Because the charity who was the client doubted the long-term viability of the carpet-weaving craft, a programme was instituted where workshops are on the ground floor, with open spaces for administration/workshops on the first floor and residential spaces for people in need on the top floor, so the clients could see the direct benefits of their donations. The volume of the building, a steel structure supporting floor slabs, is composed by carving out courtyards and terraces from a cube, bringing in light through windows and skylights, and the entire structure is enveloped in bricks, rotated to have only their heads visible (kalleh). This conjures the image of a blank three-dimensional woven canvas and has kept traditional skills alive. Children come and play alongside their single mothers, the traditional workers.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
