Rida Khan

Karachi, Commoning

Karachi is home to more than 20 million of us, but the default development trend sacrifices the civic, natural, and urban environments for economic development that leaves the masses with very little. A city is a reflection of power relations, and when the public has no power systemically, collaborative advocacy becomes a beacon.

This thesis investigates the potential of radical bottom-up urban design in the face of condescending civic involvement, recalibrating from reactive organizing to proactive envisioning. The commoning of Karachi’s urban seafront, Clifton Beach — a space of wealth that belongs to everyone — is explored as a case study.

Advisors: Angus Laurie and Mariana Leguia 84 Daniels Faculty Thesis Review