how valid are they in terms of cost and availability in the region? Whose expertise should be employed: should it be the traditionalmasons and craftsmenor skilled steel binders and concreteworkers? How is this use of expertise related tothe future of the buildingindustry of the Karimabadvillage?

(6) Like other Third World countries, Pakistan's greatest resources is its people. Therefore, if people are to appreciateand feel part of the project, they must be involved in its development. The constructionof the jamat khanashould utilize local craftsmanshipand communitypeople wheneverpossible and also providethem with an opportunity to learn new skills.

(7) The project should not only be built to meet the current cultural needs of the villagersfor a jamat khana,but also to establisha durable semantic and aesthetic frame of reference that would serve this generationand possiblythe onesto followas well.

(8) The design should incorporate kinesthetic experiences like air currents,touching of the skin, the sound of moving water, touch of varied

49 surfacesand textures,richness of color and the play of light and shade uponvision, and the scentof plants in a garden.

Conceptual Considerations: (1) Designinga communitybuilding of this scale and size in Hunza valley is a major interventionin the area. The built product might very easily become the center of attraction for the whole of community.It is not a monumentalstructure, but can be called an opinion-makingstructure for Karimabadvillage. It is essentialthat whateveris done should be done carefully,as it is quite likely that any innovativeidea will be imitated by many people in future constructions. Therefore,the choice of building material,the choice of structuralsystem and above all the design should be carefullymade, bearingin mind that the buildingmay act as a learning experiencenot only for the masons, artisans and builders, but for the whole communityin the region.

(2) Someof the Fatimidmosques used T-shapedplan, probablyto reflect or signify a particular activity in the prayer hall. Today, in many Ismaili jamat khanas in Pakistanand elsewhere,certain portions of the prayer hall are reserved for specific activities or services. This characteristiccan possiblybe reflectedin the design

(3) Becauseof the scale, the roof of the of the prayerhall can be broken up to bemore sympatheticto the surroundingbuilt forms. This concept Fig. 5.1 Mosque of al-Hakimin Cairo.

50 becomes more important when the building is easily noticeable from other parts of the village.

(4) The nature of the village and the site demandsthat the contoursbe respectedand the heightof the structurebe kept as low as possible.

(5) Since the prayer hall is the most sacred and importantpart of the project, it may be provided maximum isolation and privacy from other activitiesof the projectand of the village. The serviceof offering prayer in the jamat khana,just as any other place of worship,demands that the interiorbe an experiencein itself. It may use natural elementsto remind a believerof God's creationsand blessings,and may not be overpowering and distracting.

(6) The use of natural light in the jamat khana can be used to symbolize the presenceof divine light (Noor) on earth, embodiedin the Imam,for spiritualguidance of a believeron the right path.

(7) The structural system should be sturdy in view of the prevalent seismicconditions and yet it shouldat the sametime be local to the area. The jamat khanabuilding would be requiredto act as a shelterin case of a major disaster,such as an earthquake.

(8) Electricityand heatingcan be introducedin the jamat khana project

51 by using the Barbar water channel which flows by the site. Also the electricitygenerated by the channelcan be usedto operatea stone-cutting machine for this construction.

(9) Stone masonry might be preferableover the use of concreteblocks for several reasons,one of which is better insulation. For proper energy conservationeither an insulatedor a double wall can be used. In winter the absence of a proper heating system may necessitatethe building envelopehave proper insulation. A crawl spacecan be used for similar purpose.

(10) The Square, a basic form of geometryhas been widely used in the region. This concept is further reinforced by the use of octagonal patterns in timber carved screens, as in the case of the fort. These existingpatterns can form the basis for decorativegeometrical design.

Site: The site of the jamat khana is on a slope facing south. The slope is recessedat the site becauseit was previouslyoccupied by a jamat khana building.The flat portion of the land measures180 feet by 72 feet. Two pathwaysmeet at the south-eastcorner of the site and hencemakes it an important location. The Barbar water channel from the mountains, servingthe village,passes from the south and alongthe length of the site. The groundis rocky and the surfaceis muddyin parts.

52 showingthe locationof the site. 1. Projectsite Fig. 5.2 Planof the village 2. ExistingCentral Jamat Khana 3. Baltit Fort

53 I

Fig. 5.3 Theproject site with the old jamat khana building. Photo takenin June 1986.

Fig. 5.5 (Top) Lookingnorth towardsthe east pathway from the south-eastcorner of the site. Fig. 5.4 The site after the demolitionof thejamat khana building. Phototaken in (Bottom)Looking east fromthe southernpathway. August 1988.

54 Fig. 5.6 The flat portion of the site as seen from the east.

Fig. 5.7 Viewtowards the north-eastfrom the site.

55 The Program: There are four activities that will be conducted in the jamat khana complex: (1) Prayer Activity -- Prayer hall capacity:640 persons@10 per sq.ft...... 6,400 sq. ft.

- - Entry foyer and vestibule ...... 1,536 sq. ft.

-- Shoearea (each for menand women)...... 450sq. ft.

(2) Reception Activity for His Highness the Aga Khan

- - Conference room ...... 640 sq. ft.

-- Offices(for the mukhi and kamadia)...... 256 sq. ft. - - Kitchenette and toilet as appropriate.

(3) Administrative Activity -- Office for Tarikah Board...... 320 sq. ft. -- Office for Education Board. Four person capacity ...... 320 sq. ft. -- Office for Health Board. Four person capacity ...... 320 sq. ft.

- - Officefor RegionalCouncil. Four personcapacity ...... 320 sq. ft. - - Office for Local Council. Four person capacity ...... 320 sq. ft. - - Office for scouts/volunteers (men)...... 256 sq. ft. - - Office for guides/volunteers (women)...... 256 sq. ft.

(4) Commercial Activity -- Shopsas site allows

56 Design Search Process: The search process for an appropriate design of the jamat khana has been educationalinvolving several stages, each one of which has yielded greater clarity and simplicity in the articulation of design and towards the goal to be achieved. It has been a challengingopportunity to develop a design relying mostly on the memory of the site, the photographs and drawings obtained during the visit to Karimabad in August 1988. This restriction has been the source of some limitations, but, at the same time, it has encouragedme to face the challenge with an added thirst and zeal to search for an appropriate solution more rigorously and persistently.

The site planning and program placements were quite important in this project to make the complex respond to the low-key housing structures by which it is surrounded. That the prayer hall must be oriented towards Mecca, i.e., west, was one aspect in the design search which was decided 3 from the beginning. This required the placing of the qibla wall of the prayer hall facing west so that the entrance courtyard is on the east-- facing the intersection of two pathways. This arrangement worked better for access to the prayer hall which could be through the courtyard from the two walkways,one to the east and the other to the south.

