URBAN PLANNING OF ISLAMABAD

BY
SWATI SINGH
SHOURYA SHARMA
MAYANK GUPTA
ABHILASH CHAUHAN
SHIVAM CHAUHAN
INTRODUCTION – NEED OF A NEW CAPITAL

WHY NOT KARACHI?

1. Pakistan needed a new capital easily accessible from all parts of the country.
2. Karachi was located at one end of the country making it vulnerable to attacks
from Arabian sea.
3. The layout and structure Karachi did not allow it to take on the functions of a
modern capital.
4. The influx of refugees intensified the existing problems and created new ones.
LOCATION
FACTORS FOR CHOOSING ISLAMABAD

1. The new capital Islamabad (the city of Islam) was born on February 24th, 1960.
2. It’s metropolitan area had been planned for a future population of about
2,500,000 people within a period of two generations.
3. Many factors were location of Islamabad, transportation and communications,
national interest, defence, economic factors, civic factors, existing facilities, etc.
4. The nearby city of Rawalpindi would initial housing and labour needs.
VICINITY
5. The Chaklala airport of Rawalpindi would help in air transportations.
6. The Rawal dam would secure water supply.
7. The existing railroad and highway connections would serve communication
needs.
THE CONCEPTION OF THE MASTER PLAN

A) THE HIGHWAYS

1. The backbone of the Islamabad Metropolitan Area Master Plan is formed by two
highways, Islamabad Highway and Murree Highway.
2. Two more highways, by-passing Rawalpindi, have been proposed.
3. Thus a system of four highways form a big square, which will define future
transportation and all functions.
THE MAIN HIGHWAYS

B) FORMATION OF THE METROPOLITAN AREA

The system of axes in Islamabad defines three distinctive areas:

1. the area of Islamabad

2. the area of Rawalpindi, the centre of which is the city of Rawalpindi
3. the National Park area which will retain certain agricultural functions for several
years and future sports centre, university, research institute, etc.
3 PARTS OF METROPOLITAN AREA
THE CONCEPTION OF THE MASTER PLAN

C) DYNAMETROPOLIS

1. Twin cities serving each other in complementary ways form a dyna-metropolis.

Islamabad - capital, administrative and cultural functions
Rawalpindi - regional centre, industrial and commercial functions
1. flexibility to allow for future expansions of the centre
2. planned to develop towards the south-west, their centre cores growing together.
CENTRAL FUNCTIONS OF BOTH CITIES

D) FORMATION OF THE METROPOLITAN AREA

1. metropolitan area sub-divided into sectors called Communities Class V, each for
about 20,000-40,000 people of the income group it will serve
2. facilitates road traffic and organizes various land-use zones into communities
3. The administrative sector of Islamabad is at the centre, which spreads towards
the hills.
4. The civic centre is developed in a strip running south-west, which is the main
direction of the town's growth.
5. The residential and the light-industrial zones follow the same trend.
GROWTH OF FUNCTIONS TO S-W
THE CONCEPTION OF THE MASTER PLAN

ROADS - HIERARCHICAL DISTRIBUTION

1. Highways - 1,200 ft. rights-of-way

2. Secondary roads -600 ft rights-
ofway.
3. Tertiary roads - 100-300 ft wide
entering the sectors and
surrounding the residential
communities.
4. The last category of roads lead to
individual houses and buildings for
both vehicles, pedestrians.
5. Segregation of motorized and
pedestrian traffic.
6. Reduces travel distances, times and
accidents, and promotes green
transport (walking, cycling, public
transport).

ROAD SYSTEM
RAWALPINDI

1. It was the major man-made obstacle in designing the new capital

due to dependence of the country on Rawalpindi.

2. After a thorough study of the possibilities regarding the relation of

the new capital to the existing town of Rawalpindi, the following
solutions were worked out:
 Form an independent settlement independent of the existing town of
Rawalpindi.
 Provide the new capital with services and buildings already existing in
Rawalpindi.
Master Plan, Islamabad
3. Rawalpindi had been the subject of a special study so as to permit
the coordinated and balanced growth of the two towns in a
balanced way.

