Kotahena, architectural site analysis

S O C I O – P H Y S I C A L C O N T E X T S T U D Y

K O T A H E N A - C O L O M B O 1 3

S G P 2 0 1 3

KOTAHENA

Socio Physical Context

S G P 2 0 1 3

Study

The impact and implications of society on the context trigger the evolvement and growth of its physical foot prints. The Holistic entity of socio physical context depicts the soul of the place while each & every individual factors contribute in detailing & elaborating its various qualities.

HISTORY

GENERAL CONTEXT

STREET ANALYSIS

SITESCLIMATE

KOTAHENA


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HISTORY GENERAL CONTEXT STREET CONTEXT SITES CLIMATE

COLOMBO

From the 5th century A.D. Colombo has

been recorded as a maritime port which

was acted as a main administrative,

social and commercial capital in Sri

Lanka. Therefore this place was

influenced and adopted by many

frequent seaboard Arabs

& South Indian traders in several ways.

After passed around three colonist regimes

Portuguese (1505 - 1656 A.D.)

Dutch (1656 - 1796 A.D.)

British ( 1796 - 1948 A.D.)

Colombo has become a fine city

fortified by twelve bastions. The Dutch

captured the city in 1656 after

Portuguese and they themselves has

alter the fortification as well as the

streets in more regular grid pattern

which can be seen today.

KOTAHENA


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They divided the city in to two parts where the fort has been

reduced and confined to the western portion. Dutch

named this area as Old city and converted it in to an Active

center which call as Pettah in present.

PORTUGUESE – DUTCH

MAP OF COLOMBO 1656

KOTAHENA


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Outside of the fort was selected for the

residential purposes and were built new

buildings according to their architecture.

Pettah became the most congested area in

the city of Colombo for the institutions of

wholesale and retail trade, Private

business and banking. Therefore public

residential places for this population

became an essential need.

KOTAHENA


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Galle face Colombo in 1880

Galle face Colombo in present

Early Colombo harbor

Colombo harbor Present

KOTAHENA


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Not only the trading Dutch wanted

established and permeated the religion

within the country. As a main link Kotahena

was selected because of it’s topography and

constituted the “WOLVENDHAL” church in

1756 A.D. The name “Wolvendhal”, The Hill

of Wolfs was came because of frequent jackals

in marsh land, that the Dutch were

misunderstood the as Wolfs.

KOTAHENA


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But in 1900s, because of the port this area

gradually became a commercial hub of

Colombo and most of commercial activities

has done by Muslims and Tamils . According

to all these factors population of Muslims and

Tamils were increased .

Majority of the people were moved to this area

for looking an employment in the harbor

related activities. Because of this rapid

migration and population increase, Kotahena

has occupied by low income families.

At present, this area has become an

undeveloped inner city, with slums and

squatter settlements inhabited by those who

had come to city for occupation.

KOTAHENA


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HISTORYGENERAL CONTEXT STREET ANALYSIS SITES CLIMATE

GENERAL CONTEXT

Landmarks

PRESENT DAY KOTAHENA

Kotahena (Colombo 13) begins

along the western coast of

Colombo where the

Pettah (Colombo 11) ends

and winds its way up north

towards the (Colombo 15) and

east towards the town of

Grandpass (Colombo 14)

and Hultsdorp of

(Colombo 12)

Nodes

Building Usage

& Common features

Roads

Important Places

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The town boasts of one of the oldest and largest Catholic parish cathedrals in Sri Lanka, the

St. Lucia’s Cathedral, located with its rear facing the Indian Ocean and facing East towards

Grandpass. There is also a large population of Tamil Hindu’s in the town.

Two famous schools that have provided an excellent medium of education for boys and girls

in Kotahena are St. Benedict's College (boys) and Good Shepherd Convent (girls), both

managed and maintained by the Catholic Church.

Being a very Roman Catholic town, there are many famous Catholic churches located within

it and many are the famous feasts that are held annually at these places or worship. The town

also has a very large population of Tamil Hindus, thus creating an environment that also has

many famous Hindu temples and Hindu festivals.

Other places of religious interest in Kotahena are: the Dipaduttaramaya at Kotahena, 5km

from Fort; the Sima Malaka at 61 Śrī Jinaratana Road, Colombo, 3km from Fort; the many

Hindu Temples specially the Śrī Ponnambalawaneswarar Kovil at Kochchikade, Kotahena,

and the Śrī Siva Subrahmanya Swami Kovil, Gintupitiya – within walking distance of Sea

Street, Pettah. In the Sea Street in Pettah in Colombo are several Hindu temples, the

Ganeshan, the Old Kathiresan and the New Kathiresan with their colorful doorways. Several

other Hindu temples (kovils) are also seen In the City.

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Kotahena area is more like a Bazar catering to many

wholesale business. In old days retail business thrived in

the kotahena but today many of them have moved away to

other lucrative location within this city.

Kotahena as a part of pitta kotuwa is as known as

bustling open air bazaars and markets having its own

specialty. Kotahena is also the most ethically mixed

part of the city and the streets are dotted with several

interesting Mosques, Hindu Kovils, Churches, and

Buddhist temples.

Kotahena is noisy

busy and crowded

area . When you

walking down

this street , you

will have to keep

pausing to dodge a

venders pulling a

Cart leaden with

goods, a trishaw or

A lorry.

KOTAHENA


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HISTORY GENERAL CONTEXT STREET ANALYSIS SITES CLIMATE

Maha Vidyala Road

Wolvendhal Church

Sri Rathnajothi Saravanamuttu Mawatha

Gas Works Junction

Mohomad Zain Mawatha

Wolfendhal Girls School

Maharoof Water Tower

Grand Mosque

Hussainia Street

Rifai Thangal Lane

Vidyala Junction

New Moor Street

KOTAHENA


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HISTORY GENERAL CONTEXTSTREET ANALYSIS SITES CLIMATE

STREET ANALYSIS

LANDUSE PATTERNS

ELEVATIONS & FRONTFACADES

STUDY

ACTIVITY PATTERNS &

LIFE STYLE BEHAVIORS

Along The Road Of Sri Rathnajothi Saravanamuttu Mawatha Which Is

Where The Four Sites Are Located And Its Starting At The Main Junction

Near The Church And Ends With The Gasswork Junction At The Bottom

Part Of The Street

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SRI RATHNAJOTHI SARAVANAMUTTU

MAWATHA

Majority of the buildings at the edge of

the street can be identified as shop

houses with dual usages, where ground

floor level is used for commercial

purposes and upper floor levels for

residential purposes.

LAND USE PATTERN

Immediately after this commercial linear

pattern, Residential zone has been

developed as several group of

communities.

KOTAHENA


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STREET ELEVATIONS

&

FRONT FACADES

The maze of streets and alleyways piled and crammed with goods of every description

from colorful textiles, gunny bags, electrical goods and foot wares.

Inappropriateness of the builtform resolution and a sense of ownership is extreamly high.

The users recorgnised their choices of location neighbours and clustering pattern based

on the kinship customs and occupations.

Regeneration here is nothing but the endless cycle of life in their natural way of living

existing still there

In this perticular environment , Kotahena with all its plurality has a social and

cultural net that sustains and modulates everything else

BUILT FORMS & STYELS

STREET ELEVATIONS

COLOURS

PRIVACY & SECURTY

HOUSES

KOTAHENA


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SRI RATHNAJOTHI SARAVANAMUTTU MAWATHA

ELEVATION 01

FROM VIDYALA JUNCTION

TO GASWORKS JUNCTION

Inappropriateness of the builtform resolution and a sense of belongings is extremly high. The users recognized their choices of location neighbors and clustering pattern based on the kinship customs and occupations.

Buildings have their own uniqueness and particularity. Buildings are Richly diverse in its built forms and styles shows their own characteristics in the way of making their shelters.

Trading is the major economic activity in this area. Thus commercial activities are deeply rooted as it is the first organized form of livelihood practice.

KOTAHENA


S G P 2 0 1 3

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ELEVATION 02

FROM VIDYALA JUNCTION

TO GASWORKS JUNCTION

Inappropriateness of the builtform resolution and a sense of belongings is extremly high. The users recognized their choices of location neighbors and clustering pattern based on the kinship customs and occupations.

Buildings have their own uniqueness and particularity. Buildings are Richly diverse in its built forms and styles shows their own characteristics in the way of making their shelters.

Trading is the major economic activity in this area. Thus commercial activities are deeply rooted as it is the first organized form of livelihood practice.

KOTAHENA


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BUILT FORMS

Most buildings are built

at several stages as

extensions to the

previously built

structures.

Usage of materials are not

planed but arbitrary.

Walls are built in concrete

blocks, red bricks, Zn/ Al

sheets and Glass. Most of

the shopwalls are cladded

by using alucobond panels.

Small balconies are very c

ommen for these buildings.

Roofs are made out of Zn/Al

sheets and Asbestos sheets.

Occasionally callicut and

sinhala tile roof can be seen.

Most of the roofs are

slabs which have been l

eft for futher

development. Often these

slabs are converted in to

terraces.

KOTAHENA


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COLOURSUse of bright colure embellishments, emphasis their

living shelter from another which breaks the

monochromatic earth tone

The residents, although it’s a housing scheme with

identical unit have given their home’s their own touch &

identity by Applying different colors to each resident

unit this distraction makes this housing schemas vivid

and colorful and also dynamic.

