X

EMERGENCE OF LANDSCAPE URBANISM AS AN URBAN
DEVELOPMENT CASE STUDY
062155x
Dissertation submitted to the
Faculty of Architecture
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
For the final examination in
Degree of Bachelor of Architecture 2011
Department of Architecture
University of Moratuwa
Sri Lanka
January 2011
ABSTRACT
Key words
Landscape, urbanism, development, environment
Architectural and design theories follow an orbital motion as seen throughout the
history. When the western world is turning back at the environmental consciousness
the developing countries are rapidly destructing the environment to give way to
infrastructure development ambitions. However developing countries always look at
the developed countries for precedents. This phenomenon holds both negative and
positive attributes. The contemporary local urban scenario showcases foreign styles
and elements which are over powering the city architecture. These are rapidly being
spread destructing the regional flavor and local environment.
Landscape urbanism is a new hybrid practice comprising architecture, landscape

architecture, urban design and planning. This ideology has occurred as a result of
ambitions to restore the natural ecology in the urbanity which is lost due to the
dominance of built environment. Basically it demarcates the contemporary western
ideology of built to natural rather than natural to built.
As a developing country contemporary Sri Lanka exhibits an attitude of natural to

built. But when closely examined it is seen that somehow or other we will have to
think vice versa as human beings are subordinate to nature whatever we try to do to
dominate it. So that it is needed to examine the processes of the developed countries
and learn from them to establish a meaningful development policy. The study aims at
looking at such processes with special reference to the contemporary phenomenon of
landscape urbanism and analyze local avenues that demarcate such new urban
perspectives.
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract i
Table of contents ii
List of illustrations iv
Introduction 01
Chapter one – Architectural design movement and urban development 05
1.1 – Orbital nature of theory 06

1.2 – Two entities of development 12
1.2.1 – The third world development 13
1.2.2 – The first world development 15
1.3 – Sustainability and the eco city 16
ii
Chapter two – Emergence of landscape urbanism 21
2.1 – landscape and urbanism 22
2.2 – Contemporary theoretical discussions on landscape 25
2.2.1 – Changing role of landscape 26
2.2.2 – City as landscape 29
2.3 – Landscape urbanism; the emergence 30
2.3.1 – The origin 33
2.3.2 – Parc de la villette 35
2.3.3 – Downsview and Fresh kills competitions 38
Chapter three – Landscape urbanism as an urban development case study 40
3.1 – Contemporary development attitudes of the country 41
3.2 – International precedents and its influence on development 44
3.3 – Urban initiatives, concepts and phenomenon of contemporary Sri Lanka 48
3.3.1 – Havelock city 49
3.3.2 – Colombo 07 greenery 53
3.4 – Urban initiatives through landscape urbanism perspective 55
Conclusion 59
References 63
iii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure 1.1 Mies Van der Rohe 07
Figure 1.2 Robert Venturi 07
Figure 1.3 Buildings of modernism 08
Figure 1.4 Pruitt-Igoe housing scheme detonation 08
Figure 1.5 Ford poster 09
Figure 1.6 Mass production of cars 09
Figure 1.7 Las Vegas 10
Figure 1.8 City as an egg 12
Figure 1.9 Mumbai slums 13
Figure 1.10 Development..? 14
Figure 1.11 Times magazine green cover 16
Figure 1.12 LEED logo 17
Figure 1.13 Green globe logo 17
Figure 1.14 Carbon trading 18
Figure 1.15 New urbanism concepts 18
Figure 1.16 Danish pavilion by Bjarke Ingles 19
Figure 1.17 Chinese people on bicycles 20
iv
Figure 2.1 Cave paintings 22
Figure 2.2 Swiss iron works head quarters 23
Figure 2.3 Blue stick garden 24
Figure 2.4 Olympic sculpture park – Seattle 25
Figure 2.5 Jacob Javitz plaza 26
Figure 2.6 New York High Line project 27
Figure 2.7 Kenneth Yeang ecological master planning 28
Figure 2.8 Floating island 29
Figure 2.9 Palacio Hiero a Mexican city mall 31
Figure 2.10 bank of England 32
Figure 2.11 Recovering landscape book cover 33
Figure 2.12 The landscape urbanism reader book cover 33
Figure 2.13 Parc De La Villette competition entry by 35
Bernard Schumi
Figure 2.14 Parc De La Villette 36
Figure 2.15 Parc De La Villette competition entry 37
by Rem Koolhaas
Figure 2.16 Downsview park competition entry 39
by James Corner Field
v
Figure 3.1 Uthuru Wasanthaya 42
Figure 3.2 Proposed convention center at Hambanthota 43
Figure 3.3 Hambanthota harbor development 43
Figure 3.4 American bill boards in the 90s 45
Figure 3.5 Contemporary Sri Lankan advertising 45
Figure 3.6 Billboards 46
Figure 3.7 Nuga gama 46
Figure 3.8 Colombo, Colombo 48
Figure 3.9 Havelock city project 49
Figure 3.10 Singapore MRT 50
Figure 3.11 Singapore residence towers 50
Figure 3.12 Trillium residencies web page caption 52
Figure 3.13 Aerial map of Colombo 7 53
Figure 3.14 Aerial map of Pettah 54
Figure 3.15 Recent floods 55
Figure 3.16 Gandhara Street 57
Figure 3.17 Wellawatta canal 58
vi
INTRODUCTION
Architecture directly deals with the built environment and

the built environment moulds the physical structure of
the city. Often the development of a country or a city is
depicted by means of its physical infrastructure. Is built
environment really an indicator of development?
It has been an indicator and it could be considered still to

a certain extent. The developed countries however are re-
thinking whether the concrete jungle is really the
development humans expect? The two entities of
developed and developing countries have different
opinions. At the first place developed countries have gone
through industrialization and mass destruction of forests
to arrive at the present state of development which is the
concrete jungle. As depicted in the Charlie Chaplin’s
movie Modern Times the city life has become a
monotonous mass production, service oriented entity
where life is not celebrated. In conclusion the cities are
not healthy to live at and the process of creating them has
caused fatal environmental consequences to our home –
The Mother Earth.
Page | 1
“The irony is that while we in the west now seek
holistic solutions for post-industrial life and
landscapes, nations with emerging economies –
China in particular are industrializing at frantic
rates based on the old western model”
Neil p and Hopkins j cited in Sheila Harvey and

Fieldhouse k, in 2005, p151
As a student of Architecture I have noticed this

phenomenon in the local context. Sri Lankan cityscapes
seem to have adopted certain elements and strategies
which are influenced by the Western model. Some of
these are positive and some are negative. Positive-
negative, black-white, good-bad are the polarities that we
interact in life, at the design stages of Parc de la villette
Bernard Schumi assisted Jacques Derrida for his
philosophical understanding who expressed an interesting
idea,
At least since Vitruvius, architecture has been

subordinated to considerations of commodity,
firmness and delight. Derrida acknowledged that
the ancient values should not be dismissed; he
challenged the hierarchical dominance of one
term over another in the polarities of male-
female, white-black, and author-critic. He did
not wish to destroy the polarities, but to
challenge the dominance of one pole over the
other.
Turner T, 1996, p 208
Page | 2
Likewise we can notice that a certain amount of
dominance of one polarity over the other. Our planners
and decision makers are at a one way thinking process
resulting in the dominance of one polarity which is in
development terms the development of the built fabric.
Are we going to chase the American dream and then think

back again or are we going to learn the lessons and adjust
our development ambitions to suit the future?
Landscape Urbanism is a new hybrid concept involving

architecture, landscape architecture, planning and urban
design. It is still at the nurturing stages as it happens to be
a recent development. It focuses on a bottom up planning
and design process concentrating on the built to natural
contrary to the ideology of natural to built.
Some urban initiatives in the local context seems to

exhibit the precedence which are discussed under
landscape urbanism concept and as a developing country
we still have provision to adopt a new way of thinking, so
that the study is to configure the emergence of landscape
urbanism at the local scale and critically analyze its
impact of the urban situation and whether it may or may
not provide a new insight contrary to the above
mentioned built fabric oriented development.
According to the limited time frame allocated to the

dissertation it has to be narrowed down to a manageable
limit, so that it is divided in to three chapters, the
dissertation is an exploration of theory related to
architecture and a parallel reading with other affiliated
discourses such as landscape, urban design, and planning.
Page | 3
The method adopted in researching is not based on case
study detailing, as the topic demands a theoretical basis
that can be cohesively described by means of appropriate
examples from literature and projects from both local and
foreign arena.
The first chapter highlights the proceedings of the world

architectural movements that led towards the
contemporary situation of sustainability concern and its
occurrence as green architecture in architecture, as new
urbanism in urban design and as landscape urbanism in
landscape. Especial emphasis will be given to the
emergence of landscape urbanism as it acts as the general
idea which the dissertation revolves.
The issue of taking the western model as a precedent by

the emerging economies will be described in the second
chapter. The Sri Lankan situation will be highlighted in
forming the argument. The third chapter will discuss the
examples along with the theoretical discussion formulated
by the former chapters which will lead the way towards
the conclusion of the whole study.
Page | 4
CHAPTER ONE
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN MOVEMENTS ANDURBAN DEVELOPMENT

