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FINANCE
AND TRADE CENTER, Karachi
Architect/Design Consultant: Yasmeen
Lari. Lari Associates
Client: Eva Vecsel, Vecsel Associates,
Montreal Management Board, Finance &
Trade Center
Location: Corner of Korangi road and
Shara-e-Faisal.
Area of Project: Rs 750,000 sft.
Cost of Project: Rs 650.00 million
Year of Completion: 1982-1988. |
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Yasmeen
Lari is the first woman Architect
of Pakistan. She is the Principle
of Lari Associates, one of the best-known
architecural practies in the country.
After receiving her early schooling
in queen Mary's Adbistan-i-soofia
and Kinnaird Collage, lahore, she
graduated from the Oxford school of
Architecture.
AS President of the Institute of Architects,
Pakistan (IAP) and the first Chairperson
of the Pakistan Council of Architects
and Town Planners (PCATP);
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she was instrumental in bringing about
recognition for the professions of
architecture and town planning.
In 1969, her work on squatter settlements
persuaded the government to change
its of residents, to regularization
and upgrading of these settlements.
As
Director of Heaitage Foundation and
an outspoken proponent of conservation,
she was helped save a number of important
unique architectural treasures in
karachi and Lahore. Her efforts resulted
in the Sindh Government agreeing in
1994 to bring about a law for the
protection of cultural heritage in
the province and in 1997 the notificaton
of over 600 historic buildings of
karachi published by Heritage Foundation.
Yasmeen Lari's pioneering works include
'Traditional Architecture of Thatta'
and 'The Dual City: Karachi During
the Raj'.
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The
enormous sky-lighted
concourse and podium fountains create
an interesting and
much needed urban space.
A 500-seat auditorium ensures that
the building is alive
until late in the evening.
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Designed
in the form of low-rise
interconnected blocks around
open-to-sky atriums.
The courtyards, landscaped with fountains,
trees and shrubbery, are based on age-old
traditional solution for the control
of temperature, and pleasant
outdoors sitting areas.
The open corridor, linking office blocks
and atriums, channels the cool prevailing
breeze deep into the building, thus
providing comfortable ambience in even
the non-air-conditioned circulation
zone. |
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