4.1.1 Community and Culture

4.1.1 Community and Culture

In the book “Community design and culture of cities”, it is rightly described as-Cities are place where heterogeneous mixture of people are concentrated in cluster of meaningful size to exchange -exchange good services and ideas. It is important to remember that the cities that Cradled civilization were small by contemporary standards, and that even today small towns in many parts of the world still display far more better urbanity than some vast metropolises. These small cities provided great opportunities for interaction, choice and exchange. Indeed, the potential for urbanity in communities of widely different sizes suggest that the clear possibility of reshaping post - industrial settlement in physical setting that maximize opportunities for exchange and choice.

The soul of the city is mirrored not only in the character of its buildings, but even more decisive is “the relationship of these buildings to each other and, most important of all, the spaces created

between them” (Public Life in Urban Places, 1984). Public spaces like squares, streets have a deep relation with culture and people.

Culture is never entirely static, it is in a constant state of change. So, while planning and designing the forward looking approach is considered, that means it is designed not only for here and now but also for the future. The current sub urban life in a dispersed, homogenous environment is expressed in routine devoid of symbolism or spontaneity; that has reduced personal contact and exchange aspects of community and, with them, a sense of belonging.

One approach of achieving a real integration in neighbourhoods and communities is to foster a rich non-nested hierarchy of social centres with different and overlapping catchment areas and boundaries. Heterogeneity, interaction, and exchange competition; and cooperation; urbanity and choices; symbolism and spontaneity- all should be there in a wide range of communities from small town to large metropolises-post Industrial society in Extricable linked with human and democratic values. (Community Design and Culture of Cities, 1990)

Figure 22 Integration of neighbourhoods and communities Source-thehumanscale.dk