Architectural design movements and urban development Chapter one
1.1 - Orbital nature of theory
When there was no obvious way forward, most

designers turned back to the reproduction of
ancient styles. This revolution in the exact
sense of ‘orbital motion’ dates back from 1793
(Tom Turner, 1996, p217)
The book City As Landscape where the book author Tom

Turner under the chapter heading Revolutions In The
Garden tries to summon up the pattern of ideological
changes in the garden design. The orbital motion is the
subject that can be considered as an interesting observation
which is phenomenal in all the aspects of life if we are keen
enough to notice.
The most common and understandable out of all is the

trends and styles of fashion, where a trend from a bygone
era can be seen re-emerging as the contemporary hot shot.
Fashion or any other trend can be considered to possess a
cyclic life. It emerges as a trend at the beginning then
throughout the usage it is being introduced to the particular
city or the country, at this stage it is at a growing phase
where people try to familiarize the object or style by
imitating the people who use it. After being spread in a
considerable portion of the society it arrives at a saturated
phase. Followed by the saturated phase comes the decline
phase where people may try out something new, the initial
enthusiasm fades away but the trend does not die but it will
reach another audience in a different part of the world thus
supporting the cyclic movement.
Page | 6
In architecture, landscape design, urban design and

planning the above rule is phenomenal even though it
fig 1.1 - Mies Van Der Rohe
may take relatively a longer period than fashion. In
[electronic print] Available
reading architectural history one may find various
at <http://www.cartype.com
theoretical discourses that compliment, contradict and > [Accessed 6th December
sometimes cross over each other in so making 2010]
architecture one of the interesting discourses

available where no fixed boundaries are
demarcated. Elaborating on the topic the best
example is the statement by the renowned
architect Mies Van der Rohe stating “less is
more” which was contradicted by another
renowned architect Robert Venturi stating “less

is bore”. The contradiction of the two
statements does not run down any of the two
architects but both are considered masters of
the same trade. Interestingly this sought of
dialogue triggers the idea of not having a
distinct truth in considering theoretical
frameworks, so that the considered truth during
fig 1.2 - Robert Venturi
a certain time period becomes out dated and stated to
be possessing certain errors thus becoming unsuitable
at <http://www.cartype.com
or unhealthy for the life style of the people considered. > [Accessed 6th December
However these theories which reign over a period of 2010]
time contribute to various changes in the human

civilization.
These theoretical discourses, movements, or the ‘isms’

hold a significant value as it has provided the
background for changes in arts, architecture, planning,
politics etc. Those changes may act as both positive
and negative outcomes.
Page | 7
Once the majority becomes uneasy with a certain

theology it fades away giving rise to a substitute fig 1.3 - buildings of
modernism [electronic
solution. The utopian dream initiated by the print] Available at
modernism which resulted in the industrial revolution <http://the-
tallyho.blogspot.com >
marks a significant turning point in the history.
[Accessed 6th December
2010]
My friends, the past has been a
time of woe let us go forward to a
bright future, to a new age of
prosperity, health and happiness
founded on the principles of
liberty, equity and fraternity.
The modernist ethic was a hope towards a new life

style. In architecture which was pioneered by Le
Corbusier formulated a set of guide lines in designing
buildings. Flat roofs, reinforced concrete typified the
era which was coined as the dominant age of the fig 1.4 - Pruitt-Igoe housing
univalent form. The concept of univalency ruled the scheme
detonation[electronic print]
modernist era through not only architecture but also in
Available at
planning and other related fields as well. The town <http://www.coyoteblog.com
planning and urban design was based on the aspect of > [Accessed 6th December
2010]
functionality thus ignoring the
design issues that adds on to the
humane factor of the overall
context. The failure or the death
of modernism can be expressed
by the detonation of Pruitt-Igoe
housing scheme in July 1972.
Page | 8
The building which adopted the purist hospital

metaphor of the modernism surprisingly has won an
award from the American Institute Of Architects when
it was designed, by the mid-seventies these explosions
were becoming a quite frequent method of dealing
with the failures of modernist building methods fig 1.5 - ford poster
(Charles Jencks, 1968, p30). Industrialism which
provided the ground for the modernism seed to at <http://www.cartype.com
germinate has its own way of adding to the historical > [Accessed 6th December
2010]
development. Like the utopian dream of the
modernists the noble idea of Henry Ford
changed the life styles and cityscapes forever
with its dominance of the motor car.
“I will build a motor car for the

great multitude….. so low in price
that no man… will be unable to
own one and enjoy with his
family the blessings of hours of
pleasure in God’s great open
spaces”
(P.Blake, 1964, pg57)
The concept of the city was idealized from

natural to build where high ways
interconnected each other townships together.
The life styles were purely based on the
functionality inflicted by the machine
metaphor.
fig 1.6 - mass production of cars
[electronic print] Available at

<http://www.gettyimages.com
Page | 9 > [Accessed 6th December 2010]
It is interesting to notice that the idea of Henry Ford to

provide affordable motor cars to enjoy the natural
open spaces itself was the destruction of the natural
context and traditional town concept which was much
humane than the modernist townships.
Naturally the univalency did not exist forever resulting

in a new ideological shift, as this followed modernism
it was named post-modernism. Architectural post-
modernism was typified by the multi-valent idea or the
pluralism. It is a combination of both modernism and fig 1.7 - Las Vegas
historical antecedents, in planning contrary to the Pluralism of the junk yard,

modernist attitude post-modern planners adopted the buildings hold individual
character but collectively
idea of diversity. Likewise many movements preceded lacks seems out of place.
the post-modernism. It is not surprising to notice the
contemporary cities where individual buildings
showcase unique identities rather than the concrete, <http://www.ubertramp.com >
glass matchbox solution of the modernists. [Accessed 8th December 2010]
Page | 10
This new phenomenon of pluralism according to the

architectural critics resulted in the pluralism of the
junk yard, where individuals considered may hold a
certain character but collectively stands meaningless or
out of place.
The technological advances, material consciousness,

univalency and multivalency all ultimately created a
built environment that reigned over the natural
context. The spree of development was so direct that
the loss of our inherent naturality was unnoticed or
neglected till we got tired of building our concrete
dreams.
From the poetic style of the renaissance, vitruvian

morale of commodity delight and firmness, machine
metaphor of modernism, scientific thought of
industrialism the theoretical spectrum revolves to
arrive at the contemporary natural consciousness;
GREEN. The process started from the man’s control
over the natural context, ultimately the contemporary
situation provides testimony however sometime or
other natural context has to be thought after in the
first place. However once the ideology of the built to
natural wear off the cycle will continue its course
again; the history repeats.
The fact of emergence and divergence of various design

movements are not to be discussed throughout the
dissertation but to critically review the contemporary
situation of the ideological stand point which is
generated in the developed world and the impact of it
on the developing countries will be examined.
Page | 11
1.2 – Two entities of development
As discussed in the previous sub chapter architectural

design movements have changed with the time due to
ideological shifts caused by the development of various
aspects of human life. The flow of this cyclic changes
did not single handedly changed the architectural
language of buildings only. As a collective measure the
building ideological shifts impacted the overall city or
urban form. The history of urban design, city planning,
urban housing and so forth showcases a continual need
by the planners and authorities to restructure the
urbanity, so the city form has been constantly at a
fig 1.8 - city as an egg, coined
dynamic situation rather than a static entity. The
by Cedric Price
resulting city form was expressed interestingly by the
metaphorical adoption of the city during different eras <http://honeyedmouth.blogspot.
to an egg in different forms by Cedric Price. com > [Accessed 6th December
2010]
Page | 12
1.2.1 – The third world development
The definition or the identification of the city or the fig 1.9 - Mumbai slums
urbanity may differ drastically with the country or the [electronic print] Available at
region. As described in Charles Correa’s book The New <http://www.abc.net.au >
[Accessed 8th December 2010]
Landscape the third world city icons are
undifferentiated mass of humanity and cycles clogging
the roads in all directions, contrary to the city icons of
the developed world which are high rise towers,
automobiles and flyovers. Then again considering the
case of Bombay in India there is a part which is densely
populated by high rises and another part which is
densely populated by the squatter settlements but
comparatively the squatter settlements are at a rapid
pace of multiplying as a result of the daily influx of
stress migration from the rural areas. While the nation
has grown by 50% and the city by 100%, the squatters
have increased more than 1100%!, facts such as these
are going to change the images triggered in our minds
by the word “city” (Charles Correa 1989, p 11). The
image of the city thus becomes a multifaceted one with
relevance to the country or the region we are talking
about. With this idea the thought that the cultural and
sociological issues interplay in moulding the city has to
be individually thought after in generating a unique
city model for the individual countries. This concludes
the blindfolded copying of the western model as the
wrong answer to the question posed.
Page | 13
The study does not intend to look at

