September 28, 2007	Friday	Ramazan 15, 1428

It seems that Islamabad has a worryingly large proportion of the workforce earning their monthly income from the domain of a residential home.

Essentially, this irksome fact presents two very grave issues: since when is it acceptable that housing is a place of business? Secondly, since when has it become fair that the residential streets reserved as safe haven for families are an acceptable area for offices to invade their freedom?

Buildings are sites designed specifically for official use. These designs will take into account the placement of windows, lighting, staff space, tea room, separate rooms for the higher management, cafeteria and, a reception. By taking these issues into account, the architects attempt to produce an efficient place of work that appears professional and successful, with the aim to produce a productive workforce for companies. So why then bother moving into a cozy home?

It is the oddest feeling entering into a small house, with a reception tucked away under a staircase, sofas crammed in every possible empty corner of the hallway. It is hard not to wonder what the house would look like had it remained a home. Rooms are haphazardly demarcated into small windowless cabins, almost resembling prison cells just with more furniture.

Once clients conduct meetings with higher management officials, one really enters what is clearly meant to be the master bedroom. Surely such an atmosphere causes some form of hindrance to the working mood. Aside from the fact that the ‘homed’ office is cramming much more than a bedroom or hall room could possibly hold, such atmosphere appears to present a sloppy impression.

Professionalism entails success, attention to detail and efficiency, an office stuffed into a home like turkey stuffing implies that the organisation felt little need to make that effort with its impression - creating an all too cozy atmosphere.

However, on most of the main roads of Islamabad, massive buildings, quite obviously constructed for official use, present a professional impression.

But they are still far from forgiven for constructing such official-cum-residential buildings in an area reserved for families. The worst effect of this problem are the outrageous increase in rents, making it impossible for the average working individual to live in any of these areas that is rightfully theirs.

The second issue with offices entering the streets is quite obvious: offices invade the privacy, security and peace of the residents. After a long day at the office, people have the right to expect and pursue separation and distance from the public life. The public image of an individual’s self is exhausting enough, then why torture him/her with the site of an office in their rightful area of rest?

Driving to and back from work entails traffic jams, roaring engines and piercing multiple car horns. In the office the constant ringing of phones, the sound of keyboards typing, stressful voices of colleagues, monotonous meetings, the constant and uncontrollable sound of chatter is exhausting. By the end of the day, the normal individual yearns for well-deserved stillness and calm.

But for those whose streets are blemished with a single or more ‘homed’ offices, they will find themselves waiting for a series of cars backing out of a driveway; or with the painful site of vehicles lined on one’s perfectly mowed lawn that once was adorned with fresh blooming followers; or the staff standing around the street or balconies having a cigarette break while a family attempts to have a quiet cup of tea in their gardens or balcony on a cool winter evening.

The once still street tucked away from the public racket has now dissolved into the worldly commotion. And what is the greatest tragedy of the unfair diffusion? The children can no longer come out to play with the neighbour’s kids, the streets are no more safe. How is this fair?

The residential streets are for the sound of children playing, for the peace and sanctity of the family, not the commotion of a crowded office. Offices should move back into the public world in their designated commercial areas; besides, a proper building will terminate space issues and only increase their own productivity.

Bring the sound of the playing children back on the streets!