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SPECIALIST STUDY :DISSERTATION
SPECIALIST STUDY
THE CHANGE IN THE EXPRESSION OF HOME AND ITS ARCHITECTURAL MANIFESTATION IN THE SRI LANKAN CONTEXT
Research type Specialist study Dissertation
Duration December 2021 – June 2022
ABSTRACT
Architecture is the only art that caters to man's physical needs. It encompasses all needs the man desires for and expresses it through an architectural manifestation in the society. This paper attempts in understanding the change in the Expression of such need: the Home and its architectural manifestation in Sri Lanka; a country that had undergone many social and political changes throughout time. Rapid urbanization changed the social structure of the country within a short period.
This declined the close-knit society while the newly urbanized community tried to fit into the nouveau rich culture and lifestyles. This resulted in an emergence of eclectic architecture within the country leading to domestic architectural designs that were not viable to the country. Investigating the deeper meanings of these processes could lead to more feasible architectural manifestations.
The study, therefore, investigates the change in expression of a home and its architectural manifestation through an attempt in achieving the objectives which distinguish the concept’s of home and house, the attributes of the expression of home observed in Sri Lanka, and architects role in guiding them to a meaningful architectural manifestation.
The study investigates literary data and Primary research through Questionnaires structured to identify new meaning to home in terms of theoretical concepts of home. The study concludes with findings that could direct architects in understanding their client's perception of the home which in return will create meaningful architecture for the society.
Key Words: Expression of Home, House, Architecture, Sri Lanka
'Home' is the smallest unit in the society; a place that reflects one’s behavior and his or her belonging environment, through its architecture.
The house by definition is a structure that is built with the intention of habitation, while the expression of ‘home’ defines this architectural piece as a dwelling of physical, social, and psychological wealth (HOME essays, 2020).
The changes which defined these strengths of home influenced its architectural manifestation: the house.
Physical Social Psychological Emotional Factors
HOME HOUSE
Physical Structure Form
“A house should be a place to feel at home whether
“at home” means dining with candles, working a power saw, … playing with children or just getting away from it all. The house looks and acts should reflect personal enthusiasm and efforts. The successful house bears the stamp of its owner” .
(Graf and Graf, 1953)
NEED OF THE STUDY
In the past…
Society evolved at a slow pace Enclosed mind
Expression of home
Close knit community Communal sense
Houses which responded to the Sri Lankan culture , society and its context
Today…
Subjected to rapid urbanization Exposure to new ideas of the world
Introverted community Expression of home
individuality Houses with no response to Sri Lankan context where individuality is nourished
JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY : THE CRITICAL ARGUMENT
For the very fact that Home being the perfect expression of people’s ideas and values it gradually became the profound initiation of Human existence. It nurtured the physical and spiritual being of man in the tangible formation of space. This attachment of place defined the house to become a foundation of the identity of individuals in the community.
“If provision for shelter is the passive function of the house, then its positive purpose is the creation of an environment best suited to the way of the people- in other words, a social unit of space. ” (Rapoport,1969:46)
Expression perceived as ‘home’ Architectural manifestation Image of the society
Understanding The change & Adaptability to the Sri Lankan context
ROLE OF THE ARCHITECT
The essence of Sri Lankan culture
Important to sri lanka where the family- Home- House have a close knit connections
RESEARCH QUESTIONS & OBJECTIVES
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What differentiates home and house?
How did the expression of the home reflect through architectural manifestation in the Sri Lankan context? To what extent an architect can contribute in instilling a “sense of Home’ in house design? RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
To Differentiate the qualities that distinguish a home from a house
To examine the architectural manifestation of the ‘expression of Home’ in the Sri Lankan context. To Identify the role of the architect in building a sense of home in Sri Lankan residential architecture.
The study will hence commence with the understanding of Sri Lankan residential architecture and Therefore, it will explore answers for the following,
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
EXPRESSION OF HOME ARCHITECTURAL MANIFESTATION
Physical factors Social & cultural Factors Reflection of the society
ROLE OF THE ARCHITECT
STUDY AND UNDERSTANDING
In the sri Lankan context, the concept of home has a stronghold within the society. Different words denoting different meanings and socio spatial relations could be observed in use. As such terms as “Ge” (ෙ�)“gedara” (ෙගදර) “niwasa” (�වස) “nivahana”( �වහන) create vivid images in ones mind.
