THE BRITISH VISION OF LAHORE: AN EXAMINATION OF CONCEPTS OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN THROUGH LITERARY SOURCES

The British built a new city in the south and southeast of Lahore during their ninety years rule (1849‐1947). In this new planned city, new concepts were employed to produce some of the finest specimen of architecture and urban design in the history of the subcontinent. The layout of British Lahore was first conceived by Charles Napier and subsequently detailed urban design projects were prepared for different areas to produce built environment with definite character. To achieve this, new byelaw were introduced for housing and built environment and a debate on architecture was initiated on the possible styles of architecture. Subsequently a variety of concepts was employed in the design of public buildings which were later followed by the common masses. The British Lahore took its real shape with the arrival of Basil M. Sullivan as first Consulting Architect to the Government of Punjab in the first quarter of the twentieth century. The concepts of urban design of the British period have not been discussed in any recent scholarship. This paper will discuss the concepts of architecture and urban design based on the original reports and texts written during the British period. In addition, a detailed philosophy and vision of the British administration has also been discussed which provided a basis for achieving its ultimate shape. Keyword: colonial architecture, urban design, urban management, landscape