Rehabilitation of the Customs Academy of Pakistan, Karachi

The Customs Academy of Pakistan occupies an existing ground plus two storey building near KPT in Karachi. The practice was appointed to strengthen and rehabilitate it and to renovate 39,878 sq ft of its interior.

Work on an old building starts with finding out what is actually holding it up. The structural scope covers the strengthening of the existing frame; the photographs in this record show that work in progress — exposed columns, jacketing and reinforcement — because it is the part of the project that decides whether the rest is worth doing.

The interior renovation covers the dining hall, auditorium, museum, lavatories and offices, improving circulation, comfort and spatial efficiency while keeping the building's institutional character. The finishes combine the existing classical fabric with contemporary materials, lighting and detailing rather than replacing one with the other. The practice's appointment here is project management and detailed supervision.