AN EXAMINATION OF THE CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFORDANEES WITH REFERENCE TO SUSTAIN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT OF RELIGIOUS PROCESSIONAL PATHS OF SRI LANKA G.R Senadheera Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science (Architecture) Department of Architecture University of Moratuwa Sri Lanka April 2006 95724 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi LIST OF FIGURES vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xi INTRODUCTION 1.The issue 1 2.Need of the study 4 3.Aims and objectives 5 4.Methodology 5 5.Scopc and limitations 7 The Environmental Affordance in the Built Environment 7 81.1 The Concept of Environmental Affordance 8 1.1.1 Affordance 8 Objective affordance (The use of term refer James J Gibson. 1979) Perceived affordance 9 (The use of term refer Donald Norman. 1988) 1.1.2 Application of the concept of affordance and related theories 10 1.1.3 The perception and affordance 11 1.1.4 The psychology of perception and behaviour 12 1.1.5 The method of understanding the environmental affordance 13 1.2 The Evolution of Built Environment for Affordances 14 1.2.1 The Environment 14 1.2.2 The Concept of Interaction on Environment and Human 14 1.3 Method of analyzing the Built Environment 16 1.3.1 Environment as Communication 16 1.3.2 Importance of the Non-Verbal Communication Methods 17 1.3.3 Non-Verbal Communication Methods 18 1.3.3.1 Fixed-feature elements 18 1.3.3.2 Semi-fixed elements 18 1.3.3.3 Non-fixed feature elements 19 conclusion CHAPTER TWO: 2 Application of the environmental affordance in the religious processional path in Sri Lanka 21 2.1 Introduction 21 2.2 Case study One :Asala Maha Perahera Festival in Kandy 25 2.2.1 Introduction 25 2.2.1.1 Historical background 26 2.2.1.2 The present street character in the urban context 28 2.2.2 Dalada Vidiya in Kandy in the Asala Maha Perahera Festival 29 2.2.2.1 Place One. The surroundings of Queen's Hotel at Dalada 30 Vidiya The physical settings Activity Environmental affordances 2.2.2.2 Place Two-Dalada Vidiya 30 The physical setting 31 Activity 31 Environmental aordances Case study Two: Nawam Perahera Festival at Gangaramaya 32 312.3.1Introduction 2.3.1.1 Historical background 2.3.1.2 The present street character in the urban context 32 2.3.2 The Gangarama Processional Path of Colombo Nawam Perahera Festival 32 2.3.2.1 Place One 33 The physical settings 34 Activity & Environmental affordances 35 1 Section A 35 2 Section B 38 3 Section C 39 2.3.2.2 Place Two 41 The physical settings 42 Activity & Environmental affordances 43 1 Edges of the urban landscape 43 2 The fagade of the other side of the building 44 2.3.2.3 Place Three 45 The physical settings 46 Activity & Environmental affordances 47 1 The facade of the shop frontage 47 2 The facade of the other side of the building 49 Conclusion 50 CHAPTER THREE: 3 An Analytical Studv of the Environmental Affordances with reference to sustain Religious Processions in Sri Lanka 51 3.1 Introduction 51 3 .2 The result of the environmental affordance helps to sustain the religious procession in the processional path 53 3.2.1 The environmental affordance helps recreating of the place for action 53 3.2.2 The environmental affordance has an ability to make community facility in urban setting 56 3.2.3 Creating sense of enclosure to the dancer from the concept of environmental affordances 3.2.4 The personal demarcation of space created due to the usage of environmental affordances in the physical setting. 60 CONCLUSION 63 BIBLIOGRAPHY 64 D e c e l e r a t i o n I d e d a r e t h a t t h i s d i s s e r t a t i o n r e p r e s e n t m y o w n w o r k e r : c e p t w h e r e d u e a c k n o w l e d g t . ! m c n t i \ m a d e a n d t h a t i t h a s n o t h e e n p r e v i o u s l y i n c : l u d e d i n a t h e s i s , d i . u e r t a t i o n o r r e p o r t s u h m i l f e d t o t h i s U n i v e r s i t y o r t o a n y o t h e r i n s t i t u t i o n o r a d e g r e e , d i p l o m a o r o l h e r q u a l i f i c a t i o n . • G . R S e n a i l h e e r a ; D r J a g a t h M u n l l s i n g h e P r i n c i p a l S u p e r v i s o r I • ; ; C O N T E N T S A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S U S T O F F I G U R E S L I S T O F I L L U S T R A T I O N S l l ' l f R O D U C T T O . . . . T h e i s s u e / • 2 N e e d o f t h e s t u d y 3 . A i m s a n d o b j e c t i v e s 4 . M e t h o d o l o g y 5 . S c o p e a n d l i m i t a t i o n s ; . C H A P T E R O N E : . . , . " ! : . . . . - 1 T h e E n v i r o n m e n t a l A f f o r d a n c e i n t h e B u i l t E n v i r o n m e n t 1 . 1 T h e C o n c e p t o f E n v i r o n m e n t a l A f f o r d a n c e 1 . 1 . 1 A f f o r d a n c e O b j e c t i v e a f f o r d a n c e ( T h e u s e o f t e n n r e f e r J c u n c s J G i b s o n . 1 9 7 9 ) P e r c e i v e d a f f o r d a n c e ( T h e u s c o f t c m 1 r e f e r D o n a l d N o r m a n . 1 9 8 8 ) 1 . 