THEORY AND RESEARCH 109

PROJECT SUMMARY

"People make cities, and it is to them, not buildings that we must fit our plans." - Jane Jacobs

People and places are two strongly interdependent factors in the architectural world. A break or disconnectivity of the two could lead into chaos and conflict with each other,

Digana is a suburban township to the city of Kandy originally planned as a commercial town of under the Mahaweli accelerated project. It is home for the resettlers for the past 3 decades.

With thesis research and analysis it was understood that Digana is a township which was designed with unique architectural character and urban strategies but with time and the disconnection of its people and place. Through the urban design plan it was proposed to become the eastern commercial hub to the city of Kandy by not bringing in newly defined functions but an urban proposal that enhances it as a commercial township which it was built for. Digana civic center is one such attempt that adheres the urban proposal which will reviving the social and physical realm through an architectural solution. With the initiative of the civic center it will become a catalyst in connecting and enhancing the public realm of the township by fostering public activities of which has so much potential in becoming a vibrant urban space with its spatial planning natural environment and people.

Following is a collection of the integrated design initiatives thought in the process from the idea of the thesis design in relation to the urban design , its strategic identification and the design process with spatial technical and the practice aspects and will support the statement of civic center being a focal catalyst in reviving Digana.

CONTEXT & SITE HISTORY

Digana is a suburban town located in Kandy district, the central province of Sri Lanka. Located at the center of the A26 highway which connects Kandy with Padiyathalawa, Digana is a major town that demarcates the entrance to the Kandy city as its eastern gateway.

When Theldeniya Town submerged because of the Accelerated Mahaweli Project, Digana became a popular alternative town to the alternative neighborhoods. It is home to around 2000 families of different cultures and ethnicities. Digana before becoming a planned town, was a plantation land. Its fragmented history dates back to the 2 - 3rd century BC.

When Digana was planned to become a town, it became home for the resettles who lost their homes and territories that submerged with their Victoria dam project. Digana along with the other Mahaweli towns portrayed the architecture inspired by the traditional architectural characteristics of Sri Lanka hence became significantly iconic townships o which in the present day had lost its vibrance and glory.

THE NEED>>>

DIGANA

Population density of Greater Kandy region

EXPECTED INCREASE OF RESIDENTIAL POPULATION IN GREATER KANDY REGION IS 600 , 000 by 2030 and of that 200 , 000 along Kundasale to Digana eastern stretch .

23%

Increase in relation to the present population

The residential population of Digana is expected to grow by 23% within the next 10 years’ time.as the urban design proposal caters to its projected growth as a sustainable township where the residents will reside work and grow as a community, there will be a NEED for an active public space in the township.

Presently there’s no such space that connects the people to its township. A civic space which interconnects the existing spaces. This has disconnect the users with their town resulting in abandoned spaces in the most prominent sites of the city.

Especially as a town of resettled community the town should consist of a space that is ‘common’ to everyone. Where interactions and community endeavors are fostered. With the expected growth more people will be moved into Digana and the township will have to cater their needs and wants. With the improved physical and social connectivity with most effective use the present abundant and vaguely used sites could be converted into public hotspots.

A CIVIC HUB AS A PUBLIC SPACE OF “COMMONS” HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A CATALYST IN ACTIVATING THE SOCIAL, PHYSICAL AND PUBLIC REALM OF AS PART OF THE URBAN TRANSITION OF DIGANA.

The most prominent space of the Digana Township is presently being abandoned in use. With the present urban formations this space is isolated and hidden form people and their activities. The Urban design proposal recognizes this spaces to become the commercial core district of the eastern commercial hub The selected site for the “civic hub” has its potential to link and create in connections to all the activities of the town and its community. Hence bringing in a civic hub will activate the public realm of the community achieving the maximum potential in the context.

Thesis idea of the civic hub will stand as the most prominent peoples gathering public space enhanced by the public services and administration functions. Proposed to be at the centermost heart of the township the civic hub will act as a CATALYST that activates the urban environment which is rich with the retail businesses and commercial activities of Digana as the eastern commercial hub.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Digana was built as a township for the resettlers of those that lost their homes from the accelerated Mahaweli development project. The resettlements were done according to the employment categories where the farmers that requested more lands were resettled in Mahaweli H division –Polonnaruwa and the commercial based entrepreneurs and families were resettled in and around Digana area.

