STRATEGIES TO REGENERATE 
URBAN STREETSCAPE DISTURBED 
BY ROAD WIDENING PROGRAMMES 
A Study with special re fe rence to C o l o m b o - G a t e m a i n R o a d 
m' **. .-V...., ™ . - ' " . . 3 -
The Dissertation p r e s e n t e d to 
The Faculty of Architecture, 
University of Moratuwa, 
Sri Lanka. 
For the M.Sc. ( Architecture ) Examination a n d 
Exemption from RIBA part II 
6 2 5 - 7 1 2 
P r a s a n n a J a y a l a t h 
July 1998 
6 9 3 0 6 
CONTENTS Page 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 
ABSTRACT 
INTRODUCTION 
CHAPTER ONE 
THE URBAN STREET AS A SOCIAL ASSET 05 
1.1 The Urban street 05 
1.2 The Urban street as a social asset 06 
1.3 Different social aspects of Urban streets 07 
1.3.1 Street as a publ ic o p e n s p a c e 08 
1.3.2 The street as a p l a c e of c o m m u n i c a t i o n 10 
1.3.3 The street as a social f a c t 12 
1.3.4 The street as a p l a c e of c e l e b r a t i o n 14 
1.3.5 The street as a learning e x p e r i e n c e 15 
1.3.6 The street in terms of a d a p t a b i l i t y 16 
1.4 S u m m a r y 17 
CHAPTER TWO 
URBAN STREET SCAPE; ITS ARCHITECTURE 19 
2.1 Format ion of street s c a p e 19 
2.2 Livability of the s t ree tscape 20 
2.3 Spat ia l attr ibutes of s t ree tscape 20 
2.3.1 The spatial enclosure 20 
2.3.1.1 Basis for enclosure 21 
2.3.1.2 D e g r e e of enclosure in u r b a n s t ree tscape 22 
2.3.1.3 S h a p e of the enclosure of t h e u r b a n street 25 
2.3.2 Spat ia l progression 26 
2.3.2.1 Basis for progression 26 
2.3.3 Urban s t ree tscape charac tors 32 
2.3.3.1 Not ion of c h a r a c t o r 32 
2.3.3.2 C h a r a c t o r of a p l a c e a n d its c o m p o n e n t s 33 
2.3.3.3 S t ree tscape c h a r a c t o r 34 
2.4 S u m m a r y 37 
CHAPTER THREE 
THE ISSUE OF R O A D WIDENING ACTIVITIES 38 
3.1 R o a d w i d e n i n g ; t h e n e e d 38 
3.2 R o a d w i d e n i n g ; t h e p r o b l e m 39 
3.3 R o a d w i d e n i n g ; social implications 40 
3.4 R o a d w i d e n i n g ; a rch i tec tura l implications 42 
3.4.1 Sense of enclosure 43 
3.4.2 Spat ia l progression 43 
3.4.3 C h a r a c t o r 44 
3.5 R e g e n e r a t i o n of s t ree tscape 45 
3.6 S u m m a r y 49 
CHAPTER FOUR 
STREET SCAPE REGENERATION STRATEGIES 50 
4.1 Historical b a c k g r o u n d of Ga l l e R o a d 50 
4.2 F ramework of case-study e x a m i n a t i o n 55 
4.3 G a l l e F a c e segments 56 
4.3.1 S t ree tscape charactoristics b e f o r e r o a d w i d e n i n g 58 
4.3.2 The n e w s t ree tscape af ter the r o a d w i d e n i n g 59 
4.3.3 Remarks 62 
4.4 Kollupitiya, B a m b a l a p i t i y a , D e h i w a l a s e g m e n t 63 
4.4.1 S t ree tscape be fo re r o a d w i d e n i n g 63 
4.4.2 The n e w s t ree tscape af ter r o a d w i d e n i n g 63 
4.4.3 Remarks 64 
4.5 M o r a t u w a s e g m e n t 66 
4.5.1 S t ree tscape a n d t o w n c h a r a c t o r 66 
4.5.2 After r o a d d e v e l o p m e n t 67 
4.6 P a n a d u r a s e g m e n t 70 
4.6.1 S t ree tscape c h a r a c t e r b e f o r e r o a d w i d e n i n g 72 
4.6.2 After de tour ing t h e r o a d 72 
4.6.3 Remarks 74 
4.7 Kalutara s e g m e n t 76 
4.7.1 S t ree tscape charactorist ics b e f o r e r o a d w i d e n i n g 76 
4.7.2 S t ree tscape c h a r a c t o r af ter w i d e n i n g of the r o a d 79 
4.7.3 Remarks 81 
4.8 Balapit iya s e g m e n t 82 
4.8.1 S t ree tscape c h a r a c t o r b e f o r e r o a d w i d e n i n g 82 
4.8.2 S t ree tscape charac tors af ter r o a d w i d e n i n g 82 
4.8.3 Remarks 83 
4.9 A m b a l n g o d a s e g m e n t 84 
4.9.1 Earlier s t ree tscape c h a r a c t o r 85 
4.9.2After de tour ing t h e r o a d 86 
4.9.3 Remarks 86 
4.10 H i k k a d u w a s e g m e n t 87 
4.11 C o n c l u d i n g remarks to the c h a p t e r 88 
CONCLUSION 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
89 
UST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
Figure Descriptions page 
