Any system of Commonwealth- wide recognition would be premature without a sufficient number of mem- ber institutes having educational facul- ties able to relate overseas standards to their intrinsic needs. In this respect, the priority for CAA action, via the CBAE, should perhaps be to boost the educational role of each professional institute.
The adoption of a founder-list of recognised schools, that is largely a carry-over of the RIBA overseas scheme and system of recognition may well be prejudicial to other priorities for action, and to the evolution of a better system of educational advance- ment through international co-opera-
tion.
In a nutshell, many institutes in developing countries need firstly to improve their own functions, and to relate more closely with their govern- ments and their universities with parti- cular reference to registration and practice standards, and the training of the architect. They also need to do this in relation to oustanding problems of development and urbanisation, problems which may change the con- cept of the profession as we know it to-day.
The Asian group of institutes can play a mutually useful role in helping each other assess the pattern of change and equip
equip themselves for these changes. This indeed should be the underlying motivation for ARCASIA.
Pakistan Institute
more active
by Zahir-ud-Deen Kwaja
SINCE the last Asian Regional Con- ference of the CAA held in Colombo in December 1968, the Institute of Architects Pakistan has been playing a more effective role in the country.
The Institute has now been regis- tered which gives it an official recog- nition on the part of Government of Pakistan. This was a big hurdle which had to be surmounted before the institute could speak officially on be- half of all the qualified architects in Pakistan.
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Steps are also now being taken by the institute to frame its legislation with a view to: a) The protection of the title 'Architect', and b) Effective control in the practice of architecture. The registration acts of sister-institutes are being examined with a view to framing legislation which would suit the requirements of professional prac- tice in Pakistan.
During the last year the institute has effectively participated in the holding of a number of architectural competitions. The most recent were: - 1) The competition for the Grand
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Mosque to be built in Islama- bad; this was co-sponsored by the International Union of Architects.
2) An architectural competition for the design of houses for civil servants in Islambad for various categories was also held recent- ly and a team of young archi- tects won the competition to the great satisfaction of the professional members.
In the field of education the insti- tute has not relaxed its efforts to im- press upon Government the need for more architectural schools in the country and the improvement of the standard of education in existing schools. In this connection the Na- tional College of Arts, Lahore, which was until recently only training archi- tectural technicians in a Three Years' Course, has now been permitted to run a fully fledged architectural course of 5 years' duration.
The Head of the Architectural De- partment is a young Pakistani architect trained at the A.A. School in U.K.
who has also had overseas teaching experience in the School of Architec- ture at Kumasi in Ghana. He has been able to frame a new syllabus for the five years course, and the institute hopes that with technical assistance from the Colombo Plan and other sources, the school teaching staff will be adequately strengthened.
There is already a close liaison be- tween the National College of Arts and the Architectural School in London. Unfortunately, however, the proposal to affiliate this College with the West Pakistan University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, has for some rea- sons not found favour with the author- ities and so we have had to commence the course this year without being assured of affiliation. The present plan is to award a National Diploma in Architecture at the end of 5 years and obtain recognition from the Institute of Architects, Pakistan which has now sufficient standing to give the neces- sary status to the National Diploma.
We are also trying to arrange the first meeting of the Heads of Schools of Architecture in both wings of Pakis- tan with the good offices and assis- tance of the CAA.
The Institute of Architects, Paki- stan, is studying the question of set- ting up procedures for the recognition of new schools in the country and also for providing facilities for the insti- tutes examinations to be held annual- ly. A detailed report has been prepared by the educational sub-committee and it is hoped that the recommendations will be implemented with effect from 1970.
We in Pakistan feel that the firm establishment of an Asian Regional Centre for Asia would be a fitting tri- bute to the regional co-operation of the professional institutes. At the same time we would not, in any way, mini- mize the importance of the relation- ship of the regional organization with the CAA. parent body. Our strength would lie in the degree of co-operation we show in the counsels of the parent body of the CAA. and the simul- taneous intensification of regional efforts in our own area.
We hope that similar regional or- ganizations will be formed in other developing countries in Africa on similar lines as we have done in Asia. During our last meeting of the Com- monwealth Board of Architectural Education in Nairobi and subsequently the C.A.A. meeting in Lagos, we saw ample evidence of the consciousness of the need for such a co-operation with- in the region.
Far East BUILDER, January 1970