Architectural styles during the British Raj in Lahore

Abstract

The paper sketches the development of Lahore during the British period, and focuses on the use of European and local forms to achieve the distinctive buildings which enrich the city. The use of these styles may be seen everywhere in Lahore except for the old city. This is a remarkable transformation during barely a century.

Keywords:

• Lahore
• Style and architecture
• European
• Indo-saracenic

Acknowledgements

The author thanks all those whose images appear with their permission; the personnel of the Lahore Archaeology Department and Lahore Museum; and Dr Michael Brett-Crowther for his sympathetic support in the preparation of this paper.

Notes

1. Orientalism is a term used by art historians, literary, geographers, and cultural studies scholars for the imitation or depiction of aspects in Middle Eastern, South Asian, African and East Asian cultures.

2. Until 1859, the reference books which were consulted by the architects consist of European architecture and a few drawings of antiquities. Sometimes the book consists of pen and ink drawings of the buildings and sometimes these books consists of drawings on parts of the buildings such as classical orders, details of windows and doors and balconies. They were meant to be a source of information and inspiration.

3. This applies to the buildings of Karachi, too.

4. The British imposed their culture in both the built environment and social organization (patterns of living), but the results in Karachi and Lahore are very different for local reasons. Each city had its distinctive origins.

5. The great influence of standard patterns in the sub-continent derives from the Honourable East India Company’s application of designs through its territories and then under the Raj the PWD’s use of designs in the same way.