The residents, although it’s

a housing scheme with

identical unit have given

their home’s their own touch

& identity by Applying

different colors to each

resident unit this distraction

makes this housing

schemas vivid and colorful

and also dynamic.

Use of bright colure

embellishments, emphasis

their living shelter from

another which breaks the

monochromatic earth tone

KOTAHENA


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Currently the context is

allocated in to smaller areas

based on small sub

communities such as “

WATHU” and streets. These

areas operated as open

communities where security

and privacy is majorly

needed. The social

system is primarily not

narrowed down to the

family unit in a each house

but in a mixed social

Interrelationship network.

PRIVACY AND

SECURITY

KOTAHENA


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Small houses, small

compact spaces with very I

nadequate openings for

light and ventilation. Most

spaces are used for

multifunctions and are often

not allocated for certain

activities.

Houses are a metaphor for a

way for a way of life

reflecting the social and

economical background of

the occupants.

HOUSES

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ACTIVITY PATTERNS

&

LIFE STYLE BEHAVIORS

Activity patterns & life style of these people

has mainly based on their current occupation

of earning money

Each & every person is engaged with any kind

of work as their self employment

Road is a very live place at day time because

of the road based activities that they depend on

Road has become a part of their life as it full

fills their day today needs

KOTAHENA


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Street vending takes place in front of houses as away of

earning an extra income.

Home made food items are sold by the occupants themselves

as self employment.

These food depots being a temporary layer in front of the

building fabric, add a certain unique

character to the street and the surrounding context.

Most of the low – income people are

engaged as labour workers on

payment

of daily basis.

The pavements and shop – fronts are

temporarily occupied by people who

are self – employed as cobblers and

menders.

During day time, narrow streets and shop – fronts are used

as gathering spaces while promoting social

interactions.

KOTAHENA


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Due to various commercial and industrial activities

happening within the area, daily energy

consumption has become relatively high.

Streets have become dynamic entities of socia`l fabric

where people depend on for social interactions,

occupations, transportation and bonding with each other.

Being an area where commercial activities are high, and full

of buildings used as ware houses and storages, majority of

poor people are daily occupied as labourers in

transportation of goods.

Coherence and harmony among religiously and ethnically

diverse communities acts as a catalyst to increase

social interactions.

KOTAHENA


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SITES

Proposed four sites located either side

of the road of Sri Rathanajothi

Saravanamuttu Mawatha

Road width is nearly 12m


01 02

0304

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANALYSIS SITE 01

From one side its

open to the 1st

Mosque Lane and its a

10m width road. Most

of the existing building

at there is Shop

houses and individual

apartment blocks

opening in to the

mosque lane.

Area of the site: 1200sq.m

Width: 20m

Length: 50m

1st MOSQUE LANE

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANLYSISSITE 01

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANALYSIS SITE 02 Area of the site: 1200 sq.m

Width: 24m

Length: 50m

From one side its

open in to a narrow

alley way and other

side is open to the

main road. The alley

way shows lot of

charachteristics in

there people and it is

interesting to see their

various types of life

styles going on

streets.

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANLYSISSITE 02

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANALYSIS SITE 03 Area of the site: 1200 sq.m

Width: 24m

Length: 50m

From one side its

open in to the Rifai

Thaipongal Street and

from other side its

open to the Main

Street. And its also a

housing apartment at

the existing site. But

have many issues with

the way of its existing

there. Cause to so

many problems for the

people who lives there.

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANLYSISSITE 03

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANALYSIS SITE 04

MAIN ROAD

Area of the site: 1200 sq.m

Width: 20m

Length: 60m

It is a Housing

apartment with four

floors that existing

near the main road and

its where the Kotahena

Police station located

in the ground floor. It

is a one apartment

building out of four

apartments. Very old

building no at the

present can see how

the people have

separated their living

parts by painting it in

different colors.

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANALYSIS

CLIMATE

WIND PATH

(FROM SEA)

& SUN PATH

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANALYSIS

Haphazard arrangements of shading eaves have obstructed the penetration of

natural light and ventilation, creating ambiguous corridors…

Penetration of natural light is restricted due to inadequate open spaces between

residential buildings consisting several floors.

Darker ground floor areas and narrow sideways have created due to haphazardly

extended balconies.

Jutted – out arrangements of shading eaves and roofs have created inappropriate

air – pockets between buildings with less light and ventilation.

This situation have led to breeding places for mosquitoes and bacterial diseases.

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANALYSIS

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANALYSIS

LESS VENTILATION FOR LOWER LEVELS

CREATES SHADED CORRIDORS

KOTAHENA


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SITE ANALYSIS

Documents

Kotahena, architectural site analysis