Edward House, Karachi
| Edward House | |
|---|---|
ایڈورڈ ہاؤس | |
 Edward House located on Abdullah Haroon Road (formerly Victoria Road) in Karachi | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | commercial |
| Location | Civil Lines Karachi Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 24°51′00″N 67°01′48″E / 24.850103°N 67.030048°E |
| Completed | 1910 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Moses Somake |
Edward House (Urdu: ایڈورڈ ہاؤس) is a building which is located in the Civil Lines area of Karachi, Pakistan[1] It was designed by the Iraqi-Jewish architect Moses Somake in 1910,[1] and named after Somake's son, Ellis Edward.[2]
Architecture[edit]
Edward House is made of local Gizri sandstone and limestone,[3] with ornamental molds.[4] Adjoining, there is another mansion known as Victoria Mansion,[5] which may have also been designed by Samoke given the similarity in style - although no records exist recording his work there.[6]
Use[edit]
It used to house the Cafe Grand, operated by Herbert Bertie Cumper.[2] The cafe was frequented by Karachi's elite, including the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and his sister Fatima Jinnah.[7] The building also housed the Stars Club - which was re-established in 2017 in the building.[8]
Conservation[edit]
The building is protected by the Sindh Cultural Preservation Act, 1994.[7] In 2012, renovation of the house was completed at the cost of Rs. 6 million, a rehabilitation and conservation project which started in 2010.[1] The restoration was criticized on the grounds that the Sindh Department of Antiquities awarded works to an inexperienced contractor who "over-restored" the building,[9] and chiseled away some original stone work in attempt to remove the patina which had formed on the building.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (February 17, 2012). "Edward House renovated". DAWN.COM.
- ^ a b "Karachi's Lost Jews".
- ^ "Indian Industries and Power," Incorporating "Indian Motor News" ... 1914.
- ^ Concrete. Concrete Publishing Company. 1911.
- ^ "House in (dis)order". DAWN.COM. October 4, 2009.
- ^ a b "Moses Somake: Edward House at Karachi, Pakistan | Archive | Diarna.org". archive.diarna.org. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
- ^ a b "Flawed renovation threatens historic Edward House". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
- ^ "Stars Club: Karachi welcomes its first film-themed café - Farheen Abdullah - Youlin Magazine". www.youlinmagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
- ^ Silva, Kapila D.; Chapagain, Neel Kamal (2013). Asian Heritage Management: Contexts, Concerns, and Prospects. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-52054-6.