186 URBAN SYMBOLISM; SYMBOLISM IN SOCIAL AND SPATIAL ORGANIZATION. AN EXAMINATION OF URBAN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN COLOMBO A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA SRI LANKA. FOR M.Sc (ARCHITECTURE) EXAMINATION i w o W.M.S.L.KUMBUREGAMA FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA JUNE 2000 074110 o f \ '% i + , 3 1 HAY 7000 ) * 1 W\ D l S S f R T M I G N /$j D E S I G N • -x/ University o f M o r a t u w a 74110 CONTENTS ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT INTRODUCTION LIST OF ILLUSTRATION CHAPTER ONE: Sign Symbol and symbolism 1.1 The definition of symbols 1.2 The symbol systems 1.3 Symbolism 1.4 Definition of sign 1.5 Semiology 1.5.1 The sign situation 1.5.2 The semiological triangle Concluding remarks CHAPTER TWO: Study of meaning in Urban 18 Informal Settlements 2.1 The symbolic approach 19 2.1.1 The relevance of symbolic 20 approach 2.2 The semiotlc approach 21 Concluding remarks CHAPTER THREE: Urban symbolism; 28 An Exploratory study 3.1 Ancient World of Symbols 28 3.2 The Industrial City 30 3.3 Theory of Archetypical Symbols 31 3.4 Rewakening 35 CHAPTOR FOUR: Social and Spacial 34 Organization; Informal Settlers and Symbolism Detail Examination of Two Urban Informal Settlements in Colombo 4.1 Preamble 39 4.2 Basis of Selection 43 4.3 Case Study One - Informal Settlement 44 at Thotalanga 4.3.1. Historical Perspective and Social Structure 4.3.2. Location 47 4.4 Case Study Two- Informal Settlement at 47 Wanathamulla 4.4.1 Historical Perspective and Social 47 Structure 4.4.2 Location 50 4.5 Symbolism and Social Organization- 50 Discoveries in Both the Schemes 4.5.1. Settlement as a Community 50 4.5.2 Gender 56 4.5.3 Peer Groups 57 4.5.4 Family and Kinship 61 4.5.5 Cast 65 4.5.6 Ethnicity 60 4.5.7 Class 68 4.6 Symbolism and Spatial Organization- 69 Discoveries in the Schemes 4.6.1 Ethnological Space 69 4.6.2 Home Range 70 4.6.2.1 Core area 74 4.6.2.2 Territory 76 4.6.2.3 Jurisdiction 83 4.6.3 Attachment to Place 84 4.6.3.1 Mental Maps 85 4.6.3.2 Orientation 86 4.6.4 Spacial Experience 91 4.6.4.1 Visual Space 94 ABSTRACT Man has always express himself through symbols. They help him to understand the world and to form it into a meaningful cultural pattern. From house forms to villages and cities, symbolic principal have been applied to the layout of spaces and design of artifacts. These make the concrete immaterial spaceless and timeless nature of society's values, meanings and norms. In this respect building is a symbolic expression of the perceived cosmos as contained In respective social contexts. The intention and function of the built environments have it's origins always from context of social interaction and where those contexts do not invest space or parts of space with meaning, where they are not still visible behind the architectural symbolism, the built environment fails to become an integral part of peoples imagination. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Sincere thanks extended to- Prof. Nimal De Silva, the Head Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa, for the inspiration guidance and encouragement given on the study. Dr. Ranjith Dayarathne, senior lecturer Department of Architecture for his valuable comments throughout the research. Arct. Jeevaka De Soysa for discussions made at various stages, which could be held In high esteem. Shyamali and Sithumini for their co-operation. Dear Andrew for sharing every experience of the study with intense enthusiasm and Loving father. In addition, to the friendliness and openness readily extended by the people with the parameters of research, for sharing my odyssey. II LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Cross and Wheel implying more 8 than it's immediate meaning. 2. Mac Donalds, Coca Cola identified 12 universally. 3. 'I see a table' - Sign situation. 15 4. Semiological Triangle, the relations 16 are two way never absolute. 5. Dogon, fairly strong and clear 19 schemata express through the built environment. 6. Bororo - The various elements 20 of the village becomes meaningful precisely because of it's mutual connections, which are determined by a series of rules involve all the aspects of the Bororo life, from cosmology and religious rituals to social obligations, work organization systems of kinship and rules of marriage 7. Clearing in a forest and trees 23 on a plain used to indicate human presence. 