4. A master plan for Rawalpindi was prepared, and regulations about

zoning and interim development control were proposed.

5. For many of the initial years, the town of Rawalpindi performed

the duties of capital until the capital city of Islamabad was fully
grown and became self-sufficient.

Arial View, Rawalpindi

THE NATIONAL PARK

1. The third part of the metropolitan area is the National Park, situated
so as to serve both Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
2. The National Park has been designed to provide space for:
a. educational and scientific institutes ,such as
Margalla Hills National Park, Islamabad
• national university,
• atomic energy center,
• research center,
• national health center, etc.
b. recreational facilities, both active and passive, such as
• sports centers
• exhibition areas
• zoo
• botanical gardens.
c. agricultural areas for cultivating vegetables and fruits

3. The National Park has Rawal lake which was created in 1961
Location of National Park wrt the city, Islamabad
following the construction of a dam to collect irrigation water and to
supply water to Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
THE MASTER PLAN OF THE METROPOLITAN AREA

1. Each of the three parts defined by the alignment of the main axes of the
metropolitan area is sub-divided into sectors.
2. The approved Master Plan for the Metropolitan area, covers the whole area
of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and the National Park.

UNITY OF SCALE
Master Plan, Islamabad

1. A principle adopted in designing the Islamabad- Master Plan was unity of scale.
2. This was considered absolutely necessary to achieve a relationship between
the various elements of the town.
3. The city is not a conglomeration of isolated and unrelated spaces, but one
entity of interrelated spaces.
4. A scale measurement was determined to govern the elements composing the
city, such as plots, streets, open spaces, squares, roads, etc.
5. Based on a study of the scale of the city made by the chief consultant, volume,
heights, densities, and floor indices of the buildings were specified for each
particular sector.
Arial view, Islamabad
6. The selection of a system of axes or prevailing orientation is equally important
for the achievement of unity of expression.
7. This study led to concrete proposals for the public-buildings area, the layout
plan of which was designed to harmonize with the buildings of the
administrative sector opposite the public-buildings area.
PERSPECTIVE BEHIND THE ADMINISTRATIVE SECTOR
OF ISLAMABAD

1. The primary function of a capital city is to serve as an administrative centre

for the country.
National Bank of Pakistan, Islamabad Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary
Services,Islamabad
2. The administrative functions of a capital include :
 Administration on a national level.
 Cultural services physically or symbolically connected with the country’s
administration, such as a national museum or a national library;
 Special non-governmental institutions of national importance, such as
banks, welfare organizations, etc.
 The diplomatic representation of foreign countries.

3. During the early stages of design it became apparent that two types of central
functions should be provided within the city;
• Those serving the inhabitants, where the centre of local administration
(incorporating the civic, business and recreational centres) will be
located .
Diplomatic enclave Security zone Diplomatic enclave
• Those which represent purely capital-city functions on a national level.
Central university Busssiness district

4. The capita-city functions were placed at the foothills within a more or less
elongated area .

5. Future growth and developments were kept in mind while designing. These
were based on assumptions concerning the number of civil servants, incomes
of the inhabitants, expected traffic density, and other general data. Faisal Mosque, Islamabad Parliment, Islamabad
PERSPECTIVE BEHIND THE ADMINISTRATIVE SECTOR
OF ISLAMABAD
6. The major buildings comprise the
• Presidential palace, the supreme court and the parliament. Supreme Court, Islamabad Presidential House, Islamabad
• Certain other special features such as an amphitheatre for national or
international conferences
• An academy of letters and arts, a mosque, a historical museum, and an
official guest house.
• The military headquarters, as well as the ministries, are established in
special groups of buildings.

7. The diplomatic enclave is located outside the administrative .

8. It include the embassy buildings and the residences of the diplomatic corps.

9. The entire conception assures free movement of traffic and facilitates speedy
orientation as people, when moving towards or from the administrative
sector, will be travelling at right angles to the hills.

