Ekistics, or the Science of human settlements, through the paradigm of the Master Plan of Islamabad.

EKISTICS, OR THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, THROUGH THE PARADIGM OF THE MASTER PLAN OF ISLAMABAD Anastasia Sakka PhD candidate in Architecture at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, U.K. Abstract The Greek architect and urban planner Constantinos Doxiadis belonged to the group of professionals and thinkers who challenged the quality of urban environment and living, as it had been evolved up to the mid of the 20th century. Doxiadis identified the need for revisiting policies in modern urban planning and he mobilized any available means – theory, practice, education and communicationtowards this end. Providing his services as a government’s consultant in several countries of the under-development world during the fifties and sixties, having established solid liaisons with distinguished Institutions in the U.S.A., having a remarkable portfolio of materialized projects with global impact and respectively a remarkable volume of written work, research and publications, having even created an Institute for postgraduate studies on the field, he went further beyond. He declared the necessity for a radical change in urban planning, by means of introducing a new scientific domain in the service of human settlements, that of Ekistics. The proposed paper aims to explore the idea of Ekistics, through its implementation at the Master Plan of Islamabad, or otherwise the City of the Future. Doxiadis was assigned to design the new Federal Capital of Pakistan and he seized the opportunity to launch Ekistics with this project of global magnitude –both Islamabad and Ekistics could be benefited from such a gesture. Ekistics transcended the strict boundaries of urban planning, as social, political and economic factors were also involved. It constituted a holistic approach, which aimed towards the balance of the five primal elements of human settlements, namely Nature, Man, Society, Shells and Networks. And it is not the agenda pursued by means of the modernist functional city that is abandoned, it is rather that changes in the processes followed can be observed. Keywords: Ekistics, Islamabad, Internationalism, Ecumenopolis Challenging CIAM “Crisis or Evolution?” (Mumford, 2002, p.248) The works of CIAM 10 in Dubrovnik have been commenced with this question. A question that was addressed by Le Corbusier and by means of a message that he sent, so as to be read in his absence. Anastasia Sakka, Ekistics, or the science of human settlements, through the paradigm of the master plan of Islamabad 272 A question that practically signified the advent of the Post-CIAM era. The ideals, regarding the Functional City that for a first time have been concretely expressed in Le Sarraz of Switzerland and through the works of CIAM 1, which found their most mature expression on the deck of Steam Ship Patris II and while sailing from Marseille to Athens, were now under questioning. This is to say that the Athens Charter –the epitome of modern urban planning-, or otherwise the outcomes of CIAM 41, were to be severely challenged by the CIAM 10 delegates, who have been already oriented in defining the Charter of Habitat2. Le Corbusier was fully aware3 that a first circle of CIAM’s contribution has been completed. Respectively, he was aware that the ends towards which CIAM has been aiming were still to be reached. Therefore, he could not do other than salute “Long live the SECONDCIAM!” (Mumford, 2002, p.248) Maybe the answer to the Corbusian question should be crisis due to evolution, as the inner criticism that terminated the idea of CIAM meetings signified the comprehension that intellectual circles had to take steps, in order to better respond to the emerging needs of a rapidly evolving society. If it is to be taken under consideration, either the phenomenological approach of Team X (Frampton, 1981), or its respective sensitivity concerning historical and vernacular settings (Goldhagen and Legault, 2000), both viewed in their wider context, it would seem more likely to realise that the actual distance between them and the functional city is not so immense. Anyhow, the functional city was not meant to be an end per se; it was rather the means towards a new socio-economic order and ultimately towards a new mode of living. Considering the initial threefold, namely dwelling, producing and relaxation, as well as its subsequent, which further included the function of circulation, an emerging portrait of life can be perceived. The idea of challenging and revisiting the dogmatic rationality of the functional city, which has been more than adequately serviced through the CIAM activities, 1 The Athens Charter might have been published ten years after the works of CIAM 4 took place, however it constitutes the absolute basis of the meeting’s conclusions. 