the urban phenomenology from a
sociological perspective but to
summon up the theoretical changes
affected the city form in general. The
concept of orbital motion which was
highlighted in reference to the
architectural ideologies would be
considered here again as the argument
of different urban developments. As
cited in the introduction Peter Neil
and John Hopkins in The Cultured
Landscape has observed that while the
western world is re-thinking the urban
theoretical bases they adopted in
development, the emerging economies
are following on the foot steps they
have created. This phenomenon is
seen by Peter Neil and John Hopkins
as a contemporary irony. This aspect is
also noticeable in the ethic of the BRIC countries fig 1.10 - development..?
(Brazil,Russia,India,China) towards development as [electronic print] Available at
those countries are reluctant to follow environmental <http://www.dailyhaha.com >
friendly measures as it will slow down the pace of
development. They are in the idea that as the
developed countries they will consider the aftermath
once the development goals are fulfilled.
Page | 14
1.2.2 – The first world development
The phenomenon above discussed can be simplified as

a single act or process that takes place at different
paces in different regions. The western world has
frantically followed the development ambitions with
less consideration about other facts, and once
achieved, the aftermath and remedial issues are
considered. This fact is exhibited by the elaboration in
the contemporary initiatives towards the environment
or sustainability consciousness. While they highlight
on the importance of natural processes through their
trial and error method the developing nations are
doing the same destruction in the name of
development. Does the western world have a right to
demand the frenzy of developing world which they
have previously practiced? Or can’t the developing
countries think of a positive new hybrid development
strategy with the lessons from the west?
These questions are not easy enough to be provided

with an answer, a kaleidoscope of issues which are
interrelated together lingers at the background. The
dissertation framework does not provide the scope to
carry out such an extensive analysis during the course
of time granted, so that the following chapters will be
prioritized on the new hybrid concept of Landscape
Urbanism which has emerged along with many other
concepts.
Page | 15
1.3 – Sustainability and the eco city
The contemporary western or the developed countries

ideology towards built environment is predominantly
concerned with sustainable issues. As the industrialist
ideal of mechanization has worn off resulting in fatal
environmental circumstances the present generation of
professionals are developing environmental friendly
technologies and practices. The Modern city was used
to consume materials and energy at a large scale and
produce a relative amount of waste which resulted in
pollution. The present trend of cityscapes and the
urban habitat is the opposite. The present generation is fig 1.11 - Time magazine green
being provided awareness on the importance of cover
managing resources. Recently the world has shown The only issue in the
history of time magazine
various initiatives towards this aspect by means of
which used a different
conferences, summits etc. color in its cover from its
usual red color signifies the
Development that meets the needs of the importance of green issues.
present without compromising the ability of

future generations to meet their own needs.
<http://www.tnr.com > [Accessed
The Bruntland Commission 1987 7th December 2010]
Above mentioned is the definition of sustainability as

coined by the Bruntland Commission in 1987.
Sustainability idealizes the scarce resource
management. The concept has become the key concern
in all most all the day today occurrences ranging from
food generation methods, vehicles, clothing
manufacture and so forth.
Page | 16
In architecture this phenomenon has taken place as

Green architecture, in urbanism it is new urbanism.
The bottom line of green architecture concept is

cutting down on the capitol energy and the operational
energy. Capitol energy means the energy which has to
be invested in creating a building. This includes the
fig 1.12 - LEED logo
energy on material extraction, processing,
transportation, human contribution, construction etc. <http://www.altensis.com >
in order to minimize on the capitol energy the [Accessed 6th December 2010]
buildings are encouraged to use materials which

possesses a low amount of embedded energy,
embedded energy is a measure of energy invested on
creating and processing a particular material. The
operational energy is the energy which is required to
run or operate the building for its desired purpose.
This includes lighting, ventilation, level of
maintenance required etc. adopting passive strategies
fig 1.13 - Green globe logo
for lighting and ventilation purposes are encouraged so
as to cut down the operational energy demand. It is [electronic print] Available at
<http://www.med.govt.nz >
interesting to examine the amount of operational [Accessed 6th December 2010]
energy needed even in majority of office and other
buildings in Sri Lanka. A brief survey done under the
subject module low energy architecture on Nawam
Mawatha office buildings has shown that majority of
buildings possess a very high carbon foot print as a
result of buildings being clad with glass or Zn-Al
cladding which demands air conditioning and lighting
even at day times. The carbon foot print is the
collective measure of the environmental impact done
by a person, a building, a machine or by an activity.
Page | 17
Carbon foot print briefly is a measure of the amount of

carbon released by the activities and processes of an
individual or an object. Lower the carbon foot print
lower the impact to the environment. The developed
world has done so much damage by means of built
cities and infrastructure that they no longer possess
land which is needed for the green reclamation. To
compensate on the damage, they have initiated fig 1.14 - carbon trading
encouraging countries possible to grow trees for them [electronic print] Available at
<http://www.triplepundit.com>
for money which is called as carbon trading. This
implies the extent the developed world is willing to
tread in order to reclaim the natural entity.
The urban design initiative towards the sustainable

issue is surfaced as a new concept by the name new
urbanism. The main theme of new urbanism is to fig 1.15 - New urbanism
concepts
create closely knit neighborhood structures where
People will either walk
housing, work, recreation and other facilities are
or cycle to the work
located in walkable or cyclable distance. Even it is places.
named as NEW urbanism the concept has a historical [electronic print] Available at
precedent of old townships prior to the automobile <http://onewaystreet.typepad.co
m > [Accessed 6th December
revolution. The contemporary modern has become the
restoration of the past in a different form isn’t it? Even
though new urbanism promises to provide a
sustainable solution it is subjected to various
comments regarding the behavior patterns and life
styles which will occur as a result. Sustainability is but
one amongst many goals, we want cities that are
beautiful, convenient, comfortable and accessible, if
sustainability were over emphasized cities would
become miserable places (Tom Turner, 1996, pg 92)
Page | 18
While the western world is idealizing on these aspects

Charles Correa in New Landscape in 1989 did put
forward that those concepts are already within the
habitat of the people of the third world countries. But
the attitude of westernizing is changing the habitat
patterns at the contemporary stage as expressed by
Charles Correa before two decades.
This is expressed by
the Danish pavilion
design for the
Shanghai Expo 2010
designed by the
Architect Bjarke
Ingles. The
circulation concept
for the design is by
means of a bicycling
ramp, according to
fig 1.16 - Danish pavilion for
the designer earlier Chinese city life was densely
Shanghai Expo 2010
populated by bicycles but it is at a decreasing phase so
that the idea of the pavilion was to re-introduce the <http://www.contemporist.com>
bicycle which is healthier to the city itself and to the [Accessed 6th December 2010]
people as a green machine. Likewise the ideological

shifts generated by the environmental concerns are at
the peak, the resulting phenomenon can also be
reflected by the emergence of a new hybrid concept
named Landscape Urbanism.
Page | 19
What is Landscape Urbanism? Do we already have it? fig 1.17 - Chinese people on
We have it but are changing phases towards some bicycles to work places
daily. New urbanism
other? Or we have a potential towards adoption? concepts being practiced
before its emergence.
The following chapters of the dissertation are based on
the above posed questions. As through literature
references it is identified as the contemporary
<http://voyage.typepad.com>
paradigm that amalgamates architecture, landscape [Accessed 6th December 2010]
architecture, urban design and planning towards a
holistic urbanity. The ideals of the concept may not be
finite or forever as the time moves on another concept
or a movement will take place criticizing its aspects as
well, besides the term movement demarcates a
dynamic entity with a flow which is natural to get
subjected to changes and alterations.
Page | 20
CHAPTER TWO
EMERGENCE OF LANDSCAPE URBANISM
Emergence of landscape urbanism chapter two
2.1 – Landscape and urbanism
The language of landscape is our native language;

landscape was the original dwelling; humans evolved
among plants and animals, under the sky, upon the earth,
near water. Everyone carries that legacy in body and mind,
humans touched, saw, heard, smelled, tasted, lived in and
shaped landscapes before the species had words to
describe what it did. Landscapes were the first human
texts, read before the invention of other signs and fig 2.1 - cave paintings
symbols.
[electronic print]
(Spirn cited in Sheila Harvey and Ken Fieldhouse, 2005, Available at
pg17) <http://www.mimenta.com
> [Accessed 6th December
2010]
As the above statement dictates the man evolved with the
nature. Man’s initial dialogue was with the nature; at the
evolution process his first attempt was to identify his
surroundings. Through trial and error he worked his way
into the so called civilized man.
The transition from hunter gatherer to the agriculturist
was the initiative in shaping the surrounding forestscape
into landscape.
The word landscape triggers an idea about a physical
entity in a picturesque manner; whereas the landscape
painting is the best known historical precedent where
artists painted a potion of the nature for its aesthetical
appreciation.
Page | 22
Etymologically the word landscape is derived from the

