Master in Landscape Architecture Thesis Colloquium presentation, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Germany, 2016.

1. LANDSCAPE AS
INFRASTRUCTURE
REVILAIZING THE MALIR RIVER KARACHI
MASTER THESIS
OMER YOUSUF

2. Contents
• Thesis intent
• Case studies
• Karachi
• Malir River
• Proposal
• Conclusions & Recommendations

3. THESIS INTENT

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

5. From aesthetics of appearance to the aesthetics of performance
Exotic planting
High maintenance
Low ecological value
Low social impact
Indigenous planting
Improving water quality
Productive Landscape
High ecological impact
High social impact
Nisar Shaheed park in Karachi Wetland park in China

6. Landscape as Infrastructure….
Linking productive landscapes with urban infrastructure
to get benefits of natural processes in meeting
Social and environmental challenges

7. Landscape Infrastructure provide…
PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE RECRATION
ECOLOGY

8. 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

9. Landscape Infrastrucure elements and strategies...
Constructed wetlands Permeable pavement
Urabn forest Bioswales Detention / Retention ponds
Eco tourism

10. CASE STUDIES

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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.

14. KARACHI

16. • 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)

17. 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

18. 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!

19. Impact of urbanization on Karachi‘s landuse

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

21. 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

22. MALIR RIVER

25. Site pictures

29. Challenges for Malir River
Untreated waste dumped in to
the river.
Damaging mangrove ecosystem
Agricultural activities contaminating the
Water.
And harming the natural riverbank
Deforestation of mangroves for fodder and
Fuel wood.

31. PROPOSAL

36. Master plan

37. Layering of the program

38. Site phasing plan

43. Ground cover species such as
Paspalum grass:
Used in maidan and riverfront park
Resilient to local conditions
Irrigation with brackish water
Can 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

47. • 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

48. Conclusions &
Recommendations

49. 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.

50. 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.

51. 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