RESIDENTIAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF MULTI-STORY BUILDINGS THROUGH RESIDENCE EXPERIENCE: A CASE OF HYDERABAD, PAKISTAN

In this modern era, multi-story housing is conceived as a sustainable and land-saving solution to increasing housing demand. In developing countries like Pakistan, unplanned and unsustainable multi-story housing development in major cities like Hyderabad. Housing quality is getting worse day by day, creating a negative impact on the physical and social well-being of inhabitants. The study identified the factors which are making a negative impact on multistory housing quality. The research is based on a thorough literature review, variables which helped categorize into safety and security, environment, life convenience, space utilization, utilities and services. To record the residents' opinion, the variables were inserted in a structured questionnaire with a 4-point Likert scale. Systematic sampling was applied to select a random sample of sixty buildings with an interval of 5. Using multiple regression analysis, four variables, including outdoor noise, fire protection, lack of elevator facility and drainage, were found to have a negative impact. The study is significant as the results can be considered as a guide for planning and development agencies to improve the multi-story housing quality by ensuring the inclusion of influential variables in the present and future development of multi-story buildings.

ECOTOURISM AND ARCHITECTURE : PERSPECTIVE OF CHOTIARI WETLAND COMPLEX SINDH, PAKISTAN

Ecotourism has the strongest pro-poor effect on people living around wetlands, as the visitors come to the site they create room for direct marketing, thereby incentivizing the development of an economic fiscal multiplier effect. Because of unsustainable incentives, the pattern of "trying livelihoods" in the Chotiari Wetland Complex, which is in Sindh-District Sanghar, has been dwindling. Furthermore, some evolving development actors, as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC), and WWF- Pakistan have attempted to take control of the local community's destiny by recognizing tourism development as a way of enhancing their livelihoods. The objective of the research is to find and explain the current status of tourism development and its impact on the local communities and environment of Chotiari Wetland Complex another objective is to establish the architectural ethics in planning and developing tourist’s facilities that bridge the gap between ecotourism and its architecture and is beneficial for the community and genral environment. A review of some of the contemporary literature indicates that the primary factors that connect ecotourism to architecture and contribute to the upliftment of the local community and highlighting the lack of literature that focuses on the architecture of ecotourism in wetlands with a hot arid climate. An analytical study of the hot arid area of the Chotiari Wetlands' Vernacular Architecture is addressed in this research, outlining the factors influencing its significance. This is accompanied by a discussion of the potential of the Chotiari Wetlands’ vernacular architecture as a basis for the development of eco-tourism architecture. The methodology adopted for the study was a case study with a combined technique of qualitative research. Data was collected through private walks, surveys, observations, photographs, videos, sketches, focused gathering discussions, on-site meetings with involved stakeholders, and study of existing literature. Considering the findings of the study, along with the observed natural resources in the area traditional mud straw, and reed houses have been proven to have potential regarding eco-tourism and to be best suited for the area, both for the dwelling of residents and the accommodation of tourists with the elimination of deficiencies. It is also revealed that the current tourism architecture is not user-friendly and does not adapt to the local context and the environment. Moreover, the local community is interested in tourism-related income generation activities. The paper concludes that architects and resource planners must take the concept of vernacular architecture as a key principle for future development and construction of ecotourism architecture with the involvement of local communities.

EVALUATING VILLAGERS' LIFE SATISFACTION IN RESETTLEMENT COMMUNITY: A PILOT STUDY OF SUBURBAN NANJING, CHINA

This paper assesses displaced villagers’ life satisfaction in government-designated resettlement communities after land expropriation. From the theoretical perspective of subjective well-being, the study explores the relationship between the overall life satisfaction of displaced villagers and their subjective satisfaction with three dimensions in their post-resettlement life – 1) material living conditions, 2) social security and employment support, and 3) attitudinal perceptions, social relations and participation. A pilot survey was conducted in two resettlement communities in suburban Nanjing. The study shows that while compensation and resettlement policy reforms have improved resettled villagers’ material living conditions; they still struggle with urban life transformation and adaptation from the social and attitudinal perspectives. An integrated resettlement approach is proposed to facilitate better accessibility to social security programs and non-agricultural employment opportunities, and to address issues in identity adaptation, lifestyle transformation, and social activity participation.

