Abstract:
The rapid southern expansion of Lahore and the modern age has given rise to two new
developments in the terms of how architecture can be practiced within the city.
The first one being a policy decision speaks about the development of high-rises and the
second being of a more intellectual nature: several new Share-Hoods within the city, owing to
culture, recreation, educational or financial agglomerations developing due to settlements and
businesses. In recent years, Lahore has witnessed a steady emergence of co-working offices that
aim to bring together entrepreneurs, freelancers, remote workers and independent professionals
under one roof, with access to a fully-equipped space. And with so many people working from
home these days, either self-employed or because they are telecommuting with their employer,
the demand for shared working spaces has also seen an unprecedented rise. Considering that the
structure of work pattern is· shifting slowly from a hierarchy towards a knowledge based work
environment.
This thesis explores the current state of high-rise development in one of the most popular
Share-Hood of the city; where the knowledge-based work environment can maximize their
potential owing to the Focus, Collaborate and Break work pattern.
The traditional courtyard (horizontal) an ever present design philosophy from the past is
manifested in a vertical setting that gives rise to the void. Albeit, the void in this case is not only
present for the aesthetic of the architecture, no, but it becomes an integral part of the
Collaboration aspect within the high-performance work environment (as essentially a spiritual
successor to what the courtyard induced in a horizontal setting). The intention is to maximizing the value of the new development with its impact on the
character of the neighborhood. With its unique vertical properties and inherent density, the
vertical architecture is to become another catalyst for urbanity in that of Lahore city.
