RETHINKING-COMMUNITY-CENTERED-VERTICAL-URBANISM-IN-KARACHI.pptx

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1. RETHINKING COMMUNITY-CENTERED VERTICAL URBANISM IN KARACHI A Vertical Urbanism Approach to Housing and Social Sustainability This research addresses one of South Asia's most acute housing challenges: the massive housing deficit in Karachi, proposing a paradigm shift from unsustainable horizontal sprawl and exclusive luxury high-rises toward a community-centered vertical urbanism . ABSTRACT HIGHLIGHT: We propose a hybrid framework where mid-rise housing acts as the primary driver of affordability and inclusivity , supported by selective high-rise developments in specific, dense urban zones. The goal is to create mixed-use, socially integrated communities that foster equity, livability, and cultural cohesion among diverse income groups. MADE BY Affan Imran

2. The Crisis and the Proposed Hybrid Solution Karachi's Housing Imperative Karachi faces a critical housing deficit of over 4 million units, a crisis disproportionately affecting middle- and lower-income households. Current market offerings—uncontrolled horizontal sprawl, limited mid-rise options, and exclusive high-rise towers—have proven inadequate and unsustainable. The dominant vertical growth trajectory, focused on high-cost developments, excludes the vast majority of the population. This research champions a shift: reframing vertical housing not merely as a density solution but as a socially sustainable model . It aims to transform Karachi's urban fabric by mitigating sprawl, promoting equity, and cultivating resilient, inclusive vertical communities. Mid-Rise as the Core Mid-rise structures are positioned as the primary tool for achieving widespread affordability and replicating essential community dynamics within a denser environment. Mixed-Use and Social Integration Vertical neighborhoods must be mixed-use, combining residences, commercial spaces, public facilities, and shared green areas to create genuine, functional communities. Key Research Keywords Vertical Urbanism 1 Community-Centered Design 2 Mid-Rise Living 3 Social Sustainability 4 Inclusive Housing 5

3. Global Precedents for Inclusive Vertical Living The concept of community-centered vertical urbanism is not theoretical. Successful models from diverse socioeconomic contexts provide critical, actionable insights for Karachi, illustrating how affordability, density, and social integration can align. Vienna's Social Housing Model This model ensures long-term affordability through substantial public investment, strict rent controls, and the integration of extensive community services (libraries, childcare, health centers) within the residential complexes. Singapore's HDB Estates These mid-rise "vertical villages" successfully integrate lower- and middle-income groups. Their success lies in embedding essential communal amenities, retail, and green spaces directly into the estates, fostering a strong sense of neighborhood identity. Medellín's Integrated Projects Medellín prioritized integrating housing projects with transport (MetroCable), accessibility, and community upliftment programs, ensuring vertical developments connect seamlessly with the broader urban infrastructure and address social inequality. These global examples demonstrate that vertical growth can be an instrument of social policy, not just a result of real estate demand. They show that community-based traditions and affordability can be structurally embedded into dense urban environments. Financial Strategies to Bridge the Gap Cross-Subsidization: Leveraging revenue from selective high-rise or commercial components to subsidize construction and operational costs for mid-rise affordable housing units. Modular Construction: Employing industrialized, prefabricated, or hybrid construction techniques to reduce material costs and speed up delivery, as suggested by local construction studies. Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs): Structuring agreements that mandate a percentage of affordable units in exchange for density bonuses or public land access.

4. Research Framework: Questions, Objectives, and Rationale Core Research Question How can vertical urbanism be implemented in Karachi to effectively address the city's housing shortage, while ensuring sustainability, inclusivity, and livability? Research Objectives Critically analyze the limitations of Karachi's current vertical and horizontal housing models. Explore global precedents of community-centered vertical living and extract applicable principles for the South Asian context. Propose a design and planning framework for socially inclusive mid-rise mixed-use communities in Karachi. Evaluate how these vertical communities can reduce sprawl, improve quality of life, and foster social sustainability. Rationale and Knowledge Gap The existing discourse in Karachi prioritizes real estate economics over the social dimension of vertical living. Towers are often treated as commodities leading to exclusivity and social alienation. The crucial knowledge gap is understanding how vertical living can successfully replicate the social fabric of horizontal neighborhoods —a vital aspect of community life in Karachi—within a dense, multi-story structure. This research develops a framework to bridge architecture, urban design, and social sustainability. Local Context Gaps SBCA bylaws promote density but lack affordability mandates. Current market-led projects (Emaar, Bahria) show verticalism catering exclusively to elites. No existing model in Karachi directly integrates affordability for middle- and lower-income groups with local cultural and community-based needs in a vertical setting.

