Shahid Abdulla is considered to be the alchemist of architecture, it is not his acclaimed career as an architect that he wants to be remembered by, but rather his work as a social activist that he wants to be his legacy. In his inspiring talk, he shares his journey of giving back to the community by building marvels like Indus Valley School of Design and Architecture, The Citizens Foundation alongside The Hunar Foundation. He says, he loved helping others more than he loved designing buildings. He felt elated every time he helped someone. Listen to the talk to hear more about his stimulating journey. Shahid Abdullah is the principal and founding partner of Arshad Shahid Abdulla (Pvt.) Ltd. He oversees the Interior Design and Residence Departments at the firm.
Shahid Abdullah received his bachelor’s in architecture degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago. In 1979 he formed Arshad Shahid Abdulla (Pvt.) Ltd. He is also a member of the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP) as well as the Institute of Architects Pakistan (IAP). He was also the founding chairman of the Pakistan Institute of Interior Designers, established in 2001 for the development of the profession.
In 1990 he founded the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. In 2008, he helped found The Hunar Foundation (THF), a non-profit organization to find a solution to the problems of livelihood for the youth, by the provision of quality vocational training which is in demand both locally and abroad. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx