Centre for Conservation & Restoration Studies, National College of Arts

Centre for Conservation & Restoration Studies (CCRS) D/3372 Kucha Pir Sharazi Chowk Matti inside Loh Walled city Lahore is generally called the heart of Lahore.

CENTRE FOR CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION STUDIES
(CCRS)
Chowk Matti, Kucha Pir Sherazi, inside Lahori Gate, the Walled City Lahore. In the history of the Indo-Pak Sub- continent Lahore has always been considered an important city. For centuries Lahore has been the capital of Punjab Province. In the last four centries Lahore has emerged as one of the leading cities of the Indo-Pak sub-contient. Some

fascinating buildings and gardens of Mughal Time still adorn the city of Lahore. After Mughal period some notable buildings were constructed during the Sikh period and the British period. In the Walled City Buildings of various period mentioned above can still be seen. In the last four decades many changes have occurred in the Walled city Lahore. The rich people have moved out and settled in the new quarters of the city. Due to this migration of rich, the residents of the Walled City now generally belong to middle income group and lower income group. Commercial areas are also fast developing in the Walled City Lahore and this trend catching up. This glorious heritage is disappearing at a very fast pace. It is important to save this heritage for posterity. An awareness campaign to save this heritage is the need of the hour. In 2003 National College of Arts, bought an old mansion inside Lahori Gate near Chowk Matti at Kucha Pir Sherazi. This old mansion was converted into the Centre for Conservation & Restoration Studies in the Walled City Lahore. Objectives
The primary objectives of this centre are:-
To create a link between the resident communities of the historic district i.e. The Walled City and the Professional practitioners, academicians involved with conservation and restoration work. The centre provides awareness regarding building and technical services to the communities that is interactive and accessible. To serve as documentation centre for Lahore Walled City Built Heritage. Components of the Conservation Centre. The centre has three major components viz. Advisory Cell, Documentation Cell and Training Cell detailed below:-

Advisory Cell. Abvisory services to the resident population has taken the form of awareness building and provision of technical assistance. Awareness building requires the services of social mobilizers to reach out to the residents to enable the Centre to be used as an Open House by them. Meetings, Talks, Pamphlets and other promotional material is being used as a means for this purpose. Technical advice is available in the centre for repair, maintenance, additions improvement etc. A building manual will be prepared as a guide for local people. Internees from NCA are being employed in both awareness building and technical assistance components. Documentation Cell
The purpose of the Centre is to collect material relating to the built environment. While building plans and drawings from the bulk of the data, information relating to the socio-economic condition of the resident populations data on environment degradation and such other is also collected. Data regaring the crafts is of special interest to assist in the revival if the traditional building crafts. For undertaking this immense task researchers, surveyors, architects need to made available as well as equipment. Internees from NCA are also being involved in various aspects of the Documentation Centre. Training Cell
Training in crafts is one of the prome functions of the Training Cell. It is envisaged that practitioners, scholars, craftspeople are engaged in an interactive process to enable the revival and survival of the traditional crafts. While staff and student internees are engaged in the endeavor, other educational institutes both nationally and internationally are being invited to assist in this endeavor.

04/02/2026

Photos from Centre for Conservation & Restoration Studies, National College of Arts's post

12/12/2025

NCA’s Bazm-e-Nau Vol. 03 brought together an inspiring gathering of emerging poetic voices at the Young Poets Mushaira on December 10, 2025. The evening celebrated fresh literary expression as young poets from diverse backgrounds shared their verses and reflections with an engaged audience.

The lineup; Muqeel Bukhari, Faryal Sheikh, Uzma Sahar, Abuzar Rafique, Saad Jabbar, Syed Ali Qasim, Tahir Javed, Talha Hussain, Syed Mohsin Ali Naqvi, Tayyab Hassan, Jordan Ali, and Sadaf Zaman, brought a range of powerful styles, from socially charged poems to deeply personal narratives, creating a memorable literary experience.

Organised by NCA at CCRS, the Mushaira offered an open platform for young writers to present their work and contribute to NCA’s vibrant cultural spirit. Sincere appreciation to Ghazala Batool, Sadaf Zaman, and Asif Hussain for curating an evening that beautifully amplified youth voices and upheld the tradition of Mushaira culture within the NCA community.

14/11/2025

The National College of Arts hosted Bazm-e-Nau Vol. 02, a vibrant gathering celebrating young poetic voices from across the community. The event brought together emerging poets who shared their work in an atmosphere of creativity, reflection, and literary camaraderie.

Held at the Centre for Conservation & Restoration Studies (CCRS), the mushaira offered an open platform for expression; where rhythm, emotion, and contemporary thought came together on one stage. With free entry and an enthusiastic audience, the afternoon unfolded as a celebration of language, imagination, and the timeless tradition of Urdu poetry.

The programme highlighted NCA’s continued commitment to nurturing artistic and literary talent among the youth.

23/09/2025

The National College of Arts, under its Community Outreach Programme, organised an Art Contest for children of the Walled City, Lahore on 22nd Sep, 2025, in commemoration of World Peace Day. Hosted at NCA’s Centre for Conservation and Restoration Studies, Lohari Gate, the contest brought together young artists to creatively express the theme “A Peaceful World.”

Art materials were provided on site, and the event witnessed enthusiastic participation from children who painted their vision of harmony and peace. Prizes and certificates were awarded at the closing ceremony, appreciating the creativity and spirit of the participants. This initiative reflects NCA’s efforts to engaging with communities and encouraging young voices to imagine a better, more peaceful future through the power of art.