Enhancing sense of belonging in new developments through public spaces

Enhancing the Sense of Belonging in New Developments through Public Spaces A study of Neighbourhood 1 in Hulhumale’, Maldives

Hussain Ziyath September, 2017 Extract of Design disserationation submitted in partial fulfilment of the Degree of MA in Urban Design and Planning, University of Sheffield

Research Aims & Objectives Aim: The research aims to explore and develop socio-spatial strategies to enhance the Sense of Belonging in new urban developments through public spaces, by focusing on a neighborhood one in Hulhumale’, Maldives. These strategies will manifest itself in the form of a masterplan for the selected research site.

Objectives: • Review existing literature to identity ideas and concepts surrounding Sense of Belonging in public spaces • Study existing practices around the world to identify spaces and strategies promoting Sense of Belonging • Analyse roles and outcome of planning and municipal governance policies in the chosen context • Carry out contextual and site study to develop a SWOT analysis • Develop socio-spatial strategies to enhance the Sense of Belonging through design by research and design testing • Transferring the developed strategies in the form of an urban design masterplan for the selected site

Sense of Belonging

Literature Review

Sense of Place

Sense of Belonging

Sense of Place

Sense of Belonging

Place Identity

Sense of Place

Sense of Belonging

Human Perception

Individual Participation

Place Marketing Place Attachment & Dependance

Place Invention

Loss of attachment to territory Globalisation & Mass Culture

Sense of Place

Sense of Belonging

Sense of Place

Sense of Belonging

Human Perception

Stability & Familarity

The Self The Environment

Placelessness

Place Identity

Character: Local Vernaculer

Place Identity

Activities

Sense of Place

Sense of Belonging

Human Perception

SocioCultural Experiences

Design Components

Physical Settings

Social Interaction Territorality & Personalisation

Symbolism & Meaning

Public Participation

Responsive & Robust

Time

Relationships & Experiences

Repetitive Rituals Worship Celebrations

Continuity

Individual Participation

Place Marketing Place Attachment & Dependance

Place Invention

Loss of attachment to territory Globalisation & Mass Culture

Character: Local Vernaculer Stability & Familarity

The Self The Environment

Placelessness

Place Identity

Activities

Sense of Place

Sense of Belonging

Human Perception

SocioCultural Experiences

Design Components

Physical Settings

Social Interaction Territorality & Personalisation

Symbolism & Meaning

Public Participation

Responsive & Robust

Time

Relationships & Experiences

Repetitive Rituals Worship Celebrations

Continuity

Case Studies

UK

UAE Thailand Maldives

Public Squares, London

UK

Europe

Masdar City UAE

UAE

Middle East

Pedestrian Streets Thailand

Thailand

South East Asia

Site Analysis

Site Context Site Structure Site Quality Site Interviews Urban Policy Context Review Participant Observation

Site Context Macro Context

Hulhumale’ Phase 1

Velana International Airport

Hulhumale’ Phase 2

Maldives

Rest of the country

Hulhumale’

Velana International Airport Gulhifalhu

Thilafushi Villingili

Male’

Legend: Land link

Greater Male’ Region

Ferry Link Future land links

Site Context Micro Context

Site Structure

2002

Urban grain

Loose spaces

Loose spaces

Urban Form Development

Building footprint over land use 2004

Loose spaces Urban Blocks

2006

Loose spaces

Land use of Neighborhood 1 2008

Urban Voids

Urban Voids

2010 Legend: Residential Institutional Government/Civic Commercial Mosques Services/Utilities Green

2015 Hulhumale’ Landuse Plan

Leftover spaces Green Areas

Site Quality

Connectivity & Permeability

100m

Legend:

Major Road Minor Road Local Access Road Pedestrianised Road

Traffic Intensity Low

High

Major Transportaion modes:

Motorbikes Cars

Buses (Public Transport)

Fig 5.10: Transport and Connectivity Map showing how traffic spills into the neighbourhood (own illustration)

(5 min

Walk)

Legibility & Urban Character Pitched roofs Art deco architectural style Minimal reference to vernacular architecture

Collage of colours & Materials

Character Areas

+ User perspective

+ Limited variety of Material use

Active and Inactive Frontages

Active Public Spaces: Remaining spaces are dead, derelict or undeveloped

Street lighting system: Scattered Public space lighting & dead spaces due to insufficent lighting

HDC Park

Central Park 2nd Phase

N1 Park

+ Urban Voids

+ Active Frontages & Source of indirect lighting

Purely commercial and mix residential plots: Keeps the streets vibrant

Active frontages: Creates an open ended network which becomes delinked in the center

5.4 Site Interviews

5.4.1 Cognitive Mapping

Fig 5.19: Diagram cognitive map overlayed with local voices (own illustration)

Tuning into different voices

Do you own a household?

