Nineteenth-Century Houses of Karachi -Pakistan: 3 Case-Studies

Karachi since its progression from 17th century onwards, remain center of attraction for multiple ethnic groups due to its economic potential. These groups ranging from Muslims, Hindus, Britishers, Parsi, Jewish etc. All lived in harmony, respecting each other sects, socio-cultural beliefs and principles. However; their respective housing units constructed during 19th century, offer some distinctive architectural characteristics which corresponds to their socio-spatial needs and lifestyle. This study highlighted those space sequence (open, semi open, covered), functional area classifications (private and public zones), material, construction style and other theoretical details which corresponded to their specific cultural beliefs. It also reflected the homogeneous character of Karachi city’s built historic fabric; that have never discussed. Methodology adopted for this study comprised of comparative case-studies based documentation, their interpretation and analysis. Some tools used for this study include interviews, field documentation, site-visits and historical records. The research concluded with identifying multiple spatial elements as Karachi’s architecture that were resultant of not only socio-cultural setup but its connection with city’s climate.