Fig. 1 A western streets-Ftiysicdcrtlribulic^ 05 
Fig. 2 An 'Eastern Streets' - Physical attributions and 
people's activities defire the identity of a'street' 07 
Fig. 3 There is rever a tetter way of takir^ 
in the street- Peruda's Corso Vannucci Itaty 09 
Fig 4 Exchange of thoughts in the streets 11 
Fig. 5 Tertiary Sector flourished with the streets 12 
Fig. 6 Activity ctorninates over the function 
ProcessbnoJ path -temple, Japan 13 
Fig7 Streets become a cultural theatre - Dalada veediya, Kandy 14 
Fig 8 The street du i rg the pagecrit. The slreetcri a ^  
Dalada veediya, Kandy 17 
Fig. 9 "The street is a part of a n urban texture and a 
space lined with buldhgs on either side 19 
Fig. 10 FiTdosure creates spaces specific to the bcalfty 21 
Fig. 11 Human enclosure in streets 22 
Fig. 12 Ncrcwstreekaecrtes frightening experience 23 
Fig. 13 The change of enclosure by plan ccrifig^ircrton 24 
Fig. 14 Height of the termiro^ng buidng effects 25 
Fig. 15 Shape enhance the enclosure 25 
Rg. 16 Different degree of enclosure with dfferentbuiWrg sections 26 
Rg. 17 Atspeed 27 
Fig, 17 Walking 27 
Rg. 19 Street -s i rn ik j tocrcrgedarourdaccmda 28 
Rg. 20 Feed point as a termhcrling element 28 
Rg 21 Slight variation in buildng Ine 29 
Rg. 22 Targets become important visud cues in curved and tang streets 30 
Fig. 23 Contrasting spaces create sudden surprise 31 
Rg.24 When this view appears as a g e d being approached 
the experience of arrivd is intensified if the object disappears 
temporarty and then suddenfy re appears in dose up. 31 
Rg. 25 When Different aspects of a dominant buidng for view are glimpsed 
dcr ig a root a prcxjjBSsicn is experierced c r ^ 31 
Rg. 26 Different heights provide dfferent perspectives 32 
Rg. 27 Character of a streetscape - Entrance at Jaipur city 33 
Fig. 28 35 
Rg.29 Streetscape as Architecturd Space 36 
Rg. 30 Eccessive vehicular movement create traffic congestion 
in urban streets 38 
Rg.31 Vehicle fist attitude ignores people 39 
Rg.32 Roadwidening generates deadspacesin the city 41 
Rg. 33 Character is effected 42 
Rg. 34 Loss of endosure 43 
Rg.35 Pecolewcidd loose ther sense of belonging 44 
Rg. 36 Dmirishing the existing character 45 
Rg. 37 To mdntain the proportion 46 
Rg. 38 Ga le road, before the mid 19 th century 51 
Rg. 39 M a p of Ga le road 53 
Rg.41 Once a n open lawn bounded by the sea and the lake 56 
Rg. 43 Ga le face segment 57 
Rg. 44 Narrow street in earty days 58 
Rg. 45 Built fabric view from the green area 59 
Rg46. Theparxxcrnicviewofthefcrtbuildrg 60 
Rg 47 Road along the G a l e face green 61 
Rg. 48 Kolupitiya 63 
Rg. 49 Bambabpitiya 63 
Rg. 50 Streetscape, Kolupitiya 63 
Fig. 51 Ga le face Axis at Kdhjpifya 64 
Rg. 52 Detouring the road 67 
Fig. 53 Connecting again 68 
Fig. 54 Streetscape - Moratuwa d d town 69 
Fig. 55 New road, cuts through a ccasid fishirxj vitage 69 
Rg. 56 Attempt and pofentid to create commercid development 70 
Rg. 57 between d d and the new 70 
Rg. 58 Shops in the m a n commercid centre 71 
Rg. 59 Old town acts as a Ivable entity in the city 72 
Rg. 60 Old road starts with residentid neighborhood with 
Dutch influenced architecture. 72 
Rg. 61 Panadura 73 
Rg. 62 Dmhishing the Character of Dean's road. 75 
Rg.63 CIcckToweratKdutaain 1950's 76 
Rg.64 Before the erection of Stupa 77 
Rg. 65 Remans of the d d Dutch shop houses 77 
Rg. 66 Kdutaa 79 
Rg. 67 Graded roads cater to vetiides as well as people 80 
Rg. 68 Old Dutch influenced butdngs - Bdapitiya 82 
Rg. 69 Change the character after road widening 82 
Rg. 70 New the situation 83 
Rg. 71 Node of detouring 84 
Rg. 72 Streetscape - Ambdangoda New road 72 
Rg.73 After Detouring 86 
Rg. 74 New extension to the city 87 
Acknowledgments 
In the revelat ion of this study I a m extremely grateful to 
e a c h a n d every person w h o con t r ibu ted in various 
ways. 