Note: It is important to note that people sense of belonging is indirectly connected to their ownership of housing. 50% of the people who have said that they don’t feel like Hulhumale’ is their home do not own the places they currently live.

Tuning into different voices

Legend: Main themes Primary Concept Secondary Concept Directly connected Indirectly connected

Tuning into different voices

Recurring themes highlighted as barriers to Sense of Belonging Rec u

rrin

Over Governance & Regulation

Unresponsive Design

Discomfort & Inconveniences

Lack of Visual Culture

g in

one

targ

et g

roup

No Public Participation in Developments

Economic/ Market Challenges

Urban Policy Context Review - Urban

Masterplan developed without stakeholder discus-

sion

- Planning and Development Guidelines changes are brought without the consent of the public - Extreme Municipal Controls

- Ownership issues: lack of affordable housing Reflections - lack of public participation and over governance are deemed to be threats to Sense of Belonging.

Participant Observation - Implementation of long term neighborhood plans - Importance of public participation - Community grant projects - Community land development projects (CLT’s)

SWOT Analysis

Fig 5.28: SWOT Analysis diagram

Design Proposition Vision and Strategy Development Design Options Discussion Masterplan Development Final Land Use Plan Final Masterplan Site Sections Key Designs

Vision & Strategy Development

Fig 6.1: Shows vision and strategy development diagram (own illustration)

Option 1: Improving Cultural Identity - Design Mapping

Design Development

Concept Visualisation

Option 1: Improving Cultural Identity - Design Testing Legend of possible impacts:

Loose spaces allocated for cultural events

Dedicating presently void spaces for such festivities will allow more people to participate.

Interventions to align with the road grid

The chosen blanks end walls of row houses and flats face one of the busiest major roads.

The cultural pathway will allow to enhance the currently derelict parks

Sign posts

Customised sign post

Legend of possible impacts:

Currently existing active areas, routes, nodes

Left out space

Highlights overlap of Design Interventions

Fig 6.5: Shows design action testing for design option 1 (own illustration)

Enhanced Pedestrian Connectivity

Option 2: Achieving Social Cohesion - Design Mapping

Design Development

Option 2: Achieving Social Cohesion - Design Testing

Concept Visualisation

Legend of possible impacts:

Normal Bus route Airport bus route

Busy intersection. Vibrant Space.

Community gardens

Market stalls in loose spaces

Spaces to promote social interaction

Legend of possible impacts:

Community land development

Focuses more on the center

Leaving the beachfront and waterfront area is left out

Option 3: Creating Activity centers - Design Mapping

Design Development

Concept Visualisation

Option 3: Creating Activity Centers - Design Testing Legend of possible impacts:

Current pedestrian circulation routes supported by active nodes and edges.

New circulation route with the proposal of new activities.

Links to the new circulation route with the proposal of pedestrianised streets

Cultural walk proposed in strategy 1

Nodes

Legend of possible impacts:

Public bus route

Major roads left open to vehicles

Optional vehicular route

Area of enhanced circulation and permeability

Areas of possible traffic disruptions due to overflow of the pedestrian activities on to the road

Fig 6.13: Shows design action testing for design option 3 (own illustration)

Discussion

Use of Loose & Inactive Spaces Power Struggle &

Use of Loose & Inactive Spaces

Enhancing Permeability and Connectivity

Promoting Social Interaction

& Disruptions

Loss of Parking Spaces

Introducing Public Participation

Free & Comfortable spaces

Option 1: Improving Cultural Identity

Power Struggle &

Use of Loose & Inactive Spaces

Enhancing Permeability and Connectivity

Promoting Social Interaction

& Disruptions

Loss of Parking Spaces

Introducing Public Participation

Free & Comfortable spaces

Option 2: Achieving Social Cohesion

Power Struggle &

Enhancing Permeability and Connectivity

Promoting Social Interaction

& Disruptions

Loss of Parking Spaces

Introducing Public Participation

Free & Comfortable spaces

Option 3: Creating Activity Centers

Discussion Use of Loose & Inactive Spaces Power Struggle &

Enhancing Permeability and Connectivity

Promoting Social Interaction

& Disruptions

Loss of Parking Spaces

Introducing Public Participation

Free & Comfortable spaces

Masterplan Development Cultural Artworks and Murals

Pedestrianised Streets for festivals

Traditional huts Community Gardens

Street performers Community Markets

Customised Sign Posts

Outdoor Cinema Sign Posts for Areas of Interest

Culture Walk

Public Participation/ Cultural Park Social Spaces

Community Markets Street Markets

Legend: Option 1 Option 2 Option 3

Flexible spaces: Festivals & Cultural activities

Social Spaces

Community Gardens Outdoor Cinema Street Markets Community Land Development

Free and comfortable spaces

Final Land Use Plan Legend:

