One of Pakistan’s most distinguished architects, who received many awards for his work, sadly passed away 7 January 2017. Habib Fida Ali’s work includes the design and construction of a number of important buildings as well as with the conservation and renovation of Mohatta Palace. He received a lifetime achievement awards from the Institute of Architects in Pakistan. The vast range of his work has been recorded and collected in The Architecture of Habib Fida by Hasan-ud-Din Khan.

In 1956 Frida Ali was the first Pakistani student to be admitted to theArchitectural Association School of Architecture in London. He graduated in 1962 and became an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA). On his return to Pakistan in 1963, Habib joined briefly William Perry's architectural practice in Karachi, before setting up his own practice in 1965. He worked on a number of corporate projects, public buildings and private houses. Amongst his most renowned projects were the Lahore University of Management Sciences, the Kohsaar Restaurant in Hill Park (which no longer exists), and he collaborated on the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. Habib Fida Ali served as president of the Institute of Architects of Pakistan’s Karachi chapter and as council member of the Union of International Architects (Region IV).