Designing in Clifton
Clifton's blocks run along the sea between Saddar and DHA, and the neighbourhood combines some of Karachi's best-known older bungalows with apartment towers and commercial streets. That mix shapes the work we do here: interior design for apartments, renovation and restoration of older houses, and new homes where an old structure has reached the end of its life.
Apartment interiors
Clifton's apartments range from older buildings with generous rooms to newer high-rises with sea views. Apartment projects are as much about planning as finishes: storage, light, flexible rooms and kitchens that can cope with real cooking. Works also need to follow the building's management rules — on working hours, debris removal, structural changes and external alterations — which we account for from the start. See our guide to small apartment interior design.
Older bungalows
Many Clifton houses date from the 1960s to the 1990s. Some have character worth keeping — terrazzo floors, solid timber, generous verandahs — while others suffer from seepage, corroded reinforcement and outdated layouts. We assess the structure with an engineer before recommending renovation, extension or rebuilding. Read renovate or rebuild?.
Sea air and materials
Being close to the sea is Clifton's great asset and its greatest challenge for buildings. Salt air attacks aluminium, steel and fittings, and humidity affects timber and boards. We specify corrosion-resistant hardware, suitable window systems and moisture-tolerant materials. See our comparison of uPVC and aluminium windows for Karachi.
Approvals
Most of Clifton's blocks fall under the Sindh Building Control Authority, while neighbouring cantonment areas follow cantonment rules. We confirm which authority applies to your plot and prepare drawings accordingly. For apartments, internal works that do not alter structure usually need building management approval rather than authority approval — but structural changes always need an engineer's input.