There were various design stages involved in the search process for an appropriate building that responded to the criteria and concepts mentioned earlier. The design featurns developed in each of these stages

57 are as follows:

First pass, week two:

- - A simple courtyardscheme enclosed by a two storeystructure. The prayerhall was on the secondfloor and the officesunderneath it and in the courtyard.

- - Accessgate to the courtyardfrom the east walkway. -- Site contoursand theintersection of the two walkwaysignored. - - Stoneand reinforcedconcrete considered as possiblebuilding materialsincluding the roof-bearingmember inside the prayer hall.

58 Up-

*We-

"o, C,7) Cj == 4gujp pAp(L N4rN

1W

Fig.5.8 Planand sectionof the first pass.

59 Second pass, week three:

-- Prayer hall movedto the ground level making the whole structure single storiedand simplifyingthe scheme. The reasonswere, that in the two storeyscheme, there would be inadequatelight in the lower level, and that loweringthe scaleof the buildingwould makeit moresympathetic to the surroundingsand also less vulnerableto earthquake.

-- The prayerhall sized to accommodatefive bays of 16' x 16' in eitherdirection, with entry foyer to beone bay deep.

-- Someregard expressed for the site slope by taking advantage ofit and placingsome of the offices higher on the northern slope with

the remainingones in the courtyard. Both set of officesrest on the Fig. 5.9 Studymodel of the secondpass. groundso that they are seismicallymore secure.

-- New level below the main courtyard and in the slope added to accommodateshops -- a newconcept for jamatkhana complexesin Pakistan. Accessto the courtyardfrom the twopaths. Intersectionof the paths needsto be addressed.

-- Prayer hall roof to be directional towards Mecca with a stepped- downsection as shown. This has been doneto breakup the roof form and respondto the surrounding builtenvironment.

-- Bearing system for the roof inside the prayer hall to be masonry arches. Thiswas donein an endeavorto respondto the useof local stone in the surrounding houses,and to provideemployment and encouragethe persistenceof local trades.

60 t6

fA: 1

- ILA114) -V. AI ~QtsI.

-06 T *r .'(IA .

floor and officesforming a courtyard. Fig. 5.10 Sketchesshowing the prayerhall on the grond

61 02.,-

I

Fig. 5.11 Sketchshowing the introductionof shops and placmentof offices on the northern slope.

Fig. 5.12 Photosof studymodels of the thirdpass. The south-eastcorner fo the site cutsinto the courtyard. Prayerhall had light timberroof with masonrybearing system.

62 Third pass, week five:

-- The junctionof the two paths was addressed by adding a gatheringspace which requiredcutting into thecourtyard space. But in doingso the courtyard hich shouldbe attachedto the prayer hall, has partially lost its symmetry and balance .

-- All the offices from the courtyard were moved to the northern slope which,might however,be crampedif all the offices were there. The advantageof this arrangementis that it opens the courtyardallowing visual relationshipwith the village surroundings.

-- Prayer hall roof-bearing system still of masonry arches with lighttimber roofingon top. Roofto be independent ofthe side walls of the prayerhall so that in case of wall failure the roofmay remainunaffected.

63 Fourth pass, week seven:

-- Masonrybearing system for the prayer hall roof changedto timber columnsfor more seismic safety. Timber roof still to be independentof the masonrywalls to allow the roof to be supported by elementsthat can sway in case of any shaking. Thus,the whole systemmay act like a concretecup with a light roofing structure inside it.

- - An attemptto introducea new roof systemby using a large-scale, traditionalsagum with diagonalsquare timber frames for the whole prayerhall. This was experimentalto searchfor a roof using a traditionalsystem.

-- Additionof an extra level betweenthe previoustwo levels to house the offices and primarilyto raisethe jamat khana to let more light and air in from north. The conferenceroom, which isactually the office for His Highnessthe Aga Khanduring his visit, to remainon the northslope, as it may be inappropriateto moveit to the second level or elsewhere.

-- The southedge of the complexbecomes more responsive to the curveof the path bycurving itself,and as a resultcreates a small-scalepath abovean existingone. The curved terraces create a small-scaleversion of the large curvingfields used for agriculture in the valley. Fig 5.13 Studymodel and a sketchof the Sagum - - Strugglewith thesoutheast corner of the site continued. More roofingsystem for theprayer hall. work and simplificationneeded.

64 mama, -. 0&3

Fig. 5.14 Studymodels of diagonalbracing for the Fig. 5.15 Fourthpass -- additionof anotherlevel above the shops. prayer hall. The south edge of the buildingcurves respondingto the southernpathway.

65 Fifth pass, week nine:

- Thesouth-east corner of the complextransformed and simplified into a terracingstructure without allowing the courtyard of thejamat khanato

be sacrificed.This has been achieved by reducing the sizeof the

courtyardby one bay.

- Jamatkhana wall from inside more defined. Entry foyer enlarged with the additionof anotherbay unit toprovide a better transitionalspace and to introducea vestibule forenergy conservation reasons.

- Shopsto remainon the firstlevel and the officesto remainon the second,whereas the conferenceroom andtwo ofthe officesto be Fig. 5.16 Fifth pass. Southeastcorner simplified. locatedon the northernslope. Thisway the privacy required for the officesand, especially for the prayerhall, can be achieved.

- Entryto the jamat khanato be fromthe two paths, withthe one onthe east beingmore directional and ceremonial, and forming the mainaxis. Thetransverse axis of the courtyard addressesthe entryto the conferencehall.

Fig. 5.17 Study of column and wall placing for the prayer hall.

66 In summationit can be said that these stages in the searchprocess have helped in simplifying and clarifying the design solution. They have also helped in establishing a hierarchy among the diverse functions and in addressing the issuesrelating to seismicity,building materials, use of traditionalcrafts versus new systems,and the relationshipbetween the proposed building and existing low- key structures. The search process proved to be a learning experience in formulatingideas for an appropriatedesign solution that may relateto a particular time and place. The final design solution,which has been discussed in the next chapter,forms an architecturalframe of referencethat relatesto the past, present the future of the Hunza region.

1 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The ExpandingMetropolis: Coping with the UrbanGrowth of Cairo. Cairo:Concept Media, Pte. Ltd. November,1984.

A 2 Aga KhanAward for Architecture.Towards an Architecturein teh Spiritof Islam. Geneva: AKAA. April 1978.

3 Qibla wallis thewall of a mosqueor a prayerhall oriented towards Mecca.

9

Fig.5.18 Prayerhall wall from insidemore defined. Integrationof structure,light and decorativeelements.

67 Lr 61'ii t t i 1 11'tf if if t f i if f if if i f if if if I fif If If If if if If if iu

Chapter 6

The Design Searched

68 Appropriatedesign, as ultimately resolved,is intendednot only to respondto the current needs of the village for a larger jamatkhana but also establishes an architectural frame of reference which can possibly be utilized for other community buildings in the region. The design respects the site contours, establishesa hierarchyfor three differentfunctions by establishingthree different levels;thus forminga terracingstructure -- a majorfeature of Hunzaarchitecture.

