At 82, architect Yasmeen Lari is creating a path of survival for rural Pakistani communities living in areas vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, according to Euronews.

Lari, Pakistan’s first female architect, has given up multimillion-dollar projects in Karachi to develop flood-proof bamboo houses in rural areas. Families in a few pilot communities using the design survived the devastating floods that submerged a third of Pakistan last year.

Architect Yasmeen Lari sits in front of her flood-proof house. Photo: The Guardian

Now, Lari is campaigning to expand the project to one million homes made from affordable local materials such as bamboo, clay and lime, bringing new jobs to the most vulnerable areas. “I call it a kind of co-construction and co-creation, because everyone has an equal right to decorate and make their own home comfortable,” said Lari.

British-trained architect Lari has designed some of Karachi's most notable buildings, including the state-owned oil company headquarters as well as a series of luxury apartments. Just as she was considering retirement, a series of natural disasters, including the massive 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods, made her reconsider.

She continues to work with the Pakistan Heritage Foundation, which manages rural projects. “I have to find solutions or build capacity for people so that they can protect themselves, instead of waiting for help from the outside,” Lari stressed.

Pakistan is responsible for less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet it is one of the countries most vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather. According to scientists , climate change is making rainfall more unpredictable. As a result, the need to combat flooding in Pakistan is more urgent than ever, especially as the poorest communities live in the most vulnerable areas.

Lari's work has been recognised by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The RIBA has also awarded Lari the 2023 Royal Gold Medal for her contribution to using architecture to transform people's lives.

TU ANH