Renowned Pakistani architect Habib Fida Ali passes away

Acclaimed architect Habib Fida Ali passed away on Saturday. Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture announced his funeral prayers will be offered at 12 noon at the Bohra Qabristan.

In 1956 he joined The Architectural Association, the prestigious and exclusive college in London which drew the best professors and the brightest students. The 1950s and 1960s were particularly stimulating years for literature, architecture and the performing arts.

Fida Ali was one of Pakistan’s most distinguished architects. He served on the Master Jury for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and received many awards for his work, including the design and construction of important corporate buildings and the conservation and renovation of Mohatta Palace. He is also a recipient of the lifetime achievement award by the Institute of Architects Pakistan.

Great pieces of his work are published in Hasan ud Din Khan’s book The Architecture of Habib Fida

Fida Ali was profoundly influenced by the writings and vision of architect Robert Venturi ‘who opposed established opinions and pointed out an alternative way forward.’

His earliest projects included the Kohsaar Restaurant in Hill Park which no longer exists but is illustrated in Khan’s book by spectacular photographs of its imaginative canopy that he created for outdoor dining.

An architect, Murlidhar Dawani described Fida’s LUMS project as a blend of western technology and local materials.  Fida was a part of a broader movement towards cultural awareness.

Some of Fida Ali’s work includes collaborative projects such as the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. He also served as the president of the Institute of Architects of Pakistan’s Karachi chapter and as council member of the Union of International Architects.