URBAN VOID AS A PUBLIC SPACE

A STUDY ON UNDER-UTILIZED URBAN VOIDS AND

T H E I R P O T E N T I A L AS U R B A N P U B L I C S P A C E S

A dissertation presented to the

FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE
UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA
SRI LANKA
for M . Sc. (Architecture) Examination

Renuka de Silva
Faculty of Architecture
University of Moratuwa
Sri Lanka
July, 1998

69288
CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ILLUSTRATIONS

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE : U N D E R UTILISATION OF URBAN

SPACES

1.1 Urban space

1.2 Urban space in third world cities

1.3 Urbanisation and under utilisation of urban spaces

1.3.1 The under utilisation of urban space
1.3.2 Evoh/ement of under utilized spaces in the city.
1.3.3 U s e and misuse of urban space
1.3.4 Usage o f land

1.4 Impact on policies for underutilization

1.5 Under-utilized space which creates negative effects

in urban space

1.6 Identifying the potential in under utilized urban spaces.

CHAPTER TWO : PHILOSOPHIES AND THEORIES ON

URBAN PUBLIC SPACE

2.1 Philosophies and theories on urban space

2.2 Urban public space

2.2.1 The values of urban public life
2.2.2 Human dimensions of public life

2.3 Urban Void' as urban public space

7
2.3.1 'Urban Void as positive urban space
2.3.2 'Urban Void" as vesi pocket park
CHAPTER THREE : SPATIAL ATTRIBUTES AND SOCIAL

CHARACTERISTICS OF URBAN SPACE

Part One - Spatial Attributes o f Human Space

3.1 Proximity as centre

3.1.1 Sense of place in urban context
3.1.2 Composition of space as centre

3.2 The enclosure

3.2.1 Elements of enclosure
3.2.2 Sense of scale in urban context

3.3 Principle o f continuity in form of rhythmic movement

Part Two - Social characteristics of urban space

CHAPTER FOUR : POTENTIAL O F U R B A N VOIDS

IN C O L O M B O
- SELECTED EXAMPLES

4.1 Introduction

. 4.2 Basis for review

4.2.1 Historical evaluation o f the city centre
4.2.2 Land use

4.3 Basis of selection of reviews

4.3.1 Review one
Lost space due to increased dependence on the
automobile and change o f mode of transportation
4.3.2 Review two
Lost space due to change in land use
4.3.3 Review three
Attributes of the society and the professional
bodies

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Ul

AC KNOW LEDG E M E N T

T o those p e o p l e w h o h a v e h e l p e d m e in t h e dissertation to w h o m I o w e a special

d e b t o f gratitude.

D r . L. S. R. Perera, m y tutor for his g u i d a n c e , incisive c o m m e n t s a n d v a l u a b l e

criticism, w h o helped m c m u c h b y giving p a c e to d e v e l o p m y t h o u g h t s a n d an

a p p r o a c h to this study. I a m extremely grateful for his help a n d appreciate the

t i m e and efforts e x t e n d e d to m e in carrying out the study.

Archt. V i d u r a Sri N a m m u n i , senior lecturer to w h o m I a m grateful for his

e n c o u r a g e m e n t offered at the onset of the study.

Special t h a n k s to Archt. Piyal Silva for p r o v i d i n g m e with n u m e r o u s information.

M y sincere t h a n k s to Archt. Z a n h a r for his t r e m e n d o u s dedication a n d g u i d a n c e .

Special t h a n k s to IP a n d the staff o f the P e t t a h police station for the p e r m i s s i o n

given m e for taking p h o t o g r a p h s a r o u n d P e t t a h , F o r t a n d M a r a d a n a area.

I a m grateful to m y friends M u t h u a n d Chitrani for valuable c o m m e n t s and

e n c o u r a g e m e n t a n d K a s h i a n d Yasangi for their t r e m e n d o u s help.

I am also grateful,. to H e m a n t h a Akka a n d Dilani Akka for their valuable

comments.

T o Indika, for s p e n d i n g his p r e c i o u s time for taking p h o t o g r a p h s .

M y heartfelt gratitude to P r a d c e p a Akkc, P r a s a n n a Aiya, L o k u A m m a a n d their

family for helping me w h e n I badly n e e d e d t h e m .

T o my parents, L o k u Aiya a n d P u n c h i Aiya for their w h o l e h e a r t e d support.

