Architecture

This research has been conducted after studying literature on Environmental Psychology and its role in architecture. This research paper consists of experiments that were carried out to find out the preference of people in shapes and sizes of spaces.

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This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Political mapping of South Asia has been changed several times during last decades. A large number of inhabitants were relocated due to political and religious differences. This relocation created a number of marginalized community in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. The segregation of new comers often creates a new layer in the society in form of new enclaves for them. Edward J. Soja writes, "The political organization of space is particular powerful source of spatial inequality". The lack of identity and stateless condition are the vital issue which is apparently ignored. This paper discusses about the architectural seclusion of the sidelined community and their condition through a number of case studies from South Asia. The paper depicts these dilemmas highlighting different communities based on political mapping, housing qualities, housing informality, spatial centripetal and centrifugal factors with diversified stakeholders, and governance prototype which are not yet in scholarly documentations. Through reviewing primary & secondary sources, this paper also articulates dimensional layout plans, policy recovery channels, stakeholders" conflict mitigation process etc. to diminish the planning gaps as well as segregation. This paper also includes current physical condition of the case study areas through physical documentation. The finding of this paper will show an overview of similarities and dissimilarities among different case studies and the possibilities of future integration in the governance process rather than isolation of the relocated communities of the former Indian subcontinent.

Cities tend to grow on a daily basis, facilitated by multiple development and influences; infrastructure, culture, economics, politics, resources, etc. Lahore, as we know it is also under constant development, from erecting skyscrapers, bridges, signal free corridors, etc to the gentrification of suburban and city center. The city is becoming denser day by day, people from surrounding areas are gushing in rapidly, not knowing what the city holds for them. This process of urbanization triggers and provides rationale for numerous informal settlements known as Katchi Abadi in local language, to commence grow, and replicate. The Katchi Abadi's, as defined by the state, are settlements on the land not owned by its occupants. The definition quiet easily segregates the residents, not knowing the reasons as to why these settlements begin in the first place. Often neglected in the city planning and development processes, these settlements are part of a very complex socio-cultural system that cannot be worked on from a distance. The existence and condition of such settlements of the Katchi Abadi not only depict the failure of the state in providing affordable housing to its citizens but also exhibit the social and economic marginalization of a community and its profound effect on the built environment of Katchi Abadi and its context. In order to explore the above mentioned issues, a 3 day workshop titled as Building Together: Learning and Designing with Katchi Abadi , based on the philosophy of Community based participatory Learning and Design Center was organized by the Society for Cultural Education. The projected was carried out with the help of students from various universities and disciplines and the members of Katchi Abadi. Here we would like to specially appreciate Ms for their contribution in the project as photographers. The project was an attempt to understand the complexities of communities as a process through the study of its existing realities. The objective of the project was to generate a dialogue on the above-mentioned issues and to provide and propagate basic research carried in the concerned area. The project also aimed to highlight the process and the idea of Katchi Abadis as an existing urban phenomena (neglected and segregated), which should be explored and understood in order to effectively respond and design the need and growth of the cities. The pictures we will be presenting in this conference were taken during the workshop. The pictures represent and reflect our (participants of the workshop) understanding of the environment and the people, collectively known as the Katchi Abadis. Also the Katachi Abadi under discussion is composed of unique groups of people having specific backgrounds and social systems, their dynamics and systems of living therefore cannot be generalized.

The city of Lahore is expanding at great pace in terms of its urban sprawl and demographics. The consequence of rural to urban migrations, as of arbitrary physical and social development in the city has triggered the process of urbanization at a rate which was never recorded before. Urban housing in this context is the most complex, in demand and unattended phenomena. The lack of efforts in bridging the gap between the demand and supply chain of urban housing in Lahore is promoting a culture of social and spatial inequity, and has produced a form of urban housing for the economically marginalized communities i.e. the Katchi Abadis. In order to explore the above mentioned issues, a research project was initiated with the aim to understand the complexities of Katchi Abadis in Lahore, through the study of their existing realities, by employing tools of community based participatory methodology. Based on the project conducted, the objective of the research paper was to explore Katchi Abadis as a form of affordable urban housing developed by the marginalized communities with limited resources and without financial or legal assistant of concerned authorities. The paper analysis the internal social and spatial politics of Katchi Abadis and their impact on the context and vice versa. The paper is aimed at highlighting the phenomenon of Katchi Abadis as an existing urban phenomena (neglected and segregated) which should be understood, in order to effectively cater to the growing housing demand in the city of Lahore.

The project is initiated and led by AARC. AARC: Architorque‘s Academic and Research Center is a research and experimental initiative taken by Architorque, a design and construction consultancy based in Lahore. The multi and interdisciplinary approach of AARC aims to foster creative collaborations between professionals, Para professional researchers, academics and students affiliated with the field of research and design. The aim of the center is to investigate and analyse challenges in the domain of urban, pre urban and indigenous cultures with the help of design and research. With the help of publications, projects, exhibitions, workshops and other creative interactive initiatives the center aims to create an academic and research platform for designers and researchers to analyse, realise and evaluate their research ideas, prototypes and theories.