PAKISTAN HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE AND COVID-19: A CASE FOR ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE FACILITIES OPTIMIZATION IN THE CONTEXT OF PAKISTAN

COVID-19 is one of the largest pandemic that hit the world at the end of 2019 and took the globe by a storm. With almost seven hundred fifty thousand affected and above thirty five thousand deaths at the time of writing this paper, it was declared by World Health Origination (WHO) a major global health crisis. Pakistan, a developing South Asian country having sixth largest population in the world having fragile and poor healthcare infrastructure also got hit badly with above one thousand six hundred affected and more than twenty deaths till the time of writing. With such a large health burden at stake and closing of all major socio-economic activities, with having very limited quarantine and isolation facilities, there was a dire need to explore the gap of existing healthcare infrastructure to cope with current circumstances. In order to explore the current context with reference to the COVID-19 health burden, existing infrastructure and facilities were explored through literature review and documented against the criteria and outlined by WHO, with respect to quarantine and isolation facilities. Development of a basic concept about nature of COVID-19 was explored with respect to Pakistan and its spread in the country. Existing actions taken by the governing concerned bodies and future planning were also explored. It was concluded through comparative analysis and exploration of the current line of actions by the governing bodies, that existing infrastructure fails to fulfill the need of the current pandemic situation and transformation of existing healthcare facilities and other allied buildings, like hostels and educational institutions, would not help in development of quarantine and isolation facilities. Infact they will create higher level risks for contamination and management of the disaster at hand, since these do not fulfill the set criterion for isolation and quarantine facilities with functional and spatial aspects. A two stream approach is proposed to handle the current situation with focus on using existing facilities at one hand with limited usage for quarantine and isolation, while developing new functional facilities using fast construction systems of pre-fabricated construction this will enable quick delivery of such infrastructure to manage the COVID-19 in Pakistan with context and climatic sensitive designs. Proposed design interventions associated with quarantine and isolation units were further explored and using standardized cargo containers design solutions were proposed.

ANALYSIS OF COMMUTERS' PERCEPTIONS ABOUT CARPOOLING SERVICE: A CASE STUDY IN LAHORE

The increase in urban population and private vehicle ownership has resulted in traffic congestion on road networks. The traffic congestion tends to increase social cost in terms of increased travel delays, road crashes and environmental pollution. Traffic congestion also increases the generalized travel cost of road users. There is a need to look for alternative travel options to ensure sustainable development of the society and transportation infrastructure. This study aims to identify the significant relationships between the socio-economic demographics (SEDs) of the travelers and their intentions with carpooling. The data was collected with the help of a questionnaire survey. This survey was conducted in Lahore city and three hundred and ninety four samples were obtained. The data was analyzed using frequency analysis and ordered probit regression analysis. The results revealed that the traveler’s marital status, education, daily trip distance, current travel mode, household income, car ownership and possession of a driving license had a significant influence on their willingness to adopt a carpooling alternative. Besides the trip, purpose of carpooling and the number of persons with whom to share a ride had significant correlations with carpooling. These significant attributes implicate that travelers’ specific characteristics play an important role in their decision to carpool. Carpooling programs are required to design, seeking the significant characteristics of travelers in the context of Lahore city as well as in other regions. These findings provide useful information to the transport planners and decision-makers in designing the transportation policies related to carpooling strategies.

MAHABAT KHAN MOSQUE - AN ISLAMIC SYMBOL OF PEACE

It is ironical that the Mughals are remembered as warriors yet their breathtaking architecture offers an inspiration for regional peace. Separatist narratives may attempt to emphasise the ideological differences in the Indian subcontinent, but the centuries-old resonance of architectural magnificence of the Taj Mahal in India and the Shalimar Gardens in Pakistan simply mocks any divisions. It is within this perspective that the preservation and restoration of the Mahabat Khan Mosque in Peshawar deserves more attention than it has been accorded. Papers published so far have served well by detailing its history and features, but its significance as the western-most unifier for the sub-continent has been left unexplored. This article aims to highlight the link that its architectural features create with the Mughal buildings of the whole subcontinent. Photographs from unique angles are shared to highlight this commonality and thus serve as a counter narrative of regional unity based on a common Islamic architectural heritage. Also included is a fresh inventory of its state of disrepair, based on a survey conducted by students of City University in 2019, to revoke attention towards its restoration. Finally, recommendations are offered to address the delay in relocation of surrounding shops that is currently hindering its repair.