10. The administrative sector is developed in an elongated synthesis.

11. In this way communication between the various administration services could
be carried out in a rational manner, whereas possibilities for future
development of the city towards a predetermined expansion area were Embassy of the United States of Inter Services Intelligence
maintained. America, Islamabad Headquarter, Islamabad
THE ADMINISTRATIVE SECTORS
- This drawing shows the location of the
administrative centre within the overall plan THE ADMINISTRATIVE
COMPLEX
of Islamabad. ISLAMABAD
CITY
- The main axis runs through the core of NATIONAL
PARK
Islamabad. This will be called Capital Avenue
and looks towards the presidential palace
located in a commanding position on the top
of a hill.
THE CAPITAL AVENUE
- Due to the fixed road, and the location of
RAWALPINDI
the administrative centre on a higher level, CITY
this section of the capital - which is its brain
centre and pulsating heart - will dominate the
city even after it has expanded and fully
grown along the patterns provided for.
Administrative complex includes:
1. Presidency
2. Parliament block
3. Cabinet block
4. Secreterial building 1 3 4
THE BLUE AREA Islamabad‘s Central Business District
PHASE 1 BY C.A. Doxiadis
- It extends in a linear form, from the apex of the central administrative area in the east, towards the G.T. Road in the
west.
- In the original concept, as prepared by the Doxiadis Associates, the central part of the city had been designed as a
high-speed traffic artery (Khyaban-e-Quaid-i-Azam), with service roads on either side, along which were placed,
linearly, commercial/office buildings (12-15 stories tall), overlooking the central artery.

PHASE 2 BY Pickard and Cazal PHASE 1 - MAIN C.B.D. AREA PROPOSED

- Provided smaller blocks varying from 1-5 storied on the IN FIRST PROPOSAL
southern side and 15-19 storied on the northern side of the
avenue. THE ADMINISTRATIVE
- Commercial centers of some sectors like F-6 COMPLEX
(Super Market), F-7,8 (Jinnah Super), F-10 (Markaz),
G-9,10 (Markaz), and Aabpara Market have, gradually
but independently, developed into major commercial
nodes of the city.
PHASE 1 - MAIN C.B.D. AREA PROPOSED
THE CAPITAL AVENUE IN FIRST PROPOSAL

* SECTOR PLAN FOR ISLAMABAD by C.A. Doxiadis

Master Plan of Blue area showing arrangement of high-rise building
THE LAYOUT PLAN
- The overall structure of the city is based
on gridiron pattern, which divides it into
sectors.
- The grid pattern forms a primary network
of roads at an equal distance of 2 kms to
serve future transportation needs of the city.
- The residential sector or communities are
designed with the assumption that the civic
and the commercial center of that sector
would be within a walking distance from
every side.
- Housing areas are planned on both sides of a
‘blue area‘, and their planning follows a
definite hierarchy.
- High government officials who will reside in
the west of the city.
- All officials will be given a residence according
to their salaries. With each promotion they
change houses * MASTERPLAN SHOWING GRID IRON PLANNING
THE SECTOR LAYOUT
- The square grid of 2 km square formed by major roads,
divided the city into different sectors, housing a population
from 10,000 to 40,000.
- Each Class V community is divided into four Class IV
communities, each Class IV community is divided into four
Class III communities.
- Each sector, called Class V community‘, will have its
own center, with municipal offices, big shops, cinema, police
station, post office, dispensary, a large mosque, secondary
school, a “dhobi ghat” (laundry area), and a sports center.
- Adequate space has been provided for buildings serving
certain functions at various levels, in accordance with the
number of people served by these buildings.
- In each sector or Class V Community there is space for three
or four secondary schools, each for a Class IV Community.
- There are three or four primary schools per Class III
Community and a kindergarten or children's playground in
* BASIC LAYOUT SHOWING GRID IRON PLANNING
each Class II Community. ON MICRO LEVEL
SOCIAL PLANNING
• After a sociological study, the principle adopted was that gradual integration should be
sought, both to help the lower-income people to mature, and to assure the comfort of the
higher income-classes

• Each Class IV Community provides housing for no more than four, and preferably only three
income groups.