Project The designscheme has been dividedinto four distinctparts.

First, the most significant section is the prayer hall. The space, in which this functionis performed,occupies a major part of the site, and acts as a functional nucleusof thecomplex. Allthe otheractivities revolve around it. This prayerhall, eventhough for the use of any IsmailiMuslim, demands a certainprivacy, and so has been located on the uppermost,i.e., the third level. This placementalso helpsin maintainingthe sanctityof the building.

The second section of the complex is the reception building which contains a conferenceroom and two officesfor His Highnessthe Aga Khan during his visits to Hunza. This section can also be used by the administrative offices of Karimabad.Although, the placementof the receptionbuilding on the same level as the prayer hall relatesthe two buildings spatially by meansof a ceremonial courtyard,the receptionbuilding nevertheless has a strong identityof its own.

69 It J " lit I ~ "It jj ,; it

i 1J ~[io#i i......

Fig. 6.1 View of the project from the south.

70 The third component of the community affiliated offices is located on the second level. This floor acts as a transition betweenthe two levels, above and below. Accessto these levelsmight later be controlledby locatingdoors at the stair entry points.

The fourthand the most public aspectof all the functionsis the commercialpart of the program. It addressesthe streetand helps maintainthe pathway. As already mentioned,the introductionof a commercialaspect in the programis a rather new conceptfor the jamat khanasin Pakistan.

Fig. 6.2 The south-eastcorner.

71 * U 1 4 ew g ~. 'S

Fig. 6.3 Roof Plan of the project as it sits in the village.

72 B [p--i- B' Be

4 3 2 DN

- DN

DN Legend:

2. Courtyard DN 3. Entry vestibule 4. Prayer hall 5. Men's shoe area A' 6. Women's shoe area 7. Aga Khan reception area

Fig. 6.4 PlanLevel Ill

0 16 32 48

73 up

VP

1

1. Administrative offices 2. Toilet

Fig. 6.5 Plan Level II ______

0 16 32 48

74 UP

1.Shops7

Fig. 6.6 Plan Level I 0 16 32 48

75 Fig.6.7 South Elevation , . , y. 0 16 32 48

76 Fig. 6.8 East elevationof the prayer hal 0 16 32 48

77 Fig. 6.9 Section AN 0 16 32 48

78 Fig. 6.10 Section BB' 0 16 32 48

79 Fig. 6.11A worm'seye viewof the prayer hall interior.

80 -, l,

won

I

Fig. 6.12 Roof plan of the project. a

81 Fig. 6.14 Facadedetail of the prayerhall.

Fig. 6.13 Viewof the prayer hall from the east.

82 Followingis a detaileddescription of the various sectionsof the complex:

(1) SIte: An existingcharacteristic of the site is that it is located at the junction of three paths. which acts as a gathering place. This characteristicof the site has been maintainedin the design while at the same time creating a hierarchyof spaces, especiallyfor the jamat khana. Fromthe junctionof the two pathways,the search was also for a visual connectionto the third levelwhere the prayerhall is located. This has been achieved by relieving the courtyardof offices and placing of an entry canopyabove the centralstairs. This canopyalso helpsin announcingthe presenceof an importantbuilding on the third level. The entryinto the courtyard and the prayerhall is allowedonly to Ismailis. The requiredprivacy is established by placingthe prayerhall on the thirdlevel.

(2) Prayer hall: A 16-footsquare structuralgrid has been used which is derived, as an average spanning dimension, from the housing units and from the Baltit Fort. This grid allows the flexibility of extending the jamat khana in either direction for future expansion. The choice of the sixteen-footdimension also keepsthe spansshort so that they are less difficult for the builders to work with. Moreover, a roof changein that dimensionresponds appropriately to the surroundingbuilt form.

The design of the prayer hall is derived from the number five. This number representsthe five close family membersof the ProphetMohammad, and holds

83 Fig. 6.15 Viewof the project from the east.

84 significancefor the Shi'ia Imami Ismaili sect. Thus five bays have beenused in both directions in the prayer hall and also in the courtyard. The front corner bastionsalso exhibitfive blind nichesto signifythe same concept. On the south and northelevation, the two windows in each bay are accompaniedwith three rectangularblind niches to create a similar compositionof five.

The establishmentof the five bays is functionallyhelpful as it facilitatescirculation of peopleinside the prayer hall. Two bays, each,are for men and women. The centralbay, though usedpartially by both, acts as a dividing aisle and createsa spatial balanceinside thehall. The aisleson eitherside of the centralaisle, act as the main entry aisle for men and for women, and these entries lead in the directionof personsmanaging the services. The entry aislesform four feet deep bays in the qibla wall thus, signifyingthe importanceof the mukhi and kamadia (and their counterparts in women) in the prayer hall.

Patterns,based on squareand octagonalgeometry have been used in the prayer hall. The reasonfor this is that Hunzaregion uses squareforms quitefrequently; i.e., the use of diagonal square timber frames in the vernacular system, the squareopenings in the roofs and walls, and thesquare and octagonalpatterns on the timber work in forts and mosques. Thus,the prayer hall is a square,made up of squaregrid, and has square skylightsin the roof. These openings occurin the circulation aisles in alternate bays. The timber screen, used for windows and along the wall on the floor, contain square and octagonal patterns. This is also true of the diagonaltimber braces in the prayerhall and the facia boardon the roof

85 Fig. 6.16 South facadeof the prayerhall.

86 For energy conservation in winter, two inch rigid insulation in the roof and insulated glass for the windows has been used. For the same reason, a crawl spacebelow the prayerhall has been incorporatedin the design.

The roof designof the prayer hall reflectsthe functionsbelow it. This alsoaids in an endeavorto breakup the roof form to reducethe scaleand to respondto the surroundingstructures. This roof form is not only seen from inside of the prayer hall but also from the hills on the higher altitudes in the village by which the complex is surrounded. The roof above the three central bays is raised to representthe primarycirculation in the prayerhall. This also helpsin establishing a directioninside the hall. The increasein the roof height has also been done at the front row (the qibla aisle) of the hall. A further increasein height of the two individualbays, next to the qibla wall, speak for the seatingarea of the persons managing the services. Square skylights, of 4'x 4' dimension, above the main circulationarea allow natural light to come in, increasingthe significanceof the aisle. This concept is further supported by horizontalslit openings in between the changing roof levels. These narrow openingswill work best at sunrise and sunset.

The concept of using different roof levels has been taken from the Fatimid mosqueof al-Hakimwhere the changing roof heights,probably, signifies certain activity underneath.