RIVER ECOSYSTEM SERVICE IN SETTLEMENT DEVELOPMENT AND HISTORY OF COASTAL BANGLADESH: A CASE STUDY ON KACHUA UPAZILLA

In Bangladesh every single settlement, whether it is urban or rural is situated alongside a form of inland water network. Livelihood, culture and civilization of these settlements maintain an intrinsic relationship with the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna River Basin System. Inland water eco-system service plays a significant role in the establishment of a settlement and its socio-economic activities. The traditional role of the water network has however, deteriorated over the years due to the lack of ecological knowledge, dearth of proper strategies and policy guidelines and various anthropogenic activities in the face of accelerated climate change scenarios. This study attempts to find out the ecosystem services of Bhiarab River in the context of the national river management strategies and policies in cooperation with riverdependent community and challenges thereof. The paper explains the background of this River’s channelbased navigation, along with the discussion of issues and challenges faced by the settlements. The findings reveal various strategic policies that have been implemented over the years on piecemeal basis to manage water resources which did not end up well due to the absence of a holistic approach. It is suggested in this paper that future management plans for this River should involve local communities to avail their willingness to conserve the River, while making them resilient against anthropogenic and natural impacts through enhancement of socio-economic outputs from it. The community willingness and its dependence, as unearthed in this research, provides compelling ground for the authors to state that integrated planning with proper respect for local ecology is a mandatory strategic element for successful implementation of the policies in this regard.

TRADITIONAL VALUES VERSUS MODEM CONVENIENCES: AN ANALYSIS OF TRADITIONAL COURTYARD AND CONTEMPORARY HOUSE DESIGN TRENDS IN LAHORE

Courtyard house, as one of oldest forms of housing tradition, is a remarkable form of residential architecture due to its attributes of naturally climate controlled spaces, spaces of peace and seclusion and as a central nucleus (a social space) around which domestic life revolves. In Lahore, visible transformation of housing trends has continued after independence (1947) with several emerging issues of growing population, rapid densification and exponentially rising land value. By 1960s and 70s, bungalow style of housing with a flavor of modernism inspired middle and upper middle income people to adopt modern life style. All these facts impelled courtyard style of housing into complete disuse. Researchers and designers are certainly aware of the need to cope with local climatic and energy crisis problems in residential architecture to enhance physical comfort of inhabitants which needs to analyze design and performance patterns of traditional courtyard houses, in comparison to modern detached houses. This research paper, through analysis of two local case studies in Lahore, explores how a courtyard house can be revived with minimal interventions to achieve climatically responsive houses that would be address adequately the climatic concerns. Findings on evolution and aspects of housing typologies (courtyard house, detached and semidetached houses), followed by comparative case studies analysis, and field investigation through questionnaire and interviews supplement research methodology for this paper.

ARCHITECTURAL ANALYSIS: DISTINCTIVE BUILDING FEATURES IN PAKISTANI ARCHITECTURE

This research attempts to analyze the recent trends in Pakistani architecture. It aims to explore three recent paradigms: regionalism and theme-based form generation. The purpose of the inquiry was to select and analyze projects from three different cities of Pakistan and draw comparisons and conclusions. The factors that can make any structure a trendsetter in relation to the architectural context of Pakistan have been analyzed. The study also attempts to analyze the latest trends in the architecture of the country. This methodology helped in comprehending the influential approaches of different architectural projects and assess these for persisting trends. The research also emphasizes on finding contemporary processes in expressing architectural design methodologies. The research analysis three case studies with the help of elaborated sketches and diagrams. The research is concluded by identifying building features that make each of them distinct in the context of sustainable and regionalism techniques. This study also highlights the unique design techniques that fall under the paradigms of regionalism.

USING GIS MEASURES TO ANALYZE THE SPATIAL EQUITY TO PUBLIC PAKISTAN IN LAHORE METROPOLITAN

Public parks are considered as the prime community assets that provide places for the citizens to enjoy and spend their leisure time. Parks can serve as the primary source not only incorporating physical activities but also improving quality of life of residents. Equitable access to these services is one of the major concerns worldwide. However, a little attention is paid, in this regard, in the local context. This paper utilizes GIS tools and analyzes the equitable access to urban parks in the Lahore Metropolitan Area, with reference to its spatial distribution. The measures of access for the parks are computed for population depending upon the type of facility at the administrative Zone level. The accessibility to parks is measured using walking distance impedance and proximity analysis tool. The study further evaluates the spatial distribution of parks about population density and examine if differences are observed across different administrative Zones in the Metropolitan. The least served areas and populations have been derived in spatial context across the study area. Moreover, maps prepared using hotspot analysis in GIS help to visually identify the spatial disparities and compare the differences among different administrative Zones in the study area. It allows understanding of how different parks in the metropolitan are distributed through space, and hence help in combating inequitable access. The results of this research can assist the planning authorities in identifying the spatial gaps in accessibility and addressing the needs for improving the accessibility to public parks across different Zones in the Metropolitan.