2 “’Habitat’ is a word used by the French to describe not only the home but also its environment and everything appertaining to it.” (Goldhagen and Legault, 2000, p.56) 3 Le Corbusier prior the last meeting of CIAM takes place insisted in transferring leadership to the younger members of the Congress. (Bullock, 2002, p.145) REVISITING POST-CIAM GENERATION: debates, proposals and intellectual framework Proceedings. Porto, April 11-13, 2019 273 should not be considered as an abandonment of the modernist ideals. On the contrary, this turn could be appraised as a turn towards more sophisticated and effective gestures, which could affect the very essentials of human beings either examined as individuals, or as members of the social strata. For instance, it should not be perceived as an abort of internationalism the fact that attention started to be paid in local features and values. The established dialectic relationship between localities and international modernism might have been originated in the fact that architecture transcended the boundaries of the European territory, leaving behind the familiarity of its own culture and roots. Modern architecture was destined to find a quite fruitful field of action in the countries of the developing world, suggesting Africa, Middle East, or South America, claiming its international character not only in theory but also in practice. In order to acquire roots and flourish at the most distant and diverse corners of earth, a kind of mingling with local features appeared to be inevitable. It is not a story of denying internationalism; instead, it is a story of propagating it. Constantinos Doxiadis The Greek architect and urban planner Constantinos Doxiadis belonged to the group of professionals and thinkers who severely challenged the quality of the urban environment, as it had been already evolved up to the mid of the 20th century. Characteristically, he talked about “urban nightmares” (Doxiadis, 1963, p.19), or otherwise “dystopias” (Doxiadis, 1968, p.4). Even though, he credited the revolutionary spirit of the Modern Movement’s leading figures, such as Gropius or Le Corbusier, for breaking the bonds with academism, yet he considered the goal as a non-fully achieved. To some important extent, he identified as critical factor for the experienced failures the reluctance of his colleagues to transcend the conventional boundaries set by the role of a designer and instead to become master builders (Doxiadis, 1963). Doxiadis did not hesitate4 to make this leap, as per his own words; “Personally I often feel like an itinerant master builder of the 4 Doxiadis not only did not hesitate becoming a builder, but instead he considered it a duty and privilege, according to his own words; “So as to be privileged of building even one step, instead of waiting for others to become builders and keep for myself the role of a well-dressed man climbing up the stair, which was built by others.” (Filippidis, 2015, p.18-19) Anastasia Sakka, Ekistics, or the science of human settlements, through the paradigm of the master plan of Islamabad 274 past, travelling around the world and offering my services.” (Doxiadis, 1963, p.21). Pakistan, one of the newly emerging countries of the 20th century decolonization period, has been a benchmark concerning Doxiadis’ global activity5. Pakistan constitutes a par excellence nation-state building paradigm of the preceding century’s developing world. The withdrawal of the British imperial forces from the Indian subcontinent in 1947, led to the peninsula’s segregation according to absolute religious criteria and therefore to the establishment of two independent nation-states; Pakistan, the land of Muslims’ and respectively the Hindus’ India. This story of nation-state building included, as expected, political legitimization agendas, developmental policies, social reformation procedures, international alliances making, collective consciousness moulding, as well as modernization opportunities. However, Doxiadis identified in this case, beyond the obvious opportunity for growing his reputation as a consultant of international esteem, a great opportunity for scientific research to take place. The case study for this research was meant to be Islamabad, the new federal capital of Pakistan, the master plan of which was assigned to “Doxiadis Associates”, or more accurately was entrusted to Constantinos Doxiadis by President General Ayub Khan. Islamabad can be considered to be mostly a political project. The idea of creating an ex-novo urban scheme bearing the magnitude of a country’s capital city, which was developed according to the most modern trends and internationally accepted standards, acquired a highly symbolic meaning. In fact, it was heralded as the ultimate symbol of national consolidation and progress, or otherwise as a “historical project on which the hopes and dreams of the Nation depend.” (Doxiadis Associates, 1964, p.1) Doxiadis found himself in charge of a highly ambitious urban project, which was supposed to produce remarkable impact both at national and international level and which also enjoyed complete support from 5 As per the memoirs of an architect who was member of the Capital Development Authority and worked closely with Doxiadis, “Dr. Doxiadis, on the other hand, went from strength to strength and never looked back from the time in 1954, when I first met him in New Delhi at the UN Conference on Low-Cost Housing as a Town-Planner whose reputation had not yet travelled beyond the shores of Greece. Within a space