The rising demand for housing units in urban areas has become a new challenge for many governments. To tackle this growing impediment to development, governments across the world have adopted various strategies for meeting the demand for housing units. According to the data of the World Bank (WB), population growth in Pakistan was observed at 1.978% which is evidence of the fact that the demand for housing units will grow annually. Amidst the growing population, and to meet the rising demand for housing units, Graana.com through this blog makes compact apartments in Pakistan a case of meeting the increasing housing demand. According to the statistics of UN-Habitat, in 2011 Pakistan witnessed a housing shortfall of 10mn units in the country and almost a decade later the numbers would have definitely increased.
Managing the Housing Supply and Demand with Compact Apartments
The foremost reason for putting up the case of compact apartments in Pakistan is bridging the existing gap between the housing supply and demand. According to the Punjab Spatial Strategy 2047, the housing demand in the rural areas of Punjab alone stood at 10.7mn housing units while the demand in urban areas was recorded at 6.4mn units. The data was driven keeping in view the population census of the years 1998 and 2017. Furthermore, by 2047, the housing demand in only Punjab province will reach 37mn which indicates that the shortage has to be tackled in a unique and comprehensive manner. In this data, the housing demand for other provinces has been not accounted for; if accounted for, the numbers of housing units will rise in the upcoming years.
Increasing Population Density
The population density of a city or any area can be calculated by people living in an sq. km (people per sq. km of land area). Compact apartments can be a suitable tool for increasing the population density in a city. According to the World Bank Data, the population density of Pakistan in 2020 was recorded at 286.5 per sq. km, whereas the population density of Islamabad city was recorded at 2,089 people per sq. km. Furthermore, the total area of Islamabad is calculated at 906.5 sq. km and considering the ratio of population density and Islamabad’s land then population density is low in the city. Population density has a great role to play in economic growth which ensures the infrastructure building and minimisation of the transaction cost.
A Case for Vertical Buildings
Compact apartments can build a strong case for vertical buildings. Over the period of time, town development in Pakistan has observed a horizontal phenomenon which has led to the reduced population density in Pakistan. According to the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform, only 6000 people reside in an sq. km in Pakistan whereas Dubai accommodates 200,000 people in the same area. As per the paper ‘Pakistan 2025’ published by the Planning Commission development of vertical housing societies is one of the major objectives under the vision till 2025. Therefore, it is a recognised fact that compact apartments in Pakistan can become a tool of vertical development in cities that can cater to the needs of many.
A Substitute for Housing Societies( Compact Apartments)
Compact apartments can build a strong case as a substitution for housing societies. The provision of services in the housing societies is easy as compared to the people living in housing societies. Research on commuting time between workplace and a home found out that providing security in vertical buildings is easy as compared to the other housing schemes. Similarly, the residents of compact apartments can get similar services without any biases.
Imarat Residences – Defining Compact Apartments
Imarat Residences is the upcoming project of IMARAT Group which is a characteristic of compact apartments in Islamabad. The project revolves around smart living which aims to redefine the standards of living of the residents of Islamabad while promoting the trend of vertical buildings in the city. The project is going to be located on the Islamabad Expressway, one of the prime locations of the city. The compact apartments are designed to suit the needs of individuals and small families who want to start a new living in the city.