87 Fig. 6.17 The main entrygateway to the courtyardas viewedfrom the north-east.

88 The exterior of the prayer hall has been kept as simple aspossible. The front facade contains two corner bastions -- an idea that alludesto the al-Mahdiyah mosquein NorthAfrica and alsoto the al-Hakimmosque in Cairo. Timberscreen used in the entry foyer helps in establishinga transitionspace by filteringthe light through. Windows allowlight toenter indirectlyfrom outside and help visibility inside,without being noticedfrom outside. Thus,the windowsestablish privacy from outside-- a conceptcommon in jamatkhanas elsewhere.

(3) Courtyard: The concept of the numberfive has been applied to the courtyard also by keepingits size equal to five bays of 16' square each. The central aisle of the square court, leads the main gateway stairs to the entranceof the prayerhall. This gateway is signified by the use ofa canopy based on the roofing system usedin the prayerhall. The transverseaxis of the courtyardis lesswide andfaces the receptionbuilding.

The use of plants and trees in the courtyardhelps in integratingbetter the newly built form into the surroundings, and make distinct the atmosphere of the courtyardfrom the lowertwo levels. Furnitureelements, like benchesand lamp posts, have also been added to allow the courtyardto be used before and after the prayerhours.

89 Fig. 6.19 Facadedetail of the receptionbuilding.

Fig. 6.18 Viewof the receptionbuilding for His Highnessthe Aga Khan.

90 (4) The Aga Khan Reception Building: Composedof five squaresof 16' x 16' each,this buildingsits onthe higher slope, northof the courtyard. Its primaryfunction is to serveas an officefor His Highness the Aga Khan, during his visit, and also as a conferenceroom, otherwise. It contains,along withthe conferenceroom, two accessoryoffices forthe mukhi and the kamadia, a small kitchenette,and a bathroom. The windows of the building are designed with a similar concept as the prayer hall to retain the requiredprivacy inside.

The northfacade has beendivided by an entryfoyer, which is squarein plan, with a squarecanopy covering it. This buldingof complexreads asa small nest in the trees standingon the slope.

91 Fig. 6.21 Facade detail of the administrative offices on the secondlevel.

Fig. 6.20 The shops with seating area along the sidewalk.

92 (5) Second level:

Housed on the second level, the offices act as a transition zone between the public pathwaysand the sacred functionabove it.

Fig. 6.22 The main entry gateway.

93 Fig. 6.23 Viewof the projectfron the south-west.

94 (6) First level: Along with the prayer hall, the first level is also the most important part of the projectas it helps in establishinga frame of referencefor the surroundingpart of the village. It createsa dialoguebetween itself and the person using the facility and is closerto the majorityof the villagersthan to any part of the project.

The shops are 16' wide,and about equally deep. At the junction of the two pathways,a gathering place has been establishedby creating a recess in the cornerof the buiding. Alongthe sidewalk,i.e., outsidethe shops, seatingareas have been provided. This is in continuationwith the existingcharacteristic of the site,and is alsoa commonfeature of a typicalsmall town bazaar in Pakistan.

Hence,the projectnot onlyfulfills the currentneed of the villagersfor a newjamat khana, but provides much more by establishingan order and a system in the villagesurrounding, especially through the designfeatures of the first level. The projectnot only respondsto thedemands of the site and respectsthem, but also meetsthe aspirationsof the peopleof Karimabad,in particular,and of the region, in general.

Structural System

As mentionedin Chapter1, the Hunza valley is in a seismic zone of 7.0 on the Richter scale1 . It is, therefore,essential that the structure of the jamat khana complex be strong and stable to be able to respond to movement of that

95 strength. Technically, it is impossible to design buildings which are strong enoughto resist the largest possible earthquakeshaking without any damage. Therefore,a modestcriteria has been adopted in this design problem to resist earthquake forces.

In eventof the probablemaximum earthquake intensity, the building shouldnot suffertotal or partialcollapse, or suffer irreparabledamage which would require demolishing and rebuilding. --The InternationalAssociation for EarthquakeEngineering, 1980.2

The general characteristicof the built form is such that it is a stepped structure sitting on a slope. The walls and the columns of one level act as a foundation for the upper. And, hence,the sixteen-footgrid, which is commonthroughout the project, aids in the construction of such a structure.

Structurally,the jamat khana has been separatedby two systems. One is of the prayerhall andthe otheris of the administrativeoffices and shops.

Prayer Hall Structure: Since the site is sloping, the southern bay of the

prayerhall sits on a hollowconcrete mass. This block is attachedhorizontally, to the ground and to the columns beneaththe prayer hall, by means of tie rods. This way the concretemass may act as an integralpart of the earth,on which the restof the four baysof the prayerhall sit, duringan earthquakeshaking.

96 The externalwalls of the prayer hall are of stone, 1'-6" thick, and self-bearing. Since, it has been observedthat wallcollapse has been very common and a significantcause of casualtiesduring earthquake,the prayerhall walls have been buttressedfrom inside whichnot only makes the walls more stable to absorb horizontalforces, but alsoallows them to fall outward,in case of ground shaking. These buttressestaper as they move up along the height of the wall. The top section of the wall is capped by a concrete ring beam. Mortar, of sufficient strength,will be used to prevent displacementof individualstones if shaking may occur.

Within thesefour walls of the prayer hall rises a flat timber roof supported by timbercolumns. This roof is independentof the surroundingwalls so that, in case of wall collapse,the roof may remainunaffected -- an idea taken from traditional construction system. The timber columns are connected to the concrete foundationspads by meansof a pin joint to allow movement.Above, the columns are diagonallybraced to the timber beamsto providethe requiredstability but also allowthe roof planeto move slightlyto absorbvibration. Thesediagonal bracings, in four directions, providesenough in-planestiffness to the different levelsof the roof to act as one element. Theroof andthe walls have been connectedby a slip joint whichallows thetwo elementsto detachon the applicationof small force.

Structure of Lower Levels: The second structuralsystem supportsthe lower two levels. The structure is formed by a reinforcedconcrete frame system with stone as wall-infill material.

97 Strongdiagonal reinforced bracings have been usedat the connectionof beams and columns.The floors at these levelsare of reinforcedconcrete slabs.

Building Materials

Three materialsare primarilyused in the constructionof the complex:reinforced concrete,stone andtimber.

To resist earthquakeforces in the main structural frameof the project, of this magnitude,reinforced concrete wasthe most suitablematerial 3. Stone has been used as self-bearingand infil materialfor the folowingreasons: better insulation and compressivestrength than concrete blocks,ready availability, lower cost than concreteblocks and continuitywith the traditionalbuilding system in the area. The Barbar water channel can be used to generatepower, to operate stone cutting machine. This would lowerthe costof cuttingstone considerably.Timber, being lighter than reinforcedconcrete has been used to support and span the jamat khanaroof. This providesa continuitywith the localtradition and allowsthe localcarpenters to improvetheir skills. Moreover,timber is easierto repairin case of any damage from an earthquake,whereas, reinforced concrete has to be rebuilt. Researchon Chineseand Japanesetimber joint systems have shown that it performswell in seismicstructures, its carefuluse in this building may have morebeneficial effects on buildingmethods in the areathan the use of reinforced concrete.

