Karachi, Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari has achieved a significant milestone with the registration of her low-cost, sustainable bamboo housing designs under the Registered Design Ordinance 2000. These designs, which are a part of a series of disaster-resilient structures, aim to provide effective solutions for housing in vulnerable communities, particularly in the global South.
According to the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan), this registration marks a crucial step in bringing Ms. Lari’s innovative work into the intellectual property fold. The Chairperson of IPO-Pakistan, Farukh Amil, compared the significance of Lari’s work to the groundbreaking contributions of Dr. Mahbub-ul-Haq in human development, which influenced the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and later the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Lari’s designs focus on disaster resilience, low cost, and zero carbon emissions, utilizing locally sourced materials and community-driven construction methods. These features make them particularly relevant in the current age of climate change and increasing natural and human-induced disasters.
Ms. Lari, who has dedicated her career to championing affordable and sustainable housing solutions for the poor, has openly shared her designs to ensure broad access and application. Her commitment to open-source innovation is aimed at empowering communities to quickly learn and implement these building techniques themselves.
The effectiveness of Lari’s designs was demonstrated in the 2022 floods in Pakistan, where 40,000 of her simple houses withstood the devastating impact. This success story adds to her global recognition as a leading architect. Her most recent accolade includes the Royal Gold Medal 2023, awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects. This prestigious award marks her as the second woman architect after Zaha Hadid to receive such an honor.
Ms. Lari’s registration under the Registered Design Ordinance 2000 not only acknowledges her remarkable contributions to architecture and sustainable design but also sets a precedent for innovative, eco-friendly, and disaster-resilient housing solutions on a global scale.