Saiban is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Karachi that develops plot settlements. It sells unserviced plots to residents who can pay for the land over five years, allowing them build their homes at their own pace. They are expected to develop neighbourhood water and sewage infrastructures, while Saiban uses their repayments to develop the trunk infrastructure, and gets other NGOs to develop the schools, health clinics, parks and community centres that make up the social infrastructure. It also uses its links with government organisations and transporters to help in establish transport facilities for the settlement.

Architect and IIED visiting fellow Arif Hasan, offered to redesign this plan on the basis of the guidelines that he and his colleagues (Architects Asiya Sadiq and Suneela Ahmed) developed through an IIED supported research project on urban density in 2009-2010. However, this simple objective turned into an exploration of various planning alternatives for Saiban City, raising a number of issues.

Download report pdf(208K)

Download appendix 1: Physical comparisons with new proposal pdf(33K)

Download appendix 2: Density and land use matrix pdf(89K)

Download appendix 3: Planning options pdf(4.8Mb)

Download appendix 4: House plans pdf(614K)

Download appendix 5: Construction and land cost for different house plan options pdf(106K)

Download appendix 6: What poorer adults can afford as housing loans pdf(43K)

Download appendix 7: The impact of Saiban proposed cross subsidy on land costs pdf(46K)

Download appendix 8: Findings of the Bangkok density study 2011 pdf(182K)

Download appendix 9: Bill of quantities and costs for house plans pdf(194K)