Persian architecture firms are making up the majority of the market for architects who want to build large-scale, high-rise, residential buildings in Pakistan, according to the latest survey by the United States-based architecture and urban design consultancy Next Big Futures.
Of the 1,800 architects surveyed, Persians dominated the market, with 37% of the respondents having completed a master’s degree in the field.
They are followed by British-based firm Bjarke Ingels Group with 25%, Germany’s GEC, with 18%, and the Netherlands’ ZDF with 16%.
The market is expected to grow rapidly over the next three years with the number of architects and architects-in-residence expected to more than double to 1.8 million, Next Big said.
The rise of the Persians, who often live and work in Pakistan’s semi-autonomous northwest province of Balochistan, has brought about a change in how Pakistan’s architecture industry operates.
The province is home to about 30,000 people, making it one of the most densely populated in the world.
The growth of the industry, however, has come at the expense of the traditional profession, with the share of graduates entering the profession dropping to just 15% in the last five years.
In addition, Pakistan’s construction sector, traditionally a male-dominated industry, is becoming increasingly female-dominated as female-heavy projects are being built.
In recent years, Pakistan has also seen a resurgence of domestic construction, with firms including Bjarne Ingels, ZDF, GEC and Danske Bank building large-format, residential complexes in the northwest province.
The country is also home to some of the world’s biggest construction sites such as the Karachi Port and the Gwadar Port, which were built by the British firm WG Owens.
The firm’s new master’s thesis will help to provide a comprehensive look at the industry in the future.