Finally, to Keerthi for giving me e n c o u r a g e m e n t and s p e n d i n g his precious time

t h r o u g h o u t the study.
 ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure Description Page

01 Squatters struggle to shelter 08

02 Lost spaces 10
+ 03 M o r e space for parking 13
04 Reservation in water bodies encroached 13
by the squatters
05 Isolated buildings in the city 14
06 Colombo Foil, during holidays 15
07 Sub-marginal lands are encroached 17
by the squatters
08 The urban streetscape bluntly ignored 19
09 Nolli map of Rome 24
10 Nolli map of m o d e m city 25
11 Composition, mega and group form 26
12 Three major approaches to urban design 26
13 Nolli plan of R o m e 28
14 M o d e m city - nolli plan 28
15 Piazza San Marco 30
„ 16 Sketch 31
17 Sketch 31
18 Nolli plans 32
19 Sketch 32
20 Sketch 33
21 Sketch - transformation 34
22 Sketch - transformation 34
23 Sketch - off centre 35
24 European public space - dynamic square 38
25 Street as a public space 38
26 City park as a retreat 39
27 Public space 40
^ 28 A marketplace 41
29 Paley park - N e w York 44
30 Entrance to the park 44
31 Paley park 45
32 Paley park 45
33 Inner harbour. Baltimore 46
34 Prevent acting as barriers to water front 46
35 George E. Dc Silva park - Randy 47
36 Town centre 50
37 An intimate place of interest 52
38 Enclosure of a room 53
39 Enclosure ol urban space 53
40 Enclosure in urban space 54
41 Skeich 54
 V

Figure Description Page

42 Height of building greater than width 55

43 Sketch 55
44 Sketch 55
45 Sketch 56
46 Volume of corridors of city 56
47 Arcade space 57
48 Open public space 57
49 Positive gesture to the street edge 58
50 Street Bazaar 58
51 Threshold enable relationship of spaces 60
to merge
52 Sketch 60
53 Sense of scale 61
54 Serial "vision in townscape 62
55 The actual path 63
56 Path 64
57 Annual Esala Perahera 68
58 M a p of Colombo city 74
59 Land use m a p 77
60 Street as a public space 79
61 Highways 79
62 Sketch - intimate human scale 81
63 Sketch - inhuman not comfortable scale 81
64 Sketch - uncomfortable scale 81
65 Maradana junction 82
66 Under-utilized urban void 82
67 Parking 83
68 Plan - urban void 83
69 Sketch - section through existing situation 84
70 Sketch - existing elevation 85
71 Edge of Colombo Commercial Company 85
72 Pedestrian flow 86
73 Connection to union place 87
74 Beira lake 87
75 Gangaramaya 88
76 Chalmers Granaries site 89
77 Chalmers Granaries site 89
78 Beira lake suirounded with ware houses 90
79 Canals in Amsterdam 91
80 Onde Gracht Utrecht 91
81 Onde Gracht Utrecht - change in use 92
82 Onde Gracht Utrecht - change in land use 92
83 Plan of the area 93
84 Urban void - edge of the Beira lake 93
85 Sketch - section through urban void 94
86 Raiil a n d unbuilt i a i i w 94
 vi

Figure Description Page

87 Sketch - width of street 94

88 Sketch - section through existing elevation 95
89 Pedestrian flow 95
90 Urban edge 96
91 Exhibition and convention centre 96
92 Manning market 98
93 Gunasinghepura 98
94 Entrance to Bodhiraja mawatha 99
95 Informal sector activities 100
96 Sketch- existing situation - Bodhiraja M w . 100
97 Sketch - section through Bodhiiaja M w . 101
98 Unauthorized temporary- structures 101
99 Central bus teiitiinal 101
100 Gasworks junction 102
101 Gasworks junction 102
102 Pedestrian flow 103
103 Pedestrian flow 103
104 Temporary built structure 104
105 Bristol street from Chatham street 104
106 Sketch 105
107 Sketch - section 105
108 Connecting point to Chatham street 105
109 Sketch 106
110 Pedestrian flow 107
111 Path along the stalls 107
112 Sketch - existing built form 108
113 Sketch - changing width of street 108
114 Sketch - elevated arcade 109
115 Greenpatch 110
116 Sketch - section 110
117 Sketch 110
118 Built and unbuilt ratio 111
119 Pedestrian flow 111
120 Permanent land mark 112
121 Informal sector commercial activities 112
INTRODUCTION
 1

INTRODUCTION

OBSERVATION

U r b a n life is f a s t b e c o m i n g d u l l a n d u n i n t e r e s t i n g d u e t o t h e decreasing

facilities and d e g r a d i n g of the environment, devoid of s p a c e s for s o c i o -

cultural cultural activities. The increasing cost of land and the need to

exploit economically, h a s r e n t e d t h e u s a b l e s p a c e is o n l y a s "rentable

s p a c e " . W h a t is h o w e v e r n o t e d is t h a t t h e r e a r e n u m e r a b l e ' U r b a n V o i d s '

in b e t w e e n b u i l d i n g s a n d at s t r e e t c o r n e r s a n d so f o r t h w h i c h a r e left o v e r

s p a c e s . At p r e s e n t t h e y a r e s i m p l y u s i n g f o r g a r b a g e d u m p i n g a n d a n t i ­

social activities. The potential of such ' U r b a n V o i d s ' to enrich the public

r e a l m . p u b l i c life e t c . h a v e n o t b e e n e x p l o i t e d s u f f i c i e n t l y .