I ex tend my grat i tude to Prof. Lai Balasooriya the Dean 
of the Archi tecture Faculty a n d to Prof. Nimal De Silva 
the h e a d of the Archi tecture Depar tmen t . To the Year 
Master Archt. Ranjith A lahakoon I sincerely bes tow my 
apprec ia t ion . 
My extreme grat i tude to Dr.L.S.R Perera a n d Archt. 
Kapila Dharmasena, whose cont inuous g u i d a n c e a n d 
incisive comments gu i ded m e through this t iresome 
venture. I sincerely a c k n o w l e d g e all their help a n d the 
t ime a n d effort d e v o t e d on my behalf . 
To Eng. Ajith Wijesiri of the Road Deve lopment Authority 
a n d to the Chief Engineer Water -board , for their 
invaluable help in provid ing m e wi th the n e e d e d 
research mater ia l I ex tend my deepest apprec ia t ion . 
To Kamini I confer my extreme gratefulness for help ing 
me all through the venture. I ex tend my thanks to my 
col leagues D h a n a c h a n d r a , N a n d a n a , Sudharshana, 
C h a m i n d a a n d Lilantha for the support they g a v e m e in 
various means. Also I ex tend my sincere apprec ia t i on to 
Nayana for be ing wi th m e in glory a n d g loom, 
encourag ing a n d help ing to the utmost. 
Last but not least to my mother a n d family for all the 
help a n d support a n d to my late father I d e d i c a t e this 
laborious effort wi th deepest g ra t i tude a n d honour. 
Abstract 
During t h e p a s t f e w d e c a d e s t h e r e h a d 
b e e n a n d i m m e n s e i m p r o v e m e n t of t h e 
mobil i ty of p e o p l e in Sri Lanka . The i n c r e a s e 
of v e h i c l e s o n r o a d h a d b e e n p h e n o m e n a l . 
S o that t h e exist ing infrastructure w a s u n a b l e 
to c o p e with t h e d e m a n d . O n e of t h e major 
i m p a c t s of this p h e n o m e n o n w a s u p o n t h e 
s tree t n e t work, w h i c h n e e d e d t o b e 
e x p a n d e d in o r d e r to a c c o m m o d a t e t h e 
v e h i c u l a r a n d p e d e s t r i a n m o v e m e n t s . This 
h a d a major i m p a c t u p o n t h e s t r e e t s c a p e s 
a n d t h e s tree t life. 
The a i m of this s t u d y is first to ident i fy t h e 
c o n s t i t u e n t s of a s treet a n d s t u d y in d e t a i l t h e 
i m p a c t c a u s e d b y t h e r o a d w i d e n i n g 
p r o c e s s u p o n t h e m . With this u n d e r s t a n d i n g 
t h e s t u d y a i m s t o ident i fy t h e p o s s i b l e 
s t r a t e g i e s t o r e c r e a t e u r b a n s t r e e t s c a p e s b y 
r e g e n e r a t i n g t h e e s s e n c e of t h e c h a r a c t e r of 
w h a t w a s exist ing. Four di f ferent s t r a t e g i e s 
a r e ident i f i ed in this r e g a r d . 
A c a s e s t u d y c o n d u c t e d o n G a l l e r o a d 
r e v e a l s t h e di f ferent w a y s in w h i c h t h e s e four 
s t r a t e g i e s h a v e b e e n i m p l e m e n t e d in 
different s i tuat ions . The s t u d y c o n c l u d e s b y 
h ighl ight ing t h e n e c e s s i t y of ident i fy ing 
Architectural concerns, engineering 
concerns and more importantly are 
concerns in order to satisfy the objectives of 
all parties involved or affected by road 
widening programme.