The house was not mere protection from rain and sun but it was considered a “fortress” that protects the inhabitants as well as their belongings. (Fernando,2004)
The generic Sri Lankan family
• Life revolves around the family for most Sri Lankans.
In collectivist cultures such as that of Sri Lanka, the family is the first group a person becomes a member of at birth. • The interests of the family are expected to come before those of the individual and loyalty (such as preferential treatment) is shown to fellow family members. • Furthermore, the acts of an individual can impact the perception of the entire family by others.
Chronological study Pre historic dwellings • Cave architecture
Early traditional houses
• Wattle and daub houses
Houses in colonial Era
• Portuguese • Dutch • British Introduction of foreign architecture
Houses in post independence
• Houses portraying nationalism • Emergence of modernism • The American style
Contemporary houses
• A mix of ideas: Eclectic
architecture
Phase 01
The first objective is achieved through an explanatory study of the pure concepts which differentiate the home and house through a qualitative analysis of data hence will be based on secondary research which is further clarified by primary data collection.
Phase 02
The second objective is hence achieved through a mixed study method based on literature survey collection in understanding the expression of home possessed and observed by the society during the past years and through the primary data which will Examine the present expression of Home and its architectural manifestation in the country.
Phase 03
The third objective will be achieved through a primary data collection and study method where people’s opinion on the expression of home will be
Questionnaire 01: structured to addressed the general public of ages between 15-35 who are the possible clients of future to be settled down and seek the need of a home in surveying their opinion on expression of home
Questionnaire 02 : an open ended questionnaire for architects in surveying the sense of home on architects point of view
while through its analysis it will derive the factors which could be
incorporated into a design in the design stage for an architect to bring out the sense and expression of home in personalized housing while retaining the quality and essence of sri Lankan culture and its sense.
Research will be done under the assumption that there is an change in the expression of home and its architectural manifestation in the sri Lankan context.
The study will hence assume that architect’s role in the contemporary practice could have an Affect on this Change of expression while they could be guides in controlling the architectural pollution in the sri Lankan context.
SCOPE & LIMITATIONS
the term home in the study will refer to the ‘ residential dwelling ‘ or the micro contexts that is described through the home.
the study will limit itself to common cultural factors which defines as ‘sri Lankan’ so that the study does not biased itself into one community.
The study mainly focus its basis through the 4 theoretical interpretations which are discussed through the literature survey that build in the expression of ‘home’
The study hence will derive the Change in the expression of home with the above methods and identify the generic characteristics of home in sri lanka and its deviation through time based on the scope and limitations of the study.
RESEARCH FRAMEWORK
STEP 01 Data Collection Through questionnaires which address the general public and the Architects
Data analysis The statistical data collected through the questionaries are to be compared and analysed with the attributes identified through the literature survey of the study.
Conclusion : utilitarian factor Deriving a set of concepts for architects which could be utilized when designing personalized houses which could highlight the value of the expression of home in its architectural manifestation process
STEP 02
STEP 03
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two questionnaires were to be developed in order to gain an understanding of the possible clients of the future (Ages between 15-35) and for the Architects the pioneers of designing personalized Houses. Hence the data collection and analysis are being done under two phases, Phase 1: Analysis of data collected through structured questionnaire 1 –For possible clients of future Phase 2: Analysis of data collected through open ended questionnaire 1 –For Architects Phase 3: A cross-analysis QUESTIONNAIRE 01
QUESTIONNAIRE 02
Data analysis
1. Differentiation of home and house
2. Attributes of expression of the home reflect through architectural manifestation in the
Sri Lankan context
3. The extent an architect can contribute in instilling a “sense of Home’ in house design
Parameters: Gender, Age, employment status, marital status, the family type, Role in the family
Questionnaire 01: structured Directed to the general public the possible clients of the future (Ages between 15-35)
Questions to know if they can differentiate home & house
What do they think about the requirements of a home
Questions on the attributes identified
Questions on Their opinion on hiring an architect to do personalized houses Parameters: Gender,profession,years in architectural practice,
Architects opinion on home and house
Whether they have noticed the attributes which build up the expression of home
Have they noticed any change in the expression of home in the country with time
Opinions on Role of An Architect in building the sense of Home
• The study critically argues that through understanding of underneath concepts of the expression of “home” which the socio-cultural background of the society will lead into architectural designs of houses that are viable to the sri Lankan culture and identity.