98 Unsolved Question

The hazards from the earthquake is as high as in many other places in the world, and itsperception as a major hazardby the Hunzacommunities is one of far less importancethan water shortage,electricity, land erosion,etc. Meansof creatinga greaterawareness of the need to design buildingsto resistearthquakes needs to be studied.

1 Fora moredetailed information on the seismicactivity in the region, please refer to Appendix1.

2 Joaquin,Monge E. "SeismicBehaviour and Designof SmallBuldings in Chile." Fourth WorldConference of EarthquakeEngineering. Santiago: 1969.

3 Thoughreinforced concrete is a new buildingmaterial in the region,it facilitates in constructing a building of this magnitude with much ease and low cost. Its use has been limitedto those portionsof the projectwhich act as foundationsfor the levelsabove them, andwhere a completestructural frame was required.

99 100 Lrii tu -ui ~'tr ir ' -ff ii tr tr -t titr"tlrl =l''l 11 if'"Ir tr ifi ' trr if ITififi i f if "IfI

Part III

Ref lections

101 Communicationis said to have been the next revolutionafter industrialization, with effectson our lives moredramatic than that of the industrialrevolution. In this age of rapidtransfer of information,it is inevitablethat prejudicesand preferences for certain architecturewill travel into differentparts of the world. There is very little architectscan doabout thespread of information,but they can do much to influence new ideas that affect our society and the built environment. This revolution should not be regardeddefensively as a threat to our architectural identity, but merely as one more realityof our time, one to be sensitivelyused in appropriateprojects and places. If architectsare consciousand willing to value the individualityof each project and itssetting, the internationalcomponent can never monopolizetheir designs,but will only enrichthem with one more layer of meaning.

Besides the effects of the global or internationalstyle of architectureon many Third World countries,local or regionalstyles have also been highlyinfluential in the contemporarybuilt environmentsof these countries. In the last few decades, a varied spectrum of results has been observed, ranging from a thoughtful eclecticismto a worthlesspastiche. Whatever the timeand place may be, the true valueof the architectureof a placecan neverbe found in a superficialapplication of its vernacularimages on the built forms,just as a shallowapplication of domes and archeson built forms cannottransform them into an appropriatearchitecture in the spirit of Islam. The authentic architecture of a place has to go beyond the facadesto reach deep down into the tradition,culture and faith of the society;it must assimilate what the society has to offer and translate it into today's

102 vocabulary,using todays materialsand respondingto current aspirationsof the people.

In the opinion of ChristianNorberg-Schulz the purposeof architectureis to make people'feel at home'. This, he says, will happenwhen a personcan both orient himselfto and identify himselfwith a place. Architectureshould assistus in our home-comingand should make us feel at ease in a place. It can only do this by gatheringand containingthe elementsof identitywithin itself.

The two componentsmentioned above: (1) the global or internationalmovement, and (2) the local or regional or vernacular styles, form the basis of today's architecture, and need to be present in all the projects. We cannot avoid international influences, nor should an environment be devoid of its local characteristics. A balance of these two factors, along with people's cultureand faith, should interact to produce an architecturein the spirit of the place. The percentage of the above-mentioned two components should and may vary from projectto projectdepending on the location,the scale and the function.

Examples of Projects: To clearly understandand help elaborate above concepts,let us take examples

of two projects of different scales and functions. The reason for chosing these projects are: they are located in Pakistan, are recently built, and have been personallyobserved.

103 (i) The Aga KhanUniversity and Hospital,located in Karachi,is a goodexample of the adoptionand transformationof appropriatebuilding principles according to the twentiethcentury need. The whole projectclearly demonstratesa sensitive approach to the region, resulting in innovative design and architecture. The completionof this complex, which is spread over an area of 84 acres, has set unprecedentedstandards of construction and quality of finish, for the region. The strong exteriorsof the structuresblend in mass,color and texture with the desert surroundingsof Karachi. One of the beliefs in the design of the project was that environmentplays a part in aidingrecovery and increases productivity. Not only the local principles,such as wind-catching,have been used throughout Fig. 7.1 The Aga Khan Universityand Hospital, the project,but various local crafts have been revivedwith their applicationand Karachi,Pakistan. use in abuilding of this magnitude.

(ii) The second project, different in scale and function is located in Faisalabad, Pakistan. The Serena Hotel embodiesthe local styles and traditions of the city and alsofulfills today's needfor a hotel of high standardin an industrialtown. The building layout, use of materials and technology,and the architectural details, make direct referencesto the vernacularstyle of Faisalabad.The recesseddoors and windowsreduce the sun glare,the perforatedbrick walls allow the breezeto come through,and the use of local crafts, like, mosaictile-work, brass lamps,and corbelling brick capitals, provide an exhilarating experience as one passes through. The hotel, with all these local experiences,provides modern facilities for this growingtown, which is a majorindustrial center of Pakistan. Fig. 7.2 Use of traditionalenamelled glazed tiles for calligraphicaldecoration in the dental clinic of the Aga Khan Universityand Hospital,Karachi.

104 Fig. 7.3 View of one of the courtyards of the Serena Hotel in Faisalabad, Pakistan.

105 Fig. 7.4 Roof plan of the project.

106 Fig. 7.5 The receptionbuilding for His Highnessthe Aga Khan.

107 The Thesis Project: In this project,attempt has been made to achieve appropriateregional and the local character,while at the same time making an opinion about the future of Hunzaarchitecture. The limited use of reinforcedconcrete satisfies not only the seismic need for a stable structure but also meets the people's aspirationsfor future progress. The thick stone walls, terracingstructure, timber columnsand screens,flat roofs with overhangs,the 16 foot grid, and square and diagonal geometricalpatterns are all direct referencesto the local architecturalstyle. The glass skylight,double glazed windows, use of crawl spacebelow theprayer hall, diffused electric lighting and the electric heating system generated by water turbine, are all new phenomenonfor the people of Hunza. Thus, thetheme behind the searchfor an appropriatearchitectural design in the Karimabadvillage has been to allowevolution and progress towardsthe future,rather than toretreat into the pastby imitating stylesand traditionalsymbols. The design isutilizing new systemsto meet new needswithout losingthe culturalheritage of the past. Thus, this building, a new presencein the area, is making a statementfor the futureof the regionwithout losing sight ofthe past,because the past belongsto the presentand the present to the future.

