Text and Photos provided by IAP Secretariat
The Board of Architectural Education – Institute of Architects Pakistan (BAE-IAP), in collaboration with IAP Karachi Chapter (IAP-KC), successfully conducted the workshop “SHIFT: From Void to Value – An Immersive Design Thinking Charrette” on May 5, 2025 at IAP House Karachi. This dynamic event brought together over 50 architecture students from five leading institutions: Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS), University of Karachi (UoK), NED University of Engineering and Technology (NED-UET), Dawood University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), and Nazeer Hussain University.
Guided by renowned mentors from across South Asia-including Ar. Fawad Suhail Abbasi (Islamabad), Ar. Syed Fawad Hussain & Leena Hassan (Lahore), Ar. Seher Aziz (Karachi), Ar. Abhishek Bariacharya (Kathmandu), and Ar. Zannat Jui (Dhaka)-participants engaged in fast-paced reflective ideation, prototyping, and narrative-building. The challenge focused on reclaiming overlooked urban voids in Karachi’s Saddar Town, proposing inclusive and sustainable public toilet solutions in alignment with the upcoming IAPEX 2025 theme, “KAL: Kaleidoscope of Architectural Life-scape.”
Ar. Bisma Sami Askari, Chairperson BAE-IAP, extended heartfelt gratitude to all mentors, participants, and supporters. Special acknowledgments were made to IAP President Ar. Fawad Suhail Abbasi; internationally acclaimed architect Ar. Rafiq Azam (Bangladesh); and members of the IAP National Council, including Ar. Tahir Khattak (Honorary Secretary IAP), Ar. Umar Khan Kakar (Honorary Treasurer IAP), Ar. Zulfiqar Ali (Immediate Past President IAP), Ar. Nimra Qazi (Vice Chairperson, IAP RIC), and Ar. Toobia Yousuf (NC Member IAP). Tokens of appreciation were presented to the mentors in recognition of their contributions.
The workshop emphasized design thinking, spatial storytelling, and iterative problem-solving. Student teams responded with compelling project titles, key visuals, and architectural narratives, addressing themes of memory, urgency, and hope. SHIFT proved to be more than a charrette-it became a platform for critical dialogue, cross-cultural collaboration, and visionary thinking, reinforcing BAE-IAP’s mission to bridge heritage and innovation in architectural education.
