Creating breathing spaces

Text | Sana Aslam 
Visuals | Courtesy NADA

Project: Fatima Jinnah Park, Islamabad 

Architect: 
Nayyar Ali Dada                                 Principal Architect 

Ghazanfar Ali                                      Architect

Raza Ali Dada                                     Architect

Nadeem Aslam                                    Resident Engineer

Hyder Ibrahim                                     Project Architect

Farheen Asim                                      Site Architect

Quratulain Kazami                              Architect

Saqib Bashir                                        Architect

Anjum Masood                                    Horticulturist       

Client/Owner:  Capital Development Authority CDA Islamabad

Consultants:  Nayyar Ali Dada & Associates

Contractor: Expertise Pvt. Ltd. 

Project completion: Phase 1 in 2006 & Phase II-IV in 2010

Areas: Total Park Area 760 acres

Islamabad a young city, conceived from its origin as the power seat of Pakistan, the capital city of the country that had acquired independence in 1947. The New Capital was decided in the year 1959, had from its start an ambitious, power induced; showcase to the world a major writ behind the project brief given to the assigned urban planner. A Greek firm of architects, Konstantinos Apostolos Doxiadis designed the master plan of the city based on a grid, which was triangular in shape with its apex towards the Margalla Hills.

A city nestled between the Margalla Hills, abounded with green forestation was laid out on a grid, that did not meander through the mountains and valleys but infact made inroads into the areas that has substantially grown as a concrete densified city which caters to Government bodies, Diplomatic enclaves and ancillary facilities today.

Islamabad has an impressive natural landscape and the views of hills form a comfortable and pleasant visual all around the city. There are some small parks dotted around the city, but Fatima Jinnah Park is the only place that caters for the community on an urban scale much suited to the city. During the rapid growth of the city with a concrete-jungle like approach, this park provides much relief as it acts as the lungs of the built city.

The Islamabad Park project overall concept addresses the need aimed at relief for a city developed only through buildings. First steps included removal of buildings construction from existing site and expected program and only essential forms were retained so as to maximize on the functions opportunities presented through natural landscape environmentally responsive and relevant master plan was created to blend necessary and inanities into a seemingly natural landscape.