The project is initiated and led by AARC. AARC: Architorque‘s Academic and Research Center is a research and experimental initiative taken by Architorque, a design and construction consultancy based in Lahore. The multi and interdisciplinary approach of AARC aims to foster creative collaborations between professionals, Para professional researchers, academics and students affiliated with the field of research and design. The aim of the center is to investigate and analyse challenges in the domain of urban, pre urban and indigenous cultures with the help of design and research. With the help of publications, projects, exhibitions, workshops and other creative interactive initiatives the center aims to create an academic and research platform for designers and researchers to analyse, realise and evaluate their research ideas, prototypes and theories

Public spaces are the culmination points in the city, reflecting on the people's thoughts, activities, and culture. Since ages, splendid gardens and public parks have been serving the city of Lahore and they are identified as cultural hubs. These public spaces have the innate quality to bring the people of the city together as community through its spatial accessibility and viability. However, the recent development and distribution of public parks catering to the rapidly growing Lahore is exclusive and inequitable in nature. The recent phenomena of gated communities and parks serving exclusive communities are the tangible consequences of our social, political, and economic insecurities. The evolving morphology i.e. from inclusive to exclusive of public parks in Lahore, highlights the inequity being embedded in the urban fabric through systematic institutional polices. The exclusiveness challenges the intrinsic participatory and democratic performance of a public space by only serving the selected people and limited vicinity/ies. Therefore, in contemporary era the provision of democratic spaces, such as public parks are either diminishing or changing form in Lahore. The research will examine how the scale, design, and location of public parks create a new city culture and imitate on the social, economic, and psychological aspects of a society over the years. Through the comparative study of four kinds of public parks developed in different era and political scenarios, the research aims to understand the agency and impact of social, environmental, and spatial inequities unfolding in the context of a changing cultural space i.e. Public Parks.

The indifferent A (4)rt” was a participatory public art exhibition that was held for 02 days in 2018. The exhibition was held in two different parks of a low-income housing society i.e., Sher Shah Colony, in Lahore. Sher Shah Colony is a designed housing facility located the in the southwest of Lahore. It is compressed between the highly commercialized locality of Raiwind and a chunk of agrarian land. (Figure 1)  Although the investigation of the development pattern of Sher Shah Colony is not the focus of this research however it is important to note that the colony has recently examined a dramatic shift in terms of population growth and has observed an astonishing pace of urbanization in its vicinities. The recent introduction of educational institutions, industrial faculty, and housing societies for the urban elite and middle class, connected through a network of fine roads, has contributed to shaping and altering the socio-built environment of the colony.  Planned on a perfect iron grid pattern, with an approximate area of 4600000 sqft, the colony is divided into 4 blocks namely A, B, C, and D. A park has been designed at the center of each block and two big parks have been allocated at the center of the colony.

The “ducational esource andbook” facilitates the formation of a nexus between the und museum and schools. The resource kit has been developed through a SC and TAAP collaborative
project titled “Improving the educational role of the und Museum” - [/P/04/2018-131]. The project has been implemented in close collaboration with museum staff, academics, curriculum
developers, and local school teachers of the Hund and nearby villages. Care has been taken to integrate elements from within and beyond the museum as contents of the handbook. The goal
is to introduce students to historical and contemporary realities that both the und museum and archaeological site provide its visitors.

The project was awarded by UNESCO, Islamabad jointly to the collaborative partners THAAP and NIDA Pakistan. THAAP has brought on board their linked partners Institute for Art and Culture (IAC) for inputs in the Project by the Culture specialists.
The project focuses on engaging communities, in particular the youth, and strengthening their role in management and protection of the heritage site. It is envisaged within the framework of UNESCO Convention on World Heritage which has in recent years emphasized that a greater role of communities in protecting cultural and natural heritage be found to enable an increase in the sense of ownership and pride in their heritage resulting in a more engaged safeguarding of the heritage. The Project foresees that through the capacity building and engagement of key stakeholders such as youth, mainly school children, and teachers, community living in close proximity to heritage sites as well as “general awareness raising through social and electronic media and developing liaison between the community and Provincial Directorate of Archaeology” this can be achieved. The Project will be implemented in the Districts of Peshawar, Mardan and Swat.
Reiterating the overarching objective of enhancing the role of communities in the protection and safeguarding of heritage in support of the government’s own efforts the following three groups have been highlighted along with the manner of their engagement 8


1. School going youth engaged in safeguarding the cultural heritage through teacher’s capacity building in integrating heritage into teaching and learning and resource material development.
2. The Community and Youth mobilized to safeguard the cultural heritage through capacity building
3. The Governments mobilized and capacitated to engage the community to take measures for Safeguarding Cultural Heritage