E X T E N T I O N S A N D M O D I F I C A T I O N S IN L O W 
I N C O M E H O U S I N G : 
A S T U D Y O F S O C I O - S P A T I A L R E L A T I O N S H I P S 
A N D A R C H I T E C T U R A L I M P L I C A T I O N S 
LIBRARY 
QNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA. SRI lAKKjt 
MORATUWA 
A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Architecture 
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka 
As a Part of the Final Examination in 
M.Sc. (Architecture) and to the 
Royal Institute of British Architects for the 
R I B A P a r t - I I Examination 
Anusha De Silva 
Faculty of Architecture 
University of Moratuwa 
( " ' N \ 
University of Moratuwa 
76216 
V J 
76216 
76QI6 
V / M.Sc / BrSc ^ 
O 
+ f n 3 "» >:)!J1 , 
DISS! RTAT IC N / . C 
"The form of a house or a settlement is not simply a result of 
physical forces or any single casual factor, but it is the 
consequences of a whole range of social - cultural factors 
seen in their broadest terms." 
Amos Rapoport 
CONTENTS 
ABSTRACT i 
• ACKNOWLEDGMENT ii 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS iii 
INTRODUCTION 1 
*. Topic Explanation 1 
'".Issue and need of the study 2 
*. Objectives of the study 3 
*. Method of study 4 
*. Scope and limitation 4 
CHAPTER ONE 
GENARAL BACKGROUND OF MASS HOUSING - A NEED AND A P R O B L E M 
1.1 Urbanization and migration 6 
1.2 Housing the most needed and dificult to fulfil 6 
1.3 Mass housing as a solution for the housing problem 9 
1.4 Mass housing and social structure of the urban context 11 
1.5 Mass housing and housing for the Low in come people 13 
1.5.1 Socio - cultural and economic aspects of the urban poor 6 
a) Economic aspects 
b) Occupational aspects 
c) Educational aspects 
d) Political aspects 
1.5.2 Background of providing housing for the urban poor 15 
1.5.3 Present trends of housing for urban poor 18 
1.6 Extensions and modifications in housing for the urban poor as manifestation of 
thumps and failiurcs 22 
CHAPTER TWO : 
U S E R EXTENTIONS, MODIFICATIONS AND IT'S R E L A T E D VARIABLES IN 
M A S S HOUSING 
2.1 Psychological variables - Quantitative human needs in housing 24 
2.1.1 Privacy 
2.1.2 Territoriality 
2.1.3 Identity 
2.2 Physical variables 28 
2.3 Socio - Cultural variables 29 
2.3.1 Cultural variables 29 
2.3.2 Social variables 30 
a). Sociobility 
b). Occupational aspects 
c). Social class, status and power 
d). Extended family system 
2.3.3 Economic variables 36 
2.4 Primary variables for mass housing and other particular applicability in providing housing 
36 
CHAPTER THREE 
CO R R E L A T I O N BETWEEN THE U S E R EXTENSIONS AND MODIFICATION 
AND THE R E L A T E D VARIABLES IN HOUSING F O R T H E LOW INCOME 
P E O P L E 
3.1 Back ground 37 
3.2 User extentions and modifications in mass housing for the low in come people, the study 
study with selected examples 37 
3.2.1 Physical variables 37 
3.2.2 Psychological varisbles 46 
a) Territoriahty 46 
b) Identity 50 
c) Privacy 53 
3.2.3 Socio - cultural variables 
3.2.3.1 Cultural variables 
58 
58 
3.2.3.2 Social variables 
- Sociobility 
-Extended families 
- Occupational activities 
- Social classes / Status and Powers 
3.3 The socio - spatial relationships and architectural implications with options 
3.3.1 Belapur housing New Bombay 
3.3.2 Aranya low cost housing, In dore 
3.3.3 Low in come housing scheme at Jagamara 
3.3.4 Shushtar housing at New town, Iran 
3.3.5 Gunasinghepura housing scheme 
3.3.6 Low in come settlement of Maulana Azad colony at Delhi 
CONCLUSION 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
ABSTRACT 
Shelter is a basic need of mankind and most architects are getting involved in giving 
solutions for that particular problem. In the present situation with the increase o f 
population, mass housing schemes have been accepted as the most appropriate solution. 
When designing houses on a large scale, the architects are restricted by standardized 
components , materials technology and mainly the economy. But shelter is not onfy an end 
product of these components but also integrates the household and socio spatial characters 
o f a particular group. 
A.K. Jain explains this as 
"the shelter is not an end product or a standardized commodity. It's a complex process 
including mental and physical , individual and community aspects and social and 
historical activities." 
Yet giving priority to the political and economic aspects ignoring the specific socio -
cultural qualities of the communities have created certain problems on their living patterns. 
As a result people do their own alterations and modifications to the built form violating the 
existing rules and regulation, to achieve their lost qualities. 
This situation can be mostly seen in housing providing for the urban poor and il implies the 
spatial requirements and the characteristic qualities needed by the particular user category. 
To provide better living conditions within an affordable economic conditions is not that 
easy, specially the low-income communities. 
Large-scale housing schemes are essential to overcome this housing shortage of the poor 
and also for the town renewal programmes. Therefore it has become a necessity to study 
this complex situation to be more effective in delivering housing for the urban poor of a 
country 
A.K.Jain - Building System for Low-Income housing; Management Publishing Company, Dehra Dun, 
India, (1992 -p 3) 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 
I am very grateful to Architect Vidura Sri Nammuni senior lecture, Department o f 
Architecture, University o f Moratuwa for his guidance, continuous encouragement and 
support given throughout this study. 
I am also grateful to Dr. L . S . R . Perera, senior lecturer Uninversity of Moratuwa, for his 
assistance encouragement and continuous criticism, and also Dr. Ranjith Dayaratne and Dr. 
Samitha Manawadu senior lecturers Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa 
who encouraged and provided valuable guidance specially at the inital stages. 
Special word of thanks to Architect Wasana Wijesinghe who has been a source of inspiration 
to me providing valuable critisisms and patient guidance and also a special thanks to Jayantha 
Domingo and Architect Bimalka , N.H.D.A. for their kind advice and assistance and also to 
staff of U.D. A. and staff of the R E E L Company who helped in various ways and guided me 
from the veiy beginning and whose criticisms and observations were very useful, And also the 
residents of Bandaranayakapura, Nawagampura, Peliyagoda and Kuppiyawatta Housing 
Scheme for the assistance they have given me to make this elfort a success. 
I specilly ihank my intimate friends Lakma, Shamila and Desha who whole heartedly became 
the source of assistance and encourgament at my most necdly moment and my friends 
Thusitha and Ishara for sparing their valuable time to get photographs and helped to edit this 
with a great care and interest. 
1 appreciate the honest assistance Meththa Akka has given me in typing this work and Mr. 
Alahakoon for helping me to take photographs. 
I specially thank my Father. Sister and brother- in -law for the support and help given to me 
make this study a success and my heart felt gratitude to my mother, though invisible, whose 
memory strengthened my determination. 
ii 
LIST OF PLATES 
PLATE NO: DESCRIPTION PAGE NO: 
01 Most of people living and dying 
on the pavement Culcuta 08 
02 Traditional mosque in Cario ,now 
inhabited due to the city housing shortage 08 
03 people using temporary places as their home 09 
04 The Belapur housing at new Bombay 14 
05 People using their front yard small 
scale business activities. 14 
06 Million housing programme 16 
07 Single room improved flat Singapore 19 
08 Tara group housing complex .New Delli 19 
09 Zakir Hussain Co -operative housing 20 
10 Proposed Sahaspura project at Wanathamulla. 21 
11 Physical features can facilitate isdentity to built form 26 
12 Housing units own identity 27 
13 Muslims using colorful and decorative elements to 
get privacy. 30 
14 Play area is the main gathering space of the residents. 32 
14 raised flat form provides most interactive places for 
community. 32 
15 People extended their individual house for 
occupational activities. 33 
17 Some people showing status by using rich external. 34 
18 Extended Jamily system of urban poor in Culcuta 35 
19 Poorly maintained open spaces-Paliyagoda 39 
20 Subway become intimate 
community gathering space Bandaranayake pura 39 
Less light and ventilation in the room Kjuppiyawatta 44 
Staircase landing by the decorative wall 45 
The extension done to carry out informal baseness 
activities. 45 
People demarcated their territories by fences , trees. 46 
Giving identity by different contrasting colours-
Kuppiyawatta 52 
Monotones row houses at Peliyagoda. 52 
Muslim house put up high walls interior to have privacy. 54 
Steel fences and boundary walls make visual 
connections and 54 
Flower troughs give a pleasing atmosphere 55 
Central courtyard with housing units - Kuppiyawattha 56 
Extended varendah 57 
Tamil people using contrasting colors 60 
Typical individual cluster 61 
Centrally located in the community center 62 
Special location being held at community center 62 
Image house at Peliagoda 64 
Gathering area with the Christian religious place Peliagoda. 64 
extendedvarandah for visitors 67 
commomn corridor is one of the main gathering 
place for the upper floor occupants 67 
open space for community activity 69 
A common food preperation area 
encroached the front yard 
upper floor will be given fo mew family 70 
frbnt4 yard converted to the garage 71 
open spaces encroach for some illegal occupation activities 72 
pavement using for small boutiqes 72 
giving identity by external appearance 73 
one and two story houise types with adjacent open 
to sky space 76 
Aranya a low cost housing -Indore 78 
housing clusters encourages social interactions 79 
Sense of community enhancing with an outdoor platform 80 
The narrow streets as penetrate the 
residential heart to the township. 81 
Terrace and balconies open or sheltered and at 
different heights 82 
Providing terraces for the public for future expansions. 82 
Market occupies the central plaza of the 86 
View of commercial street with residential above. 86 
LIST OF FIGURE 
FIGURE DESCRIPTION PAGE NO. 
NO. 
01. Housing as a system of a planner's point of view. 10 
02 Diagram of the interrelationship between seven 
Sets of resident satisfaction. 11 
• 03. Arrangment of streets and gathering places 
in upper floors-Sahaspura. 21 
04. Layout plan- Peliyagoda housing scheme. 38 
05. Layout plan-Kuppiyawatte housing scheme 42 
06. Existing type plan of Kuppiyawatte housing scheme 43 
07. After modification of individual unit. 43 
08. Road network-Kuppiyawatte 47 
09. Layout plan- Bandaranayakepura 48 
10. Layout plan showing limited community spaces. 49 
11. Layout plan showing monotonous row houses in 
Peliyagoda. 50 
12. Typical plan-an arrangement in one cluster. 51 
13. Visual contacts with neighbours. 54 
14. Central court yard with housing blocks-Keppettipola. 56 
15. Protect privacy of the occupants of one block from the 
adjoining block.-Kuppiyawatte. 58 
16. Layout plan- Nawagampura. 59 
17. Typical arrangement of a cluster-Nawagampura 59 
18. Individual cluster get the maximum interactions with 
the immediate neighbours. 61 
19. Typical plan of a individual unit Nawagampura 65 
20. After modification of Nawagampura 65 
21. Typical plan of Peliyagoda. 66 
22. After modification of Peliyagoda. 66 
V I 
23. Layout plan-Belapur housing schem, Bombay. 75 
24. Housing cluster with an open to sky space. 76 
25. Plans and axonometric drawings of the 3 House types 
proposed to future resident. 77 
26. Section through housing units. 83 
27 Housing form at Jagamara. 84 
28. Overrall site plan in New Shuster. 85 
29. Layout plan-Gunasinghepura housing scheme. 86 
30. Physical and visual contact o f the user. 88 
31 . Layout-Morlana Azad settlement layout. 88Peliyagoda. 
v i t