Dutch word Landschap and German word Landschaft
which is evolved by the addition of suffixes to the word
Land. However all these definitions are based on the
appreciation of the nature in an aesthetic or romantic
manner which has also lead to the historical perception of
landscape as feminine.
The difference between landscape and nature is the
human interface. The minute that a single tree is cut down
or planted by a human it becomes a human landscape
intervention.
The contemporary meaning of landscape may not only be

the representational aspect of it but further stretching
towards its objective processes. Throughout the history
the landscape design has being considered as an art form
which was basically involved in garden
design but today landscape design has
become a social entity with a higher
purpose. It has leapt from private
garden design to a public necessity.
Landscape is therefore a multivalent
form of knowledge, It does not sit easily
within any single discipline, nor does it
offer only one perspective upon the world, this plurality fig 2.2 - Swiss iron works
creates tension, as the knowledge within landscape and head quarters landscape
the imperatives for action that it brings can lead to diverse [electronic print]
outcomes (Simon Swaffield cited in Sheila Harvey and Ken Available at
<http://www.visitsaarland.c
Fieldhouse, 2005, pg7). o.uk> [Accessed 6th
December 2010]
Page | 23
Urbanism can be defined as the study of the processes of fig 2.3 - Blue stick garden
change in towns and cities or else it can be defined as the
[electronic print]
product of town planning and development. The term Available at
<http://zorwan.persianblog.
urbanism however has a direct link with the human
ir > [Accessed 7th
behavior patterns, political aspects, economy, and socio December 2010]
cultural aspects of the urban situation.
The contemporary definition or the understanding of the
urbanism is based on the built environment. Economic
aspects and real estate development seems to have taken
over the initial priority on the human aspects of the urban
condition. As discussed in the first chapter the
development of the city has undergone various changes
due to the different movements which has not only
changed the architectural definitions but also has
subsequently resulted in a change in the town and country
planning arena.
Page | 24
2.2 –Contemporary Theoretical discussions on

Landscape
The landscape has been a medium or a mode to

understand the world we live in throughout the history of
human civilization. Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe’s landscape of
man is an ornate historical description of the civilization
through the landscape point of view, which provides a
powerful testimony to its role as an indicator of change.
As discussed in the previous chapter the contemporary
design has arrived at the environmental consciousness
stage. The relationship or the interconnection of the
global urbanization processes with the natural
fig 2.4 - Olympic
environment has become the key concern of designers sculpture park at Seattle
today.
[electronic print]
It was only in the present century that the collective Available at
landscape has emerged as a social necessity (Geoffrey, <http://www.artslant.com
> [Accessed 7th December
Susan Jellicoe 1975, pg 7). At the contemporary stage it has 2010]
become a fully fledged discourse that deals with
public open space planning and designing to the
reclamation of post industrial sites in developed
countries. Landscape today serve a larger purpose
in the urban design field of the developed
countries where it is becoming the major
component and has preceded over the role of the built
form as the basic building block of city planning and
designing. Increasingly landscape is emerging as a model
for urbanism (Charles Waldheim, 2005, 12 Praxis)
Page | 25
2.2.1 – Changing role of Landscape
For many architects, landscape has become

the model and medium through which
contemporary urbanism is best apprehended.
Charles Waldheim
Landscape deviating from the private garden designing

has become a public entity at the contemporary stage and
also landscape is being interpreted by different people and
countries in different manners due to socio cultural,
political and economic factors. For example the
contemporary term landscape may not always deal with
trees and greenery.
But in the process of naturalization landscape directly
deals with vegetation, the difference here is vegetation or
landscape elements are not merely used as a visual
backdrop in the cityscapes. Over powering the visual
aspect of landscape it is appreciated for the natural
processes that underlie the whole landscape system. The fig 2.5 - Jacob Javitz plaza
phrase landscape ecology in this context has become a
[electronic print]
major component where landscapes are used to restore
Available at
the natural eco-systems which are destroyed by the <http://zorwan.persianblog.
ir> [Accessed 8th December
human interference. 2010]
Ecological restoration is a new concept in landscape scene
which developed countries have adopted in the
reclamation process of vast industrial sites which resulted
due to industrial revolution, mass production and
automation.
Page | 26
Reclamation landscape is practiced as a separate branch of

contemporary landscape design. At the urban scale where
built ratio is over powering the non built area this
ecological restoration is practiced in a different manner.
Here abandoned structures, railway lines etc are used as
landscape components so as to restore naturality and
most importantly to provide a catalyst to the monotonous
urban life of the urbanites. The New York High Line
Project and Atlanta Belt Line are exemplary projects
where landscape is used as an urban boom.
fig 2.6 - New York High Line

project

<http://www.arch.mcgill.ca >
Page | 27
The landscape cannot be concluded as used completely

different from its historical role but it can be stated as an
upgration with a higher purpose. Ruderal vegetation is
one such aspect of the wide spectrum of landscape where
plants are allowed to grow in the natural accord, here the
human interference is limited only to the management
aspect. This trend or system has occurred because it is
researched that natural growth and distribution of eco
systems are far more diverse biologically than the
controlled or planted vegetation patches in landscape.
Likewise the role of landscape is at a dynamic phase thus
resulting how we perceive our surrounding context. It is
also note worthy that architectural practices are also
amalgamating landscape at a higher degree than the
previous eras, contemporary examples are numerous
where buildings are being treated as landscapes itself.
Ecological master planning concepts of Kenneth Yeang are
such initiatives where whole townscapes are to be
designed as a single landscape.
fig 2.7 - Kenneth Yeang
ecological master
planning
[electronic print]
Available at
<http://zorwan.persianblo
g.ir> [Accessed 8th
December 2010]
Page | 28
2.2.2 - City as Landscape
Landscape urbanism is a resulting paradigm shift caused

by the reaction of the design professionals in order to
bridge the gap between natural environment and the built
environment at the urban scale. The
trigger or the inspiration for this new
concept was generated in the urban
context or simply in the city.
It has been suggested that landscape
may be the model for a third urban
form, the first emerged as a tight
Neolithic agrarian arrangement
containing a narrowly defined urban
core and associated protected surrounding; subsequently fig 2.8 - floating island
this form was disrupted by the industrial revolution which
[electronic print]
allowed the city to spill beyond initial constraints to form Available at
<http://www.flickr.com>
a looser second form; the third form after this modern
industrial revolution city form has been described as an 2010]
organic model (Christopher Grey 2005, pg 34,35)
According to the classification of Cedric Price the
contemporary city form is a scrambled egg where the core
is distributed throughout the context this demarcates an
open ended city form which is parallel to the ecological
patches of landscape ecology. The city also is at a
distribution process dissolving the city edges thus it either
spreading as city into the landscape or vice versa. These
are the facts that are considered in the landscape
urbanism discourse.
Page | 29
2.3 - Landscape urbanism; the emergence
“Landscape urbanism’s methodology is

multidisciplinary by definition, expanding
from the legacy of landscape design to
consider the complexity of contemporary
urban dynamics. It integrates knowledge
and techniques from such disciplines as
environmental engineering, urban strategy,
landscape ecology, the development
industry and architecture.”
Architectural Association. Graduate prospectus 2005 cited
in Christopher Grey, 2006, pg23
As the statement dictates landscape urbanism is a

multidisciplinary approach which has a close relationship
with the idea of pluralism. The Modern architecture and
planning of the 1970s and early 80s prompted the failure
in creating livable and meaningful cityscapes and
townships; the phenomenon was a direct result of the
Modern single handed approach which was described in
the former part of the dissertation. Along with the social,
environmental urban disasters of the industrialization
during the twentieth century and the nostalgic permanent
individual structures of the post-modernism the global
urban phenomenon has reached the contemporary stages
of development. The present day society comprises of a
multi cultural, multi religious environment where the
expectations of the people are rapidly changing and very
Page | 30
different from each other. Traditional urban design’s

