By AMANULLAH BASHAR
Apr 03 - 09, 2000
Malika Zartaj Baig is a young enterprising architect, currently
associated with Tariq Hasan, a prominent name in the field of architecture. Malika Zartaj
a bachelor of Architecture from Lousiana State University(1996-98). During her academic
career she was among top three in Architecture Department of National College of Arts,
Lahore (1994-96). Earlier she did her "A" levels in Art, History, Professional
Drawing, Film Studies and Basic Craft from Manchester, UK (1993). Committed to her
profession, she is the member of Pakistan Council for Architects and Town Planners. She
was lucky to have a working exposure as a researcher in the "Downtown Baton Rouge
Revitalization Programme." The State of Louisiana sponsored project to identify areas
of improvement in downtown Baton Rouge. In that project, she assisted as a main architect
in drafting proposal for renovation of two buildings and construction of a theater. She
also made presentation on proposal to the local community. She was also engaged as a
researcher in documentation of Historic Buildings and Monuments in Louisiana. She also
worked as manager of the theater and the box office for Louisiana State University. She
also organized weekly work schedules. In acknowledgement to her management skill she was
given the hiring and firing power of the staff. She was also the manager for events like
Opera House, Performing Arts Series, Music School, Art Lectures, Press conferences and
Graduation ceremonies. Malika proudly mentioned her association with Lari Associates/
Heritage Foundation where she devotes her times for documentation of Historical Buildings
in Lahore and Karachi. She also contributed in compiling detailed national Registers for
separate areas for listing of buildings under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation)
Act.
PAGE: Would you like to highlight the aims and objects
of Heritage Foundation and its achievements.
Malika: Actually, the known architect Yasmin Lari
heads the Heritage Foundation. This foundation has done wonderfully well by preserving
original documents including maps, site plans, designs etc of the buildings of historic
and monumental values located in Karachi and Lahore. She said that some of the papers
related to historic buildings like Lahore forts and other premises were collected even
from India. The decaying monuments and other buildings of historic importance can not be
renovated by the foundation due to financial constraints, yet the architectural records
have been preserved of such buildings at the archives of the foundation. She said that the
delegation of heritage foundation was invited by the counterpart in India to participate
in an international conference on architecture.
PAGE: What was the purpose of the conference.
Malika Zartaj: In fact it was a 6-member delegation of
Pakistan comprised Yasmin Lari, Nazia Somro, Nahid Mashooqullah and Malika Zartaj from
Karachi while Fauzia Qureshi and Ayesha Noorani were from Lahore. The delegation was given
a tremendous welcome at the conference held at Bombay. The purpose of the conference was
to discuss new dimensions and ideas in architecture with special reference to the new
trends in South East Asia. Other countries present in the conference were including Hong
Kong, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Singapore, India and Pakistan. Pakistan will be the
host of the next conference of the similar nature, she said.
PAGE: What could be the role of an architect in the
ever growing problems of rapid urbanization and the civic problems of the metropolitan
cities in Pakistan.
Malika: The importance of an architect specially in
major cities like Karachi, Lahore and other parts of the country is increasing day by day
with the influx of population from rural areas to urban centers which add to the
environment problems in the major cities. She said designing of the buildings answers to
various problems related to city life. The new technology and know how has introduced new
trends in construction and housing building. Utilization of Information Technology has
made the house designing much easier and acceptable to the clients. Through the use of
Information Technology, a client can see the exterior and interiors of his house even
before its construction. He can make amendments of his or her choice before the premises
come up to the ground as a complete view of the house is available with the help of
information technology. She said that new houses being built in Pakistan are totally
different from the conventional style of housing which are pleasant to the view and
comfortable to live, she said.
