URBAN POCKETS A study on small spaces between buildings and their implication to the urban space. A Dissertation Submitted to the University of Moratuwa As a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Architecture. / _ _ r ? . - ^ " ' gda$M<5C3 • ."'V Jp)6§© Scio S e j s x s a . @ &w§. o ^ ^ ; ' ' - r i : , - \ i 7 "72 NIMMI UBEYRATHNE Department of Architecture University of Moratuwa July 1999 ABSTRACT The city is a fascinating place. It is an image of our culture, economy and beliefs. These retuals and activities within the city are what influenced the physical elements of the city, and give sensitivity to the space as a meaningful place. The modern city has not provided proper architectural setting for the urban activities. The modern city experience has little to offer as a social or cultural experience of place. The city is being mass- produced by developers and the small spaces between buildings become lost as "urban pockets." Which are under utilized and have potential as a positive urban element. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To those people to have helped me in the dissertation to whom I own a special debt of gratitude. Dr. Dayaratna, my tutor for his guidance incisive comments and valuable criticism , who helped me much by giving pace to develop my thoughts and an approach to this study. I am extremely grateful for his help and appreciate the time and efforts extended to me in carrying out the study. Special thanks to O.I.C. and the staff off the Kollupitiya Police station for the permission given me for taking photographs. I am grateful to my friends Naomi.Piyanthi, Yasangi, Renu akka and for valuable comments and encouragements and Kithmini and Amali for their tremendous help. To Mr. Alahakoon, for spending his precious time for taking photograph. My heartfelt gratitude to Dissanayaka uncle, Sarath Aiya, Sundara Ayia, Gayani, Gayana, Hanusha and Sampath Mali for helping me, when I badly needed them. To My Family members for their Whole hearted support. Finally, to Kavinda for giving me encouragement through out the study. CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT I ACKNOWLEDGEMENT II CONTENTS III LIST OF ILLUSTRATION VII INTRODUCTION. 1 CHAPTER ONE : URBAN SPACE ; AN INTRODUCTION 1.1 CHANGING CONCEPTS OF URBAN SPACE. 6 1.2 UNDERSTANDING URBAN SPACE IN EASTERN CONTEXT. 11 1.3 URBAN CHALLENGE IN EASTERN URBAN SITUATION. 15 CHAPTER TWO : THEORETICAL ORIENTATION TO THE STUDY. 2.1 THEORIES ON URBAN DESIGN. 19 2.1.1 Figure around theory. 20 2.1.2 Linkage theory. 22 2.1.3 Place theory. 23 Page 2.2 CONFIGURATIONS OF THE SPACE. 25 2.2.1 Space as a concept. 25 2.2.2 Detaining space with physical attributes. 27 2.2.2.1 Quantitative dimensions of the space. 27 2.2.2.2 Qualitative dimensions of the space. 36 2.2.3 Defining space with psychological attributes. 46 2.2.3.1 Imageability. 47 2.2.3.2 Legibility. 48 2.2.3.3 Continuity. 49 2.3 CONCLUDING REMARKS; TRANSFORMATION OF ILL-DEFINED SPACE AS A MEANINGFUL PLACE. 50 CHAPTER THREE: IDENTIFICATION OF THE URBAN POCKETS. 3.1 URBAN POCKET AS A LOST SPACE. 51 3.2 URBAN POCKET DEFINED. 54 3.3 FORMATION OF URBAN POCKETS. 57 3.4 URBAN POCKETS AS A RESOURCE. 62 IV Page CHAPTER FOUR : URBAN POCKET AS A POSITIVE URBAN ELEMENT. 4.1 THE STRATEGY FOR REVITALIZATION OF URBAN POCKETS. 4.1.1 Enhancing configurations of urban pockets. 66 4.1.2 Introducing public activities for regeneration. 68 4.1.3 Legitimizing the access to the urban pockets. 70 4.1.4 Legitimizing the ownership of the urban pockets. 70 4.2 NEED FOR A STRATEGY. 72 4.2.1 Objectives of strategy. 73 4.2.1.1 A better physical environment. 73 4.2.2.2 Minimizing crime. 74 4.2.2.3 Economic revitalization. 76 CHAPTER FIVE : POTENTIALS OF URBAN POCKETS IN COLOMBO INNER-CITY AREA. 5.1 INTRODUCTION. 77 5.2 BASIS FOR REVIEW. 77 5.2.1 Historical evolution of the inner-city of Colombo. 81 5.2.2 Land use pattern. 82 V Page VI 5.3 BASIS OF SELECTION REVIEWS. 83 5.3.1 Review one : Connecting ALLEY WAYS to the main road. 85 5.3.2 Review two: NOTCHES along the streets. 91 5.3.1 Review three: STREET CORNERS within the nodes / squares. 99 5.3.4 Review four: PARKING LOTS of automobiles. 108 CONCLUSION. 117 REFERENCES. 121 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure/Plate Description Page Plate 1.1 The basic form , which constitutes urban space as The square and the street. 7 1.2 A space which permits public events an activities As an urban space. 8 1.3 Urban space as an image base on 9 Object criteria. 1.4 Within the rural condition the buildings gathered together in a limited physical Area same as the city. 9 1.5 In the Eastern urban context the most Visible feature in the poverty. 11 1.6 People living on the pavement and highlight The poverty as the wrest pollution of all. 12 1.7 Most of the open spaces in the Eastern context. Use for domestic activities of their organized dwellers. 13 1.8 Eastern urban space is made culturally significant by the space, time, event and rituals. 13 1.9 Urban space with collecting unifying framework. 15 1.10 Contemporary urban space, the buildings as isolated objects. 16 1.11 The rapid growth of urban population is the bigger Crisis in the Eastern urban situation. 17 Figure 2.1 Figure ground plane; buildings as solid mass to open voids. 