FASHION STREET- REVITALIZATION OF THE ORIGINAL FASHION PRECINCT OF ELPHINSTONE STREET, KARACHI
Zaibunnisa caters to different typologies which include retails, restaurants, bookshops, banks, hotels and residences.
The building that I selected for this project is Muhamad Ali Building. It is a second degree building that has ground plus one. It used to be a residential building. It now houses two banks and a few retail stores. The building is divided into five bays with a courtyard and a service access at the back of the building. The ground floor is completely undamaged and in active use while the first floor has seen considerable damage and only the front façade remains intact.
The typology that I selected is a themed café. The concept for this project is ‘The Essence of a Dhaba’. The reason behind selecting this café typology was that Saddar mainly consists of retails and restaurants. The café serves as an informal hangout space that invites people through its casual ambience. The interiors are designed keeping the essence of a Dhaba in mind. This restaurant will help to encourage social interaction between its customers in an informal and flexible environment. It’ll also help revive Karachi’s culture in a contemporary setting.