' U r b a n V o i d s ' can be d e f i n e d as f o l l o w s ,

"unutilized, under-utilized or abandoned land or areas and

premises which exist in urban areas due to outdated or defunct
uses'
(Perera, 1994 : p. 130)

Urban Voids can even be created by identifying dilapidated premises

w h i c h has potential to re develop for new u r b a n function. This type of

' U r b a n V o i d ' m a y b e c r e a t e d in u r b a n s p a c e a s lost s p a c e s . T h e s e 'Urban

V o i d s ' e x i s t i n g in u r b a n a r e a s a r e p r o j e c t e d as p o s s i b l e o p p o r t u n i t y to

c r e a t e u r b a n p u b l i c s p a c e s in t h i s s t u d y .

These Urban Voids can be exploited as u r b a n public space such as

surrounded public gathering place with pockets of activity. partly-

e n c l o s e d a r e a s at t h e e d g e s , w h i c h j u t f o r w a r d , i n t o o p e n s p a c e s b e t w e e n

p a t h , e d g e o f w a t e r f r o n t , o r c a n a l b a n k s , c o n t a i n a c t i v i t i e s w h i c h m a k e it

natural f o r p e o p l e t o p a u s e a n d get i n v o l v e d .It is a r g u e d t h a t , these

s p a c e s h a v e t h e ability to e n h a n c e a n d strengthen the public realm.

IMPACT:

It is s e e n t h a t , t h e s e " U r b a n V o i d s ' , left over spaces or u n d e r utilized

spaces have affected the public realm negatively by reducing the

q u a l i t a t i v e a t t r i b u t e s o f t h e u r b a n s p a c e a n d m a k i n g it a l e s s l i v e l y s p a c e .

T h i s in t u r n h a s r e s u l t e d in e n v i r o n m e n t a l d e g r a d a t i o n a n d p s y c h o l o g i c a l

discomfort of the citizens, thus effecting the entire society and

environment and perhaps even the behavioural patterns.

B e c a u s e of the u n p l a n n e d cities, h a p h a z a r d d e v e l o p m e n t has e n c r o a c h e d

t h e p u b l i c s p a c e . In a s e n s e , p o s i t i v e a s p e c t s o f p u b l i c a c t i v i t y in t r o p i c a l

u r b a n s i t u a t i o n s w h e r e p u b l i c a c t i v i t y is v i e w e d as a n a s s e t r a t h e r t h a n as

a b y - p r o d u c t of over urbanization. " U r b a n s p a c e s " are c o u p l e d m o s t of

the time with open spaces, where fauna and flora is grown as an

e n h a n c e m e n t t o t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a n d as a b r e a t h i n g s p a c e f o r t h e b u i l t u p

area. U r b a n spaces w h e t h e r they are hard landscape or soft landscape

h a v e t h e i r o w n m e r i t s a n d i n d i v i d u a l i t y . B u t , it is t h e i n a p p r o p r i a t e l a n d

u s e w h i c h l e a d s to u n u s e d o r u n d e r - u t i l i s e d ' U r b a n V o i d s ' .

T h o u g h s u c h v o i d s h a v e t h e p o t e n t i a l if n o t e n h a n c e l e a d s d e s t r u c t i o n o f

t h e q u a l i t y o f city w h i c h m e a n s t h e d i s t r a c t i o n o f t h e s p e c i a l q u a l i t y a n d

r e s u l t s in u n d e r u t i l i s e d o r left o v e r s p a c e s w i t h i n t h e city, a s a p e r m a n e n t

feature.

I N T E N T I O N OF STUDY

The main intention o f this study is to identify the factors that contribute

to u n d e r u t i l i s a t i o n of spaces or 'urban voids 7

in t h e c i t y . It is a t t e m p t e d

to T h e r e f o r e , intention of this study is t o highlight h o w under utilized

spaces can be and have been exploited as public spaces, socially

culturally, aesthetically and economically enriching public life.

