40 MIMAR 38

CONVENTIONAL CONSTRUCTION IN ISLAMABAD

Mukhtar Husain outlines the construction of Pakistan's capital.

Pakistan's new capital at Islamabad originates from 1959, when it became apparent that Karachi, though the commercial capital of

Pakistan, had its shortcomings as an administrative centre for the Federal Government.

A Commission was set up to select a location for a new city, and the site was eventually chosen on the recommendation of Doxiadis Associates. A Master Plan was drawn up for Islamabad, establishing the urban area on the Pothwar Plateau, against the classic backdrop of the 5,000 feet high Margalla Hills to the north, and Rawal Lake to the south.

The original plan also took into account the city of Rawalpindi, situated 11 miles to the south, with a population in 1959 of about 300,000. Rawalpindi served as the interim capital of Pakistan during the Government's shift to Islamabad. The planners used the existing civic amenities to serve both communities. However, they left a buffer zone between the two cities to allow for future expansion.

The master plan for the metropolitan area of Islamabad was prepared on the principle of 'dynapolis' - essentially a grid-iron plan expanding in a linear fan­shape to the west. The city covers an area of 351 square miles, and is divided into various zones, including the administra­tive sector, the diplomatic enclave, the public buildings area, the residential area, the service industries area and the central business district.

Construction was by local contractors, using conventional building materials and techniques. Work started in October 1961, and special trains carrying government employees from Karachi started arriving two years later. Today the city is fully functional, with a population exceeding 300,000.

At first Islamabad was entirely dependent on Rawalpindi for all its requirements, as there were no proper markets or commercial centres. Today, the quiet suburban charm of Islamabad, with its green, tree-lined avenues, contrasts sharply with the vigorous com­mercialism and traditional atmosphere of Rawalpindi. Nevertheless, the old and the

new are intimately connected. The planners undertook an ambitious

programme to cover both the capital and the surrounding terrain of Islamabad with a wide variety of ornamental and flowering trees. These measures helped to enhance the panoramic beauty ofthe area, without which there would be no lasting image of the city.

Unlike some other new capital cities, Islamabad does not bear the stamp of a single architect as was the case with Le Corbusier in Chandigarh, Oscar Niemeyer at Brasilia, and Louis I. Kahn in the Capital Complex at Dhaka. Noted international architects including Sir Robert Matthew, Gio Ponti, Alberto Roselli, Edward Stone and Kenzo Tange have been involved with major public buildings. The resulting anonymity of design, however, offers w ide scope for free expression to other architects.

Islamabad continued to develop rapidly up until 1965, then intermittently over the next few years due to political uncertainties and turmoil. Since 1973, there has been a relatively prolonged period of sustained development, with money flowing into the country from the oil-boom of the Middle East. Land value in Islamabad has soared, and prices double every two to three years. With confidence established in the permanence of the new city, many sectors have been developed. However, this has led to congestion, higher levels of land-use, poorer landscaping and environmental standards.

While the role of the motor car has not developed to quite the extent foreseen by Doxiadis, the car has nevertheless penetrated into various pedestrian precincts and other low-income areas, causing disruption in children's play areas and community spaces.

In recent years, there has been a noticeable deterioration in the visual environment due to the blatant violation and abuse of building regulations, conversion of land reserved for parks, schools etc. into lucrative residential plots and the development of ostentatious villas. An alarming recent trend is the encroachment and small squatter

1. An overview of Islamabad from the west, with the imposing Margallas in the background.

2. A small village outside Islamabad. This undulating terrain is typical of the Pothwar Plateau.

3. The President's House Complex, designed by Edward Stone.

settlements, on the outskirts ofIslamabad, by land-grabbers exploiting the property boom.

MUKHTAR HUSAIN, CHIEF ARCHITECT, NESPAK, KARACHI, HAS BEEN PRACTISING, WRITING AND TEACHING SINCE 1971. HE IS PRESENTLY ENGAGED ON THE KARACHI AIRPORT PROJECT.

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MIMAR 38 41

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIES

4. The Government Secretariat Complex, an attractive group of office buildings, designed by Gio Ponti/Alberto Roselli.

5. The Faisal Mosque, designed by Vedat Dalokay, with its minarets towering against the backdrop of the Margalla Hills.

6. Construction of villas in progress. Building techniques have remained largely unchanged, with little recent innovation.

Zahir-ud-Deen Khwaja, architect and planner, was responsible for the co-ordinated planning, design and execution of Pakistan's new Capital at

Islamabad. In the following interview with Mukhtar Husain, he discusses the construction of Islamabad and its impact within Pakistan.

Zahir-ud-Deen Khwaja, Architect and Town Planner.

MH : Did you notice the regional market forces gearing up to make Islamabad a reality? What was the situation regarding building materials and consulting and contracting engineering skills?

ZK : To begin with, there was hardly any engineering expertise in the area, so we had to depend upon import of all these from Karachi.

As far as building materials are concerned, the area is rich, but whether these have been exploited, or whether they are geared up for a huge job of this nature - the answer is 'no' . There were two cement factories in this area. Bricks were of very poor quality due to the high

lime content in the soil. An automatic brick plant was allowed and encouraged in the private sector, in the hope that it would provide the bricks . It proved a failure .

With regard to construction agencies, at first the entire construction supervision was entrusted to the Pakistan Public Works Department. The Capital Development Authority was not yet geared up with its own staff.

As far as contractors are concerned, the first major building was the hostel for members of the National Assembly. A contractor from Karachi was awarded this job. With regard to houses for clerks in the G-6 sector (the first priority), they were done in situ by local contractors, as there was no new technology involved. The plan was simple, the method was simple. Regarding other major works, such as roads, cut and fill, etc ., this was done by local contractors under the supervision of the PWD. The cut and fill work was tremendous, but they did a reasonably good job.

MH : In the context of the large volume of housing construction, were prefab. construction and other systems building techniques considered? Why do they not seem to have been used at all?

ZK : The primary emphasis was on the construction of the most prestigious buildings of the capital and, for obvious reasons, prefab. construction would not have been suitable. Moreover, most ofthe expertise in such construction was available only in the West. There was not

even a nascent prefab. industry in Pakistan at that time.

MH : We fail to see any kind of feedback or fall-out from Islamabad on our overall construction scene.

ZK : Now that, I must say, was a signal failure . Chandigarh has had so much influence on Indian architecture. From Islamabad we have no inspiration. And the fall-out effect: Chandigarh produced a whole generation of young architects, who are today leading in India. They are really products of Chandigarh.

MH : There has been criticism of Islamabad, that it is not really a Pakistani city, and that the cost of maintaining it is very high.

ZK : Let me say that a capital city has no parallel in a country. There is only one of its kind, and if some special measures have to be taken in terms of the quality of development and the degree of amenities provided, I think it is justified. Admittedly, the cost of maintenance is high, but then the environmental quality in Islamabad - the quality oflandscaping - is the best we have. That is the saving grace.

ZAHIR-UD-DEEN KHWAJA RECEIVED HIS ARCHITECTURAL TRAINING FROM THE JJ SCHOOL OF ARTS, BOMBAY, IN 1946, AND A DIPLOMA IN CIVIC DESIGN FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL IN 1948. HE WAS THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF PLANNING OF THE CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, (1961-65). HE HAS BEEN IN PRIVATE PRACTICE IN LAHORE SINCE 1965. QilJ