Following the extreme floods that affected Pakistan in 2022, architect Yasmeen Lari the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan pledged to help build one million resilient houses in the country. In 2022, 33 million people have been displaced, and an estimated 500,000 houses have been destroyed or severely damaged. In September 2022, Lari’s NGO launched a target program to start rebuilding and to help communities protect themselves against future disasters. The program is built on Lari’s expertise in working with the communities and employing vernacular and local building materials to achieve resilient and sustainable structures. According to the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, one-third of the goal has already been reached.
The target program continues Yasmeen Lari’s philosophy of “Barefoot Social Architecture,” a knowledge-sharing system that aims to move away from the model of humanitarian aid that fosters dependency, and instead help empower the communities. The initiative goes beyond the target of one million households, striving to ensure that each household gains access to basic facilities: shelter, water, toilets, and Pakistan Chulah, a smokeless self-built stove raised on an earthen platform.
The plan includes strategies based on several key targets: basic rights, food security, flood preparedness, income generation, and strengthening the social infrastructure. The methodologies also take into consideration the specific conditions on site, with strategies for the emergency phase including the construction of emergency LOG shelters, eco toilets, and half-scale LOG classrooms After the community’s return, the LOG structures and eco toilets can be converted into permanent structures. Raised hand pumps ensure access to the water supply, and Pakistan Chulahs create a safe environment for cooking and social activities.
The shelters are inspired by indigenous building techniques, utilizing local materials re-engineered to protect the buildings against flood waters. Traditional mud huts can be vulnerable in the face of extreme weather, while the new way of building in Pakistan relies heavily on concrete, a high-emissions material. In contrast, the LOG shelters designed by Yasmeen Lari are made out of prefabricated bamboo structures that sit on raised platforms. The lime-hardened mud walls protect against water infiltrations, while several layers of thatch and other materials on the roof protect against rainfall. The houses take a week to build, are significantly more affordable than other modern solutions.
This is indeed a huge task. Making a million houses (for a non-governmental organization) is not like a walk in the park, the idea is not only to provide the families with zero-carbon houses but also to make them self-dependent. - Dr Yasmeen Lari
The plan also includes strategies for flood preparedness, including the construction of aquifer wells, earth masonry boundary walls, bamboo barriers, and forest barriers. Income generation is also one of the targets. It relies on a system of ‘barefoot entrepreneurs’ sharing knowledge and training by moving from one village to another and teaching each other key skills. The ‘Barefoot Livelihood Skills’ include six domains: fish, chicken, agriculture, training, forestation, and craft.
In 2023, Yasmeen Lari, Pakistan’s first female architect, was awarded the 2023 RIBA Royal Gold Medal for Architecture, an international recognition, a bold decision according to Lari, as the medal is not usually given to architects working to empower poor communities.