dependence upon a steady supply of substantial,
sympathetically styled, and spatially sequenced
architectural objects could not be sustained given the
advent of mobile markets, automobile culture, and the
decentralization of cultural norms (Charles Waldheim
2005, pg12). Can the urban aspirations of these societies
which are powered by the information technology be
handled by the conventional urban design and planning
theories? This is where the landscape urbanism comes
into play.
The act of master planning at the urban scale has to be
thoroughly sought out in this context. The master
fig 2.9 - Palacio Hiero a
planning has to deal with the changes of the Mexican city mall
contemporary society and run hand in hand with the
[electronic print]
natural concerns which have taken the center stage. As a Available at
<www.flatrock.org.nz>
result the contemporary city definitions are moving from
the concrete jungle to the actual naturalness. 2010]
Page | 31
The era of dominating nature in an attitude of natural to

built is over in the developed part of the world giving way
to the present day trend of built
to natural.
In this context the landscape is not just an element used
to camouflage the architectural and planning blunders. It
has been a cover up story during the bygone eras of the
developed world and it is still in action in some parts of
the emerging economies around the globe. The
contemporary landscape in the developed part of the
globe acts a different and much important role which is
the bottom line in landscape urbanism practice. The fig 2.10 - Bank of
England
disappearance of the city into the landscape thus becomes
a part of its larger evolution over time that can be The designer John Soane
saw his building as a
designed (James Corner cited in Grahame Shane, 2003, pg future ruin.
3). The landscape in this perspective is thought with its
[electronic print]
inherent qualities rather than its visual appreciation, Available at
<http://www.arch.mcgill.c
landscape is dealt as an ecological process where the
a > [Accessed 4th
process of naturalization is introduced into the city. December 2010]
Page | 32
2.3.1 – Origin
James Corner Field a landscape architect and the head of

the University of Pennsylvania initially developed the
phrase landscape as urbanism in the 1990’s during a
conference which dealt with “constructing landscape” and
“recovering landscape”, the outcome of ideas and papers
were published under the theme Recovering Landscape.
Charles Waldheim a graduate of the landscape
Architecture program University of Pennsylvania coined
the term Landscape Urbanism and organized a conference
on the same topic in 1997. This conference and the
initiatives by James Corner paved the path into this new
paradigm which is being publicized by literature and also
being taught as a graduate program in some universities.
First coined in the 1990’s the term landscape urbanism is a

hybrid practice between landscape and architecture with
the assumption that the landscape has a specific relevance
in defining the contemporary city.
A straight forward definition on landscape urbanism is not
available due to the fact that it is a new discipline, a
fig 2.11 - recovering
hybrid field between landscape and architecture. Across a landscape book cover
range of disciplines, landscape is the lens through which fig 2.12 – the landscape
the contemporary city is represented and the material urbanism reader book
cover
from which it is constructed (Charles Waldheim, 2005,
[electronic print]
10praxis).
Available at
<http://smendelson.com>
2010]
Page | 33
According to a research paper done by Gunilla Lindholm

a senior lecturer, landscape architect from the department
of Architecture SLU Sweden on landscape urbanism has
defined landscape urbanism as a new paradigm that
brings together professional fields like Architecture,
Landscape Architecture, Urban design, Urban planning
and Landscape planning, further more it is said that the
concept is based on bringing together in many senses; the
urban- rural, natural- cultural, small scale – large scale,
public issues- private issues etc.. Landscape urbanism also
is a manifestation on open space and natural systems over
built form and infrastructure. Basically the concept is
about the transformation of the urban scheme through
landscape related aspects such as water systems, ecology,
bio diversity and the introduction of urban agriculture,
multiple use of infrastructure which has a direct
relationship with the urban built fabric and life style.
Charles Waldheim defined Landscape Urbanism as a
branch of Landscape ecology, concentrating on the
organization of human activities in the natural landscape.
Explaining further Waldheim adds that landscape
urbanism is a design discipline like landscape Architecture
that operates in the spaces between buildings,
infrastructural systems and natural ecologies. Landscape
urbanism also describes a reorientation of planning where
landscape will replace the role of architecture as the main
building block in contemporary urban design. The
landscape urbanism concepts were triggered by the
architectural and landscaping projects in the urban scale
and the thought involved in forming them, also it is at the
Page | 34
processing stage with new knowledge being generated by

means of international competitions. It is most probably
the knowledge generated by the practice and by the
search into a new way of looking at the urban scenario
rather than theory being formed and applied into the
projects itself.
2.3.2 - Parc de la Villette
There are problems with the word ‘park’; fig 2.13 - Parc De La
Villette
etymologically a park is an enclosed place
Bernard Schumi’s
for keeping beasts, as distinct from an competition entry
unenclosed ‘forest’. Early town parks were
also enclosed by wooden and then iron [electronic print]
Available at
railings. In Britain and Germany the barriers <http://landscapelover.wo
and the supervision have been removed to a rdpress.com> [Accessed
4th December 2010]
greater extent than in France. But this has
not brought about a fundamental difference
in the character of the parks.
Tom Turner, 1996, pg 211
The naming of the Parc de la villette triggered an

interesting debate over the client and the architect
Bernard Schumi. The latter believed at that stage the word
park has lost its meaning and wanted to provide the client
with ‘the largest discontinuous building in the world’. The
client argued on the fact that people will not be willing to
go to a discontinuous building for what they expect from a
park, subsequently the project ended up becoming ‘The
Page | 35
parc de la villette’. However this particular project marks a
turning point in architecture and landscape design
evolution.
The project initiated as a design competition in the 1982 to
design an ‘Urban park for the 21st century’ on a 125 acre
former site of Paris’s largest slaughter house. La villette
proposed landscape as the basic framework for an urban
transformation of what had formerly been a working part
of the city, left derelict by shifts in economies of
production and consumption (Charles Waldheim, 2005,
pg 13). Out of 470 entries from 70 countries two projects
stood out from the rest demarcating a new ideological
shift. The winning entry by the architect Bernard Schumi fig 2.14 - Parc De La
Villette
astounded landscape architects and designers with its
revolutionary idea of employing landscape as an [electronic print]
Available at
appropriate and most suitable medium to order complex <http://www.flickr.com>
arrangements of urban activities. This was the outcome of [Accessed 4th December
2010]
Schumi’s interest on the reconstitution of event and
program as architectural concerns rather than superficial
stylistic issues which symbolized the post-modern
architecture. This initiative demarcated the motive behind
landscape urbanism where landscape is used as the
primary element in organizing the whole. The parc
employs a set of free standing structures which are named
follies, these structures were first designed and assigned a
purpose later on, contrary to the
architectural monologue form
follows function.
Page | 36
These structures along with the overall setting facilitate

both perceived and arbitrary programs which are
subjected by the urban dynamics.
Even though unbuilt the second place winning entry by
the office of Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) and Rem
Koolhaas also demarcated a
new ideology which paved
the path in defining the
landscape urbanism
concepts. As Koolhaas
conceived it, the
infrastructure of the parc
was strategically organized
to support an indeterminate
and unknowable set of
future uses over time
(Charles Waldheim 14). It is
also stated by Koolhaas that
during the life span of a
park it is in a perpetual
state of revision so that the
design should facilitate
modification, replacement,
or substitution without affecting the initial design
fig 2.15 - Parc De La
hypothesis. This idea is reminiscent to that of Christopher Villette
Rem Koolhaas
Alexander’s idea of timeless way of building. The inability competition entry
of the built structures to adjustments resulted by changing
[electronic print]
urban attitudes question our prominence of such Available at
components in the urban planning agenda. <http://contemporarydesig
nandarchitecture.blogspot.
com> [Accessed 4th
Page | 37
This contemporary phenomenon is what that is being

questioned by the landscape urbanism. In Christopher
Alexander’s view the city is not a tree – it is a landscape
with overlapping layers which demands an open ended
planning and design approach.
2.3.3 - Downsview and Fresh kills competitions
The contemporary bias on landscape as the primary

medium is phenomenal in recent international
competitions where it is being adopted as the basic design
configuration. Such recent projects are the Downsview
Park on an abandoned military air base site in Toronto
and Fresh Kills on world’s largest landfill site on Staten
Island, New York. These two projects are coined as the
most fully formed examples of contemporary landscape
urbanism practice. The body of work produced for them
represents an emerging consensus that designers of the
built environment, across disciplines would do well to
examine landscape as the medium through which to
conceive the renovation of the post-industrial city
(Charles Waldheim, 2005, pg16).
Schemes presented by James Corner and Allen/Field
Operations for Downsview and fresh Kills comprise of
detailed diagrams of phasing, animal habitats, succession
planting, hydrological systems etc.
Page | 38
The thought involved in the project description comprise

of complex interrelationships of natural ecologies, social
cultural and infrastructure of the contemporary city.
fig 2.16 - Downsview park

competition entry by James
Corner Field.
The diagram showcases phase by
phase development proposed for
the ecological restoration of the
park

