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Conservation & Development in Baltistan and Hunza region of Pakistan
When it began working in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, in 1992, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC)’s restoration and revitalisation activities became the most visible part of a broad area development programme undertaken by AKDN agencies.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, through its local company Aga Khan Cultural Service - Pakistan (AKCS-P), engaged in reviving pride and identity through interventions in cultural heritage that supported social, physical and institutional development. In the 15 years of operation from 1992 to 2007, several key principles guided the revitalization efforts. The first principle is that restoration must lead to the infusion of new life into historic landmark buildings, which makes them meaningful for the local communities and the users.
The second is that adaptive re-use of the restored building should lead to self-sustainability and allow for the generation of funds for maintenance and upkeep, to counter the risk of a restored site falling into disrepair.
The third principle is that the restoration of the building should not be seen in isolation. The landmark building acts as an entry point for development by helping to attract attention and resources. In recent times, AKCS-P has moved from first initiating work on a landmark building and then working on the context, to a more comprehensive strategy whereby community rehabilitation precedes restoration of the building. In Altit, the historic settlement has been rehabilitated and work has only commenced on restoring the 900-year-old Altit Fort.
The core theme underlying these three principles is that the architectural heritage of a region represents a valuable asset for human development--a potential which has to be properly acknowledged and activated at different levels of human existence, from the spiritual to the emotional and to the physical realm. There are important indirect benefits which can be obtained by using the built heritage components as a catalyst for wider social and physical upgrading of the surrounding environment.
These principles and the underlying core theme place the restoration of historic buildings in a much wider physical and socio-economic context that harnesses the active participation of local communities to not only restore buildings but undertake local skills enhancement and institutional capacity building as integral parts of each project.
Projects include the restoration and re-use of the 700-year-old Baltit Fort, the 450-year-old Shigar Fort, the ongoing restoration work on perhaps the oldest fort in Hunza, the Altit Fort, and the architecturally resplendent Khaplu Palace in Baltistan; emergent repairs to landmark buildings to arrest further deterioration; rehabilitation and revitalisation of historic settlements in Hunza (Karimabad, Ganish, Altit) and in Baltistan (Chinpa, Halpapa, Hunduli); solid waste management in central Hunza; assistance to local craftsmen and artisans; skills development in a variety of areas including Information Technology; promotion of local music and festivals; and support to environmentally appropriate building schemes.
Awards Received
2010 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation -The 331 year-old Gulabpur Khanqah in Baltistan,Pakistan
2009 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation - Restoration of 400years old Ali Gohar House in Hunza, Pakistan
2006 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation - Award of Excellence for the restoration of the Shigar Fort Palace in Skardu, Northern Pakistan
2006 PATA GOLD Award for Heritage and Culture awarded for the Restoration and Re-Use of Shigar Fort Palace in Skardu, Northern Pakistan
2005 UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Conservation Award of Merit for the conservation of Amburiq Mosque in Skardu, Baltistan, Pakistan
2005 Time Magazine Asia, Best of Asia Award for the Baltit Fort, Hunza Valley, Pakistan
2004 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Conservation - Award of Excellence for the restoration of the 700-year-old Baltit Fort in Northern Pakistan
2003 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Conservation - Award of Distinction for the restoration of the 300-year old mausoleum of Syed Mir Muhammad in Khaplu, Baltistan, Pakistan
2002 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Conservation - Award of Distinction for the restoration of four 300-year old wooden mosques in Pakistan's Hunza Valley
2000 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards: Global Winner - Karimabad and Baltit Project Development, Pakistan
www.akdn.org
When it began working in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, in 1992, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC)’s restoration and revitalisation activities became the most visible part of a broad area development programme undertaken by AKDN agencies.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, through its local company Aga Khan Cultural Service - Pakistan (AKCS-P), engaged in reviving pride and identity through interventions in cultural heritage that supported social, physical and institutional development. In the 15 years of operation from 1992 to 2007, several key principles guided the revitalization efforts. The first principle is that restoration must lead to the infusion of new life into historic landmark buildings, which makes them meaningful for the local communities and the users.
The second is that adaptive re-use of the restored building should lead to self-sustainability and allow for the generation of funds for maintenance and upkeep, to counter the risk of a restored site falling into disrepair.
The third principle is that the restoration of the building should not be seen in isolation. The landmark building acts as an entry point for development by helping to attract attention and resources. In recent times, AKCS-P has moved from first initiating work on a landmark building and then working on the context, to a more comprehensive strategy whereby community rehabilitation precedes restoration of the building. In Altit, the historic settlement has been rehabilitated and work has only commenced on restoring the 900-year-old Altit Fort.
The core theme underlying these three principles is that the architectural heritage of a region represents a valuable asset for human development--a potential which has to be properly acknowledged and activated at different levels of human existence, from the spiritual to the emotional and to the physical realm. There are important indirect benefits which can be obtained by using the built heritage components as a catalyst for wider social and physical upgrading of the surrounding environment.
These principles and the underlying core theme place the restoration of historic buildings in a much wider physical and socio-economic context that harnesses the active participation of local communities to not only restore buildings but undertake local skills enhancement and institutional capacity building as integral parts of each project.
Projects include the restoration and re-use of the 700-year-old Baltit Fort, the 450-year-old Shigar Fort, the ongoing restoration work on perhaps the oldest fort in Hunza, the Altit Fort, and the architecturally resplendent Khaplu Palace in Baltistan; emergent repairs to landmark buildings to arrest further deterioration; rehabilitation and revitalisation of historic settlements in Hunza (Karimabad, Ganish, Altit) and in Baltistan (Chinpa, Halpapa, Hunduli); solid waste management in central Hunza; assistance to local craftsmen and artisans; skills development in a variety of areas including Information Technology; promotion of local music and festivals; and support to environmentally appropriate building schemes.
Awards Received
2010 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation -The 331 year-old Gulabpur Khanqah in Baltistan,Pakistan
2009 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation - Restoration of 400years old Ali Gohar House in Hunza, Pakistan
2006 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation - Award of Excellence for the restoration of the Shigar Fort Palace in Skardu, Northern Pakistan
2006 PATA GOLD Award for Heritage and Culture awarded for the Restoration and Re-Use of Shigar Fort Palace in Skardu, Northern Pakistan
2005 UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Conservation Award of Merit for the conservation of Amburiq Mosque in Skardu, Baltistan, Pakistan
2005 Time Magazine Asia, Best of Asia Award for the Baltit Fort, Hunza Valley, Pakistan
2004 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Conservation - Award of Excellence for the restoration of the 700-year-old Baltit Fort in Northern Pakistan
2003 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Conservation - Award of Distinction for the restoration of the 300-year old mausoleum of Syed Mir Muhammad in Khaplu, Baltistan, Pakistan
2002 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Conservation - Award of Distinction for the restoration of four 300-year old wooden mosques in Pakistan's Hunza Valley
2000 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards: Global Winner - Karimabad and Baltit Project Development, Pakistan
www.akdn.org
