A STUDY O N T H E EFFECTIVENESS OF U R B A N DESIGN 
A P P R O A C H T O C U R B H A P H A Z A R D D E V E L O P M E N T 
A N D G E N E R A T E H U M A N E BUILT FABRIC IN CITIES. 
A Dissertation 
Presented to the Faculty of Architecture 
of the University of Moratuwa 
for the Examination of 
M.Sc. (Architecture) 
Sc / Q - Sc 
LAVANYA S. WEERASURIYA 
M.Sc. II 
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE 
UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA 
APRIL, 1997. 
71376 
JUN 199/ * 
DESIGN
 ( e » 
72 "97 
-7 1 1 - 4 -
T H 
" the future city will be everywhere and nowhere, and it will be a city so 
greatly different from the ancient city or any city of today that we will probably 
fail to recognize its coming as the city at all." 
- Frank Lloyd W r i g h t 
ABSTRACT 
Modern cities, all over the world, are in a serious plight, speeding on towards their 
decline, losing their identity and character. On account of this, chaos has set in and 
haphazard development has become a marked characteristic in urban environments 
making most of the cities inhumane. This is mainly due to the inability of the later 
designs to capture the character and the essence prevailing in the building fabric and 
incorporate them in new designs. By analysing various approaches or techniques 
oriented to curb haphazardness, this study reveals Urban Design approach as the only 
holistic approach to find out meaningful solutions for problems of the urban built 
environment. Further investigations on this approach reveal that the three main 
components of urban design, i.e., the Square or the Plaza , the Street, and the 
buildings that make up the public face of towns and cities, need to be cohesively 
arranged in order to avoid haphazardness. Moreover, they reveal that organizing the 
built environment of the above three urban design components so as to bring out 
visual, functional, environmental and experiential qualities of towns and cities will not 
only contribute to avoid haphazardness, but also help in generation of humane built 
fabric. This study is an attempt to make it clear that the avoidance of haphazard 
development by the urban design approach would be an achievement which would 
help to create meaningful urban situations, avoiding chaos or monotony, because it 
is evident that avoiding haphazard or chaotic development and making cities more 
humane, would make them more liveable and pleasing to the society as a whole. 
A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S 
I express my deep gratitude and thanks to -
* Archt. Dr. Ranjith Perera - Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Architecture, University 
of Moratuwa for the invaluable advice and guidance given and the helpful 
comments and suggestions made throughout the course of the study, 
* Architects Vidura Sri Nammuni and Madura Prematilake - Senior Lecturers, 
Dept. Of Architecture, University of Moratuwa for the kind guidance and 
useful comments made at the inception of this study , 
* All my friends and colleagues who contributed to this study in no small 
measure by offering their thought provoking ideas and comments , 
* The Library staff of 
University of Moratuwa 
British Council 
Indian Embassy 
Open University 
Centre for Housing, Planning and Building, for ready help and 
assistance in finding necessary literature and information for this study 
* My sister Pramoda for producing this document by Word Processing at very 
short notice, 
* And last but not least, to my dear parents and the members of my family for 
their patience, understanding and immeasurable help extended to me at all 
times. 
To all of them and all others too numerous to be mentioned individually I sincerely 
offer my thanks for the help and encouragement given to me by word or deed for the 
progress of this undertaking and particularly for their appreciation of the importance 
of this area of study. 
