NEIGHBOURHOOD PARK

SITE: Aram Bagh, Saddar

Asma, Mehek, Sandeep

Location of Aram Bagh :

Aram Bagh: located in the heart of the city centre

HISTORYry
Prior to partition in 1947, Arambagh was Rambagh, and there was a cluster of temples here.
The temples were built in the garden because Hindu tradition says that Ram and Sita spent a night here while going to Hinglaj located in the north of Karachi for offering thanks after Ram spent 14 years in the jungle and completed his Banvas as a result of court intrigues.

Till the 20th century, the area was called Rambagh. Ram camped in the gardens where there were trees and abundant water. It was converted into a refugee camp after 1947 and named Arambagh
Rambagh was a sacred garden of the Hindus spread over nine acres. It contained three tanks, the Ram Chandur Temple and several wells. The most famous of the three tanks was Rambagh. Later, the wells of the area supplied water to the British army camp, as well as its cantonment, according to sources. The place was used for political and religious congregations. In the center, there was circular platform used for giving speeches. This place was the major center of political activity in the early part of the 19th century. After partition, displaced Muslims from India camped at this very site Its a heritage site and should have been preserved. We changed its complexion and have lost the essence of the area.

Rabi centre

Babul-Islam Masjid

`
Allah wala market

Aram bagh Masjid

Medicine market

Commercial shops with apartments on top

Bus stop

Contextual map
Dow Allah wala market Jamia cloth market mosques

shops
Furniture market universities library Food markets Sindh Secretariat hostels

Empire cinema
schools Burns garden/ Tikon park DJ science Food street, burns road market

G+3 /G+4 G+5

On ground floor these plots serve as commercial shops and on the upper levels are

Circulation: axis points

Aram bagh Road M.A Jinnah road

Shahrah-eliaquat road-

Pakistan Chowk Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road

Circulation around site ( pedestrian and vehicular)

Congestion points Entry points to site Main road traffic Vehicular traffic(two way) Pedestrian path Pedestrian movement

Catchment Areas:
The Aram Bagh Masjid overlooks the park. It attracts a steady stream of devotees. It also serves as recreation for the masses with its large maidan in front. During Ramadan, a large stream of people gather for extra taraweeh prayers. It serves for people to come five times a day
Shops that are located on the periphery of the site, can attract people and employers to use the park at different times of the day. These shops that house residences on upper floors can allow the park to prosper as a neighbour hood park as children come during the evening to play.

Burns road market and food street, which are very popular spots during the night time could serve to use the park as an extension for enjoying the meals.

Site plan of Aram Bagh: process

Sub areas of the park

mosque Lawn areas Go carting area

Raised podium Gym Bus stop

Aunty park Circulation paths mosque

Water fountain

Site plan of Aram Bagh: sub areas

Aunty park

Basketball court gym mosque Paved pathway

Raised platform Maintenance structure for gym Basketball hoops

Gravel and mud Roof overhang

Go carting

Details of elements within the park

Occasionally a tent separates this side of the park known as aunty park from the main park for women and children

Sign boards Benches in the aunty park Use of brick for flower bed Brick lining Low height plants(trimmed, pruned and cut

Bus stop Entrance portal Guard room Permanent structure for bus stop

Mosque maidanpaved Entrances Slides in the aunty park

Aunty park light fixtures Light fixtures in the park

Depressed area for go carting

Water body Gate Worn out ground (used by pigeons Drinking water plant

Light fixtures

Structures

Shops all around forming a boundary wall

Roof overhang

Safaida tree Neem tree Date palm

Palm trees newly planted

Pathways (mud) Fountain in aunty park

Sign boards Different types of trees

Fencing with shamina Boundary wall Column fencing Brick lining grill fencing Flower bed bricks Raised platform made of bricks

Amphitheatre for the court and view from court towards the mosque Lighting for the basketball court and the aunty park

The view showing the paved path for circulation, the lawn areas where the pigeons reside and the recently planted palm trees and the pruned trees

Open air gym that is the only part which seems to be maintained and the vegetation on the park, view of the go carting area.