8. A white washed wall among the 24 mud bricks, reinforced by an arched door and a bell tower expresses a special place - A church in Peruvian Altiplano 9. A pitched roof contrasting with 24 the flat roofs - A church in Taos Pueblo Mexico. IV The use of different material Ostuni 25 and Locorontodo, Apulia South Italy High style indicated by the use of natural stone polychrome dome false front decoration scale location on crest. Vernacular indicated by white washed small scale irregularity. The Cosmic Order or 29 Cosmic City - a spatial diagram of a social hierarchy. An interpretation of Universe and of Gods, laid out as an articulated expression of power. Urban design was no longer the 30 symbolic reflection of the Cosmos, perceived through the religious mind of Man. Sumer - the first urban civilization 33 with it's intense symbolism. City plan of Jaipur - adaptation 33 of nine square Mandala, corresponding to the Navagraha or the nine planets. The urban Mandala called Swasthlka; 34 cruciform Mandala or Dandaka; Lotus leaf or Padmaka. Members within a group are 40 separated by a smaller physical and social distance than they are from the members of other groups. City of Colombo showing two selected areas 42 of the study North of Thotalanga borded by Kelani river 45 Informal sector employment in the city support 46 primarily to generate their income As the dwelling space being 46 exceptionally small most of the day to day activities take place in outdoors V » 21. Considerable part of younger 48 generation are found idling around in groups, unemployed. Enguage in activities like flying kites and playing Cricket. 22. Wanathamulla the largest shanty area of 49 Colombo, borded by Dematagoda ela and Kelanl valley railway line 23. A well defined neighbourhood with clear 52 boundary, wether they are streets foot paths or water ways 24. Dwelling space arranged 55 according to the leadership role. a. Malwatta b. Kandasamy watta c. Hulugaha kumbura. 25. often their play space activities 58 spread to any open space in between dwellings. 26. More often members of a gang 58 nearly enjoy themselves collectively through playing games or simply wondering. 27. 'Buru gahanawa' an adult gang 59 playing cards in an open space in the alley. 28. Important peer groups are formed 60 around the common use of water tap. 29. Inner core of households strongly 62 connected to kinship ties. a.Kandasamy watta b.Koreyawa 30. Shrine and Spirit houses 64 at Kandasamy watta for spiritual healing. 31. The Ethological space model 69 (Rapoport 1972,p.279) VI X 32. Home range of Men and Women 73 expresses the differences of their settings. Usually Home range of Men covers a considerable area outside the settlement while t Home range of Women remain within the settlement with a few settings outside. a.Thotalanga b.Wanathamulla 33. Variation of Home range due to gender in 2 -5 peer group in Thotalanga. 34. Variation of Home range due to gender in 2 -5 peer group in Wanathamulla. 35. Variation of Home range due to gender in 6 -14 peer group in Thotalanga. .jk 36. Variation of Home range due to gender In 6 -14 peer group in Wanathamulla. 37. Variation of Home range due to gender > inl 5 - 30 peer group in Thotalanga. 38. Variation of Home range due to gender In 15-30 peer group in Wanathamulla. V 39. Variation of Home range due to gender in 31 -60 peer group in Thotalanga. * 40. Variation of Home range due to gender in 31 -60 peer group in Wanathamulla. 41. Variation of Home range due to gender in over 60 peer group in Thotalanga. , 42. Variation of Home range due to gender in over 60 peer group in Wanathamulla. 43. The definition of territory include fences, 74 posts, cloth lines change of texture colour and landscape treatment. ^ 44. A gate that can be locked, symbolize 78 the territorial limits. a.Kandasamy watta b.Hulugaha kumbura VII 45. 'Come straight through the main gate, 80 down the main path and turn into the second little gate, the small one with a blue grill work - you can't miss my door*. 46. Territory demarcated through rituals 81 should not necessarily be the religious or cultural events. 47. Limited length of views, hence division 82 into segments, defined by horizontal blocking, use of angles or overlapping planes. 48. Intricate roof lines demarcate the boundaries 82 of 'open to sky'. 49. A Mental Map drawn by a Man (Up) 87 and a Woman (below) resembling the difference of their spatial perception. 50. Settlement children have more elaborated 88 Mental maps than their elders, with assemblage of elements in mind coinsiding with important features. 51. 'Ape Gedara' sketched in prominence. 88 52. Private and public domains, symbolically 89 expressed by reducing the width of paths and alleys demarcating the highly privatized zones. (Map drawn by a Thotalanga dweller). 53. Among older generation in Thotalanga 90 the Kelani river is the base for Mental maps and direction giving. 54. Hence, for the younger generation, 90 the cognitive schema of field / bush / river has changed to road / town with very different importance, preference and recognition. 55. a. Variation in width b.Many turns 92 and twists per unit length c.Articulation of sub spaces d.High contrast among sub-spaces VIII > The sequential progression 93 strengthen by the drama of light and shadow, visual corridors, textural differences and colour. Presence of major projecting 94 elements (steps, plinths, door ways, trees etc.) Space created by an alley is more or 95 less a framed picture. y 56. 57. 58. IX