Forum Technology and Society Prize for Azra Alibabić

For her diploma thesis “Ein Raum. Für Frauen. In Karatschi.” (One Space. For Women. In Karachi.), Azra Alibabic, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture at TU Graz, was awarded the special prize “IngenieurINNEN gestalten 2023” as part of the advancement awards presented by the Forum Technology and Society.

Azra Alibabic’s diploma thesis is committed to bringing to light the sociopolitical position of stigmatized groups in Karachi, Pakistan. The thesis presents a design for the Bilquis Edhi Centre, a women’s shelter in northern Karachi run by charitable organizations that offers refuge and protection from rejection, violence, and discrimination to 1,600 women and 150 children. The simple construction of brick and lime plaster combines various architectural interventions intended to enhance the quality of living in the center: the design directs the structures inward to offer seclusion; high wind towers facilitate ventilation and act as privacy screens; courtyards and openings in the circulation areas create visual connections; a landscaping concept serves to increase the appeal of communal areas and to promote activities and social exchange. Regionally available materials and local labor are to strengthen the community and contribute to sustainability.

The award, which focuses on the social potential of technical research, is financed from the proceeds of the “Ball der Technik,” a cooperative event organized by TU Graz, FH JOANNEUM, alumniTUGraz 1887, the Chamber of Civil Engineers for Styria and Carinthia, and the Student Union of TU Graz.

Translation: Max B. Spamer