Sustainable Constructions: What is the “Vernacular” for Karachi? by Anzal Rao
Sustainability is the buzz word of our time; sustainable constructions are a way to reduce the negative impacts of harmful emissions in the environment. It is a broad term to explore and my take for this article will be talking over the techniques and design strategies suitable for constructing a sustainable sound building in context of our city, Karachi.
There are many debates and discussions about finding the Vernacular for Karachi. Vernacular just do not mean the use of local materials, which is in our case is just stone, obviously due to the rapid construction rate, stone just would not be enough. So, what is then Vernacular? Well, we all have heard the great examples of modern architecture in west followed by use of concrete and glass, big openings, big vistas, inside-outside connections so on, but have we ever thought to afford the expense of living inside them, if we have designed here, we would have burned inside of them. Modernity follows the lack of place; it is a universal movement with universal strategies without taking context into considerations, so in my opinion vernacular starts with bringing the thinking of using local techniques, like the use of proper ventilation, Incorporation of indirect lighting, using minimal material, clutter free spaces, bringing the landscape inside our homes, all of these techniques will bring a design that will not only be vernacular but also functional and livable.
I was looking into the works of Architect Geoffrey Bawa, He was the one who designed almost all of his buildings around the landscape, thanks to the topography of Sri Lanka too, for him the views were important, besides being a man of modern thinking, the point here is he never neglected the rich context surrounding the building, I want you to pin this point here!
33rd Lane house plan by Geoffrey Bawa, Source: Google images.
Another famous architect from Balkrishna V. Doshi, a Pritzker Prize winning Architect from India, when we analyze his work, we can easily see how the integration of local crafts and communities are kept into considerations along with giving solutions to raising housing issues in India.
Aryana housing project by B.V Doshi, street view and sketches, Source: Google images
Now we have got an idea that how being a modernist is not just the way it works in our context we need to learn the techniques from these Critical regionalist architects whose works are highly modern but yet respect the premises on which it is being built.
Our city falls into the Hot-Humid zone, that means the architecture here would be based on recessed entrances, central courtyards or pocket openings, so that light but not sun and wind can come inside the buildings, all we need is a curious mind and the local construction methods to incorporate these strategies.
Lastly, the strategies that I have came across while studying the context that we have here, is that the vernacular is such a broad thing to say, there is no such thing explored yet, but Critical Regionalism is the way forward, because analyzing into the precedent work in various Hot-Humid context there are many techniques in hand on which we can develop sustainable construction for Karachi yet modern for the city for that matter.
We just have to respect our place, tradition, local crafts, community and society, so in my opinion this is the fast track that will be instrumental for Karachi.
