Architect Yasmeen Lari and Heritage Foundation of Pakistan have worked with disadvantaged communities to craft terracotta tiling for a pedestrianised street in the historic heart of Karachi.
The terracotta tiles appear along Rahguzar Walking Street, an "eco-enclave", which sits close to Denso Hall library in Karachi's old town.
The project is being published as part of Lari's contribution to the Dezeen 15 festival, alongside a manifesto she has written that calls for a new form of social architecture that benefits disadvantaged people. Lari will speak about her manifesto and her work in a live interview with Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs.
Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, which was co-founded by Lari, has been working on conserving the 19th-century Denso Hall building and its surrounding area since 2010, in collaboration with Karachi Electric Supply Company and the city government. Residents from deprived villages were taught how to make the tiles
After work on the village homes was complete, over 100 residents were given two months of tile-making training at Thatta's Zero Carbon Cultural Centre, which was set up by Lari.
"It starts with cleaning the clay and removing all impurities through a series of screenings," explained Lari of the lengthy production process. "The clay goes through a laborious process of kneading, balls are prepared, and then pressed into Plaster of Paris moulds by women artisans."
"After they're taken out the ...