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CONTENTS 
Page 
Abstract ii 
Acknowledgement iii 
List of Illustrations vi 
Introduction 1 
a. Topic Explanation 2 
b. The need of the study 6 
c. Aims and Objectives of the Study 8 
d. Scope and Limitations 9 
e. Method of study 10 
Chapter One - The Urban Environment 12 
1.1 Urban space and urbanity 14 
1.2 Character 17 
1.3 The qualities that contribute to the character 19 
1.3.1 Composition 21 
1.3.1.1 Centralised Organization 22 
1.3.1.2 Linear Organization 23 
1.3.1.3 Radial Organization 24 
1.3.1.4 Clustered Organization 25 
1.3.1.5 Grid Organization 26 
1.3.2 Texture 27 
1.3.2 Stance 28 
Chapter Two - Haphazard Urban Development 31 
2.1 Haphazardness in the physical existence 34 
2.2 Outcome generated due to haphazard development 37 
Page 
2.3 Attributes needed to overcome haphazardness 43 
2.3.1 Visual Qualities 43 
2.3.2 Functional Qualities 44 
2.3.3 Environmental Qualities 45 
2.3.4 Experiential Qualities 45 
C h a p t e r T h r e e - Techniques o r approaches to overcome 47 
the haphazardness 
3.1 Laissez Faire Approach 47 
3.2 Land use planning Approach 48 
a. Concentric Zone Theory / 49 
b. Sector Theory 51 
c. Multiple Nuclei Concept 52 
3.3 Master Planning Approach 54 
3.4 Regulatory Approach 55 
3.5 Urban Design Approach 56 
C h a p t e r F o u r - U r b a n Design a n d its m a i n components 63 
4.1 The square or Plaza 65 
4.1.1 Boundary 67 
4.1.2 Proper linkage 68 
4.1.3 Scale & Proportion 73 
4.1.4 Form 76 
4.1.5 Activity / Function 77 
4.2 The Street 85 
4.3 The buildings that make up the public face of towns and cities 92 
4.3.1 Order 95 
4.3.2 Unity 99 
4.3.3 Proportion 102 
4.3.4 Scale and Proportion 106 
4.3.5 Symmetry, Balance and Rhythm 110 
4.3.6 Rhythm, Harmony and Contrast 113 
Conclusion 118 
References 123 
1 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
Figure Page 
- vi -
1 The city is the product of many builders who are 1 
constantly modifying the structure 
2 Features of the built fabric which contribute to 2 
the haphazardness 
3 Linear Organization of space, using physical elements - 5 
Galle Fort 
4 Individualistic approaches Have resulted in 7 
haphazard developments 
5 A building as a work of art - Acropolis - Greece 12 
6 The city is the collective memory of the people 15 
7 Character of a small child achived through singleness 17 
of purpose 
8 Character is lost, the whole identity or the esence 18 
of that particular city will be lost. 
9 The crescent shape of the bay, intimate scale of buildings 20 
and natural response of the built fabric to the surrounding 
environment produce uniqueness inherent to Galle. 
- City form - Galle 
10 Cenrtalised Organization (WorsJett, 1969) 22 
11a ) 23 
l i b ) Linear Organization (Worskett, 1969) 24 
12 Radial Organization (Worskett, 1969) 25 
13 Radial Spatial Organizatio employed in a city. 25 
(Palma Nouva - Italy) (Zucker, 1970: 123) 
14a Grid Organization (Worskett, 1969) 27 
Figure Page 
- vii 
Y 14b Grid - iron Organization employed in a city. 27 
(American Frontier Cities) (Lynch, 1981:) 
15 A city is a complex environment with many kind of activities 30 
16 Inhumane proportions-Mega Structures 32 
17 absence of a definite identity or character of the built fabric. 33 
18 Very small child's first space awareness 34 
19 The city the powerful symbol of a complex society. 35 
20 The physical environment ended up in a haphazard 37 
or chaotic manner. 
21 The physical form of a city, often ignored in the task of 37 
city building 
22 The lack of a visible identity of a city 38 
23 Monotone city fabric 39 
A 
24 Our cities display many ambiguities, confusion 40 
25 Individual action is a road to personal growth. 41 
26 Relations among the city's parts, familiar with its 42 
landmarks 
27 Colour and texture strengthen the character and identity. 43 
28 Landscape produce visual harmony - Temple of Tooth - Kandy. 44 
29 Glass facades create unease to the movement of pedestriants 44 
and vehicles. 
30 Open spaces - A necessity in shaping public spaces. 45 
31 Concentric Zone Theory. 49 
Figure Page 
- vm -
32 Sector Theory. 51 
33 Multiple Nuclei Concept 52 
34 Planning is Urban Design, But there is more to this - 57 
Georgepur - India. 
35 Creating mere collections of buildings - Hong Kong. 59 
36 Buildings in an urban situations can never be independent 60 
from the rest - Hong Kong. 
37 New buildings disregards the neighbours and stand as 62 
individual statements. (Cervin Robinson) 
38 Urban Quality. 64 
39 Busy traffic flow with scattered collection of non - 66 
related buildings. 
