Going Global

The citadel in Pakistan’s Walled City of Lahore is home to ornate mosques, palaces, and mosaics that showcase the splendor of the Mughal Empire’s artistry.

For architect and recent Getty graduate intern Ifrah Asif, it’s also where she found her calling, the preservation of historic architecture.

“Working on a historic building, perched on scaffolding and doing things with my hands all day, really spoke to me in the sense that I was contributing to the preservation of the life of a building and the culture of the community to which it belongs,” she says.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lahore Fort has undergone ongoing conservation efforts across its pavilions, gates, and nearby gardens, including the restoration of its Picture Wall as part of a multi-year conservation project led by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. For eight months beginning in 2018, Asif spent her days preserving beautiful details on the Picture Wall, which is taller than the Empire State building if you stretched it up to the sky and embellished with depictions of hunts, battles, angels, demons, and nature scenes.

“This was one of my first projects in preservation, and it opened up so many new perspectives for me,” she recounts. “Preserving my own Pakistani heritage was very rewarding, but it also led me to consider other issues in the field related to how climate change affects historic buildings, how decisions are made in the restoration of these sites, and how the community is involved.”

The Lahore Fort project had a lasting impact on her professional path, serving as a case study in her master’s thesis on the effects of climate change on traditional brick masonry. It also led her to a graduate internship in the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI)’s Buildings and Sites Department with the Earthen Architecture Initiative (EAI), which seeks to advance the conservation of earthen architecture through model projects, research, training, planning and implementation, and publications.

From Lahore to LA and beyond

Asif learned about the internship while completing her master’s degree in historic preservation, specializing in conservation science at the University of Pennsylvania, and knew she wanted to be a part of the program for the hands-on experience and cultural exchange it provided.

“The internship is a great opportunity not only in terms of the work that you do on field projects, but also the ability to learn from people from around the world, within the intern cohort, at Getty, and in the field,” Asif says.

During her Getty internship, Asif conducted on-site building documentation and surveys to help guide long term care of historical sites; worked on the development of the International Course on the Conservation of Earthen Architecture; supported a convening on an experts meeting wherein participants discussed challenges and needs in the field in order to develop a strategic plan; and conducted climate mapping research for earthen World Heritage Sites constructed of natural, sustainable materials like mud, clay, sand, and straw. “One of the highlights for me of that time was the opportunity to travel with the EAI team to Peru,” Asif says. “Active involvement in the project activities, meetings, and discussions further expanded my knowledge and improved my project management skills in this field.”

Asif’s field work in the Peruvian Andes took place at two of the GCI’s EAI model field projects for seismic retrofitting: the Church of Rondocan and Church of Kuñotambo. Both projects involve the use of high tech methodologies and locally available materials to improve the safety of earthen buildings while keeping intact as much of their original, historic fabric as possible.

At each church she assisted a team of engineers, conservators, and architects who were gathering data on each building’s condition and structural stability in order to understand how they may be impacted by seismic activity in this earthquake-prone region.

One of her favorite aspects of the trip was working directly with the site and conservation professionals, whether it was taking measurements in a church filled with religious paintings or connecting with the community.

“Traveling to historic sites, meeting the people there who care for them, and contributing to the preservation of these spaces with your hands is all very rewarding,” she says. “You understand the challenges of each site, how to collaborate with people, and how to apply that knowledge in different settings.”

This fall, Asif returned to Pennsylvania and started her PhD in architecture at the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, continuing her focus on architecture and the impact of climate change on built heritage. She says the internship experience greatly expanded her global network, connecting her with new circles of colleagues whose support she’ll draw on for years to come. As the first Getty graduate intern from Pakistan, she also hopes to inspire others in the region to apply and take advantage of all the program has to offer.

“I’m starting my PhD with more knowledge and insights from the field,” she says. “Being able to share my own unique perspective, to say ‘I’m here,’ and have conversations with other professionals who are equally passionate and driven to make a change is really inspiring. I don’t think you get that every day.”

Since 1984, Getty has offered grants that provide training and work experience to graduate students who are pursuing careers in the visual arts. Participants spend a year working with professionals across Getty departments in areas such as curatorial, education, conservation, research, and public programs. The program also includes travel for research, enabling the interns to gain broader insights in their field on an international scale.