of ten to fifteen years however, he gathered around him a vast empire and had works extending from Vietnam to Iraq, Ghana, Saudi Arabia and various other countries of South America as well as works even in the USA including the role of adviser on the Washington master plan.” (Khwaja, 1998, p.111-112) REVISITING POST-CIAM GENERATION: debates, proposals and intellectual framework Proceedings. Porto, April 11-13, 2019 275 the country’s political leadership. All efforts and gazes were turned on the Islamabad project, which if taken under consideration along with the fact that it was implemented on a “tabula rasa” basis, or otherwise on a basis of minimizing undesired commitments, it seems reasonable to conclude that Doxiadis has been offered the perfect ground, in order to deploy and communicate his philosophy, regarding modern urban planning. Introducing Ekistics Doxiadis identified in the weaknesses of modern urban planning the source for a series of acute social problems and respectively he appraised as defining factors, in regards to any potential solutions the emergence of three basic phenomena, namely the unprecedented global population increase, the advent of machine’s dominance, as well as the gradual shift of interest in masses (C.A.D.A., Pakistan v.16, DOX-PA 29, 1959). In other words, after interrelating the existing social malaises with poor urban planning, a reversed process seems to prevail, which suggests the pursuit of social reformation on the basis of sound planning practices, following a deep understanding both of current needs and future demands. Otherwise and according to the terminology introduced by Doxiadis, Ekistics –the science of human settlementscould drive humankind to a deserved prosperous future. Ekistics (from oikos, the Greek word for a house or dwelling) is the science of human settlements. It coordinates economics, social sciences, political and administrative sciences, technology and aesthetics into a coherent whole and leads to the creation of a new type of human habitat. (Doxiadis, 1963, p.96) In more detail, Ekistics constituted a holistic approach, which aimed towards the balance of the five primal elements6 of human settlements, namely Nature, Man, 6 The five ekistic elements can be defined as follows “Nature: the total natural environment which provides the basis for the creation of settlements and the context in which they function. Anthropos: the inhabitant, as an individual. Society: the systems of interactions between Anthropoi. Shells: the structures which shelter Anthropos, his functions and activities. Networks: the natural and man-made connective systems which serve and integrate settlements, such as roads, water supply and sewerage systems, electrical generating and distribution facilities, Anastasia Sakka, Ekistics, or the science of human settlements, through the paradigm of the master plan of Islamabad 276 Society, Shells and Networks. Practically, these five elements constitute the fragments of two broader divisions of human settlements – the content’s and the container’s (Doxiadis and Papaioannou, 1974). This is to say that human beings, either perceived as individuals or as social entities, shape the habitat’s content, while all of the rest elements –both natural and man-made-, define the container. Nevertheless, “The essential nature of settlements results from the fusion and interactive balance between their container –or physical structureand their contents –or Anthropos.” (Doxiadis and Papaioannou, 1974, p.7) As a key factor, in terms of defining the level and nature of achieved balance, can be highlighted the nexus of potential correlations that are being created among the diverse ekistic elements and the relevant scientific disciplines –economic, social, political, technological and cultural. As per Doxiadis, if all the potential combinations are to be calculated, then we come across with the amazing number of more than thirtythree million alternatives (Kyrtsis, 2006). The ultra-dynamic character of human settlements is depicted by means of the “Ekistic Grid”, which constitutes a valuable working tool both at the levels of analysis and planning. In fact, the “Ekistic Grid” becomes a visual testimony of Doxiadis’ perception, regarding human settlements. This is to say that the latter are interpreted as systems and more accurately as systems identical with that of life (Doxiadis and Papaioannou, 1974). This kind of radical interpretation is expected to offer a fresh insight and to open new paths in the field of urban planning, which after being systematized, it can be scientifically analysed, its main features easily captured and processed and ultimately controlled. Following Doxiadis’ vocabulary, it can be read “Human settlements are a great deal more than static, built up areas. Settlements are processes, systems in a continuous state of flux…” (Doxiadis and Papaioannou, 1974, p.7). And at this point, it can be introduced the leading parameter, in terms of maintaining habitats’ dynamic state, which is no other than the one of time. For the present analysis, regarding the urban planning methodology of Doxiadis, the factor of time possesses a paramount position. communications facilities, and economic, legal, educational and political systems.” (Doxiadis and Papaioannou, 1974, p.9) REVISITING POST-CIAM GENERATION: debates, proposals and intellectual framework Proceedings. Porto, April 11-13, 2019 277 According to him, ‘the analysis of settlements cannot be separated from the fourth dimension, that of time.’ (Doxiadis and Papaioannou, 1974, p. 7) Implementing Ekistics at Islamabad Summarizing, Doxiadis had been offered the empty plains of Potwar Plateau in Northern Pakistan, neighbouring the existing city of Rawalpindi, so as to implement his ekistic theory and create Islamabad, the first fragment of the city of the future7, or otherwise the first fragment of a universal system of life. In other words, a capital city was about to be established, which would be consistent in terms of economic, social, political, technical and cultural factors, while it would maintain its functionality in the infinity8. Alternatively, Islamabad was about to emerge, following two of the Ekistics’ principles, namely the “Unity of Purpose” and the “Four Dimensions”. Equally respected were supposed to be the other two principles, which complete the ekistic theory, suggesting the “Hierarchy of Functions”, as well as “many Masters and many Scales”9. Therefore, Islamabad was meant to be a coherent system of life, which could be perpetually growing and evolving, while maintaining its initial virtues and functional competence, through a series of hierarchically ordered and highly integrated sub-systems. The basis for materializing the above mentioned ideal has been the introduction of “Dynapolis”. Doxiadis again introduced this kind of urban development pattern, which presupposed a linear and simultaneously parabolic model of expansion both of the residential and the city’s central functions. The existence of a modular human community, which could be perpetually reproduced, constituted the key parameter for the materialization of the Dynapolis model. For Islamabad the Class 7 Islamabad was considered to be the first materialized fragment of “Ecumenopolis, the inevitable city of the future”. Ecumenopolis, a term also introduced by Doxiadis, signified the unified global human settlement, the implementation of which has already been initiated, while its completion was estimated to take place in the year 2100. (Doxiadis, 1968) 8 “The only way to envisage our goals in size is to relate size to time. Our goals, expressed in size, must be dynamic. Our new city must become the Federal Capital not for today, not for tomorrow, but from now on and as long as the government of Pakistan feels that it is the best place for a capital.” (Doxiadis Associates, 1960, p.416) 9 More information on the four principles of Ekistics –Unity of Purpose, Four Dimensions, Hierarchy of Functions, many Masters and many Scalescan be found in page 317 of ‘The spirit of Islamabad’, in Ekistics; Abstracts on the problems of science of human settlements, ed. by Doxiadis Associates (vol.12, No.73, 1961), p.p. 315-335. Anastasia Sakka, Ekistics, or the science of human settlements, through the paradigm of the master plan of Islamabad 278 V human community was defined as its modular and the southwest direction as its only possible way towards expansion. In more detail, the creation of Pakistan’s federal capital presupposed the formation of a metropolitan area, which included the area of Islamabad with distinguished national features, the area of Rawalpindi destined to maintain its regional character and the National Park, corresponding and serving both Islamabad and Rawalpindi, by means of retaining agricultural functions, as well as special functions with either cultural or educational orientation. For the development of Islamabad, a narrow triangular10 area had been reserved, strictly defined from the one side by the Margalla Hills and from the other side by Rawalpindi and the National Park, leaving only the southwest direction unbounded. Respectively Rawalpindi had absolute boundaries from all three sides –Islamabad, National Park and Soan river-, while again the southwest edge had been kept free to expansion. Both urban schemes, namely the existing Rawalpindi and the created ex-novo Islamabad, were designed so as to evolve in parallel and in a complementary manner, following the Dynapolis model. It worth to be noted that this kind of unlimited future development appears to be feasible, only by means of absolute limitations at the stage of planning. According to the inspirer of this urban model: The proper name for the city of the future is Dynapolis, the dynamic polis or city, which in contrast to the static polis or city of the past will possess the characteristics of dynamic development built in it. Thus this city will be able to develop freely and naturally along a planned and predetermined course. (C.A.D.A., DOX-PA 77, 1960, p.134) Since human settlements are identified as systems of life, then it seems perfectly reasonable the idea of human community to be the ideal of any urban planning process. Anyhow, it was towards social reformation that urban planning aimed, which was not irrelevant with architecture’s socialization11. One of the 10 Additionally, the selected triangular area secured the coherence of scale at all stages of urban development. 