20 2.2 Development stage of the figure ground plane; Building read as individual as isolated objects, space Between them are unformed. 20 2.3 Void as a most prominent feature. 21 2.4 Different forms of the linkage theory. 22 2.5 Three major approaches to piliminery stage urban Design. 23 2.6 Well framed urban space. 24 2.7 Two dimensional space as a three dimensional form. 26 2.8 Horizontal plane as a base plane. 28 2.9 Well defined base plane. 28 2.10 Elevated base plane. 29 2.11 Architectural application of the base plane. 29 2.12 The degree of which spatial and visual continuity is Maintained between an elevated space and its Surroundings. 30 2.13 Depressed base plane. 31 2.14 Depressed areas in natural photograph. 31 2.15 The degree to which spatial and visual continuity 32 VII it 2.16 maintained between an depressed base plane and its surroundings. 33 2.17 The form of the space is determined by the space Of the overhead plane. 33 2.18 Linear vertical element. 34 2.19 The size of a building element relative to other Forms in its context. 40 2.20 The size of a building element or space relative to the dimensions of the human body. 40 2.21 Proportion is determine by the scale. 41 2.22 Degree of sense of enclosure of the space. 42 2.23 Light can be used in creating various Environmental qualities in space. 45 2.24 Different rhythms in architecture. 46 2.25 The sitting of important buildings as a feature, Which create an identity. 47 Plate 2.1 Three dimensional relationship of the figure ground Theory. 21 2.2 Application of elevated base plane as different levels. 30 2.3 Application of depressed base plane. 32 2.4 On space. 36 2.5 Under space. 37 2.6 Side space. 37 2.7 Between space. 38 2.8 In space. 39 2.9 Around space. 39 2.10 Texture is the characteristics of the surface. 43 2.11 Colour makes different impressions to the space. 43 2.12 Light can be used in creating divers environmental Qualities in space. 44 2.13 Rhythm in architecture. 46 Figure 3.1 Separated two forms of the lost spaces as urban Pocket and urban voids. 52 Plate 3.1 Unstructured landscape at the base to high-rise lowers As lost spaces. 51 3.2 An urban pocket as a very tiny open space in between Buildings, which is enclosed only by elevations of built Structures, that are so close to each other. 54 3.3 Well defined urban pocket as a positive urban element. 55 3.4 Large percentage of the urban land is devoted to for The automobiles. 58 3.5 Modern movement was founded on abstract ideas Of the design of standing buildings. 58 3.6 The Primary role of the city is for meeting of people 60 3.7 The security huts encroaches the urban space as a physical abstract. 61 3.8 In the contemporary urban space buildings are tightly Arranged forcing one of the lose breath, lose any Experience of a place at all. 63 VIII Urban pocket as a living ample space for the component Of the people. Urban pocket as a three dimensional form. The articulation of the levels of base plane, help to Define urban pocket as a well define urban space. The life, movement and the activities between Buildings are suppressed by emptiness. The connection between the interior and the Exterior "Association public activities in the Exterior physically visual to the attached interior. The lottery sellers in the pavement; can be Introduced to the urban pocket as a public activity. A better physical environment for relaxation. Well define urban pockets, provide no room for any Socially ill activities. As a small scale business helps to generate Economic revitalization urban pocket. Identified parameters. Map of Colombo. Land use map of Fort and Pettah. Plane of an alley. Alley way as a narrowest path way. The alley way at Symonds road. A niche along the street. A niche along the Main street. A niche along the Main street at Pettah. Street corners within the square/node. A street corner within the square at Pettah. A street corner within the node at Pettah. A Parking lot. Parking lot along front street at Pettah. Parking lot within the Nawam Mawatha Development area. Beginning part of the alley. Domestic activities within the alley. Lots of water digs within that floors-cape. One walls-cape of the niche is organized by the Two storied built structures. One corner of the niche is used as carts storage area. The space is mainly depressed by the advertising board The floors-cape of the street corner is not well treated The hole space of a street corner become dark Due to their dull colour walls-cape. The street corner gives physical accessibility To the road but there is no specific entrance way There is a huge bell tower as a prominent feature IX 5.11 From the steel fence, the space of a street corner Is divided into small plots. 106 5.12 There is a snak corner beside of the street corner, An it is not well articulate with the space. 106 5.13 A huge walls-cape just before the parking lots Gives impression of a very large boundary wall. 111 5.14 One corner of the parking lot uses as a garbage Collection area. 112 5.15 The vehicular frontage avoids the physical and visual Continuity of the space. 113 5.16 As a open space in between high-rise built structures, The parking lot is obtain quality of enclosure. 115 5.17 The existing space gives impression of a desert. 115 5.18 Well treated floors-cape gives high quality to the Space. 116 X