LANDSCAPE AS INFRASTRUCTUREREVILAIZING THE MALIR RIVER KARACHI

MASTER THESISOMER YOUSUF

Contents• Thesis intent

• Case studies

• Karachi

• Malir River

• Proposal

• Conclusions & Recommendations

THESIS INTENT

To explore the potential of landscape architecture in addressing contemporary environmental and social issues.

From aesthetics of appearance to the aesthetics of performance

Exotic plantingHigh maintenanceLow ecological valueLow social impact

Indigenous plantingImproving water qualityProductive LandscapeHigh ecological impactHigh social impact

Nisar Shaheed park in Karachi Wetland park in China

Landscape as Infrastructure….

Linking productive landscapes with urban infrastructure to get benefits of natural processes in meeting

Social and environmental challenges

Landscape Infrastructure provide…

PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE RECRATION

ECOLOGY

Social benefits:

• Public recrational areas

• Adding economic value to the site

• Providing sources of income and food

Environmental benefits:

• Clean air and water

• Provide habitat protection and increase bio diversity

• Storm water management

Landscape Infrastrucure elements and strategies...

Constructed wetlands Permeable pavement

Urabn forest Bioswales Detention / Retention ponds

Eco tourism

CASE STUDIES

Yanweizhou Park, Jinhua City,China

• Landscape architects: Turenscape

Water resilient terrain and plantings are designed to adapt to the monsoon floods.

This design is composed of: Meandering vegetated terraces, curvilinear paths, a serpentine bridge, circular bio-swales,

planting beds and curved benches.

Integrating minimal interventions to provide social and recreational opportunities.

Changing site character according to the seasons

Fresh Kills Park, Staten Island, USA

• Landscape architects: James Corner / Field Operations

Fresh Kills landfill is one of the largest landfill complexes in the world, with 6 large landfills rising out of a former salt marsh.

The design of the 2,300-acre park applies restoration techniques to:

Improve the quality of soils and water, and to establish diverse native plant communities using low cost, agricultural-scale approaches.

Gradually regenerating a degraded site into ecologically performing recreational park.Designing with processes instead of form

Wusong Riverfront, Kunshan City, China• Landscape architects: SWA GROUP

The main objective is to make visible the natural processes which are usually not there to be seen in traditional engineering solutions.

The water cleansing system will serve as a model for responsible development along the river, introducing constructed wetland technology to the region in a built form.

This project displays the potentials for designed landscapes as complex systems capable of providing ecosystem services and enacting change instead of just being a picturesque ornament.

Using natural processes for improving water quality and making it visible for the visitors and making it useable for recraetional park.

KARACHI

• Total area: 3,527 sq.km (1,362 sq mi)

• Population: 20 Million (World‘s Seventh lagest city)

• Population Density: 6,000/ sq. km (15,500/sq.mile)

• Economy: Port city, generates 70% of the revenue

• Climate: Arid Subtropical

• Elevation: 8m

• Average Temprature: 28 degrees celcius

• Average Rainfall: 217mm (8in)

Threats and challenges faced by Karachi

• Vanishing green urban spaces

• Urban heat island effect

• Poor stormwater management/sewage treatment system

• Enivronmental degradation

• Gentrification of public areas

Extreme heat wave 2015

• About 2000 deaths in a week

• Max temperature recorded 45°C with 50-60% humidy.

• Urban heat island effect one of the major causes!

Impact of urbanization on Karachi‘s landuse

Just about 3 percent area of the city has been marked as green space according to City District Government, Karachi

Unproductive Existing public spaces

Flooded streets: Lack of pedestrian spaces Empty parks: lack of shade & indegenous planting

• Cosmetic greenery• Planting of exotic speices in urban areas• Requiring high maintenance, but low production• Unable to perform social interaction spaces

MALIR RIVER

Site pictures

Challenges for Malir River

Untreated waste dumped in to the river.

Damaging mangrove ecosystem

Agricultural activities contaminating theWater.

And harming the natural riverbank

Deforestation of mangroves for fodder and Fuel wood.

PROPOSAL

Master plan

Layering of the program

Site phasing plan

Ground cover species such as Paspalum grass:

Used in maidan and riverfront parkResilient to local conditionsIrrigation with brackish waterCan grow on saline soils

Planting Indigenous trees such as Acacia esp. To reduce mangroves deforestation as a replacement for fodder and fuel wood.

Ecological planting

• The most significant challenge to implement this proposal in Karachi is the lack of will and interest in developing social green spaces.

• The authorities are interested to build commercial or residential development through which they can earn high profits.

• Exotic species are considered instead of Indigenous species in designing of public parks because of their ornamental values.

Challenges in implementation

Conclusions & Recommendations

Conclusions

•Karachi doesn’t need a wonder park like ‘Disney Land’

•Simple interventions can bring big change!

•Using available resources and opportunities to create big impact.

•Transform a forgotten Riverfront into an ecologically functional, productive and vibrant green corridor for Karachi.

Recommendations

•Application of Green / Landscape infrastructure shall be explored on various scales.

•The brackish water region can be further explored to for saline water farming.

•The performance of constructed wetlands and bio swales treatment systems needs to be monitored continuously.

•Community participation is a very important aspect of this proposal.

•Landscape architects should be a part of inter disciplinary teams for designing urban areas.

References

• Http://Www.Landezine.Com/Index.Php/2015/03/A-Resilient-Landscape-Yanweizhou-Park-In-Jinhua-City-By-Turenscape/

• :Http://Www.Livingconceptslandscape.Com/Wp-Content/Uploads/2015/09/Img_6653-1024x683.Jpg

• Http://Www.Stormwaterpartners.Com/Facilities/Images/Detentionpond1.Jpg

• Https://62e528761d0685343e1cf3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.Ssl.Cf2.Rackcdn.Com/Files/117944/Wide_Article/Width1356x668/C454yhh9-1460097199.Jpg

• Trends and Issues for Ecotourim & Sustainable Tourism

• Http://Southwestboulder.Com/Wp-Content/Uploads/2015/01/Soil-Retention-Catalog.Pdf

• Analysis And Planning Asla Planning Awards

• Landuse Changes And Their Impacts On Natural Drainage System Of Malir River Basin, By Sumaira Zafar, Arjumand Zaidi

• Karachi Rains And The Drainage Channelsissues And Solutions

• Karachi's Mangroves: The City's Superheroes Are Under Threat