11 “This is because the architect must now build for the masses, creating architecture for everybody and not for a certain leading class alone. At the same time, he has to build much larger numbers of houses and buildings.” (C.A.D.A., DOX-PA 115, 1961, p.38) REVISITING POST-CIAM GENERATION: debates, proposals and intellectual framework Proceedings. Porto, April 11-13, 2019 279 fundamental principles, regarding the creation of the federal capital is highlighted here below. Planning aims at creating integrated human communities and not just conglomeration of houses. People live in communities, where they must satisfy the great variety of their needs and desires. The community should therefore always be the unit of planning and include residences, places of work, residential facilities and all services necessary for healthy and pleasant living. (C.A.D.A., DOX-PA 29, 1959, p.3) Therefore, if the community was meant to be the unit of planning12, then it could be assumed that a predefined social tissue was intended to be materialized through a properly designed urban tissue. The master plan of Islamabad had been utterly based on a series of autonomous human communities of various scales, which were, nevertheless, in an absolute and hierarchical manner interrelated – as specified by the ekistic principle, concerning the hierarchy of functions. This sequence of hierarchically ordered communities resulted to the already mentioned Class V human community, which presented the higher level of complexity and constituted the most extended area under the dominance of the human scale. This is to say that Class V human community, which was defined in spatial terms by means of a 2x2km square terrain and which could be fully accessible on foot by its inhabitants, without any real dependence on the machine, constituted a static, however autonomous and of a highest order integrated system of life, which became the modular for the development of Islamabad, or otherwise the city’s sector. The classification of human communities in Islamabad took place according both to their size and functions. More precisely, class I constitutes the elementary community, which derives from the coexistence of 10-25 families. A community classified as Class II, consists of approximately 75 families, or in other words of 3-5 communities specified as class I. Following, community class III, numbering 12 Further, on the interrelation between the new capital city’s physical and social features, “The basic principle that should be observed in the structure of a residential community is that its physical pattern should be in complete accord with the social organization of the human group that is expected to settle in them.” (C.A.D.A., DOX-PAKLH38, 1966, p.3) Anastasia Sakka, Ekistics, or the science of human settlements, through the paradigm of the master plan of Islamabad 286 Goldhagen, S. & Legault, R. (2000). Introduction: Critical Themes of Postwar Modernism. In S. Goldhagen & R. Legault (Ed.), Anxious Modernisms: Experimentation in Postwar Architectural Culture (pp.11-23). Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. Khwaja, Z. (1998). Memoirs of an Architect. Lahore: Printhouse. Kyrtsis, A. (Ed.) (2006). Κωνσταντίνος Α. Δοξιάδης: Κείµενα, Σχέδια, Οικισµοί [Constantinos A. Doxiadis: Texts, Plans, Settlements]. Athens: Ikaros. Le Corbusier (1973). The Athens Charter. New York: Grossman Publishers Mumford, E. (2002). The CIAM Discourse on Urbanism: 1928-1960. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. C. A. Doxiadis Archives, India Notes, 1955, 24966 C. A. Doxiadis Archives, DOX-PA 29, 1959, Pakistan vol.16, 23567 C. A. Doxiadis Archives, DOX-PA 77, 1960, 36567 C. A. Doxiadis Archives, On Architecture in Islamabad: DOX-PA 115, 1961, 36569 C. A. Doxiadis Archives, DOX-PAK-LH38, 1966, Pakistan Reports vol.239, 23801 C. A. Doxiadis Archives, Bulletin 64: Islamabad the New Capital of Pakistan, March 1964, Doxiadis Associates (Ed.) Doxiadis Associates. ‘Preliminary plan for Islamabad’, in Ekistics; Abstracts on the problems of science of human settlements, ed. by Doxiadis Associates (vol.10, No.62, 1960), p.p. 410-439 Doxiadis Associates. ‘The spirit of Islamabad’, in Ekistics; Abstracts on the problems of science of human settlements, ed. by Doxiadis Associates (vol.12, No.73, 1961), p.p. 315335 Doxiadis Associates. ‘Industrial Development in Islamabad’, in Ekistics; Abstracts on the problems of science of human settlements, ed. by Doxiadis Associates (vol.13, No.79, 1962), p.p. 349-360 Anastasia Sakka. Self-employed architect -bDiploma in Architecture (National Technical University of Athens) & MA in History and Theory of Architecture (University of East London)-, involved in the architectural practice during the last eighteen years. PhD candidate in Architecture at the University of Edinburgh. The above mentioned research program is followed on a part-time basis and currently the 6th year of studies is to be completed. General research interests are mainly focused in the field of history and theory of architecture, while in particular the present research aims to explore the socio-political aspect of architecture through the case study of Islamabad.