<http://fruitfulcontradictions.blogsp
ot.com> [Accessed 9th December
2010]
Page | 39
CHAPTER THREE
LANDSCAPE URBANISM AS AN URBAN DEVELOPMENT CASE STUDY

Landscape urbanism as an urban development case study chapter three
3.1 – Contemporary development attitudes of the

country
As discussed in the first chapter of the dissertation the

concept of orbital nature of theory can be analyzed in the
local context as well. The contemporary world view on
design as formerly discussed is at the stage where
environmental sustainability consciousness is at the core.
As architects the Sri Lankan institute of Architects have
confronted on this fact and has been taking initiatives
throughout the last couple of years on the importance of
taking necessary acts towards the upcoming issues and
how the built environment and architecture all together
contribute to the fact in a positive manner.
Even though the initiatives are such from the professional

bodies, there seems to be a lacking in the implementation
of such measures due to the slow phase of policy making
and law enforcement. This particular situation provides
testimony to the present state of the country which is
governed by the mere will of the governing body rather
than the professional advice and accordance. This
phenomenon is coined as the crony politics of the third
world by Mark Gottdiener in his book New Urban
Sociology. The form of government at the national level
has played a key role in the success or failure of
development schemes in many third world countries
(M.Gottdiener, 2003, p288)
Page | 41
In the other hand the development phenomenon is

happening in a rather different manner concentrating on
the infrastructure mainly. After the nearly 30 year civil war
being ended the country enjoys a new found freedom
which has demanded civilians to look at their lives in a
new perspective. The government in this motive of a new
vision to the country has started on a multiple number of fig 3.1 - Uthuru wasanthaya
development projects throughout the country especially Equipment and machinery

arrayed at Galle Face Green
concentrating on the north-east and the southern regions.
before send in to the
The government is at a spree of accelerated development Northern province
with initiatives of such measure. But the contemporary
international phenomenon provides testimony that the
development indicators are no longer the panoramic at <http://www.defence.lk>
concrete structures and inter-wined multiple highways [Accessed 4th January 2011]
intersections.
As discussed in the second chapter the contemporary

concept of Landscape Urbanism has occurred as a result of
looking at the development perspective of the urbanity in
a new angle. It basically reaches the attitude of built to
natural rather than natural to built.
Page | 42
But the contemporary local condition is undoubtedly a

demarcation of the idea of natural to built. The argument
of development may take a multi faceted perspective as
some or else the majority will argue that the economic or
social development can only be achieved through
infrastructure development. This fact may hold a lot to
think about because development needs to be thought at
holistically rather than being biased on certain attitudes
and concepts. fig 3.2 - Proposed
Convention center
In the cycle of development contemporary Sri Lanka is at Hambanthota
undergoing the phase of infrastructure development of [electronic print] Available

at
harbors, air ports, oil refineries and so forth to arrive at
<http://www.development.lk
the development goals. As discussed earlier this > [Accessed 4th January 2011]
occurrence can be signified as a positive approach to the
civilians who are at a life style shift from largely agrarian
to service oriented job structure. But this method of
taking on the foot prints of the past methodologies of the fig 3.3 - Hambanthota
harbor development
developed countries has its own circumstances when
applied to the local context. For example the future city of
at
Hambanthota as perceived by means of 3d simulations <http://www.development.lk
show cases just another New York or a typical urban > [Accessed 4th January 2011]
metropolis. If this concrete dream

materializes in the name of development
won’t it destroy the inherent quality of
Hambanthota which the architects have
always being naming as the spirit of the
place? Will the predicted number of
tourists for the future Hambanthota will come to look at
the same concrete built up mess they interact in their day
to day lives?
Page | 43
3.2 – International precedents and its influence on

development
The contemporary development phenomenon discussed

above acted as the main observation behind the
dissertation which is perceived in the urban context
through the un-thoughtful copying of foreign models and
examples without considering their pros and cons.
International examples and precedents are an unavoidable
fact considering the contemporary technological biased
society. Now our increasingly multicultural society,
fuelled by cheap travel and information technology has
the ability to draw on an ever more eclectic mix of
references (Peter Neil and John Hopkins cited in Sheila
Harvey and Ken Fieldhouse, 2005, pg151).The concept of
globalization has decreased the gap between nations
through technological advancements thus letting people
to draw upon a wide variety of options and preferences in
every aspect of life. In architectural and urban designing
terms this phenomenon has led the towns and cityscapes
took look alike resulting in a monotonous environment
that does not possess regional flavor.
This particular aspect of homogenizing is phenomenal in

most of the major cities of the country while a journey
along the Galle road provides the best example, as an
unknown traveler would not be able to differentiate
between Panadura and Ratmalana. This visual
pandemonium is a result of the contemporary trend of
Page | 44
buildings being clad by Zn-Al composite cladding and

massive digital hoardings that dominate the architecture.
This particular aspect has been researched on special
reference to buildings being mere façade decorations by
Juhani Pallasma in his book Eyes on the Skin where he
coins this aspect as the ocular-centricism of architecture.
The billboards or large advertising hoardings have been an

occurrence in the US since the 1905 which was critically
discussed by Peter Blake In the book titled God’s Own fig 3.4 - American
Junkyard. billboards in the 90s

The brutal destruction of our landscape is much at
more than a blow against beauty. Every artist, <http://www.mapsites.net>
[Accessed 4th January 2011]
scientist and philosopher in the history of mankind
has pointed to the laws of nature as his greatest
fig 3.5 - Contemporary
source of inspiration; without the presence of Sri Lankan advertising
nature, undisturbed, there would have been no
Leonardo, no Ruskin, no Nervi, no Frank llyod at
<http://www.chinapost.com.
Wright. (P.Blake, 1964, pg69)
tw> [Accessed 4th January
2011]
Page | 45
This provides evidence that we bring about technologies

and styles which the other countries have tried
tested and abandoned, which also provides
evidence on the trend cycle mentioned in the
chapter one. The ability of printing massive scale
advertisement during election times fuels the
idea of easy and cheap advertising among
politicians, which means we won’t be able to expect a fig 3.6 - billboards
political level policy which will abandon or marginalize [electronic print] Available
this disastrous usage any way near. at
<http://www.thehindu.com>
As well as the negative aspects of taking on international [Accessed 4th January 2011]
precedents there lies positive attributes also.

Architecturally the concept of urban agriculture
and roof top gardening has been a contemporary
occurrence in the world arena not only as a
sustainable measure but also as a solution for the
lack of garden space in urban housing blocks.
This trend has also affected the local audiences
whereas couple of years back people were reluctant to use fig 3.7 - Nuga Gama
it on buildings both residential and public due to Cinnamon grand

rooftop cafe
skepticism, functional performance and other related
issues, but that seems to have changed in the [electronic print] Available
at <http://www.dailynews.lk
contemporary context. People seem to be using roof top
> [Accessed 4th January 2011]
gardens in both residential and public building sector.
This current incidence show cases that people are updated
in modern proceedings as well as their implementation
methodologies with the help of rapid developing methods
of information technologies and other means.
Page | 46
These aspects as discussed are related with the individual

or micro scale projects rather than master planning level
which is noted in the former part of the chapter.
Landscape urbanism in this case does not relate to the

micro scale aspects but deals with the macro context
planning. It acts as a tool in master planning to structure
the urban conditions in an environmentally conducive
and socially acceptable manner contrary to the typical
planning process. The importance here to the local
situation lies in the fact that the country is at a
renaissance period after the war which provides the ideal
platform to adopt a much suited methodology and also as
a country which is not yet spoiled beyond repair
comparatively to the other so called urban megapolises
where these concepts originated. This concept as
mentioned can be a positive guideline to reorient the local
urban condition and provide a basis for new urban areas
like hambanthota which are still at the initial stages of
development. The following sub chapters contain some of
the urban initiatives which have occurred recently in the
Colombo urban area that demarcates new ideological
thinking which can be considered and add on to some
aspects of landscape urbanism point of view.
Page | 47
3.3 – Urban initiatives, concepts and phenomenon of

contemporary Sri Lanka
The Colombo city as the region which resembles the

closest to the definition of urbanity acts as the trend
setting city to the whole country in general. With the
rapid population growth as a result of in-migration
Colombo city has faced with large issues regarding
housing and infrastructure development. Colombo
provides an interesting study base as it show cases both
highly concentrated low income population and high
income elite which share the city in different perspectives.
While particular areas seems to be developing high rise
luxury residential complexes certain parts
like Pettah, Mutwal seems to be spreading
as a low rise development thus adding on to
the urban sprawl. It is interesting to notice
that various development models are
inacted throughout, thus following own
agendas contributing to the overall
urbanity. These can be either new concepts adopted from fig 3.8 - Colombo,
the international arena as discussed previously or else it Colombo
can be urban phenomenon that can be observed [electronic print]