5. Research Design and Scope Focus and Exclusions The primary focus is on developing a model for middle- and lower-income households (monthly income Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 150,000). The research centers on mid-rise housing as the most viable, affordable, and culturally adaptable solution, with high-rise considered selectively for critical density needs. Geographic Scope Karachi metropolitan region, addressing specific high-demand and high-sprawl areas. Thematic Scope Community-centered vertical urbanism as a strategy for housing and social sustainability. Exclusions Standalone luxury towers, purely horizontal housing schemes, and projects lacking social dimension integration. Key Assumptions Guiding the Research Affordability Requires Hybridity The housing shortage demands solutions beyond conventional towers; a mid-rise hybrid is necessary for balancing cost and density. Vertical Living Must Replicate Social Fabric Community-centered design can successfully translate the dynamics and traditions of horizontal neighborhoods into a vertical form. Global Adaptation is Possible Global case studies (Vienna, Singapore) can be adapted to align with Karachi's unique cultural and socioeconomic conditions. Mid-Rise is the Affordability Lever Mid-rise is generally more cost-effective and culturally acceptable than high-rise while still being effective against urban sprawl.

6. Research Design and Methodology A mixed-methods approach is employed to ensure comprehensive data collection, combining quantitative analysis of costs and land use with qualitative studies of community preferences and policy barriers. Analytical Framework: Core Lines of Inquiry Governance & Policy Regulatory and financial reforms needed to strategically scale vertical housing for inclusivity. Cultural Cohesion How vertical design can preserve traditions (e.g., shared courtyards, community kitchens, shared prayer spaces). Affordability Comparing construction costs and assessing potential rental/ownership models for middle- and lower-income families. Quantitative Methods GIS Mapping: Analyzing land availability and infrastructure capacity for mid-rise construction. Cost Analysis: Detailed comparison of mid-rise vs. high-rise construction, materials, and infrastructure costs in the Karachi context. Household Surveys: Gathering data on income, housing preferences, and willingness to adapt to community-based vertical living among target groups. Qualitative Methods Focus Group Discussions: Engaging target communities (JPSD, Delhi Saudagran) to gauge acceptance and requirements for vertical neighborhoods. Stakeholder Interviews: Discussions with architects, city planners, developers, and SBCA officials on implementation challenges and regulatory hurdles. Case Study Reviews: Comparative analysis of global models (Vienna, Singapore, Medellín) against local Karachi projects (e.g., assessing their lack of inclusivity).

7. Data Requirements and Expected Outcomes Data Needed Type of Data Respondents Instruments Perceptions of vertical urbanism Qualitative (narratives) Urban residents, target communities Surveys, interviews, focus groups Best global practices Case study (secondary) Global architecture, planning literature Comparative analysis, literature review Affordability and accessibility Mixed (Quantitative + Qualitative) Developers, low/middle-income residents Housing cost analysis, affordability surveys Regulatory and policy barriers Documentary/secondary Government officials, SBCA/KDA policies Policy review, document analysis Social and cultural adaptability Qualitative Families, community groups, sociologists Ethnographic interviews, observational studies Social and cultural adaptability of highrise living Qualitative Families, community groups, sociologists Ethnographic interviews, focus groups, observational studie Key Expected Outcomes of the Research 1 Critique of Conventional Models A clear assessment of why conventional high-rise housing in Karachi fails to meet the needs of the middle and lower-income populace. 2 Design and Planning Principles Tangible, localized design and planning guidelines for socially inclusive vertical communities that respect cultural norms. 3 Hybrid Housing Model The proposal of a hybrid strategy: combining the affordability of mid-rise with the necessary cost effective techniques . 4 Practical Affordability Strategies Concrete strategies (cross-subsidization, modular construction) to practically bridge the financial affordability gap for the target income groups.

