Karachi: QUBED Nathiagali is a revolutionary success story of a sustainably crafted, innovative and architecturally transformed resort built from shipping containers. Rather than relying on conventional concrete structures with a high carbon footprint, lengthy & laborious construction trail, and short timelines, QUBED Nathiagali’s prefabricated container structure is eco-friendly and ultra-sustainable.
Blending in perfectly with its surroundings, the structure seamlessly creates rhythmical lyrics in total harmony with the existing melody of nature. In a region where deforestation and the disturbance of the natural ecosystem have been at alarmingly high levels over the last few decades, QUBED Nathiagali is a project that stands out with its commitment to sustainable tourism in Pakistan. With Pakistan being one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, initiatives such as QUBED promise a cleaner and greener Pakistan.
Speaking to a guest at QUBED, Ms. Sharafat, said, “This is an innovative initiative, a small oasis disseminating natural fragrance and freshness in the desert of a concrete jungle”.
It was built without cutting a single twig on site and conserving and protecting the natural habitat in its original form. Speaking to Abdullah Khan, Managing Partner at QUBED, said, “Converting prefabricated containers into a livable space consumes much less time than a typical construction project, savings thousands of tons of carbon emissions. Delivering QUBED Nathiagali from start to finish in around 9 nine months is an astounding achievement. The user response has been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging, and we are very well placed to start more of such initiatives shortly. Some early guests are pushing us to replicate this at several other sites.”
Commenting on the support from Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA), Abdullah Khan added, “The GDA’s support and KPCTA’s forward-looking vision towards sustainable tourism and protecting the environment shows their progressive leadership and commitment to their mission. As a first-of-its-kind resort in Pakistan, looking for sustainable structures, we found that containers survive harsh weather while in transit as they are typically made using COR-TEN steel. This type of steel can last for over a century, is rust-proof, and has self-healing qualities.”
Tourism in Pakistan has consistently been on the rise for more than a decade, displaying a significant enhancement and increase in domestic tourists. In 2020, Pakistan was named ‘The Best Holiday Destination’ by a leading Travel Magazine. Pakistan’s northeast to southwest stretch geographically tends to be one of the most vastly diverse in the world. The landscape starts rising from mud volcanoes at the brims of the Indian Ocean and, after crossing the world’s hottest desert, Thar; it culminates at housing the second-highest peak in the world, K-2. The country has various tourist destinations, from the remains of an 8,000-year-old civilization to the highest plateau in the world, Deosai, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
Pakistan has massive tourism potential, which is still untapped, and the limited availability of tourist accommodations and recreational facilities has significantly impacted domestic and foreign tourism. Taking ideas from QUBED, shipping containers are easy to modify. At QUBED Nathiagali, multiple containers have been joined together to create the perfect getaway experience that is ultimately close to nature. The modular design also has ample space for tourists and travelers to relax and enjoy their private time. Resorts like these are no less than traditional concrete-based structures. Instead, add a third dimension to the tourism and travel sector.