Available at
happening throughout the time line. However each and
<http://www.galenfrysinger
every development and urban occurrences add on .com > [Accessed 10th
separately to the urban structure which demarcates either January 2011]
positive or negative attributes.
Page | 48
3.3.1 – Havelock City
Havelock city can be coined as the biggest residential

development project happening in Colombo at the
moment. Comprising eight Residential towers with 1080
housing units which are categorized as luxury apartments.
During the study period only two residential towers were
being completed. The total project is estimated to be
completed by the year 2015 complete with a fully fledged
shopping complex and an office complex.
The idea behind the development is to create a closely fig 3.9 - Havelock city
knitted neighborhood structure with all the life style project
amenities closer to the Colombo urban core. The basic [electronic print] Available
at <http://www.lbr.lk >
concept of the project was triggered by the new urbanism
concepts but it does not intend to strictly adhere with all
the new urbanism concepts as the main aspect of the
project which is centered on housing in general.
Page | 49
The developers are a Singapore based

company which may have invested on such
a project to achieve the urban condition of
Singapore, where majority of residents live
in residential towers which are inter-
connected by a highly efficient mass rapid
transit (MRT) net work. The urban
condition in Singapore is highly organized by the fig 3.10 - Singapore
placement of green areas and parks as intermediate MRT
lobbies to residential towers. [electronic print] Available

at <http://www.sgclub.com
According to the developers the Havelock city project > [Accessed 4th January 2011]
aims at catering a certain class of people who are in the

motive of inhabiting the city by providing a place within
the city. This according to the developers will contribute
to minimize the blurring of city margins in to the
surrounding sub-urban and rural areas with new
fig 3.11 - Singapore
individual housing units, thus it serves energy purposes as
residence towers
well by reducing the distance between work place and
home resulting in low fuel consumption on vehicular
at <http://www.flickr.com>
usage. [Accessed 4th January 2011]
Page | 50
With the Wellawatta canal cascading near the border and

the canal being planned to be purified and used for
transportation means by the government the project
promises to provide new avenues to possible buyers. One
of the interesting attributes of the project lies in the
predicted allocation of 7 acres of acres of garden space on
top of the car park roof slab which acts as the common
garden to the dwellers. This can be considered as
providing for lost ground by the project. According to the
work station office the motive behind the garden space is
to create another value addition. It is said by the
developers at the contemporary situation people think
about the value for money at the first place where as
scenery or greenery comes later on. It is interesting to
observe that the general masses do not yet think it a
primary concern to think green or environment contrary
to the developed world where everything posses a green
label on it.
Havelock city is an urban initiative it acts as an exemplary

project towards new urban development in the country.
The importance of the project lies in the fact that it can be
considered as an implementation of a new urban
condition to the country. The developers however have
tried to amalgamate urban green garden concepts also to
heighten the overall value. This may be seen as an
improvement in the luxury apartment scenario. Whereas
it has been a phenomenal fact that the apartments around
the Colombo Golf Club used the golf club greenery as a
valued addition to draw the clients’ attention. It can be
Page | 51
concluded that the value of greenery is emerging as an

fig 3.12 - Trillium
important factor even though it is considered at the residencies web page
moment for its visual appearance. caption

at <http://www.trillium.lk>
Page | 52
3.3.2 – Colombo 07 greenery
Professor Rohinton Emmanuel has conducted a study

regarding the urban greenery as an indicator of
demographic data with special reference to Detroit. In
that study he show cases that greenery stands as direct
indicator of urban attributes where as it provides a
fig 3.13 – Aerial map of
positive demarcation of the city population distribution. Colombo 7
Likewise greenery can be regarded as a key in
Considerable green to
understanding the city itself. This particular aspect can be built ratio.
observed by closely examining the concentration of Image courtesy
greenery within the Colombo city itself.
Google earth
As discussed previously
Colombo city provides an
ideal study base as both
rich and poor sector
development is seen
within one single city
limit. In the vegetation
perspective it will be
examined that most of the
low rise poor settlements
lack greenery. Thus the
household development
has happened closely knitted taking every possible square
inch of space for functional amenities. It is quite opposite
in the Colombo 7 area. If studied using aerial maps it
shows a clear contrast to the low income households.
Page | 53
It can be concluded that the development level of people

has a close relationship towards greenery and vegetation
thus greenery can be considered as a development
indicator.
This phenomenon
coincides with the
attitude of the
developed world
towards urban
greenery reclamation.
It may be a collective
whole with affects on
the urban planning,
this local precedent
somewhat provides
individual attitudes
towards the
environment. It can be examined that once the basic fig 3.14 – Aerial map of
amenities of life are fulfilled people tend towards other Pettah area
related supportive activities and elements towards life. As Built fabric dominates
greenery.
the Colombo 7 population is considered it consists of the
elite of the city who have achieved the highest standards Image courtesy
of living and it is seeing that these people tend towards Google earth
appreciating environment and valuing it. Contrary to the

low income community who are struggling towards the
days earnings and how to co-op up with basic amenities.
So that vegetation can be considered as an indicator of
development thus it provides an interesting observation
on the proceedings that are happening in the world itself.
Page | 54
3.4 – Urban initiatives through landscape urbanism

perspective
This observation provides for the idea that whatever the

environmental concerns and consequences people tend to
consider them only at a certain phase. This particular
aspect can be seen as a positive demarcation that
ideologies of landscape urbanism have an avenue in the
local context. But to what extent can those be applied are
fig 3.15 - Recent floods
the questions posed, as the majority of the population and which effected the
the country in general is at the developing stage. So that it parliament complex
can be assumed that these new ideas will be taken into [electronic print] Available
at
account by a certain sector but whether it will be
<http://indi.ca/category/colo
sufficient in the master planning arena is at stake. mbo/> [Accessed 4th January
2011]
In the other hand recent heavy rains has resulted in most
of the Colombo city areas being subjected to flood. The
reason behind is not having a proper drainage layout and
no proper drainage land available as a result of filling wet
lands and mangroves for housing purposes. The question
is complicated enough as people need to be provided with
basic amenities, but once if it becomes the only concern
environmental pay backs become the resulting outcome,
so that isn’t there a strong need towards a new planning
ordinance?
The concepts of landscape urbanism as given in the

chapter two by means of various projects and data
generated by projects occurred to restore the inherent
naturality of the world. The above mentioned Havelock
Page | 55
city project and the urban greenery phenomenon both

does not relate directly to the concept of green
reclamation, but it stands as a new way of thinking
initiated by certain developers and individuals. While the
development by means of infrastructure is happening at a
powerful political will initiatives as such are contributing
to both environmental and development purposes.
The attitude of development differs with the time as

mentioned in the first chapter under the concept of
orbital nature of theory. While the contemporary
development bias is happening it is seen that certain
positive approaches are also occurring even at a minor
scale, so that it can be considered that different factors
apart from the time such as economy, social condition etc
acts an equal part in moulding the development picture.
The recent decision to remove the street vendors from the

streets of Pettah triggered a multitude of questions among
many professionals and the general mass alike. From
sociological or humanitarian perspective it may seem to
be an unfair accord to the livelihood of the vendors, but
with the relocation of vendors in a new facility without
completely removing their vending opportunities opens
up new avenues in the urban design scene in Colombo
itself. It is seen that even though initially the decision held
controversy people seems to have adopted with the new
conditions as well. The newly freed pedestrian pathways
seem to be working smoothly with new vendor fronts that
have rejuvenated after the new clearance which have
previously been covered. This particular approach
Page | 56
provides testimony of a new urban order happening in the

city thus providing a controlled growth.
In the other hand the newest development plans for the fig 3.16 - Gandhara
initiation of water transportation systems starting with the Street
Wellawatta canal improvement seems to have opened up Photography by the author
another aspect of the city form. The water bodies and

water front development has been a neglected area of the
urbanity of Colombo and many other townships which
holds a huge potential in creating healthy and beautiful
town character. It also contributes to a natural habitat
pattern of flora and fauna if properly managed. The
inception of water transportation may result in new
avenues that go hand in hand with the water front
development. It may consist of purified water bodies with
water’s edge parks and recreation amenities as well. This
phenomenon seems to be taken into consideration by the
developers of the Gandhara Street in Kirulapona. This
particular development which is done under a private
business body has harnessed the potential of creating a
theme street with life style shopping facilities.
Page | 57
The project architects and

