2024 - A Symphony of Light and Shade

BACKGROUND:
The harmonious balance between light and shade is crucial for people’s behavior and interactions. Sunlight is often fragmented, and its relationship with specific locations remains disconnected. This project aims to harness sunlight to energize urban activities at Empress Market in Saddar, Karachi, Pakistan. The historic, symmetrical building with a 130’X100’ central courtyard reflects vernacular architecture but is now crowded with permanent and temporary shops. Since independence, it has served as a cultural hub, bringing together diverse people. However, the original roof design limits natural light, and the lack of shade in the courtyard makes it sweltering in summer. Additionally, the lack of shade in the 130’X100’ central courtyard makes the market swelter during Karachi’s scorching summers. Hawkers use tents to shield their spaces from the harsh sun, further suffocating the area with trapped heat and foul smells.
DESIGN IDEA:
Global challenges demand reimagining old structures through reuse, adaptation, and quality upgrades for sustainability. We envision transforming Empress Market with natural light, blending indoor and outdoor spaces to balance light and shade. Reflecting Saddar’s economic, social, and environmental character, a minimalist design will benefit shopkeepers, vendors, and buyers, enhancing functionality while preserving heritage.
Our goal is to redesign the roof using existing corrugated sheets to create a monitor roof design for ample indoor light. Additionally, we propose an operable, tree-shaped tensile structure in the courtyard to provide shade during Karachi’s hot afternoons, encouraging economic activity and preventing displacement. This redesign will resettle shopkeepers, upgrade the environment, and create a well-maintained public space, fostering social activities. Inspired by global bazaars, this strategy aims to attract tourists and enhance the market’s vibrancy follows:

Indoor Interventions:
Replace the corrugated sheet from the top of the monitor roof with a glass frame to allow specular transmission and install aluminum reflectors to direct sunlight onto the old, matte corrugated sheets, which have deteriorated due to climatic impacts. The sunlight bounces off the aluminum reflectors, illuminates the corrugated sheets, and provides diffused light across the market as well as the structure’s natural ventilation system. Furthermore, the roof of the shops has been removed to maximize the use of natural light.

Courtyard Solution:
Design PVC-coated polyester fabric umbrellas with manual mechanisms to provide shade, diffused light, natural ventilation, and rain protection while maintaining the courtyard’s openness in the evening. Another consideration is to collect natural resources by Incorporating features like rainwater harvesting and solar light on poles to enhance sustainability. Furthermore the colors used to represent the vibrant culture of Pakistan.