It is a l s o intended to convey the value of urban pockets in urban

e n v i r o n m e n t s t o t h o s e w h o a r e e n g a g e d a n d i n t e r e s t e d in t h i s field.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

T h e s c o p e o f t h i s d i s s e r t a t i o n is l i m i t e d t o t h e s t u d y o f ' u r b a n v o i d s * a n d

u r b a n s p a c e s at m i c r o l e v e l in C o l o m b o c i t y . T h e s t u d y is f u r t h e r limited

to t h e C o l o m b o c i t y ' s central business d i s t r i c t a n d its p e r i p h e r y . The

under-utilised land parcels studied here are neither small areas or the

larger extents of lost s p a c e s . E x a m p l e s of urban voids are drawn from

the C B D areas w h e r e they h a v e m o r e potential as u r b a n public space.

METHODOLOGY

T h i s s t u d y i d e n t i f i e s t h e u n d e r - u t i l i s e d s p a c e s as ' U r b a n V o i d s ' b a s e d o n

o b s e r v a t i o n s in r e l a t i o n p r e s e n t d a y u r b a n s i t u a t i o n , a n d t h e f a c t o r s c a u s e

for underutilization of land. Then selecting a appropriate theories on

u r b a n design a n d the observe the activity pattern to r e - d e v e l o p as a n

u r b a n p u b l i c s p a c e . F i n a l l y t h e s t u d y e x p e c t s to p r o p o s e g u i d e l i n e s a s t o

h o w t h e s e u n d e r - u t i l i s e d s p a c e s c a n b e u s e d in a m e a n i n g f u l w a y t o c r e a t e

public space.

T h e first c h a p t e r i d e n t i f i e s t h e u r b a n s p a c e s in a city a s w e l l a s u r b a n

s p a c e s in t h i r d w o r l d c i t i e s , d e f i n i n g u n d e r u t i l i z a t i o n o f u r b a n s p a c e s a n d

c a u s e f o r u n d e r u t i l i z a t i o n o f u r b a n s p a c e s . It also i d e n t i f i e s t h e p o t e n t i a l

of under utilized spaces.

S e c o n d c h a p t e r is t o s t u d y t h e r e l e v a n t t h e o r i e s o f u r b a n d e s i g n in respect

o f o u t d o o r s p a c e s , a n d t o s h o w t h a t t o c r e a t e a l i v i n g city where these

s p e c i f i c t h e o r i e s s h o u l d b e a p p l i e d . A l s o t o s h o w t h e s i m i l a r i t i e s in these

t h e o r i e s a n d if s o m e f a c t o r s w h i c h a r e r e l e v a n t to t h e u r b a n design, are

d i s t u r b e d , it w o u l d b r e a k t h e built e n v i r o n m e n t . Then h i g h l i g h t (he

i m p o r t a n c e o f " u r b a n space'" as " u r b a n p u b l i c s p a c e " a n d its v a l u e s a n d

the i m p o r t a n c e of developing ' U r b a n V o i d s ' a c c o r d i n g to there potential

as p u b l i c s p a c e s , w h i c h can a l s o c o n t r i b u t e e x t e n s i v e l y to city c h a r a c t e r .

Third chapter discusses the i m p o r t a n c e of attributes of a space and h o w

r e l e v a n t it is to u r b a n s p a c e as w e l l as S o c i a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f urban

s p a c e , w i t h r e f e r e n c e to u r b a n p u b l i c s p a c e .

Fourth chapter identifies the under-utilised 'urban voids' from the

C o l o m b o C B D a n d its p e r i p h e r y . S e l e c t i o n o f t h e s e e x a m p l e s a r e b a s e d

o n t h e f a c t o r s w h i c h c a u s e u n d e r u t i l i z a t i o n , in l o c a l c o n t e x t .

W i t h t h e s e l e c t e d e x a m p l e s an a t t e m p t is m a d e to s h o w t h e p o t e n t i a l o f

s u c h s e l e c t e d e x a m p l e s a n d to d e v e l o p g u i d e l i n e s for t h e u t i l i z a t i o n of

s u c h lost spaces through the application of theories referred to. And

h e n c e to m a k e a contribution t o w a r d s making C o l o m b o m o r e humane,

a n d h a b i t a b l e city with well d e f i n e d and developed urban spaces with

relevance at c o m p a t i b i l i t y to a c t i v i t i e s s p e c i a l l y o f C B D areas and its

periphery.

A city b e i n g t h e u t m o s t g a t h e r i n g p o i n t o f m o s t o f m o d e r n d a y human

a c t i v i t y . It is b e l i e v e d that s u c h s p a c e s a n d t h e r e s u l t a n t cohesiveness

c o u l d c o n t r i b u t e i m m e n s e l y t o w a r d s t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f a s o c i e t y that is

coherent.
References - Introduction

1. P e r e r a , L . S . R . ; Accomodating informal sector enterprises in the

urban built environment, Asian institute of technology,

Hong Kong, 1994.