Site plan of Aram Bagh: behavior traces

Worn out grass- used by pigeons

Graffiti

Broken grill

Swings need maintenance

Litter ( cigarette packets mostly pan

Site plan of Aram Bagh: activity mapping

Morning/afternoon
People sleeping under the little shade Children from the neighborhood use the court during afternoon hours

Pigeons use this part where they are fed by passersby and drug addicts residing here Movement of drug addicts and their seating during the early hours of the morning

Site plan of Aram Bagh: activity mapping

Evening
This route is a convenient thoroughfare between the ends of the site, used to access the mosque as well Play area is usually crowded by children during weekends and a few use it during the weekdays but the ground is used for cricket all the time by neighborhood kids The basketball court and the gym generates a lot of activity during the night where young people filter in to use the services: the gym is maintained due to fee charges

mosque generates a lot of people during the evening, especially during Ramadan for taraweeh prayers

Drug addicts are the main users of this park unfortunately both during the day and night.

This park termed as sunty park is active only from 530 in the evening to 630 , as it is open to women with children or families only.

Sleeping in shade
Picnicking on site Use of mosque Use of gym/recreational facilities Sitting/lying on grass Shading devices Benches Walking /jogging track

Childrens play area

Circulation

Messages from the administration

Marriages in the basketball court and other areas of the park are not allowed
Firing in the park is not allowed

Consuming drugs in the park is not allowed

Strengths and weaknesses of the site

STRENGTH
The mosque on site generates a lot of people daily, and during holy months the number of people increase: the maidan in front also allows a lot of filtration of people to site The periphery that is marked by shops, has a lot of potential for employers to filter into the park during lunch hours The bus stop on the front of the park can allow a of potential users The shops that becomes residences on upper levels allow the neighborhood park to emerge, where the children couple and adults can come into the park Good visual accesses also creates interest

WEAKNESS
Due to dilapidated conditions , the main users of the park are drug addicts. There are no shading devices on the site, and one can see people sleeping in the children's slide, or under the shade of the play area There are no maintenance measures The shops on the periphery block the 2 facades of the park No seating areas for people which restricts the use of the park No maintenance that leads to un defined users and minimum usage of the park

Strengths and weaknesses of the site

STRENGTH
The presence of activities the community around the site; sheltered by residential and commercial buildings Sense of community

WEAKNESS
Due to no transition spaces in the parks, the pathways seem random and no cohesiveness within the park No activity for the old people No trash cans leading to scattered trash in places No toilets

Potentials of the site

The mosque that filters people at different times of the day, and the route that links it to the park The encroached shops on the periphery that can cater food to the people The park being surrounded by dense network of residential cum commercial buildings Nearby schools and colleges, can use it for sports Bus stop on the main entrance The variety of activities already present on site

Solutions for the site

use of a shaded path that links the
mosque and the back of the park to create a relationship between the mosque and the park, thus inviting people who come to pray to use the park The revitalization of the boundary wall to create interface between the shops and the park and also the neighborhood and the park, thus defining a sense of community; engaging people Creating a jogging track around the periphery of the site, introducing an activity for the old, creating activity throughout the park. Maintenance of the park with a minimum fee, that would allow the park to be clean, giving the buildings nearby a scenic view, inviting them to use the park daily

Solutions for the site

creating the need for communal
meetings at the park; thus providing a great venue Allow the schools nearby to use the park for basketball matches, hence creating a place for them to use and charging a fee going towards maintenance of the park Charging the buildings nearby a small fee for the maintenance of the park

Elements to be introduced at site

use of shading devices
Use of screens to partition of the ladies areas Seating , for people waiting for the bus to rest, people coming from work, or for evening entertainment Jogging track Trash bins Static and linear walkways Plantings; low height hedges Water body

Use of site potentials:

Activities present on site and reactivating:
Basketball
Mosque Gym Go carting Birds

Materials to be used on site:

Gravel and mud for the jogging track
Terrazzo for sitting areas Envicrete blocks for walkways using existing bricks for curbs

Proposal one:

Proposal two:

Proposal three:

Development of plan:

Development of plan:

Development of plan:

Development of plan:

Development of plan:

Division of sub areas

Sectional studies of the site

Sectional studies of the site

Sitting Spaces

Lamp posts

Benches

Shading Devices

Screens

revamping of the existing stairs that give the feeling of an amphitheatre near the basketball court:

Development of details:

Development of details:

Development of children's areas:

Development of the shading devices and seating:

Seating area

Green wall- can be used as a screen to partition the aunty park

Shaded walkways, seating areas, playing area for children.

burmed area for children undulating seating area, integrated with the landscape

Development of the wall: