FROM COMMODITY TO PLACE: A STUDY O F T H E P R O C E S S O F " M A K I N G H O M E ' IN D E V E L O P E R - O R I E N T E D H O U S I N G IN SRI L A N K A . £ / M . S c I B S C N CpCDB3)@Q @®)Ogs. A dissertation Presented To The faculty of Architecture The University of Moratuwa Sri Lanka For M.Sc Architecture Examination. T 2 " q q " - T 2 . 8 ( S ' V S ' T ) Niroshi Liyanamana August 1999 T H 71705 A B S T R A C T Home is one o f the fundamental needs o f man. There is a deep rooted attachment between man and his home as the institution where family is natured. It reflect people ' s values, aspirations and future expectations and their social cultural identity . It is also considered that home consists o f the history and memories o f the family . It is a store house for the physical , social , psychological or emotional wealth o f its occupants. Home making is a fundamental human activity . Which anchors man to his place on earth. Due to the industrialization and other various complexit ies o f today 's life the easiest and best w a y is to buy a house available , which is constructed by developers. These developer - oriented houses are mostly typified and catering to the utilitarian needs o f people such as habitable space and shelter. And it has became another commodity which caters to the supply and demand conditions prevailing in the market. It has been identified as a very profitable and attractive business today. Y e t in many occasions these have failed to enable meaningful homes as house developers (mostly private developers ) prime aim is profit oriented . They sell the idea o f home with a materialistic illusion , where is in terms o f finishes , services and facilities provided an not considering a environment needed for psychological wel l being o f man. Thus the significance o f the concept o f home and its making process should be understood and sufficiently applied and highlighted to be able to interpret it in terms o f development process in the developer - oriented housing. ii A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S . 1 am extremely grateful to Dr. Ranjith Dayaratna, and Dr. L. S. R. Perera Lecturers, Department o f Architecture University o f Moratuwa who has been constant source o f inspiration to me in the task o f writing this dissertation. Had it not been for their services in w a y o f providing me with valuable criticism, g iving me patient guidance and assistance me in numerous other w a y s , I would not have been able to bring out this dissertation in this form. So I meet express my heart-felt gratitude to them. Nex t I must thank sincerely Acht . Vidura Sri Nammuni and Dr. Daynanda Waduge , Lecturers, University o f Moratuwa for g iving the inspiring initiative pulses for this assignment. I deeply appreciate the patient guidance and constant assistant offered by miss Lakma Walgampala right through the dissertation. Had it not been for her kind assistance this could not have been materialized. M y since thanks also go to Acht . Renuka, Acht . Jagath Bogahawarta, Acht . Sudath Lakshman, Rohan Abedheera for g iving me valuable guidance and help. Thanks are also due to the residents o f keels Housing, Vajira Housing and Cey l inco Housing for the kind co-operation and hospitality extended to me during the study. Finally I am ever greatfull to my husband Isuru Lakpura, my mother, sister Anusha and father and mother - law for their persistent encouragement and constant guidance. i i i C O N T E N T S Page N o A B S T R A C T A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S L I S T O F F I G U R E S L I S T O F P L A T E S I N T R O D U C T I O N 0.1 Background to the study 0.2 Need o f the study 0.3 Intention o f the study 0.4 Scope and limitations o f the study 0.5 Method - organization o f the study C H A P T E R O N E : D E V E L O P E R - O R I E N T E D H O U S I N G A N D ITS D E V E L O P M E N T P R O C E S S 1.1 Developer - oriented housing 1.1.1 Introduction Genesis and Development Present day practice 1.1.2 A housing developer , marketing process and related institutions 1.1.3 Legal constrains and opportunities 1.2 Development Process 1.2.1 Planning and design o f houses 1.2.2 Development Management and financial control 1.2.3 Marketing and selling houses ii iii vii x 1 1 2 2 3 3 6 6 6 9 18 19 19 21 27 28 A' < C H A P T E R T W O : H O U S E , H O M E A N D T H E P R O C E S S O F ' M A K P W G H O M E ' 29 2.1 Space , place and house 29 2 .1 .1 Significance o f a space and place in a life o f an individual Enabling place and the dwel l ing environment 29 2.1.2 House and the concept or dwell ing. 38 2.2 Home - The concept o f home 40 2.2.1 The idea o f home and its importance 42 2.2.2 The concept o f ' p l a c e ' a n d its bearing on ' home ' 47 2.3 Home making 48 2.3.1 Need and related factors 48 2.3.2 The process o f 'making home ' and its manifestations 49 2.3.3 The process o f making home in developed oriented housing 50 2.3.3 The process o f 'making home ' in developer- oriented housing 54 C H A P T E R T H R E E : M A N I F E S T A T I O N O F T H E P R O C E S S O F ' M A K I N G H O M E ' IN D E V E L O P E R - O R I E N T E D H O U S P N G 90 3.1 Introduction 90 Ach iev ing the process through manifestation o f the attributes o f home 92 3.1.1 Orientation 3.1.2 Identity 3.1.3 Privacy 3.1.4 Territoriality 3.1.5 Sociability 3.2 C A S E S T U D I E S Case study one Case study two Case study three 1 1 6 C O N C L U S I O N R E F E R E N C E S A N N E X T U R E 170 174 177 P D Kee ls Ltd , House B y 1 1 7 Moratuwa , Nugegoda , Rajagiriya, Talawathugaoda projects Cey l i co Homes International Ltd, 139 Houses by Lotus grove - Dehiwala Vajira House Builders, Houses by 154 N u g a g o d a , Pepiliyana LIST OF F IGURES C h a p t e r one No Descr ip t ion Page No. 1.1 Comparisons o f the two concepts. 11 The production concept and the marketing concept 1.2 Influence on the consumer purchase decision process 12 1.3 The four Ps o f the marketing mix source 13 1.4 Five product levels 14 1.5 N e w - upper middle class housing - the advertisement, Australia 16 C h a p t e r two 2.1 primary territories 36 2.2 Attributes o f place 47 2.3 Overhanging keeps our the sun. 53 2.4 Direct sunlight direction and wind direction in Sri Lanka. 53 2.5 Pada Bedeema 54 2.6 Bhumi chakra 54 2.7 Most auspicious position o f siting the building 55 2.8 Location o f different activities 59 2.9 Position o f main door. 60 2.10 Different directions and their effects 60 2 .11 Arrangements o f l iving rooms 61 2.12 Ideal bed positions 62 2.13 Upgraded the bed arrangement in this room by using a mirror. 62 2.14 Variations in house forms. 79 2.15 T y p o l o g y o f Sri Lankan houses. 80 2 .16 The forms and layout express the diverse values, 81 attitudes and personalities. 2 .17 Diverse values, attitudes and personalities manifested in house forms. 82 vii 2.18 Display diagrammatically the effect on the transformation 83 o f housing from a total entity with spiritual, cultural psychological economic and physical dimensions to physical entity alone. 2 .19 Tailor made, stereotyped house. 84 2.20 Extroverted house form 84 2.21 Introverted hose form 85 2.22 House form helps one to present his ego 85 * 2.23 In the past cultures orientation was a mythical concept, rather than a perceptual or a logical requirement. 86 Chapter Three 3.1 Shape o f sites 93 3.2 Topography o f the site 94 3.3 Vil lagers select near natural element for their settlements. 95 3.4 Sunlight and wind direction o f Sri Lanka 96 3.5 A circular organizing and place gives orientation. 97 * 3.6 Act ivi t ies defined by astrological associations 98 3.7 Composit ion gives orientation 98 3.8 A good plan eliminates the line - up look, divides lots in to 100 a variety o f shapes and size. 3.9 The ways to improve the v i e w lines by siting or planting 101 3.10 The illustration above dramatizes the effect good siting or b l o c k - v i e w planning has one home ' s interior. 102 3.11 Auspic ious and Inauspicious forms. 102 3.12 Primary territories. K 3.13 Sketches improving siting 109 3.14 Composit ion help to achieve privacy 109 3.15 A good siting or block v i e w planning has on a home interior. 110 3.16 Introduction o f court - yard and use o f verandah to control interaction. 111 3.17 Different volumes o f a house to achieve privacy. 112 3.18 Hierarchy o f community spaces. 1 1 4 3.19 A b o v e location map don' t show any identical location. 1 1 9 viii 3.20 One o f the blocking out map o f K E E L S 1 1 9 3.21 Special names provided to the different projects 120 3.22 Three types but no significant different. 121 3.23 Layouts o f different projects 121 3.24 Front Elevations in different types 121 3.25 layout - N O special v iews , vistas 3.26 linear layout plants 127 3.27 Courtyards used to reduce interactions 132 3.28 Layout - N o space to gather 134 3.29 Different l ayou t , same solid - void ratio 135 3.30 Locat ion maps 140 3.31 Plan- no court yard 144 3.32 Less spaces to interact 153 3.33 Location map 155 3.34 Typical floor plan 155 3.35 Layout plan 156 3.36 Plans o f houses 157 3.37 Location map 163 3.38 Road network ground the site 163 3.39 Sketch o f boundaries around a house 164 LIST OF PLATES Chapter One N o . Description Page N o . 1.1 Wel l established developer-or iented housing - Singapore 7 1.2 Sri Lanka Government- housing development and upgrading 7 1.3 Housing becomes a major industry 8 1.4 Co-operated group o f builder 's h o u s i n g - S i n g a p o r e 16 1.5 The house is not just a shelter as shown 20 Chapter Two 2.1 Kathmandu - Character as a result o f manifestation o f the build fabric 31 2.2 Venice - a place o f a unique character due to its traditions , historical and natural conditions. 31 2.3 Kandy - an ' imageble p lace ' 32 2.4 Old Delhi - image to understand and respond to events and persons. 32 2.5 'Spirit o f p lace ' uplifts one ' s innermind and soul 33 2.6 Identity o f a built form helps one to present ' e g o ' Ekneligoda W a l a w w a . 37 2.7 Extroverted house form 38 2.8 Interverted house form 38 2.9 House as a centre o f large domain 41 2.10 A house without 'fi l l ing with presence ' 52 2 .11 A house with 'f i l l ing with presence' 52 2 .12 Home making involves many individual physical acts 56 2.13 Home making involves many social acts 57 2 .14 Boundary between home and outer world 58 2.15 The boundaries are not wel l define - lack o f privacy 58 2 .16 Furnishing and decorations also help to relate others in the same household and to friends and strangers. 63 2 .17 Furnishing and arrangement give a meaning to a place. 63 2.18 Various techniques o f decoration can solve the pr ivacy problems 64 2 .19 Furnishing and decorations makes room comfortable and cheerful 65 2.20 Rooms ' talk ' the large conversational grouping indicates they like to entertain and converse with guests. The profusion o f plants ties in the indoors with the outdoors and suggests that someone in the family loves gardening . 66 2.21 Accessor ies can add personality to a room. Here the collection o f 'pets ' - china dog, china o w l , p i l low cats and wicker swan - add a note o f whimsy and informal warmth. 66 2.22 From decoration, can make a magical transformation by artful use o f mirrors and an abundance o f lights and plants. What could have been a dreary, small windowless bathroom has , in this case, become a sparkling, spacious bathroom with a glamorous indoor - outdoor feeling. 67 2.23 This seems like a relaxing spot for conversations and curling up with a book. The mood o f relaxation comes from the wood tones and textures o f the sofa fabric, the painted w o o d floor and w o v e n basket o f pine cones. 67 2.24 Off- white rugs define the separate l iving and dining areas in a typical L- shaped room, je t the red , white , and blue colour scheme throughout gives the room unity . The fleece - like rugs and modern paintings add a contemporary noted to the traditional furnishings which include queen Anne dining chairs. 67 2.25 The b o y ' s bedroom does more them provide him sleeping space,. The trundle bed provides efficient guest bed storage, leaving room for his drumset. Cushioned window seat provides a spot for reading, study, or j ust daydreaming. 6 8 2.26 Furniture and its arrangement g ives meaning to a space 68 2.27 Places are meaningless without furnishing 69 2.28 Surrounded by out things w e are rooted in 69 2.29 Panting memorabilia helps to establish sense o f home 71 2.30 Planting memorabilia for display present one ' s ' e g o ' , social class, state and power. 72 2.31 House should not be on the ground but o f the ground 74 XI 2.32 Narrow the gap between space and ob jec t . House becomes pleasant 74 2.33 Neighbourhood provide grounds for continuous meaningful existence 2.34 Extroverted house form 2.35 Introverted house form Chapter Three 3.1 Rathnavibhushana house - Angulana 99 3.2 Vis ib le and invisible or even symbolic boundaries o f vil lagers 104 3.3 Elements used to define territories 105 3.4 Different ways o f defining thresholds 106 3.5 fences , gates wal ls express high degree o f territory 107 3.6 Gate - high degree o f territory 108 3.7 Transparency - lack o f privacy 1 1 2 3.8 Ba lcony fiction to the common street encouraging interaction 115 3.9 Vi l lagers symbolical ly represent their wealth and territory 114 3.10 Same size placement 3.11 Lack o f composition 122 3.12 Different locations , but same variations 123 3.13 R o w like layout 123 3.14 Togetherness 124 3.15 Different types same appearance 124 3.16 Change the boundary wal l to achieve privacy 125 3.17 Different furniture arrangement express different social classes 125 3.18 Landscaping help to recognize one ' s own home: individuality 126 3.19 Different landscaping patterns 126 3.20 Slightly defined territory 127 3.21 Same type o f entrances to the houses 128 3.22 Change the entrance 128 3.23 Elements used to define territory 129 3.24 Unable to define territories 129 3.25 Different furniture arrangements define different territorial spaces 129 3.26 Boundary wall and entrance gate defined territory 3.27 Raise the boundary wal l 130 3.28 Raise the boundary wal l and landscaping 130 xii 3.29 Leve l difference to make privacy 131 3.30 Windows with louvers 131 3.31 Different opening sizes 131 3.32 Decorations used to achieve privacy 132 3.33 R o w like houses same solid - void ratio 133 3.34 N o pleasant environment to gather 133 3.35 Streets only for circulation 134 3.36 People make openings to interact each other 135 ^ 3.37 Short wal l separate l iving and dining 136 3.38 Furniture , object helps to interact 137 3.39 Site locate near reference place 140 3.40 Linear - layouts 141 3.41 Badly constructed roads 141 3.42 Small front gardens 142 3.43 Small front garden and main entrance 142 3.44 Special v i e w - Raja Maha Viharaya - Pepiliyana 142 3.45 L o c k o f composition o f form 143 4 3.46 Less gaps between houses 143 3.47 Identical elements 143 3.48 Limited space 3.49 Change the front elevation to get identity 144 3.50 Lot o f modifications 144 3.51 Identity get only from decorations 145 3.52 Used highly decorative elements to express identity, personality 145 3.53 Highly furnished and decorated 146 3.54 Demarcate territory 146 • 3.55 Wel l defined boundaries 147 3.56 Small garden spaces 147 3.57 N o territorial demarcations between private and public domains 148 3.58 Distance away from main road - to achieve privacy 149 3.59 One entrance to entire the area 149 3.60 A l l the houses oriented internal path w a y 150 3.61 Main entrance to ward the Road- lack o f privacy 150 3.61.1 Make different height variations 151 3.62 Furniture arrangement used to achieve privacy 151 3.63 Furniture arrangements outdoor and indoor 152 3.64 Different furniture arrangements-outdoor and in door 152 3.65 N o special areas provided for social activities 152 3.66 Some possibility to interact each other - short wal ls 153 3.67 Furnishing and decoration -h igh ly appreciated ^ 3.68 V i e w s towards bird's sanctuary 156 3.69 Same width o f gap equal solid - void ratio 157 3.70 Residential identity 157 3.71 Less possibilities for identity 159 3.72 Typical front elevation 159 3.73 Equal o f solid - void relationship 159 3.74 Proportion to make sense o f place 160 3.75 Furnishing decorations and panting memorabilias can help to express one ' s identity 161 * 3.76 Main entrance to the complex 161 3.77 Strong wel l defined boundaries for each and every individual houses 162 3.78 N o any considerable level changes or direction 162 3.79 Define territorial space 163 3.80 Same line o f setting our 165 3.81 Different furnishing and decorations to achieve different levels o f privacy 166 3.82 Different sizes , shapes to achieve maximum lover level o f pr ivacy 166 3.83 Provide recreations areas 167 h 3.84 Wide inner roads provide spaces for interactions 168 3.85 Roads not only for circulation 168 3.86 Tranceparant front boundary 168 3.87 Typical house form 169 3.88 N o balconies 169 3.89 Furnishing help to provide personality 169 3.90 Furnishing and decorations make the home more comfortable 3.91 openings helps visual interaction xiv