Catching a Passing Moment:

This report describes a hitherto-isolated culture in northern Pakistan that has recently under­ gone rapid exposure to the outside world. Rapid change in Karimabad, a town of 4,600 peo­ ple in the Hunza Valley, has caused conflicts between cultural inertia and the forces of progress and modernization to surface and produced visible instances of cultural persistence and adap­ tation. For example, the resilience that house forms have displayed in Karimabad has been considerable. In particular, the continued use of the traditional house core as an element in newer plan types that incorporate alien values indicates the continued power of local values. A contrast to this persistence can be found in the free exercise of choice between old and new construction techniques as new technologies have been introduced to the town. The resilience of local values provides the basis for the continued relevance of traditional forms in architectural and planning practice, as residents and outside experts work to create a sustainable future for the mountain community. This situation has forced professionals in the field to reflect on current debates in academia about the nature of tradition.