designers have given due thought
on the predicted future
purification and development of
the Wellawatta canal which
borders the street. With the
street being architecturally
manipulated to create a unique
identity, plans are under way to
amalgamate the rejuvenation of
the canal itself to the future
development of water’s edge
parks and cafes thus adding more
fig 3.17 - Wellawatta
activity and flavor to the total Gandhara Street. canal
All in all it is seen that within the Colombo urban district Image courtesy
there are initiatives taking place that depicts new Google Earth
development thinking. These incidents differ from the
conventional attitude towards looking at the new
development projects. The previously discussed urban
occurrences in Colombo show cases that new urban
concepts are being practiced which resembles a bias
towards energy and environmental consciousness.
Landscape urbanism is the first of extensive research on
urban environmental consciousness. The local projects
demarcate just the attitude shift at its earliest stage which
leads towards the emergence of landscape urbanism. So
that the implication of the concepts of landscape
urbanism has to wait until due thought reaches the
involved parties and professionals alike.
Page | 58
CONCLUSION
The contemporary development picture in both

developing and developed countries has different
attributes. This phenomenon is understandable as
discussed in the chapter one in reference to the orbital
nature of theory. When the western ideological thinking is
turning back on to the environmental consciousness the
countries with emerging economies are on their way
towards development, destructing the inherent naturality.
This particular aspect of development is seen in the
contemporary political decision of accelerated
development in Sri Lanka. The risk that the country holds
in ecological terms is that whether it will damage the
existing natural ecology in the name of development.
The larger development at planning scale in the country is

biased mainly on the development goals; the
environmental concern has become a mere side
statement. As a country at the development process we
still preserve a fair amount of greenery. This natural asset
acts as the tourist magnet for the country in general. The
development to cater the countries’ well being should not
destroy the inherent nature. Massive scale development of
highways and new townships need to be thoroughly
considered in terms of ecological conditions before
implementation.
Page | 59
But in the urban areas of Colombo certain occurrences are
underway that demarcate a positive new way of thinking.
These aspects as discussed under chapter three showcases
a trigger in looking at the environment perspective with-
holding the development goals. These projects and
occurrences exhibit the initial stages of appraising the
environment within the urban core. The western concept
of landscape urbanism is such an approach which
integrates the human role in the city system with other
ecological systems. Here the lost natural context in the
city is to be brought back by means of a planned
development program. This concept involves phase by
phase planning to restore natural habitats within the city.
It does not only serve the natural concerns and
environment but also provides a boom to the monotonous
urban life by providing a retreat space. As discussed in the
chapter three with the Havelock city project and the
wellawatta canal rehabilitation the area seems to open up
new avenues of looking at the environment. But contrary
to the western thought the environment is not yet
appraised for its ecological value because still the general
mass does not seem to have grabbed the importance it
holds. Above mentioned projects show that the appraisal
of environment is for the sake of visual aesthetics,
however it demarcates a certain bias at the concept of
conservation of environment.
Page | 60
With the advances of information technology people draw
upon various precedents, at the urban scale this is shown
by the elements and styles which are followed in
architecture. Once a style or a trend is practiced by a
certain sector of the community it is easily followed by the
majority. This phenomenon holds both negative and
positive aspects as given in the chapter three. The study
was conducted on identifying positive new urban
attributes that look at the environment. The discussed
cases are such that provide exemplary thinking which will
reinvent the development definition. These new attributes
showcases that a certain sector is involved in the initiative
of adopting contemporary strategies along with the global
environmental picture. These projects and occurrences are
at the germinating stage which will bear the fruits of the
concepts discussed under landscape urbanism in future.
The landscape urbanism practice is something that is

being practiced at the international arena to restore the
ecological balance in the city. The importance of looking
at these concepts is that we have not yet lost our cities
beyond repair, thus we are still approaching the so called
urban infrastructure systems. The development spree is so
focused in this one sided agenda. Once we reach these
goals we will arrive at a stage where we will have to think
back at the environmental picture as the developed world
is doing at the contemporary stage. But it is advisable if we
can identify the larger future picture and reorient our
thinking towards a unique development strategy. The
cases given in the chapter three demarcate that the
Page | 61
country holds an avenue towards such an ideology. If the
architects and planners try to adhere with such methods it
will be inacted in the society as a trend. Architects and
planners all together must join hands to redirect the
development agenda with the environmental concern in
mind as architects are the trend setters related to built
environment. Concepts of landscape urbanism cannot be
directly applied to the local context, and it is not the
intended research outcome. The conclusion is that as a
developing country we must examine the processes which
led developed countries towards these initiatives, which
has been thoroughly discussed throughout the study, and
try to reorient our development processes rather than
blindfoldedly copying the idea which may not always suite
the local conditions.
Page | 62
REFERENCES
Blake P; God’s own junkyard- The planned deterioration

of America’s landscape; USA; Holt, Rinehart and Winston;
1964
Christopher D Grey; From emergence to divergence-

modes of landscape urbanism; a dissertation submitted M
Arch University of Edinburgh; 2005-06
Ed Harvey S, Fieldhouse K, Hopkins J; The Cultured

Landscape; Oxon; Routledge; 2005
Landscape Architecture (the magazine of the American

society of landscape Architects) Issues 03 (2009), 10 (2009)
Prigann H, Ed Strelow H, David V; Ecological Aesthetics;

art in environmental design theory and practice;
Switzerland; Birkhauser publishers for architecture; 2004
Richard T.T Forman; Some general principals of landscape

and regional ecology; Landscape Ecology 1995 (vol.10) 133-
142
Shane G ; The Emergence of “Landscape Urbanism” ;

Harvard Design Magazine ;Fall 2003/winter 2004 (19)
Steven L. Cantor; Promenade plantee and the High Line;

Landscape Architecture 2009 (3) 98-99
Taylor K; Cultural landscapes and Asia: reconciling

international and Southeast Asian regional values;
Landscape research 2009 (vol.34) 7-31
Turner T; City as landscape- A post modern view of design

and planning; Britain; E&FN Spon; 1996
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EMERGENCE OF LANDSCAPE URBANISM AS AN URBAN

DEVELOPMENT CASE STUDY

Dissertation submitted to the

University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.

For the final examination in

Degree of Bachelor of Architecture 2011

Landscape, urbanism, development, environment

Landscape urbanism is a new hybrid practice comprising architecture, landscape

As a developing country contemporary Sri Lanka exhibits an attitude of natural to

Chapter one – Architectural design movement and urban development 05

1.1 – Orbital nature of theory 06

1.2.1 – The third world development 13

1.2.2 – The first world development 15

1.3 – Sustainability and the eco city 16

2.1 – landscape and urbanism 22

2.2 – Contemporary theoretical discussions on landscape 25

2.2.1 – Changing role of landscape 26

2.2.2 – City as landscape 29

2.3 – Landscape urbanism; the emergence 30

2.3.1 – The origin 33

2.3.2 – Parc de la villette 35

2.3.3 – Downsview and Fresh kills competitions 38

Chapter three – Landscape urbanism as an urban development case study 40

3.1 – Contemporary development attitudes of the country 41

3.2 – International precedents and its influence on development 44

3.3 – Urban initiatives, concepts and phenomenon of contemporary Sri Lanka 48

3.3.1 – Havelock city 49

3.3.2 – Colombo 07 greenery 53

3.4 – Urban initiatives through landscape urbanism perspective 55

Figure 1.1 Mies Van der Rohe 07

Figure 1.2 Robert Venturi 07

Figure 1.3 Buildings of modernism 08

Figure 1.4 Pruitt-Igoe housing scheme detonation 08

Figure 1.5 Ford poster 09

Figure 1.6 Mass production of cars 09

Figure 1.7 Las Vegas 10

Figure 1.8 City as an egg 12

Figure 1.9 Mumbai slums 13

Figure 1.10 Development..? 14

Figure 1.11 Times magazine green cover 16

Figure 1.12 LEED logo 17

Figure 1.13 Green globe logo 17

Figure 1.14 Carbon trading 18

Figure 1.15 New urbanism concepts 18

Figure 1.16 Danish pavilion by Bjarke Ingles 19

Figure 1.17 Chinese people on bicycles 20

Figure 2.2 Swiss iron works head quarters 23

Figure 2.3 Blue stick garden 24

Figure 2.4 Olympic sculpture park – Seattle 25

Figure 2.5 Jacob Javitz plaza 26

Figure 2.6 New York High Line project 27

Figure 2.7 Kenneth Yeang ecological master planning 28

Figure 2.8 Floating island 29

Figure 2.9 Palacio Hiero a Mexican city mall 31

Figure 2.10 bank of England 32

Figure 2.11 Recovering landscape book cover 33

Figure 2.12 The landscape urbanism reader book cover 33

Figure 2.13 Parc De La Villette competition entry by 35

Figure 2.14 Parc De La Villette 36

Figure 2.15 Parc De La Villette competition entry 37

Figure 2.16 Downsview park competition entry 39

by James Corner Field