URBAN ENTERTAINMENT CENTER A Family Oriented Entertainment Destination

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.