An Experience of Urban Transformation in Multan-Pakistani Punjab
183
the country (to Lahore and Karachi) and the routes going from East to West. Its
geographical position makes Multan a crucial and strategic site in the country (Dutt
2004). As a consequence of the recent process of urbanization, Multan is now the
core of a big hinterland of medium towns, large villages and small clusters of shacks.
Starting from this role, the need of crucial interventions to protect the “soul” of
Multan was clearly highlighted by Pakistani authorities. Consequently, an urgent
action of architectural heritage preservation of the Old Town has been evaluated as
necessary, together with the commencement of a cultural and social development
process within the Walled City, characterized by high population density, significant problems about energy, water and sanitation and many different commercial
activities.
On the basis of available resources (Abu l’Fazl 1596) and of preliminary investigations, the project has been conceived aiming at developing a pilot model in conservation and revitalization of the oldest part of Multan, focused on specific areas and
monuments of the Walled City, significant from the historical and symbolic point of
view (Dani 2008; Rehman 1997; Hoagh 1978; Marshall 1937; Burckhardt 1985), and
able to act as a guide intervention to be transferred in other areas of the Old Town.
The main action of the project concerns the conservation of few selected historical
buildings and the renewal of a part of the ancient historical centre.
The phase II of “Sustainable, Social, Economic and Environmental Revitalization
in the Historic Core of Multan City” has been preceded by a careful and thorough
series of studies, including investigations carried out accordingly to the theoretical
and practical expertise of Politecnico di Milano, and the tools and the methods
developed in its research tradition (Rossi 1966).
In a second step, the studies focused on a specific Walled City pilot area and
on individual building characteristics through a specific survey carried out with the
active collaboration of students from the Bahauddin Zakariya University of Multan.
With the collaboration of experts in different disciplines all the results, gathered in
several publications
3 and delivered by Fondazione Politecnico di Milano to Project
Management Unit of the Walled City of Multan, were the fundamentals for the
implementing phase of the conservation and the design renovation works within.
Regarding the organisational structure of the project, it is necessary to refer to
some general provisions that allowed the planning, structuring and implementing of
the different objectives and components. A Project Implementation Committee at the
local level headed by the Commissioner—Multan Division—in collaboration with
Fondazione Politecnico di Milano ensured that the project could be developed and
implemented according to the directives of the Steering Committee.
The project was designed to be managed through a specially created Project Management Unit (PMU) working under LG & CD, with the supervision of a high-level
Steering Committee at Provincial level. The PMU closely coordinated the preparatory activities with the different involved line agencies (WASA, MEPCO, SNGPL,
3 Cfr. Del Bo and Bignami (2014), Del Bo and Introini (2013), Augelli et al. (2015).
183
the country (to Lahore and Karachi) and the routes going from East to West. Its
geographical position makes Multan a crucial and strategic site in the country (Dutt
2004). As a consequence of the recent process of urbanization, Multan is now the
core of a big hinterland of medium towns, large villages and small clusters of shacks.
Starting from this role, the need of crucial interventions to protect the “soul” of
Multan was clearly highlighted by Pakistani authorities. Consequently, an urgent
action of architectural heritage preservation of the Old Town has been evaluated as
necessary, together with the commencement of a cultural and social development
process within the Walled City, characterized by high population density, significant problems about energy, water and sanitation and many different commercial
activities.
On the basis of available resources (Abu l’Fazl 1596) and of preliminary investigations, the project has been conceived aiming at developing a pilot model in conservation and revitalization of the oldest part of Multan, focused on specific areas and
monuments of the Walled City, significant from the historical and symbolic point of
view (Dani 2008; Rehman 1997; Hoagh 1978; Marshall 1937; Burckhardt 1985), and
able to act as a guide intervention to be transferred in other areas of the Old Town.
The main action of the project concerns the conservation of few selected historical
buildings and the renewal of a part of the ancient historical centre.
The phase II of “Sustainable, Social, Economic and Environmental Revitalization
in the Historic Core of Multan City” has been preceded by a careful and thorough
series of studies, including investigations carried out accordingly to the theoretical
and practical expertise of Politecnico di Milano, and the tools and the methods
developed in its research tradition (Rossi 1966).
In a second step, the studies focused on a specific Walled City pilot area and
on individual building characteristics through a specific survey carried out with the
active collaboration of students from the Bahauddin Zakariya University of Multan.
With the collaboration of experts in different disciplines all the results, gathered in
several publications
3 and delivered by Fondazione Politecnico di Milano to Project
Management Unit of the Walled City of Multan, were the fundamentals for the
implementing phase of the conservation and the design renovation works within.
Regarding the organisational structure of the project, it is necessary to refer to
some general provisions that allowed the planning, structuring and implementing of
the different objectives and components. A Project Implementation Committee at the
local level headed by the Commissioner—Multan Division—in collaboration with
Fondazione Politecnico di Milano ensured that the project could be developed and
implemented according to the directives of the Steering Committee.
The project was designed to be managed through a specially created Project Management Unit (PMU) working under LG & CD, with the supervision of a high-level
Steering Committee at Provincial level. The PMU closely coordinated the preparatory activities with the different involved line agencies (WASA, MEPCO, SNGPL,
3 Cfr. Del Bo and Bignami (2014), Del Bo and Introini (2013), Augelli et al. (2015).