Hence Digana was developed to become the commercial based town that provided them with spaces for their commercial activities. This resettlement plans disrupted The original communal village based structure and sense of togetherness and belongings. As a business based community they became more independent and competitive than being a community that thrives together. Even the plans of the township had not provide them to have spaces with communal activities where it had been planned to have a monotones and repetitive structure Of shop houses in rows - market - internal bus station.

This with time have caused them to became dull and a self-oriented community. Which had also resulted in the abandonment of public spaces such as the bus station, the Cinema hall, the market, to be vague in use and abandoned. Without the communal sense and the idea of rising and developing as one township Digana has become a stagnant space. This has caused clashed in the different ethnic communities and segregation according to income levels and economic standards- for examples: the business man and living In the township- low income people working in quarries are concentrated towards the lower areas, high ended professionals living as the Digana village house scheme.

The potential of Digana becoming a vibrant well developed urban responsive township are already available in it but the void of connectivity and communities along with Their socio economic and cultural values have made Digana to be isolated and stagnant.

This void has the potential to be vibrant and active but is being neglected and disconnected with its people interactions, peoples to its space and spaces in relation to other spaces

Therefore the overall intension of the project is rather than the redesigning the whole township , to revive the void of connectivity, in the spatial and physical realms. The void as it Implies the commercial township already exists. What needs to be done is to revive it in a way that its people. Will feel at home; a community to grow and develop themselves and will reclaim it as their own township together and neither is left behind.

Civic center as a focal point in the urban setting has a great potential in becoming a community node in the township which brings together its people place and context. Hence it will be a space , • A community Node That enhances the connectivity within the township and its people • The vibrant and prominent public space of Digana • A place which provides economic benefits and opportunities for the local businessmen and the socio economic realm.

Commercial core

Ground Floor Plan

Farmers market

Shop houses

First Level Plan

ELEVATION FROM DIGANA- ALUTWATTA ROAD

ELEVATIONFROM FARMERS MARKET

SECTION B-B

The ground floor is the most prominent level of the civic hub. It is designed to be the most vibrant public space with the connectivity from the retail core and the market, cinema hall pathway as well as connectivity from the residential areas. The centermost peoples arena is a place for people to express ,held meetings performances etc. it overlooks the public event space with the memorial statue. The peoples area is supported by the changing areas,

The level two has direct access and connectivity from the farmers market. Therefore the level is strengthened with activities related to banking pawning and cooperative shops that are closely related with the local community. Walking through the same level is a barbers shop, salon and photographic studio at +5150 m level.

The uppermost level has connectivity with the Digana- Alutwatta road.when one enters from the road side they are directed to a lobby and city gallery which frames vies of the town as part of its representation. The level also consists of satellite government office spaces, space for youth and library along with a multipurpose hall.

The civic center is an activator of the public realm of Digana. The design integrates views and connections of the existing context and promotes them as part of a interconnected network of urban spaces. The formation of the design was inspired and influenced by the existing pedestrian movement patterns through the site and its connections. the architectural style adheres to the tropical climate and architecture characteristics inspired by the original characteristics of Digana town. The structure and architectural style of the civic center was inspired by the existing context yet the characteristics are not directly applied yet interpreted in a modern manner in breaking the monotone and reviving the space. The building details were thought out in responding to environmental , and structural strategies and with the concerns of responding to the local building and planning regulations and feasibility.

The building materials for the civic hub were selected with deep analysis of long term use and local availability and impact. the use of materials bring out the concept of reviving the space by interpreting the use of them in a playful and vibrant manner with different textures and feels in reviving the space as a public space.

Overall environmental ambition was to Achieve a sustainable passive design solution that merges in with the urban structure of Digana with the understanding of the climatic resources available, and identifying the social and occupant behavior in the context responsibly with least impact on the climate and environment.

Environmental goals achieved through the civic hub :

1. A responsive design to the neighborhood and site

2. Achieving thermal comfort integrating passive approaches of sun and wind

3. Materiality in response to a sustainable design with less impact on environment

4. Environmental friendly Lighting and daylight integration into the design and the use of natural light in enhancing the architectural quality

5. Approaches of on-site energy generation