Urban Voids: Temporary Use Strategy for Reclaiming Urban Remanent Spaces of Islamabad

Abstract

This thesis research is motivated by three main questions: (a) Quantitative & qualitative aspect of urban voids in Islamabad (b) Public perception regarding their usage (c) Improvement plan for increasing public realm of the city. The type of research design followed in this research is of descriptive nature. Out of descriptive study, observational and survey method is chosen specifically for this research. Total number of urban voids in Islamabad is 282. Total area is 158,971,182 sqft, which makes 23.15 % of the selected area (19 sectors of zone I) of Islamabad. Results also indicate that many of these urban voids are being used as waste receptacles, residences by drug addicts involved in crime and robbery, Major squatter settlement, degraded landscape, Car parking & Illegal encroachments by small businesses. Neighborhood perceptions are significantly associated with most of the ways these urban voids are being used in practice Islamabad city is changing constantly in response to changing social needs & values, political and economic conditions and new technological advancements. Some of these changes occur rapidly where as some evolved over decades. This study, by examination of various international precedents & literature, carefully analyzing public needs and sites at risk, and involving professionals of critical acclaim, recommends temporary use strategies as potential tool and remedy for reclaiming urban voids of Islamabad by channelizing this increasing demand for self-reliance by the community. KEY WORDS: URBAN VOID, VACANT LOTS, TERRAIN VAGUES, TEMPORARY USE