Journal of Art, Architecture and Built Environment

Spatial Assessment of Urban Growth and Air Quality Across Three Major Pakistani Cities Using Multi-Criteria GIS

Muhammad Waleed Nasar — 2025-12-19

Rapid urbanization in Pakistan has led to urban densification that increase the environment to deterioration and the gap in the living standard between different areas to get wider. Lahore, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi, the three major metropolitan centers of the country, show very different patterns of urban growth ranging from very compact to planned low, density development. This paper presents a multi, criteria GIS, based spatial assessment to analyze these cities concerning land use change, urban density, vegetation loss, and ambient air quality. The research employs satellite images of Sentinel and Landsat, supervised classification, NDVI, and AQI data to track urban expansion and its environmental impact. Lahore represents a typical example, urban growth there is without any control. The city is continually expanding outward, with air quality hotspots remaining where AQI is more than 200. Thus, the people of Lahore breathe highly polluted air every day. However, Rawalpindi’s urbanization pattern is polar opposite to that of Lahore. It is less continuous and more scattered, densification is happening very fast and, in most cases, it is unplanned, with air pollution being concentrated around those areas where commercial activities take place. Meanwhile, Islamabad is maintaining lower building density and stable vegetation cover. The quality of its air is still fairly good; however, pollution is gradually increasing. The study pinpoints a very obvious pattern: the disappearance of vegetation goes hand in hand with rapid urban sprawl, and air quality gets worse. The conclusions here are calling for the radical change of the system. Planning the cities should not be a mere task of guesswork whereby planners would need a variety of data from the field to make the right decision. It is time they utilized geospatial data, invested in green infrastructure, and enforced zoning laws that consider air quality. Taking such measures is absolutely necessary if the big cities of Pakistan are to expand in a way that is not detrimental to human health and nature.

Evaluating the Potential of Comprehensive Cycling Network for a Private Sector University Students

Rabia Jawad — 2025-12-19

This research focuses on the possibility of a network of linked bicycle lanes that are used to enhance student movement at a private sector university in Lahore. The study also takes into consideration whether this nature of creating special lanes to bicycling could result in a safer, more sustainable and more equitable urban transportation system. At present, the city of Lahore can be described as very reliant on cars and other motorized transport methods. The data required to conduct the research will be acquired among the students of UMT, city planners, and people and workers living or working in the area. Data collection instruments will be interviews, focus groups and on-site observations. The research will elaborate on several problems experienced by its users, the definition of the needs of cyclists, and how the cycling as a means of transport can be enhanced. This paper concludes by giving a suggestion on how to develop continuous and shielded bicycle paths along two major streets; PIA Road, and UMT Road. It is also a demand to build safe and weather-protected bicycle parks in residential and business premises. These parking areas should be well-integrated into the surrounding environment. The results show that students have a strong desire to use cycling if enough infrastructure and safety measures are present. Thus, a well-planned network of cycles is foreseen to bring about better access and congestion, healthier lifestyles, and environmental sustainability. To ensure effectiveness and durability of the proposed cycling network, the study advocated for its phased implementation, ongoing maintenance and policy alignment, and continuous stakeholder engagement.

Gendered Mobility Constraints in Semi-Formal Urban Transport Systems: An Empirical Study of Para-Transit in Lahore

Manahal Fatima — 2025-12-19

The findings of this study disclose a very harassing environment where a significant majority reported frequent experiences of harassment in the forms of verbal intimidation and physical intimidation both at the time of waiting, while on travel, and upon arrival. These safety concerns further worsen with poorly maintained and male-dominated waiting areas, coupled with a deep-seated institutional lack of trust. The paper concludes that such barriers considerably reduce the mobility of women to access education, employment, and civic engagement and thereby undermine the urban autonomy of women. It argues that only an integrated intervention-a regulatory, infrastructural design and technological solution, along with deep-seated social attitudes-can bring about change in paratransit from a source of risk to a pillar for equitable mobility through participatory, gender-responsive planning.

Urban Flood Risk Mapping and Vulnerability Assessment in Gwadar: A GIS-based Approach

Shakir Fareedi — 2025-12-19

Urban flooding has become an increasingly severe global challenge, particularly affecting cities in developing nations where rapid and unregulated urbanization, deficient infrastructure, and climate change converge to create compounded risks. Gwadar, a strategic coastal city in Balochistan, Pakistan, exemplifies this vulnerability. Positioned at the heart of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the city is undergoing rapid transformation yet remains critically unprepared for recurring flood events. This research employs a mixed-methods design integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based spatial analysis with a survey-based socio-economic vulnerability assessment. High-resolution topographic data, land use classification, are combined with structured community surveys (N=286) to develop a comprehensive flood risk profile for Gwadar. A composite Urban Flood Risk Perception Index (UFRPI) is constructed using four dimensions: exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity, and mitigation trust, reflecting how residents perceive and experience flood vulnerability. GIS-based flood risk maps reveal severe exposure in low-lying coastal areas including Faqeer Colony, Nayabad, Main Bazaar, and Old Town. Meanwhile, socio-economic indicators such as income, housing quality, and education level show a strong correlation with perceived risk, particularly in informal settlements. The UFRPI scores confirm significant concern over institutional readiness and resilience capacity.

Urban Identity Under Pressure: Placemaking Interventions for Inclusive Development Around Johar Town, Lahore

Muhammad Mudaser Naeem — 2025-12-19

Private educational institutions located within residential neighbourhoods are devices that often lead to urban transformation at a fast pace. Unfortunately, the majority of residents do not control these changes. Expansion around institutions like Minhaj University, University of Management and Technology (UMT) and other in Lahore has changed its land use pattern adversely. The surrounding areas has become congestedd and has started acting as a magnet for informal trade, which is gradually leading to decline in its identity as a residential zone. This research traces the changes and asks the question of how placemaking can be used to recover spatial coherence and inclusivity in the academic district after the gentrification process. The research used satellite imagery (2005, 2025), mental mapping, field observations, and stakeholder interviews to gauge the size of the area covered by the park, which it had increased seven times. Moreover, the research reported a simultaneity of commercial pressures. The research found that there are continuous conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles, while students have insufficient public spaces. Furthermore, vendor activities remain unregulated, and conversation of residential units into hostels has become widespread. The study offers a detailed account of gentrification caused by education in Pakistan and the strategies of design to democratize the redevelopment of similar high, pressure university areas.