• civil-service housing has been mixed in with that of the rest of the population Distribution of incomes in a Community
Class IV

PEDESTRIAN AND VEHICULAR TRAFFIC

• Types of street or road system used in islamabad are
Service road
rectangular or grid iron street system.

• The street have equal width and they cross each other at Major artery
right angle & the advantage of this system is convinient to
traffic and so a speedy and free traffic can be maintained.

• Disadvantages of this system are they don’t provide short

cuts which provide a direct access to trad and shoppng
Vehicular and pedestrian roads
centres Minor artery
FACILITIES
WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM

• Water is now being tapped from two springs in Nurpur and

Saidpur, but it is planned to dam the Swan river to bring water to
the town by gravity

• Water storage tanks, filtration plants, and similar works have

been built, and the distribution system is now under construction

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

• The first roads under construction are sections of the two main highways each having a width
of two lanes, which is sufficient for the needs of first stage development.

• Roads servicing highways and principal roads carry all traffic required for proper development
of residential and industrial areas.
STREETS AND HOUSES
STREET DESIGN-THE POSITIVE SPACE

• GREAT ATTENTION WAS PAID TO THE SHAPE OF EACH SPACE IN A

GIVEN COMMUNITY

• DETACHED HOUSES ARE THE GREATEST CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF A

PROPER SHAPING OF SPACE

• AREAS CONTAINING DETACHED HOUSES OFTEN TURN

INTO COMPLETELY NEGATIVE SPACE

• THIS MOSTLY HAPPENS WHEN SMALL LOW-INCOME HOUSES ARE

INVOLVED, WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
BUILDING TO BE PROPERLY FITTED INTO THE OVER-ALL LANDSCAPE
ADJUSTMENT TO THE LANDSCAPE

• IT WAS ATTEMPTED TO SITUATE THE HOUSES AS MUCH AS

POSSIBLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE
SITE
A B C
• THE UNDULATING LANDSCAPE OF ISLAMABAD OFFERS THE
CITY A HIGH DEGREE OF VARIETY, AND IN THE MOST
ECONOMICAL WAY
A B C
HOUSE DESIGN -THE PLOTS

• ISLAMABAD PLOTS VARY FROM 111 SQ YARDS TO ABOUT

3,000 SQ. YARDS, DEPENDING ON INCOME GROUP

• AS A PRINCIPLE, AND TO IMPROVE URBAN ECONOMICS, THE

FRONTAGE DIMENSIONS OF PLOTS ARE LESS THAN THEIR
DEPTH

• MOST PLOTS ARE RECTANGULAR

MINIMUM ACCOMMODATION

• IN ISLAMABAD NO HOUSE HAS LESS THAN TWO ROOMS

AND A KITCHEN, W. C., AND A SHOWER ROOM. SUFFICIENT
SPACE IS LEFT FOR OUTDOOR LIVING

• EACH HOUSE HAS CLOSED, SEMI-COVERED OR OPEN LIVING

SPACES, NECESSARY FOR COMFORTABLE LIVING IN A
COUNTRY WITH COLD WINTERS AND VERY HOT SUMMERS

PRIVACY LIG PLAN

• IT WAS GIVEN SERIOUS ATTENTION IN DESIGNING

INDIVIDUAL HOUSES, ESPECIALLY THOSE NEAR THE CIVIC
CENTRES

• FOR THIS REASON,RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS ARE FEW, AS

THEY DO NOT OFFER PRIVACY AS READILY AS DO
INDIVIDUAL HOUSES LESS PRIVATE HOUSES
BUFFER AREA OUTSIDE
INDIVIDUAL HOUSES