8. C Literature Review - Contextualizing the Crisis The Urgency of the Deficit The housing deficit in Karachi, currently exceeding 4 million units, mirrors wider South Asian urban failures where affordable supply struggles to keep pace with rapid urbanization. This chapter reviews critical literature on housing affordability, vertical urbanism, and community models to establish the foundation for the proposed community-centered framework. Housing Crisis & Income Segregation Arif Hasan's work highlights the severity, noting that 62% of Karachi's population resides in informal settlements ( katchi abadis ). Middle-income groups are marginalized by speculative land markets, confirming that market-rate housing primarily serves the elite. The World Bank also identified the 4M unit backlog and the impact of construction cost escalation, pushing for mixed-finance models to restore affordability. Critique of Market-Led Verticalism Studies by Hafeez criticize Karachi's current vertical development (e.g., Bahria Icon) as elite-driven and socially exclusionary, lacking integration with broader community life. This literature provides the essential justification for pivoting toward mid-rise, affordable, neighborhood-scale vertical projects that are central to this thesis.

9. Literature Review: Vertical Models and Affordability Mechanisms Theoretical support for inclusive verticality is drawn from global and local research on design principles and cost efficiency. Community-Centered Design Ng & Li advocate for vertical cities where design integrates shared amenities and green spaces, countering the isolated nature of luxury towers. Yuen's work on Singapore's HDB flats provides a strong precedent: integrating childcare, markets, and parks into vertical communities successfully created livability and affordability for mixed-income groups, a highly relevant model for Karachi's cultural context. Sustainability and Cost Efficiency UN-Habitat stresses that vertical mixed-use models are cost-efficient in land use, curb sprawl, and minimize infrastructure strain. Locally, Khan & Khalid emphasize the need for alternative, cost-effective materials (like CSEB or prefabrication) and hybrid construction methods to counteract rising cement and steel costs—a direct strategy to bridge the financial gap for mid-rise housing. Governance and Policy Challenges Current SBCA Bye-Laws lack a strategic framework for affordability, focusing merely on structural regulation. The Urban Resource Centre (URC) highlights how speculative land practices severely restrict affordable housing. The literature confirms that regulatory reform, including the incorporation of affordability clauses, is essential to make inclusive vertical housing viable. The literature collectively demonstrates that a paradigm shift is needed: from vertical housing driven by pure market speculation to one intentionally designed as a tool for social integration and poverty alleviation.

10. Summary Matrix: Synthesizing the Literature The summary matrix distills the findings from key academic and policy sources, demonstrating their direct relevance to the necessity and approach of this thesis. Author/Source Year Focus Findings Relevance to Thesis Arif Hasan (2015) 2015 Informality in Karachi 62% in katchi abadis; middle-income housing squeezed. Highlights the severe housing gap for middle & lower groups. World Bank (2018) 2018 Housing Sector Review 4m unit backlog; cost escalation is a major barrier. Supports the need for affordable, mixed-finance vertical housing. Ng & Li (2019) 2019 Vertical Urbanism Advocates for compact, community-oriented verticality. Theoretical backing for inclusive vertical design principles. Hafeez (2021) 2021 High-Rise in Karachi Elite-driven, exclusionary high-rises dominate the market. Justifies the pivot to a mid-rise and community-centered focus. Yuen (2011) 1972 Singapore HDB Affordable, inclusive vertical villages for mixed-income groups. Strong, practical precedent for the Karachi context. Khan & Khalid (2020) 2020 Construction Costs Rising material costs necessitate hybrid construction methods. Informs practical strategies to bridge the financial affordability gap. Conclusion: Necessity for a Hybrid Model The literature confirms the urgent need for a hybrid vertical urbanism model—combining the affordability and cultural adaptability of mid-rise design with the cost effectiveness and inclusivity—to create truly inclusive, socially sustainable communities in Karachi.