CENTRE FOR CONSERVATION & RESTORATION STUDIES

HISTORY

In the history of the Indo-Pak Sub- continent Lahore has always been considered an important city. For centuries Lahore has been the capital of Punjab Province. In the last four centries Lahore has emerged as one of the leading cities of the Indo-Pak sub-contient. Some fascinating buildings and gardens of Mughal Time still adorn the city of Lahore. After Mughal period some notable buildings were constructed during the Sikh period and the British period.

Walled city Lahore is generally called the heart of Lahore. In the Walled City Buildings of various period mentioned above can still be seen. In the last four decades many changes have occurred in the Walled city Lahore. The rich people have moved out and settled in the new quarters of the city. Due to this migration of rich, the residents of the Walled City now generally belong to middle income group and lower income group. Commercial areas are also fast developing in the Walled City Lahore and this trend catching up.

This glorious heritage is disappering at a very fast pace. It is important to save this heritage for posterity. An awareness campaign to save this heritage is the need of the hour.In 2003 National College of Arts, bought an old mansion inside Lahori Gate near Chowk Matti at Kucha Pir Sherazi. This old mansion was converted into the Centre for Conservation & Restoration Studies in the Walled City Lahore.

The primary objectives of this centre are

To create a link between the resident communities of the historic district i.e. The Walled City and the Professional practitioners, academicians involved with conservation and restoration work. The centre provides awareness regarding building and technical services to the communities that is interactive and accessible. To serve as documentation centre for Lahore Walled City Built Heritage.

ADVISORY CELL

Advisory services to the resident population has taken the form of awareness building and provision of technical assistance. Awareness building requires the services of social mobilizers to reach out to the residents to enable the Centre to be used as an Open House by them. Meetings, Talks, Pamphlets and other promotional material is being used as a means for this purpose. Technical advice is avaiable in the centre for repair, maintenance, additions improvement etc. A building manual will be prepared as a guide for local people. Internees from NCA are being employed in both awareness building and technical assistance components.

DOCUMENTATION CELL

The purpose of the Centre is to collect material relating to the built environment. While building plans and drawings from the bulk of the data, information relating to the socio-economic condition of the resident populations data on environment degradation and such other is also collected. Data regaring the crafts is of special interest to assist in the revival if the traditional building crafts. For undertaking this immense task researchers, surveyors, architects need to made available as well as equipment. Internees from NCA are also being involved in various aspects of the Docummentation Centre.

TRAINING CELL

Training in crafts is one of the prome functions of the Training Cell. It is envisaged that practitioners, scholars, craftspeople are engaged in an interactive process to enable the revival and survival of the traditional crafts. While staff and student internees are engaged in the endeavor, other educational institutes both nationally and internationally are being invited to assist in this endeavor.