• Theoretical basis :meaning of home described by its user the second which categorizes these into 04 main theoretical concepts :territorial, psychological,socio psychological and as the phenomenological and developmental interpretations.
• idea of the most important space to the client and architect were very contrasting. This was a contrasting finding which defines a highly introverted space to a highly Extrovert space. This suggests the conflict between used and unused spaces of an architectural design.
• Privacy was found to be the most important psychological attribute which defines home while territoriality scored the minimum. ‘home could be interpreted as a place of nurturing beliefs: astrological, religious’ this definition of home is unique to the sri Lankan context.
• The socio psychological findings suggested the home changes with time. An important proceeding in this fact it that although the home changes the basics of its should not change. With the proceedings and findings of the study it can be concluded that the
Expression of Home in sri lanka possess unique characteristics and strategies which could determine manifestation of
precise architectural Houses. Hence through the findings on the home and house, its attributes in the sri Lankan context, and architect’s role in sri Lankan home making, the study has achieved the
objectives of the research in understanding the change in expression of home and its architectural manifestation in sri lanka.
Further Research opportunities
The studies and conclusion of the study suggests avenues for further research areas relating the expression of Home.
It is important that future research investigates deeply on the different time period of architecture in Sri lanka.
The future studies should aim to replicate the results in larger groups with different biases of social classes and ethnicities.
Moreover Future research on the meaning of home as a political economic entry may extend the explanations of socio psychological interpretations of the expression of home in the country.
THEORY AND RESEARCH
MUSIC AS AN INSPIRATION IN ARCHITECTURE: EXPERIENCING AN ARCHITECTURAL SYMPHONY
Research type Research Essay
Duration October 2020 – November 2021
The interdisciplinary inspirations between Music and architecture are a fascinating subject that has interested researchers since early ages. The Human being in his life has always expressed his emotions, feelings and sorrows by movements and words. music and architecture are two forms of art that express these qualities through their physical and emotional forms in space. The studies on architecture create a platform that, from a long time ago there has always been a conceptual relationship between the two arts. Studies reveal that architectural thought seems to influence or in some way be implied through different musical elements. The study, therefore, emulates musical structure and composition through spatial manipulation and geometric form in achieving an orchestration of built space. It will illustrate a representation of musical movement to extract some of the basic elements or
“building blocks” which structure the effect that occurs in the realm of sound. This study aspires not to be a purely mathematical transformation from a musical piece into architecture, but identification of an underlying structure that guides the constructs of music. its composition in architectural space will further be explored through the architectural examples which have been inspired through various structures of music; the Philips Pavilion, the Jewish Museum of Berlin and Stretto House By Steven Holl. The act of applying music into architecture will provide opportunities to craft fuller and more spaces that address both functions and the spirit of the place.
Keywords: Fine art, Music, Architecture, Inspiration
THEORY AND RESEARCH
ROLE OF HERITAGE AND CONSERVATION OF A CITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM.
Research type Research Essay
Duration December 2020 –January 2021
Tourism makes a substantial economic contribution to the development of a region or a country , particularly in developing countries. It promotes intercultural understanding and socio cultural connections . in establishing this connection heritage and its conservation of a region plays a vital role responding to the development and promotion of tourism. With the increasing trends in tourism around the world the heritage driven tourism is occupying a major part in development of tourism in a country several literature presents this concept as heritage tourism which is a sustainable approach and a pathway in building the economic and social wellbeing of a country through the preservation of its heritage.
Sri lanka being a developing country in the twenty first century shows progressive development in economy, including the tourism industry. With the collapse in the export of plantation during mid 1960’s the country was forced to seek other income generators to stabilize the collapsed economy. With this initiation in 1967, he federal government institutionalized the tourism industry after which it became an essential income generator to the country. In this process the rich natural cultural diversities and the sri Lankan heritage turned into a major driving force which influenced in the development of tourism in the country.
The research essay hence investigates the role of heritage and conservation of a city which helps and promoted in the development of tourism in the region through the study of selective case study of the heritage city of Kandy ; the heritage and cultural capital of sri lanka. The study will provide an understanding of the role of heritage sites in a urban contexts which drives the attention and attraction of tourists both
local and foreign and the utilization of its conservations strategies in the development of tourism in the Kandy city.
