Omaar Qureshi

Omaar Qureshi
Name	Omaar Qureshi

Omaar Qureshi is a contemporary scholar and practitioner whose work spans urban studies, conservation, and heritage policy, engaging with projects across South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. He has collaborated with academic institutions, international organizations, and municipal authorities to integrate research on historic preservation, spatial planning, and community engagement. Qureshi's contributions include interdisciplinary publications, curatorial projects, and advisory roles in heritage-sensitive urban redevelopment.

Early life and education

Qureshi was born into a family with ties to Karachi, Lahore, and diasporic communities in London and Toronto, an upbringing that exposed him to the built environments of Sindh, Punjab, Greater London, and Ontario. He completed undergraduate studies at a university affiliated with University of Oxford, where he engaged with faculties connected to School of Oriental and African Studies and Courtauld Institute of Art programs, then pursued graduate study at institutions linked to University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology for urbanism and architectural history. His doctoral research involved archives and fieldwork coordinated with repositories such as the British Library, the National Archives (United Kingdom), and the Victoria and Albert Museum collections, and included collaborations with municipal authorities in Karachi and Cairo.

Career

Qureshi's professional trajectory includes appointments at research centers and universities connected to University College London, Columbia University, and regional institutes like the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. He has held visiting fellowships at think tanks associated with Chatham House and policy units collaborating with UNESCO and the World Monuments Fund. His consultancy practice has worked with city agencies in Istanbul, Doha, and Mumbai, advising on adaptive reuse projects that intersect with initiatives by ICOMOS and municipal heritage trusts. He has taught courses drawing on syllabi used at Harvard Graduate School of Design, ETH Zurich, and The Bartlett School of Architecture.

Research and notable projects

Qureshi's research programs examine the intersections of colonial-era infrastructure, postcolonial urban policy, and vernacular conservation, producing case studies in cities such as Delhi, Alexandria, Karachi, and Naples. He led a cross-disciplinary project funded by organizations including European Research Council, Ford Foundation, and British Council that mapped historic market districts in collaboration with local NGOs like Aga Khan Trust for Culture and civic groups allied with Janwaar Collective. His team partnered with archaeologists from University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and planners from Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority to pilot community-led preservation frameworks applied to waterfront revitalization in Alexandria and informal settlements in Karachi. Qureshi directed a conservation masterplan for a municipal precinct working alongside engineering firms connected to Arup Group and heritage architects trained at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

Publications and media appearances

Qureshi has authored and co-edited monographs and journal articles published by presses and journals associated with Cambridge University Press, Routledge, Journal of Urban History, and International Journal of Heritage Studies. He contributed chapters to edited volumes alongside scholars from Princeton University, Yale University, and University of California, Berkeley examining topics linked to colonial urbanism, preservation law, and participatory design. His essays have appeared in periodicals such as The Guardian, The New York Times, and Al Jazeera, and he has been interviewed on programs produced by BBC World Service, NPR, and Deutsche Welle. Qureshi has also curated exhibitions featured in institutions including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and regional cultural centers affiliated with Aga Khan Development Network.

Awards and recognition

Qureshi's work has been recognized by awards and grants from bodies such as the Prince Claus Fund, the Getty Foundation, and the Royal Geographical Society. He received fellowships associated with Fulbright Program and accolades from professional associations like Royal Institute of British Architects and Society of Architectural Historians. His projects have been short-listed for prizes administered by Europa Nostra and commended by municipal heritage commissions in Istanbul and Karachi for model interventions that balance conservation and urban development.

Personal life and advocacy

Qureshi is active in advocacy networks linking cultural heritage to social justice, working with coalitions that include International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), grassroots groups in Karachi and Delhi, and transnational NGOs such as International Committee of the Red Cross when cultural property is at risk. He participates in advisory boards of community trusts modeled on the Aga Khan Foundation approach and supports mentorship programs affiliated with Ashoka and Teach For All. Qureshi resides between London and Karachi and engages in public talks and workshops hosted by institutions like Tate Modern and Asia Society.

Category:Architectural historians Category:Heritage conservationists Category:Urban studies scholars