Discrepancy in regulatory provisions and practices – the design of public buildings in Lahore, Pakistan

Lack of clarity in building regulations and associated bylaws results in poor quality building design. This is the case in Lahore, where the quality of public buildings, including sensitive buildings such as hospitals, hostels, and family homes, is compromised, particularly in relation to building environment, building comfort and building function, impacting both users and neighborhoods. This study produces an account of the implications of the planning approval process and practice for erecting public buildings by public and private developers in Lahore. It seeks first, to review and analyze regulatory provisions and prevailing practices of erecting public buildings in the city. Second, to carry out a nontechnical/social evaluation of the performance of public buildings by the end users and, third, to consolidate the technical views of officials regarding regulations/bylaws and their implementation. A mixed-method research approach is applied to capture and analyze data collected from the identified target groups. The study establishes that the building regulations/bylaws for public buildings are not sufficient and are generic in nature, therefore seeking enhancement in terms of categorical specification. There should be additional regulations/bylaws devised and introduced which consider types, purpose, and activity levels in public buildings. In terms of practice, there is a lack of appropriate building and development control in relation to the erection of public buildings. This results in low satisfaction of the end user/occupant and the public. Further research areas are indicated which can attract interest of a diverse range of researchers, practitioners, and planners related to the construction and wider built environments.