Edward House, Karachi

Edward House (Urdu: ایڈورڈ ہاؤس‎) is a building which is located in the Civil Lines area of Karachi, Pakistan[1] It was designed by the Iraqi-Jewish architect Moses Somake in 1910,[1] and named after Somake’s son, Ellis Edward.[2]

Edward House
ایڈورڈ ہاؤس
Edward House located on Abdullah Haroon Road (formerly Victoria Road) in Karachi
General information
Typecommercial
LocationCivil Lines
Karachi
Pakistan
Coordinates24.850103°N 67.030048°E / 24.850103; 67.030048
Completed1910
Design and construction
ArchitectMoses Somake

Architecture

Edward House is made of local Gizri sandstone and limestone,[3] with ornamental molds.[4] Adjoining, there is another mansion known as Victoria Mansion,[5] which may have also been designed by Samoke given the similarity in style - although no records exist recording his work there.[6]

Use

It used to house the Cafe Grand, operated by Herbert Bertie Cumper.[2] The cafe was frequented by Karachi's elite, including the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and his sister Fatima Jinnah.[7] The building also housed the Stars Club - which was re-established in 2017 in the building.[8]

Conservation
Edward House

The building is protected by the Sindh Cultural Preservation Act, 1994.[7] In 2012, renovation of the house was completed at the cost of ₨6 million, a rehabilitation and conservation project which started in 2010.[1] The restoration was criticized on the grounds that the Sindh Department of Antiquities awarded works to an inexperienced contractor who "over-restored" the building,[9] and chiseled away some original stone work in attempt to remove the patina which had formed on the building.[6]

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References
  1. Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (February 17, 2012). "Edward House renovated". DAWN.COM.
  2. "Karachi's Lost Jews".
  3. "Indian Industries and Power," Incorporating "Indian Motor News" ... 1914.
  4. Concrete. Concrete Publishing Company. 1911.
  5. "House in (dis)order". DAWN.COM. October 4, 2009.
  6. "Moses Somake: Edward House at Karachi, Pakistan | Archive | Diarna.org". archive.diarna.org. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  7. "Flawed renovation threatens historic Edward House". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  8. https://www.youlinmagazine.com, Youlin Magazine. "Stars Club: Karachi welcomes its first film-themed café - Farheen Abdullah - Youlin Magazine". www.youlinmagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  9. Silva, Kapila D.; Chapagain, Neel Kamal (2013). Asian Heritage Management: Contexts, Concerns, and Prospects. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-52054-6.
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