Influences and Approaches Shaping the Architectural Roots of Pakistan: An Analysis of the Works of U.S.-Based Architects in Pakistan

Abstract

Architects from the United States invited to work in Pakistan in the 1960s and later years helped lay down the foundation of modern day Pakistani architecture. Thomas Payette, Richard Neutra, Edward Durell Stone and Leo A. Daly are some of the notable names responsible for some remarkable construction feats. The Aga Khan Medical Complex, the U.S. Embassy, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) building, the Habib Bank Plaza in Karachi, the Wapda House in Lahore, the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Research and Technology (Pinstech), and the Presidency Complex in Islamabad are some of the examples. While these buildings may have been mere experiments combining local building styles with international modernist philosophy, they stand out as inspiring masterpieces for modern Pakistani architects of today. The U.S.-based architects constructed buildings stand true to the local values, whilst adding an international identity to the cityscapes of major urban centres across Pakistan. This article focuses on how these foreign architects handled the challenging task of producing architecture that would resonate with the Islamic identity of the state and would help set an exemplary precedent for modern architects. The major aim of this article is to identify and study the important buildings designed by U.S. architects and to find out the inspirations and influences that led to their proposed designs. The article also enumerates the factors that affected and, at the same time, helped the evolution of contemporary Pakistani architecture.