A Short Note on the Indigenous and Western Architectural Traditions in the Buildings of Islamia College Peshawar

Abstract

Peshawar, being located on the cross-road between central and south Asia, has emerged to be a city of diverse cultural traditions, religious philosophies and multiple ethnicities. Owing to this strategic location it has been one of the earliest living cities of south Asia since last two thousand years, as shown by the archaeological record (Durrani, Ali & Rehman, 1997). Because of the frequent interaction with outside cultures, the art and architecture in Peshawar got developed with new traditions and elements. In addition to the glorious art of Gandhara and the Islamic, the colonial art and architecture is also noteworthy that flourished in this part of the British Empire apart from Kolkata, Mumbai and Lahore. One of the notable architectural structures of that age is building of Islamia College Peshawar that speaks the grandeur of the British Raj, which is described briefly in this paper. Architectural elements used in the Islamia College building are dexterously borrowed from eastern and western sources. They are used in terms of symbolism and style as the rationale of attraction and utility. Local elements are considerably used such as dome, arches, niches etc to enhance beauty of the building. The universal language of geometrical form and symmetrical pattern, with red brick colour in rough texture add harmony of vision to architecture that is a splendid eastern style. The British conceptualized and designed the architecture to represent noticeably the new ideas of western progress and modernity keeping in minds the eastern religious views of local inhabitants. Gothic revival architecture of consequent progress of construction technology and materials (i.e. use of concrete and steel structure) of the late 19th century with native features and enhancement of the Mughal style is adapted in structure of Islamia College.