108 Fig. 7.6 Aerial viewof the project as seen from the south-west.

109 Appendix 1

Seismicity in the Northern Areas of Pakistan

110 The Himalayanregion, in which the Hunza valley lies, is a "structural knot" of interactionsof continental plates1 . It all started millionsof years ago when the Indio-Australianplate began converging towards Eurasian plate. The rate of

convergenceslowed downabout forty millionyears ago (from100 mm/yearto 50 mm/yearapproximately) when the two massescame into direct contactwith each other.2 This joining of the two plates resultedin the formation of vertical thickeningof the continentalcrust and hencethe formation of hugemountains in that region,which are: the Himalaya,the Pamirand the Hindukush. It is believed that this convergenceis still continuingtoday and resultingin a series of seismic networksin the region.

Fig. 8.1 The Himalayanregion is a 'structuralknot' interactions The of of continentalplates. arrowsindicate Basedon the availablehistorical dataand geotectonicmaps, a large part of the directionof plate movement. NorthernArea, including the Hunzavalley, falls into seismiczone of an intensityof

7.0 or higher on the Richter scale. According to one report,about 59, 738 people have died in Pakistan because of earthquakes from 1900 to 1977.3 Figs. 8.2 and 8.3 and show maps of Pakistan whichindicate that the Hunza and the surroundingregion falls in a significantly seismic danger zone. Dr. Roger Bilhamof the Universityof Coloradoat Boulderis of the opinionthat moredeaths could be expected in future earthquakes, in the seismic zone from the Mediterraneanto CentralAsia, as third world populationsgrow and construction

methodsbecome poorer. He further says that its "buildings,not earthquakes", that kill people.4

Interviewswith the villagers, of Karimabadduring the August 1988 visit, has

111 - EXPLANATION

Zone of Serious Seismic Danger M-7 to 8.5; I-IX to XI; acceioration-0.3 to 0.6 g

Zone of Significant Seismic Danger * M-6 to 7 ; [-Vil to IX a-0. 15to 0.3 g --

Zone of Noticeable Seismic Danger -. AM" M-5 to 6; 1- Vi to Vil ; a- 0.05 to 0.15g

Zoneof least Seismic Danger - - M- 8elow 5 ;-Below Vi;o - Below0.05g -

2 ...... -...... GeologicalSurvey of Pakistan - - Q U ETTA - ......

50 Km 0

51-100 Km 6

O01-20OKM 4

200Km X

le active Foults 0 .7 . Important Town and cities

Fig. 8.2 Map showingseismic danger zones in Pakistan.

112 Fig. 8.3 Map showingprobable active faults and epicentersof earthquake,1905-1972.

113 revealed that earthquake tremors are quite common in the village. The most recent onehad occurredin July, last year . Beforethis, tremorswere felt a year ago. Unavailabilityof technicalfacilities, makes it difficultto recordsuch tremors, but it is certainthat the regionis vulnerableto earthquakes.

The two, andthe most recent earthquakesin the Northern Area, have beenin Hamran(1972) and in Pattan(1974). On December28,1974, the Patanarea was hit by an earthquakeof the intensity close to about 6.0 on the Richter scale. According to a report prepared by UNESCO5 , this earthquake was a comparativelysmall event, as comparedto other events thathave occurredin the region, previously. The shock was felt over an area of about 300,000 square kilometers and caused damage to the precariously situated local population. About 5,000 people were estimatedto havedied and about 15,000 injured. It was also reported that 4,400 housescollapsed. The report continuesthat, tall shingri towers,usually a part of forts and palaces, ( Figs. 8.4 and 8.5) and which are usuallyabout high 45 feet, didnot suffer any damage.These structuresare built with thick (2'-0" to 3'-6") flat stone walls reinforced with horizontal timber beamsor planks arrangedin two dimensionsat intervalsof 1'-8"to 2'-0". About domestic architecture,the report says that dwellings of the bearing-type Fig. 8.4 and 8.5 Shingri towers, approximately40'high, still stand today -- probabalybecause of their construction(in which the roof rests on the exteriorstone wall) sufferedseverely construction technique.Alternate courses of timber and due to the collapse of the walls. Otherdwellings, with independent wooden stone areproven to be earthquake-resistant structures. (Above) Shingri tower of the Altit Fort in Hunza. columns, withstood the tremor much better. Rubble-fill walls, consistingof angularrocks, withstood the shakingbetter than those built of river-worn rounded or semi-roundedboulders.

114 Anotherstudy by Arif Hasan, a Pakistaniarchitect, shows that veryfew structures have collapsed because of earthquake. He believes that buildingswhich do collapse have either of the following qualities:

(1) The load bearingwall has a clay fillingin betweenthe twostone walls. (Sucha wall islocally called dohi diwar) (2) There isno regular transversalstone connection in the wall thickness at regularintervals.

(3) The wall thicknessis of less than10". (4) The wall junctionsare not well connected.

Thus, if appropriate measuresare taken, like strongfoundations, stable bonding, and proper bracings of horizontal and vertical members, an earthquakeproof building with local materialsis possible. The local people need not hiretrained expertiseto solve their seismic construction.The solution exists in the region, but only needs to be respectedand followed.

1 "Pressing RockMasses Mark Centerof Quake". New York Times. December9, Fig. 8.5 Shingri tower of the fort in Sherqilla. 1988. p.A16.

2 "AMicroearth Survey in the Karakoram"in the InternationalKarakoram Project. Vol. 2. 1984. p.150

115 3 RezaRezani "Seismic Protection of UnreinforcedMasonry and Adobe Low- cost Housingin less Developed Countries:Policy Issues and Design Criteria"in InternationalConference on Disastersand Small Dwellings.Oxford: Oxford Polytechnic, U.K. 1978.

4"TollPut in Tens of Thousandsfrom Quake in Soviet Armenia"New York Times. December9, 1988. p. 1.

5 Ambraseys,N., Lensen,G. and Moinfar,A. "The PattanEarthquake of 28 December, 1974." UNESCO. Paris. 1975.

116 Appendix2

Building Materials in Hunza and their Costs

117 Introduction

The informationin this sectionis based on reportsprepared by Mr. ArifHasan -- a practicingarchitect in Pakistan,and the Aga Khan Housing Board of Pakistan. Informationobtained, during the field visit to Hunza in August 1988, is also included. All prices are inPakistani rupees and the currentexchange rate of about eighteenrupees to a US dollar, has been used.

Stone

As mentionedin previoussections, stone is the naturalbuilding materialfor the NorthernArea. It is available eitherin boulder,rubble or slate form and, usually,is easilyavailable. Tractors are used to transportstone from itssource to the site. In Karimabad,stone is obtained in two ways, dependingon the size and type of construction.(1) Fromthe site itselfand is usuallyfor residentialconstruction. (2) For commercialor communityconstruction stone is acquired from Husainabad about6 miles awayfrom Karimabad.

