Assessing the Ignored Potential: Employing and Assessing Art Design Installations to Revitalize Islamabad's Urban Open Spaces

Abstract

Urbanization has diffused the essence of the Islamabad’s city true spirit of a modern day Capital city with lush green urban open spaces and mountainous views. This negatively impacted the open and green spaces within city. Open spaces can be used for multiple purposes including landscape, temporary shelters, parks, etc. but one of the most recent and underutilized option in engaging the public at large and facilitating them though functional usage is the art installations in open spaces. The research focused on public perceptive evaluation and how design of art installation may relive the urban open spaces. Data was collected through observational study and structured questionnaire at multiple locations in the city. People were neither aware nor educated about these installations and their functional usage. It was also observed that people need design to address their concerns of shading, shelter, water supply, landscape, lighting, etc. It was concluded that these spaces need to have a sense of security and belonging or ownership to the society and the public at large with allied functional requirements of the general public to opt for their utilization. These spaces need to engage people through addressing their needs for temporary time utilization and hence can be opted for improved occupancy.