40 Main Square at Salamanca (Moughtin, 1992 : 102) 67 
41 The Plaza of Del Campidoglio, Rome (moughtin, 1992: 111) 68 
42 Neubrandenburg Plan (Zucker, 1970:79) 69 
43 Lincolnshire Square-Boston (Moughtin, 1992:120) 70 
44 The Amalienburg, Copenhagen. (Moughtin, 1992: 121) 71 
45 Open space - Opposite the Super Market - Nugegoda 72 
46 Courts Square - at Galle Fort 73 
47 Hammerstein, East Prussia - Now Poland 74 
(Zucker, 1970 : Plate 19B) 
48 Colombo City Form 75 
49 Present Nepal - Hapahazard development is very prominent 75 
Figure Page 
- ix? -
50 Piazza del Campo in Siena - Areial View 76 
y (Zucker, 1970 : Plate 24B) 
51 A famous square in Britain 78 
(Tugnutt, A. & Robertson, M., 1987 : 29) 
52 A formal sapce (Tugnutt, A. & Robertson,M., 1987 :30) 79 
53 Formal space with variety of shapes 79 
(Tugnutt, A. & Robertson, M., 1987:32) 
54 Formality lessened to a certain extent 80 
(Tugnutt,A. & Robertson, M., 1987:33) 
55 The Charles Street rotary - A strong junction node in 81 
Boston (Lynch, 1990:73) 
56 The Eiffel Tower, France 82 
57 Independence Square - Colombo 83 
58 Northen Boundary of Fort - Sri Lanka defined by the 84 
continuous wall of Port and a row of Colonial buildings 
4 
59 The Street provides a link between buildings, both within the 85 
street and in the city at large 
60 The street An enclosed, three dimensional space between 86 
two lines of adjacent buildings 
61 The coherent building of city and street - 87 
Nerthern Street - Hong Kong 
62 The physical factors appear most to influence street use 87 
63 Streets should be for staying in, and not just 89 
for moving through 
64 Street that forms a disciplined frame work 91 
65 Townscape is something that cannot be readily altered 94 
(Burke, 1976:111) 
66 Buildings are made to serve particular purpose 94 
67 Bijlmermeer in Amsterdam (Moughtin, 1992:27) 96 
68 The crescent, Bath (Moughtin, 1992 : 29) 97 
69 Details of the Circus Bath (Moughtin, 1992 :29) 98 
70 Chapel at Ronchamp (Moughtin, 1992: 65) 100 
71 Ronchamp - In landscape setting (Moughtin, 1992:66) 101 
72 Taj Mahal - Agra 102 
73 Beautifully composed facades of the Cargills and Millers Buildings 104 
74 Continuous level of skyline and the building line 104 
75 Uniformilty and Continuity expressed through tlie built 105 
fabric (Similar in height,scale, proportions and also the 
building line 
76 Height of the buildings is appropriate to become a visually 105 
prominent edge, while the straight building line enhances 
the effect 
77 Continuous arcades of Grand Oriental Hotel - 107 
Scale & detailing has created its strong appearance 
78 Arcade of Grindleys Bank - Scale and detailing are inappropriate 108 
although the ground floor height of other buildings is maintained 
79 Low window to wall ratio heightens the effect as a strong edge 108 
by giving it a solid appearance 
80 Various elements of the street facade contribute to the out of 109 
proportion 
81 Monotony of tlie linear built from is avoided by its roof style 109 
82 New buildings disregards the neighbours and stand as 111 
individual statements 
- x -
Figure Page 
- Xi -
83 Disregarding the the context end up as chaos or haphazard and 111 
meaningless works 
84 Grindlays Bank - lacks sensitivity to the rhythm; 112 
establish by the buildings 
85 A perfect definition for a corner of a building that has been 113 
emphasised with raised element 
86 A bad composition 114 
87 Incorporating a similar texture (harmony) can maintain character 116 
of a binding fabric. 
88 Inappropriate facade treatment - contrast against the neighbours 116 
89 Design tends to follow the client's tastes and requirements 118 
neglecting the cohesive pattern 
90 Urban areas are varying and diverse in character - Hong Kong 119 
91 Haphazardness in cities becomes a subjective factor 120