By Ar. Shajiya Naveed
All art aspires to the condition of music (Walter Pater, 1877). In their most empirical and simplistic forms, architecture and music are one and the same- sensory experiences that strive to appeal to a higher sense of being and non-verbal connection. Music and architecture both attempt to harness order and beauty, to make the intangibles viscerally physical-spaces seen and felt, melodies heard. IAP-RIC’s Jashn-e-Baharan-bonfire and musical evening led Islamabad’s architectural community to convene and connect over the mystics of music. The community welcomed spring on the eve of the 24th of February 2023, with a bonfire lit evening at the Sir Syed Memorial Complex, Islamabad. The aim of the event was to draw away from the convention of more formal activities and allow architects from varying stages of their professional journeys to explore and embrace their more creative/musical sides. The attendees included seasoned/ decorated architects, senior and young, academics and students from various institutes across Islamabad.
The event commenced with the national anthem and a brief speech by the Chairman IAP-RIC, Ar. Fawad Suhail Abbasi. Conducted by the dedicated members of the IAP team, what followed was an instrumental performance by two musicians Ar. Izhar playing the guitar and Rabab Ar. Salman Saqib.
A marriage of the modern and classical instruments-their performance surpassed the need for lyrics, with the students showcasing their ability to tell a story without words-similar to how spaces are able to build/reinforce narratives.
After a few encores, their act was followed by a guitar soloist and talented singer-Haseeb Malik who invoked the past by performing covers of some of the pop/paki-indie hits of the last century and was later joined by Ar. Jawad Masood Khokar. This particular performance received an enthusiastic response from the crowd, as audience members-both young and old-chimed in to sing along with the lead. The evening was tinged with a sense of nostalgia-as is often triggered by music. The IAP-RIC team of Architects Wajid Nazir, Usman Abdul Qayyum, Mustafa Abid Paracha and Izhar Azeem conducting the event played a big role in engaging their guests and creating a back and forth. The highlight of the night was an impromptu performance by the esteemed seniors involved in the chapter.
This was followed by many other spontaneous contributions to the roster by the guests.
The event concluded with a performance from IAP-RIC’s organizing team-the younger architects from the city came out with their own song and dance. Beyond merely the talent highlighted by the event, it brought people from various facets of the industry closer together in a context that was less formal but equally culturally and intellectually enriching. With the monumental memorial behind them, the final act of the evening carried across an air of mysticism.
The first event of this spring is yet another the mark of a shift in the industry culture of Islamabad led by IAP-RIC. The institution is opening a larger number of avenues for discourse and community events-allowing the old and new guards to connect and architects to explore various unique niches under the umbrella of their profession. Both in the tangible and intangible domain.
