This week You! talks to Maria Aslam, founder and Chief Editor of ADA Magazine, which highlights, promotes and spreads the creativity of Pakistan in the field of architecture, design and art...
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This week You! talks to Maria Aslam, founder and Chief Editor of ADA Magazine, which highlights, promotes and spreads the creativity of Pakistan in the field of architecture, design and art...
Maria Aslam is the Director and Principal Architect of Archworks Karachi; a design studio involved in small to medium sized projects of private developments all over the country. She is also the speaker, juror and critic in a number of architectural platforms; with a passionate agenda of promoting Pakistan in a positive light to the world rooted to vernacular, context and local methodology and crafts. Moreover, Maria was an active member of the Institute of Architects Pakistan (IAP), Chairperson Karachi Chapter (2007 – 09) apart from being involved in the Aga Khan Awards, WA and WAF.
This week You! talks to Aslam as ADA Magazine comes to its 10th year. In order to celebrate the 10th anniversary, the magazine is now all set to bring its yet another award distribution ceremony in January 2019 known as the ADA Awards, which has an aim to place Pakistan in the global arena with works aligned towards international recognition and in parallel recognise celebrities of the creative fields that impact lives, inspire generations and leave a legacy of exceptional works...
You! When and why did you start ADA (Architecture Design Art) Magazine?
Maria Aslam: I started ADA in 2008 because I felt there was a void of documenting architectural history, design and art in Pakistan. Whenever I travelled I saw magazines from different countries and even our neighbouring country, representing their cultural heritage and history, but there was no voice from Pakistan to shed light on these things. Since I am very passionate about writing and research, I thought about starting ADA which led towards a publication house in order to document and highlight the positive creativity of Pakistan.
You! Does your magazine serve the architectural market in the country?
MA: ADA is not just an architectural magazine; it stands for architecture, design and art. Our mission is to highlight the creative side of Pakistan and to inculcate knowledge about distinct professions that are opening up in the field of architecture, design and art.
You! As an environmental activist, what is your take on sustainable design and zero waste policy?
MA: Well, I am actually championing that cause. At ADA, we have started an initiative by the title ‘do you know your city?’ By asking this question while travelling to different places, we get a plethora of answers from history to the cultural context and even to what we are today in 2018 and what we have done to our cities. We need to be sensitised towards the environment as the cultural impact is degrading Mother Earth. We need to know what the carbon footprint is. Everything (including the climate change) is interconnected, so you cannot look into architecture in isolation. It’s very easy to say that we are building a flyover but we don’t realise that the concrete you are pouring into Mother Earth kills all your habitat, plants and trees and takes away all the water. So all the studies, researches have to be done. They aren’t any quick remedies. So, I am very excited about the project ‘do you know your city?’ I plan to take it to Peshawar where we are making the same mistake with respect to the infrastructure development.
You! What is the scope of architecture in Pakistan?
MA: The scope is widespread. The mainstream architectural market has opened up and a lot of people are doing wonderful work. We have the example of Yasmeen Lari who has taken on a social context of architecture by talking to communities in the rural areas. We also have Arif Hasan who has documented Karachi like no other. He has enormous content that I think needs to be picked up by the government because he is saying a lot of things that nobody is listening to – be it academia or the government bodies or the people in the development sector. Then we have NGOs who have actually working for the rural upliftment but there is hardly anybody talking about it. The mainstream architecture is making buildings, houses or corporate sector, but for me that is not architecture. I believe that architecture is a part of life that impacts it.
You! Does ADA give equal opportunities to men and women?
MA: Yes. But we are a female driven organisation (not by choice but by chance) so automatically equality becomes a major concern. There are women who come from various backgrounds and we promote an inclusive environment. If a girl enters and I think she has no potential, I won’t refuse her because I believe in giving chances.
You! Do you think the general mindset of our society is changing with reference to females in this field?
MA: Yes. But we have a long way to go. I am an entrepreneur and I have to work twice as hard to be heard among my peers of opposite sex. But the times are changing and we need to hold each other’s hands to bring as many females forward, and listen to them.
You! What are the challenges, being faced by Pakistani women today as far as their career development is concerned?
MA: The challenges are on a day to day basis. Going out in a male-dominated world and competing with them is difficult hands down. But the younger generation of females today is very smart and is trying to match the footsteps of men surrounding them. But of course they have to struggle in terms of opportunities, pay and how their work is acknowledged. But if we talk about discrimination, it’s found all over the world. So in that case we are doing fine.
You! What is women empowerment to you?
MA: Women empowerment is not just being heard at your workplace but at home too. Empowerment also means being fearless and take no nonsense.
You! What does a typical day look like for you?
MA: There is utter chaos and madness (haha). I don’t have a set time or a set pattern of work. But what I need to deliver at work I deliver it. I am an email person and I write down everything as I like to be methodical. We are not a corporation, all work is done in one area and it’s about getting things done. There is no particular start.
You! How do you unwind?
MA: I love to write, read and travel.
You! How do you maintain balance between professional and personal life?
MA: It’s difficult at times. My daughter often complains, but there are certain timelines that I need to adhere to, so those are crazy times.
You! What advice would you give to other women struggling to follow their own ambitions?
MA: Listen to your heart and live your dreams because we only live once.