Community park

Socio-cultural Space (Place branding)

Social Space

Cultural Walkway

Outdoor Activity

Community Garden

Flexible Space for Community Activity

Flexible Space for Cultural Activity

CLD - Farming and Agriculture

CLD - Affordable Housing

Street Market

Final Masterplan

Site Sections

Free spaces

Street Market

Spaces for designed for Social Interaction

Major Road

Fig 6.21: Section showing Street Market in Central Park Pedestrain Street

Beach side Buildings

Fig 6.23: Section showing pedestrianised beach road

Beach front buildings with commercial outlets

Road to be Pedestrianised linking the commercial activity to the beach

Beach side seating

Beach

Proposed space for rainwater collection

Mosque Fig 6.22: Section showing Cultural walkway and Symbolic Umbrella

Cultural Walkway

Symbolic Umbrella

Cultural Walkway linking HDC building to the Mosque

HDC Building

Sea

Key Designs Improving Cultural Identity: Cultural Walkway

Retaining the existing trees and incorporating the design to the park

Umbrella as a monument to show Islamic Culture and Tradition Canopy shade

Shade creates opportunity for activities: Outdoor Quran classes during daytime

Walkway to be tiled or paved with design referring to the patterns of islamic architecture

Fig 6.24: Perspective image showing the Cultural Walkway (own illustration)

Improving Cultural Identity: Free and Robust Spaces

Cultural murals on blank end walls creating distinctive spaces

Temporary stalls setup for food and drinks

Opportunity to create a platform for local talents

Multupurpose space for communal activities hosted by the community Fig 6.25: Perspective image showing the Free and Robust spaces (own illustration)

Achieving Social Cohesion: Communtiy Gardens Retaining the existing trees to be incorporated into communal gardens

Garden Crates for Community Gardening

Allows more eyes on public spaces making it safer Loose spaces between social housing flats

Fig 6.26: Perspective image showing Communal Gardens (own illustration)

Exisiting Pedestrian Walkway

Achieving Social Cohesion: Spaces for Social Interactions

Communal seating: sharing spaces provide opportunity for social interaction

The public should feel free in these spaces: run, walk, sit, have a picnic

Fig 6.27: Perspective image showing spaces for Social Interaction (own illustration)

Creating Activity Centers: Street Markets

Exisitng Pedestrian Street

Market stalls selling local products preferably by the community

Fig 6.28: Perspective image showing Street Markets (own illustration)

To be fully experienced on foot

Creating Activity Centers: Pedestrianised Beach Road

Fig 6.29: Perspective image showing Pedestrianised Beach Road (own illustration)

Maldivian traditional huts to create a meaningful connection with the island lifestyle

Pedestrianising the road to increase pedestrian permeability and link the commercial acitivities to the beach.

Conclusion & Reflection

Conclusion - Design strategies to enhance Sense of Belonging are:

- Improving cultural identity

- Achieving social cohesion

- Creating Activity Centers - Masterplan is an embodiment of the learning outcomes from all the stages of the research - Design strategies work in association to each other and has the potential to be developed further - Masterplan represents a further step closer to enhancing Sense of Belonging

Implications of Practice - Sense of belonging is a complex topic intertwined in different dimensions of urban design and planning

- Masterplan will not be an answer to all pre-existing social problems; housing ownership, education, attitude and awareness etc - Masterplan subjected to rigorous critique through stakeholder engagement sessions for robustness and sustainbility

- Needs to stand the test of time; ensure its continuity for shared experiences

Conclusion - Design strategies to enhance Sense of Belonging are:

- Improving cultural identity

- Achieving social cohesion

- Creating Activity Centers - Masterplan is an embodiment of the learning outcomes from all the stages of the research - Design strategies work in association to each other and has the potential to be developed further - Masterplan represents a further step closer to enhancing Sense of Belonging

Implications of Practice - Sense of belonging is a complex topic intertwined in different dimensions of urban design and planning

- Masterplan will not be an answer to all pre-existing social problems; housing ownership, education, attitude and awareness etc - Masterplan subjected to rigorous critique through stakeholder engagement sessions for robustness and sustainbility

- Needs to stand the test of time; ensure its continuity for shared experiences

Hulhumale’ - The Island City

Hulhumale’ - The

Island City

- Thank you -