STUDY OF ENCLOSURES LAKSHMI CHOWK
THE STUDY OF ENCOSURES WAS A RESEARCH CONDUCTED AS A GROUP ASSIGNMENT FOR AN UNDERGRAD URBAN DESIGN COURE. WE WERE A GROUP OF SIX PEOPLE ASSIGNED TO STUDY AN ENCLOSURE BEHIND THE HISTORICAL REGAL CHOWK ON MALL ROAD, LAHORE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY WAS TO ANALYZE THE AREA AS A POTENTIAL PUBLIC SPACE AND RESEARCH ABOUT IT’S CHANGING ROLE WITH RESPECT TO LAND USE AND LAND OWNERSHIP. THE ISSUES REGARDING OWNERSHIP HAS LEAD TO MANY PROBLEMS IN THIS ENCLOSURE. THE RESIDENTS SURROUNDING THIS AREA HAVE SEEN THEIR ROLE WEAKEN OVER TIME AS OTHER STAKEHOLDERS STRENGTHEN THEIR HOLD ON THE RIGHT TO ACCESS OF THE ENCLOSURE. THE CAR WORKSHOPS, WHO HAVE BEEN PRESENT FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES REFUSE TO LEAVE THIS STRATEGIC LOCATION THAT WAS ONCE ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED BY THEM. THE CINEMA OWNERS HAVE DECLINED PLANS OF REINSTATING THE CINEMA BUT THEY REFUSE TO RELINQUISH THE OWNERSHIP RIGHTS TO THE AREA. IN OUR RESEARCH WE CONCLUDED THAT THIS ENCLOSURE BEING AN OPEN GREEN SPACE SHOULD BE PROTECTED BY THE GOVERMENT OF PAKISTAN. THE RESIDENTS WE BELIEVE SHOULD BE GIVEN SECURITY IN TERMS OF THEIR RIGHT TO OPPOSE CERTAIN ACTIVITIES THAT HINDERS THEIR DAILY LIVES I.E PARKING, SANITATION ETC
STUDY OF ENCLOSURES LAKSHMI CHOWK
The changing character of the enclosure 1930s
1960s
2008
2014
DOCUMENTATION
ANALYSIS
BEFORE 1947
THE TWO MAIN STAKE HOLDERS OF THIS ENCLOSURE WERE THE RESIDENST & THE CINEMA OWNERS BEFORE 1947.THE REGAL CINEMA NOT ONLY ACTED AS A NODE BUT IT ALSO WAS A LANDMARK THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE MAJOR PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC IN THE ENCLOSURE. IT WAS NOT ONLY USED AS A SHORTER ROUTE TO ACCESS THE CINEMA BUT ALSO AS A TRANSITIONAL SPACE WHERE PEOPLE WOULD WAIT BEFORE THE NEXT MOVIE BEGAN. AFTER THE PARITION OF INDIA-PAKISTAN, MANY RESIDENTS MOVED OUT OF THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD, LEAVING A VACCUMM FOR POTENTIAL ENCROACHERS TO START TAKING OVER THIS PRIME SPACE FOR THEIR
1970’S-2014 REGAL CINEMA
ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED
COMMERCIAL
CAR WORKSHOPS
RESIDENTIAL
MAGNET
NODE
LANDMARK
DURING 1960’S
BUSINESSES RIGHT NEXT TO REGAL CINEMA. THE FIRST CAR WORKSHOP APPEARED IN THIS AREA DURING THIS PERIOD, THE ACTIVITIES AND CHARACTERISTIS OF THE SPACES WERE GRADUALLY CHANGING FROM BEING RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL.THE CINEMA CLOSED DOWN ON MARCH 11TH 2008 AS A TERROR ATTACK BROUGHT SEVERE DAMAGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE OLD CINEMA. SINCE THE ENCLOSURE WAS NOW OF LITTLE INTEREST TO THE CINEMA OWNERS THE CAR WORKSHOPS INCREASED THEIR AREA OF WORK. THE RESIDENTS BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE INCREASE IN THE ILLEGALLY CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS THAT WERE CLOSING DOWN ON THEM.