The Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS) was founded in 1989 by a group of professional architects, designers and artists who believed that Karachi was in critical need of a school of excellence encompassing the disciplines of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture.
The School is registered as a not-for-profit, private, degree awarding institute and is managed by an Executive Committee through the Executive Director, under the control of an independent Board of Governors that includes distinguished educationists, artists, architects, industrialists, bankers and media persons, in addition to three members nominated by the Government of Sindh. The Governor of Sindh is the Patron of the School.
IVS was granted an independent charter by the Government of Sindh in June 1994, thereby empowering it to award its own degrees. It was the fourth private institution of higher education learning in Pakistan to be given degree awarding status.
The formal four-year programme in Fine Arts and Design and the five-year programme in Architecture began in September 1990 with the induction of 45 students. This number has progressively increased, with the current intake at 140 students. The overall student body has grown to over 510. Twenty batches of Fine Art and Design students and Nineteen batches of Architecture students have graduated.
With the generous support of philanthropists and well-wishers, the School acquired a piece of land in KDA Scheme No. 5, Clifton, and built its custom designed campus which became operational in 1994. Shortly afterwards, the School undertook the unique project of relocating a hundred-year old land mark of Karachi, the Nusserwanjee Building, to the new campus. This building which is part of Karachi’s architectural heritage was dismantled from its original site, stone by stone and was reconstructed at the School Campus. The four-storey East Wing was completed in 2001 and the three storey West Wing became operational at the end of 2004. The two wings give the School a further 25,000 sq. ft. of space, while additions to the building and interior continue to be made.
The Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture is dedicated to much more than producing technically competent artists, designers and architects. It strives to motivate and guide students to think, be curious, to keep themselves open to sources of experience and learning, to be politically aware and socially responsive and take an independent position, respecting knowledge and people of knowledge, with humility.