Azaadi E Izhaar Park

Abstract

Glory of man resides in self-affirmation but resonates with its recognition in a community, in a city, or in a nation. The thesis aims to venerate the role of man in the public realm and reinstate the sense of belonging for its citizens whilst establishing the notion of public 'space' as a condition of ownership, participation and appropriation. The research explores the relationship of spatial design to social processes, in turn impacting city culture and thresholds of intimacy experienced in the urban context. I acknowledge that expression is a basic instinct of man which he has, over centuries, made numerous mediums a means of. What then is the role of personal expression in the city of today, in my city? I address violation of citizens' liberty rights, along with issues of political polarization which breed recurrent unorganized protests and have often paralyzed the city, causing state and personal damage. The project acknowledges the social sphere as an integral component of human culture and personality, and thus aims to develop an atmosphere which initiates and coordinates collective action and generates productive dialogue without compromising the standing of the individuals and cooperative groups. The project responds to Pakistan's fractured society, as a result of interrupted encounters with democracy and reduced public participation, by bridging the social contractual gap between state and citizens through providing a platform of sustained dialogue resulting in responsibility and transparency, as well as facilitating certain mediums of socio-political expression to develop an all-inclusive environment.