Abstract:
With the advent of shopping malls, retail and entertainment facilities are becoming limited to
enclosed spaces. While traditional shopping centers expressed culture through the idea of
street life, shopping malls have only restricted us in times such as the pandemic. Keeping social
distancing in mind, most post pandemic strategies are primarily focused on utilizing outdoor
spaces and generating a balance between indoor and outdoor spaces. The aim of this project is
to consider these aspects to create an urban entertainment center which focuses on creating
entertainment facilities that not only aids the retail experience to draw in people, but also looks
into how we can maximize social distancing while still collecting in a public space.
The center is going to act as a landmark which will be a hybrid between a tourist welcoming
center and a city center for Islamabad. The primary objective being to create an identity for the
city. Bringing different programs and facilities together in one place will help to shorten
distances, create knowledge spillovers and generate jobs and incomes.
Located at an easily accessible location, while providing a collective experience, the center will
act as the hub of Islamabad, not only for the tourists visiting the city but also for the locals. The
center will revitalize the traditional shopping experience and will be designed keeping in mind
possible long-term setbacks.