To transportstone, a tractorfrom Karimabadto Husainabad makes about twotrips in a day and charges aboutRs. 225 per day. It can acquire about60 pieces of stone in one trip. Masonsand contractors,interviewed in the village, mentioned that a lot ofstone is availablein Karimabad,but there is no accessroad to those site for the tractor. If some formof transportaccess is developed,the cost of stone acquisitionwill not only lower down,but abouteight times more stone can be obtainedper day. The basic laborand acquisitioncosts are as follows:

118 Fig. 9.1 Acquiringstone (all figures in Pakistanirupees)

Cost for hiringtractor (perday) 225

Cost to employlabor to load and unload stone(4 labors@ 20 perday) 80

Total cost of acquiringstone 305

Quantityof stone acquired60x2 (eachpiece gives a stone block of 6"x6"x12) 360 cu.ft.

Cost of acquiring1 cu. ft. of stone in Karimabadfrom Husainabad:1.18 rupee

Breaking stone Stone is eitherbroken at sourceor at the site into smallermanageable sizes. It is usually the site where cutting and dressing,isdone. In one day about 90 to 110 cu. ft. of stone can be cut by one person, labor costs for this activity vary from Rs 100 to 120, per day, depending on the location of the site, the skills and the speed of the labor. Laboris relativelymore expensive in moredeveloped parts of the region,for example,in Gilgit. In case of small rural housesthis operationis carried out by the owner himself, as he is the builder.

The broken stone is then either used as coarse rubble masonryor is used for betterquality masonrywall with hammerdressed stones. Thus,the breakingcost also dependson thequality of the dressing. 1 cu. ft. of stone for a wall comesout

to be Rs 0.91 This type of stone is acceptablefor residentialconstruction.

119 Stone dressing The stone broken into smaller sizes needs tobe further hammer dressedfor a moreregularized stone masonry.This is usuallythe casewith communal orpublic architecture wherebetter quality finishis required. Again, with the same labor cost of Rs. 120 per day, stone equivalentof 100 cu.ft. can be dressed by a masonin one day. The cost for this qualitystone comesout to be Rs. 0.83for

1 cu. ft.

Wall assembly Accordingto some estimates,two masonsworking together at the cost of about Rs. 120 and Rs. 90 per day can put up a wall of about100 sq. ft. in one day. This gives a cost of about Rs. 2.1 to lay 1 cu. ft. of stonesfor a wall, includingcement mortar.

Hence the cumulative cost to put 1 cu. ft. of a stone wall 18" thick comes out to be as follows:

120 Fig. 9.2: Summary cost table for stone wall per cu. ft.

Items Material Labor Total

Costof acquiring 0.96 0.22 1.18

Cost of breakingstone - 0.91 0.91

Stone dressing - 0.83 0.83

Stone laying (including cement mortar) - 2.10 2.10

One helperfor the masons in layingstones @ 35 per day - 0.35 0.35

TOTAL 0.96 7.56 8.52

Hencethe cost to construct1 cu. ft. of a 18"thick wall comes out to be Rs. 8.52. Certain labor costs like unskilled labor for helping masons, breaking or loading stones, are usually not paid by the house builders. For community buildings like jamat khanas, voluntaryworkers can be and most probablywill be involved, if these are deducted,the laborcosts will lower.

An important result observed from the above analysis is that, more than 85% of

the total cost involvedin the processof the constructionof stonewall is relatedto labor, and this moneycirculates within the region.1 Usually,in stone acquisition, the builderdoes not hasto pay for the material-- as isthe casewith cement.

121 Timber

For residentialconstruction, timberis usually acquired,either by cutting one's

own poplar trees, orby purchasingit from the nearest source,i.e., the forest department. In the former case, people do not plant trees after cutting and hence,create deforestation. In the latter, it is much moreexpensive to sawand transporttimber from the buying placeto the site. For community and public buildings,timber has tobe acquired either from the forest department or from Chillas,Danyor orJanglot. Sometimes,transportation and sawingcosts end up about 200% to 300% more than the actual costof the timber. If the people desire to continueusing timber, in their future architecture-- may it be domestic, institutional or communal -- they have to increase forestation.

A commoncomplaint among home owners and buildershas been regardingthe rising costs of timber and its non-availability. According to Arif Hasan, timber is still the most importantconstruction material when comparedto concrete,especially for domesticroof construction.2

The cost of timberis directly relatedto the proper usageof timber. Observations have been made by local architectsthat people have a poor ideaof how timber

shouldbe cut, stackedand seasoned. Wood logs are allowedto dry in open air for a year beforethey are used. Sincethere is no specialway of seasoning,there is no differencein price betweena seasonedand a non-seasonedtimber.

122 Builders, in the region, need to understand the relationship of the grain direction to the functionaluse of the member. Usageof impropertools is also a factor in the increasedcost of timber as it demandsmore labor. Unavailabilityof proper sawing systemoften results in more than requiredtimber being used. The most commonlyobserved joinery is a crude versionof dove-tail joint. Nails are quite often used where timber joints would prove to be more economicaland strong. A correct understandingof all such minor details would result in economicaluse of timber in the region.

No exact figures or cost for the usage of timber in houses is available, but according to Arif Hasan's report, averagecost for roof construction including transportation and labor vary from 30 rupees to 15 rupees per sq. ft. Transportation cost of timber is the most varying factor in roof construction dependingon the distance betweenthe source and site. The above-mentioned figuresare based on an estimateof school constructionin the region;in caseof housesit may be lower becauseof smallerscale and less overhead expenses. For a communitybuilding, like a jamat khana,the cost may be lower becauseof voluntary manpower. Moreover, if timber can be made available locally and if proper seasoning, sizingand structural qualitiesare understood, thecost of roof constructionare bound todecrease. 3

The introductionof cement and steel in the village of Karimabad has not yet affectedthe local building technologyto an extent where the roofing systemof housesis affected. This may primarilybe because ofrelatively higher costof new

123 system,unavailability of cheap labortrained in concreteroofing, and unavailability of technical know-howto an ordinary house builder. The roofing system of a house constructedwith cement-concrete-blockwall is still of timber and mud.

Lime

Lime is locallyavailable in abundanceand is half the price of cement--even when purchasedfrom a far-off town. It has been usedin communitybuildings, bridges, housesof Mirs and upper-classfamilies, but to a very limited extent.

In Karimabad,It is not commonlyused today, probablybecause of the difficultyin its extraction. Contractorsand masonsinterviewed in Karimabadsay that a lot of limedeposits are available,in and near,Karimabad, but it requiresa lot of woodfor fuel to extract it. If a facility for fueling is made available, it would be much cheaper and easily available. Approximatecost of lime with extractionwould come to about Rs. 35 per maund (38 kilograms), i.e., about one-quarterof the cost of cement. Currently,lime is being importedfrom Punjab andit costs about Rs. 75 per maund. The local masons complainthat the quality of importedlime is not good, comparedto the oneextracted locally.

