01/01/2026
Looking forward to working together to promote a sustainable design and construction agenda.
The architecture and design profession is at a critical juncture. Climate change poses escalating risks to the built environment and the people who live in it, prompting the need for immediate, proactive, industry-wide action.
Integrating climate science into building science demands a significant shift in design thinking, particularly from architects as project leaders. Architects bear the important responsibility as licensed design professionals to protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare. If architects aren’t considering future climate conditions when designing structures and communities, then who will?
On December 29, 2025, a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Institute of Architects Pakistan (IAP) and Dawn News at the Dawn News office in Karachi.
The agreement designates the Institute of Architects Pakistan as the Official Knowledge Partner for the upcoming "BuildFest International" event, scheduled for January 2026. The MoU was formally signed by the President of IAP, Ar. Fawad Suhail Abbasi, who was joined at the ceremony by the Chairman of the IAP Karachi Chapter, Ar. Sohail Ahmed Chohan, and the National Coordinator for this initiative, Ar. Arif Belgaumi.
This partnership establishes a formal exchange of expertise and visibility. In recognition of the collaboration, Dawn News will provide IAP with extensive visibility across its media platforms, which include television, radio, print, digital platforms, and on-ground event branding. In return, IAP will lend its professional authority by providing expert speakers for sessions, offering strategic industry insights, and sharing valuable intellectual capital such as award-winning project portfolios and policy summaries. Additionally, IAP will actively promote the event through its own digital and membership channels.
This collaboration represents a significant effort to enhance architectural discourse in the public sphere, positioning IAP’s expertise at the forefront of a major industry event and fostering greater public engagement in the fields of architecture and sustainable urban development.