INHABITING URBAN VOIDS

Abstract

Void, when discussed in architecture and urban design are referred to as empty spaces within the urban fabric which have little or no use. The usefulness of these empty spaces, commonly referred to as urban voids, is an ongoing debate in contemporary cities. The project has three major components that share a single objective of studying the role of the void in creating incoherent urban landscape and at the same time the opportunities the void poses to bridge the discrepancies. First component of the project caters to defining urban voids, why they emerge in various kind of urban realms? And what are the different forms in which the void can exist? And how they impact the urban fabric? Second component was to identify an urban void within an existing city based on the premises that were set in phase 1. The void studied for this thesis is an abandoned railway track in Peshawar city. After series of studies and analysis phase 2 concludes the role the track plays in slicing the city and composing urban conflicts Final phase focuses on reintegration of the void in it urban context. The process of reintegration is twofold, firstly the project builds spatial relationships with the context to ensure the void is no longer detached from every day urban experiences. Secondly it focuses on making the void a social space.