Cement,relatively, is morecommonly used becauseof its readyavailability, even thoughthe cost is twice to the cost of lime. Accordingto Arif Hasan, the current procedure of lime extraction is a very complex and labor intensive. The kilns used for the purpose are archaic and inefficient, and people cannot identify better quality lime stone. If a more sophisticatedand easyto construct kiln could be

124 designed,maximizing the use of heat generated,it would be adopted at a more wider scale. Moreover,the economiccirculation stays within the region among the local people.

Mud

The quality of mud in Hunza varies from region to region. In many cases it contains fairly large silica content, making it unsuitableas a building material. Peoplein the region have been using mud very widely, sometimeswith wheat waste or sometimeswith apricot juice (for better roofing). There is no cost involved in the acquisition of mud for domestic construction, except for transportation,where necessary.

Accordingto Arif Hasan, if proper researchis carried out, chemicalcompounds and apricotjuice can be mixedwith mud to make it waterproofand maintenance free. The economicsof these chemicals, their purchaseand their introduction into the area, needsto be studied.

Halli

Halli is a skin membraneof a tall tree, and is used for roof waterproofing. It is usuallylaid on the roof boardsbefore applying the layer of mud on it. If properly overlapped,it actsas agood waterproofing membrane. The cost of ha//ito cover an areaof about40 sq. ft. is Rs. 12,and is usually importedinto Karimabad froma nearbyvillage, Nagar. This systemof using hali is not so commonlyused today, probably becauseof scarcity of trees and increasing cost of halli and easy

125 availabilityof alternatemeans to waterproofthe roof. Polythenesheets are being morecommonly used for roof water-proofing.A comparativecost analysisof the two systemsneeds to be done.

Cement-concrete Blocks The intervention of the new cement-concreteblock technology is currently limited only to constructingwalls and flooring in the domestic architectureof Karimabad.Calculations, based on field surveyand interviewswith masonsand builders,show that importedtechnology, is more expensivethan locallyavailable stone.

People interviewed in Karimabad knew or understood the weaknesses of cement-concreteblocks, and the advantagesof havinga stone wall. Peoplewith cement-concrete-blockhouses do not have stone at their site of construction and belongto a relativelyhigh incomegroup. Hence,instead of acquiringstone from anothersite they make cement-concreteblocks at the site; but in in doing so they import cementfrom Punjab. In majorityof cases, its the owners desire to use new materialsfor their houses. This, results in increased import of new technologies,which may be inappropriatefor the region.

The costof a cementbag importedfrom Punjab,a provinceof Pakistan,is about

Rs. 128to 134and weighsone maund. Gravelused to makethese blocks is also importedfrom elsewhere. From one bag of cementmasons can produce32 to 90 blocks depending on the quality of the block and the proportionsof its

126 ingredients. The following chart will give a detailed information about the proportion of the ingredients, their costs and the number of blocks produced from one cement bag. The sizes of these blocks is 12"x6"x8', and the ingredientsare cement, gravel and water, respectively.

Fig.9.3 Cement-concrete block production table.

Category Proportion No. of blocksproduced Cost per block A 1:2:4 36 6.00 B 1:3:6 40 4.50 C 1:4:8 65 4.00 D 1:6:12 90 3.50

The above table shows that a variety of cement-concrete blocks can be produced from one bag of cement. It is, therefore,very easyfor an ordinaryconsumer to fall in trap for buying the low quality blockswithout realizingit. Interviewswith local buildersrevealed that the last two categories,C and D, are usuallyproduced for selling. While categories A and B, are usually produced by the owners for their own use.

Making cement-concreteblocks allows the local economy to flow externally, whereas,use of stone allowsit to circulatewithin the region.

127 Conclusion

From the above data, it can be concludedthat the costs of local technologyare lower than those of imported concretetechnology, especially keeping in mind the quality. Moreover,the fact that localpopulation can participatesubstantially as volunteersor semi-volunteers,or as self-employedlaborers, can further reduce the constructioncosts considerably,for the use of local technology.

Introductionof newtools, accompaniedby researchinto materialsand structures, and further trainingof artisans might also reducecosts also. For Karimabad,the water channel, Barbar,can generatepower to operate stone cutting machines; this innovation,if applied, can reduce the cost of cutting stones considerably. Accordingto the expert on appropriatelocal building,Arif Hasan, poor villagers are not enthusiastic about new technologiesbecause of the exorbitant cost usuallyexperienced in usingthem. On the otherhand, their availabilityis creating a lot ofdisparity among the villagers. Moreover,the quality of local technologyis beginningto suffer becauseof importedtechnologies, as moreand moreartisans and masonswant to work with new materialsonly. It has been observedthat currentlyabout 5-10% of families in Karimabadhave houses built with cement- concreteblocks. A questionarises whether the use of new importedtechnology will continue to increase in the villages? This deserves further investigation. Careful decisions are required in selecting materials and technology for construction,especially for any public building. Decisionstaken on such an important new building, as this, might have a substantialremedial affect on the situation.

128 1 Two contradictingsources of informationare availablefor evaluationof cost estimateof the two building systems. Architect,Arif Hasan isof the opinionthat the indigenous technology is cheaper than the imported systemof cement- concrete. Whereas,according to the Aga Khan HousingBoard, Pakistan,who is responsiblefor the construction of Self-help schoolsin the region, imported technologyis cheaper. Both the sources are correct, dependingon the quality one buys. Moreover,the implicationsand repercussionsof the use of these materialson the local built character,and the responseof local populationto it, shouldnot be ignored. It must be bornein mind that, the regionof NorthernArea is very vast andaccessibility, availability of materials,and transportationcost vary fromvillage to village. Therefore,figures from one area may not applyto another, and each villagemay needa separate studyand evaluation.

2 Observationon the recent study was made that though the cost of timber has risen considerably,people of Hunza continueto using it, probablyno alternative systemis yet discoveredfor domesticroofing.

3 It is quite possiblethat properstacking, seasoning and sizing may raise costof timber as it mightentail more labor, more space, more tools, etc. Hence,this aspectneeds tobe studiedfor the Karimabadvillage.

129 Illustration Credits

Alluncredited illustrations are done by the author.

1.2 Didier Lefort.

2.3 ArchitecturalRecord, August 1986 3.4 Mimar20, 1984 3.5 Mimar20, 1984 3.6 Mimar20, 1984 3.7 Mimar20, 1984

4.3 Mimar3, 1982

5.1 Hoag,J. 5.2 Didier Lefort.

8.1 NewYork Times, December9, 1988. 8.2 and 8.3 CentoSeminar on RecentAdvances in EarthquakeHazard Minimization.

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