PUNJAB: Yasmeen Lari, Pakistan’s first certified female architect, is leading a sustainable housing project in flood-hit southeastern Pakistan.
Her NGO, the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, has already built about 1,000 low-cost and eco-friendly houses in Sindh province using locally sourced materials such as lime, mud, and bamboo.
The houses are designed to be disaster-resilient, environmentally friendly, easy to erect, and able to withstand extreme weather.
Lari’s approach involves teaching villagers to build their own homes through workshops and tutorials on YouTube. The houses can be built for under US$87 and can easily be repaired and replaced.
The Sindh People’s Housing Foundation is considering incorporating Lari’s sustainable methods into its work.
Lari’s approach has been gaining traction, and she was recently awarded the 2023 Royal Gold Medal from The Royal Institute of British Architects for her relief architecture.
