RE (ADDRESSING) ARCHITECTURE OF ISOLATION - REDEFINING THE CITY FROM NON-PLACE TO “THIRD-PLACE”

University of Moratuwa (UoM), Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architecture, Moratuwa

Project idea

The cities have become centers of jobs and opportunities, simulating rapid process of urbanization and rural to urban migration. Most of the recent development plans executed in Sri Lankan urban areas especially in Colombo have resulted in “Gentrification”. As a result of this process the cities are neglected and lost its identity and the relationship between the city and the people. This has also affected the public services, commercial areas and the other areas used by general public are isolated. Especially Central Business Districts (CBD), are highly impacted by urbanization. The gentrified value-added areas cater to a specific crowd other than catering to the general public. Therefore, the underdeveloped and isolated urban areas are detreating and developing as informal developments or sold out to high end investors to promote gentrification as a tangible built element.
Urban planners seeking to stabilize neighborhoods are focusing on the critical role that “third places” can play in strengthening our sense of community and the relationship between city and its people. The thesis extends this argument saying: any developments need to focus on the existing physical context and social, cultural characteristics, while making the place humanized. As mentioned by Pathinayaka, A. D., & Wijesundara, J. (2015), in order to build up public convenience and community relationships, there should be a balance between civic facilities, commercial activities and recreational activities.
Urban open spaces should give back to the public, creating vital and valuable places within a city. The Design thesis focuses mainly on the under-utilized voids within blocks and promote it as a tool for the people to connect to the city. People should want to seek out these spaces to occupy, seeing them not as useless gaps between buildings but areas with their own value and identity. The main objective of the Design Thesis is to propose a deft intervention that attempts to improve the city life, without destroying its identity or catalyzing gentrification.

Project description

The project is proposed at a highly denser Central Business District. The project has attempted promote it as a prototype for the future developments. The proposal is mainly aimed on crafting the city rather than crating buildings. The identification of the in between gaps were identified with the use of Nolli maps and potential sites at the periphery were identified based on-site visits and other available data.
The major concern of the project aims in connecting different hotspots within the city which are forgotten or isolated in terms of urbanization. The proposal, on urban level connects these points and create a new value. The buildings at the periphery are proposed as permanent structures and the in-between gaps are proposed with scaffoldings.
The design focuses on satisfying diverse users, diverse functions and responding to the city character as well. The permanent building at each block can have same principles but different architecture characters. The scaffolding parts can have different principle but same architecture characters.
The scaffolding structure is proposed as a strategy to adapt to the existing commercial context as well as being temporary can have greater advantage in the future developments.

Technical information

The materials are derived from the contextual analysis and availability. The permanent building is made of precast concrete. As the site is on responding to 03 major roads, this decision was highly effective as it can be constructed quickly, and the needed machineries can be brought from the existing highway construction happening next to the site and the harbor nearby.
The main building has used precast concrete breeze block to the facade as it can respond to the nearby police station building, and the heights are also proposed to do so. The cluster of buildings have in-between alleyways so that it can get natural light. the building also promotes cross and stack ventilation. As the site is located in warm humid climate, double skin facade strategy is used to prevent internal overheating.
The scaffolding structure is designed in a way to adapt to the need of the city and respond to periodical changes. The structure used reused GI structures from existing construction site, reused wooden pallets, reused corrugated sheets and recycled poster sheets. The structure is compiled with diverse functions so that it can be active throughout the day. The structure also responds climatically be promoting natural light, cross ventilation and stack ventilation. The structure is completely removable and same materials can be used to construct a new structure at a different location. This way doesn't produce any construction waste too. The shops are proposed as modulars to increase the numbers during special seasons and reduce based on the need.

Documentation

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