1 . 2 A p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e c o n c e p t o f a f f o r d a n c e a n d r e l a t e d t h e o r i e s 1 . 1 . 3 T h e p e r c e p t i o n a n d a f f o r d a n c e - 1 . 1 . 4 T h e p s y c h o l o g y o f p e r c e p t i o n a n d b e h a v i o u r 1 1 5 T h e m e t h o d o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l a f f o r d a n c e V I V I I X I 4 5 5 7 8 8 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 . 2 1 3 T h e E v o l u t i o n o f B u i l t E n v i r o n m e n t f o r A f T o r d a n c e s 1 . 2 . 1 T h e E n v i r o n m e n t 1 . 2 . 2 T h e C o n c e p t o f l n t e r a c t i o n o n E n v i r o n m e n t a n d H u m a n M e t h o d o f a n a l y z i n g t h e B u i I t E n v i r o n m e n t 1 . 3 . 1 E n v i r o n m e n t a s C o m m u n i c a t i o n 1 . 3 . 2 I m p o r t a n c e o f t h e N o n - V e r b a l C o m m u n i c a t i o n M e t h o d s 1 . 3 . 3 N o n - V e r b a l C o m m u n i c a t i o n M e t h o d s 1 . 3 . 3 . 1 F i x e d - f e a t u r e e l e m e n t s 1 . 3 . 3 . 2 S e m i - f i x e d e l e m e n t s 1 . 3 . 3 . 3 N o n - f i x e d f e a t u r e e l e m e n t s • . . . . / 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 6 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 8 1 8 1 9 c o n c l u s i o n C H A P T E R T W O : 2 A p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l a f f o r d a n c e i n t h e r e l i g i o u s p r o c e s s i o n a l p a t h i n S r i L a n k a ".~ 2 1 2 . 1 I n t r o d u c t i o n 2 1 2 2 C a s e s t u d y O n e : A s a l a M a h a P e r a h e r a F e s t i v a l i n K a n d y 2 5 2 . 2 . 1 I n t r o d u c t i o n 2 5 2 . 2 . 1 . 1 H i s t o r i c a l b a c k g r o u n d 2 6 2 . 2 . 1 . 2 T h e p r e s e n t s t r e e t c h a r a c t e r i n t h e u r b a n c o n t e x t 2 8 2 . 2 . 2 D a l a d a V i d i y a i n K a n d y i n t h e A s a l a M a h a P e r a h e r a F e s t i v a l 2 9 2 . 2 . 2 . 1 P l a c e O n e : T h e s u r r o u n d i n g s o f Q u e e n ' s H o t e l a t D a l a d a V i d i y a T h e p h y s i c a l s e t t i n g s A c t i v i t y E n v i r o n m e n t a l a f f o r d a n c e s 2 9 • I l l 2 3 2 . 2 . 2 . 2 P l a c e T w o - D a l a d a V i d i y a T h e p h y s i c a l s e t t i n g A c t i v i t y E n v i r o n m e n t a l a f f o r d a n c e s C a s e s t u d y T w o : N a w a m P e r a h e r a F e s t i v a l a t G a n g a r a m a y a 2 . 3 . 1 I n t r o d u c t i o n 2 . 3 . 1 . 1 H i s t o r i c a l b a c k g r o u n d 2 . 3 . 1 . 2 T h e p r e s e n t s t r e e t c h a r a c t e r i n t h e u r b a n c o n t e x t r 2 . 3 . 2 T h e G a n g a r a m a P r o c e s s i o n a l P a t h o f C o l o m b o N a w a m P e r a h e r a F e s t i v a l 2 . 3 . 2 . 1 P l a c e O n e T h e p h y s i c a l s e t t i n g s A c t i v i t y & E m ; i r o n m e n t a l affordance.~ S e c t i o n A 2 3 2 . 3 . 2 . 2 P l a c e T w o S e c t i o n B S e c t i o n C T h e p h y s i c a l s e t t i n g s A c t i v i t y & E n v i r o n m e n t a l a f f o r d a n c e s E d g e s o f t h e u r b a n l a n d s c a p e 2 T h e f a y a d e o f t h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e b u i l d i n g 2 . 3 . 2 . 3 P l a c e T h r e e T h e p h y s i c a l s e t t i n g s A c t i v i t y & E n v i r o n m e n t a l a f f o r d a n c e s T h e f a 9 a d e o f t h e s h o p f r o n t a g e 2 T h e f a 9 a d e o f t h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e b u i l d i n g C o n c l u s i o n • 3 0 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 2 3 3 3 4 3 5 3 5 3 8 3 9 4 1 4 2 4 3 4 3 4 4 4 5 4 6 4 7 4 7 4 9 5 0 I V C H A P T E R T H R E E : 3 A n A n a l y t i c a l S t u d y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t a l A f f o r d a n c e s w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o s u s t a i n R e l i g i o u s P r o c e s s i o n s i n S r i L a n k a 5 1 3 . 1 . . . , . > . - I n t r o d u c t i o n T h e r e s u l t o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l a t f o r d a n c e h e l p s t o s u s t a i n t h e r e l i g i o u s p r o c e s s i o n i n t h e p r o c e s s i o n a l p a t h ~- ' 5 1 5 3 3 2 . 1 T h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l a t f o r d a n c e h e l p s r e c r e a t i n g o f r h e p l a c e f o r a c t i o n 5 3 3 . 2 . 2 T h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l a f f o r d a n c c h a s a n a b i l i t y t o m a k e c o m m u n i t y f a c i l i t y i n u r b a n s e t t i n g 3 2 3 C r e a t i n g s e n s e o f e n c l o s u r e t o t h e . d a n c e r f r o m t h e c o n c e p t o f ! 5 6 e n v i r o n m e n t a l a t f o r d a n c e s - . . . . . 5 7 3 2 4 T h e p e r s o n a l d e m a r c a t i o n o f s p a c e c r e a t e d d u e t o t h e u s a g e o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l a t f o r d a n c e s i n t h e p h y s i c a l s e t t i n g . C O N C L U S I O N B I B L I O G R A P H Y 6 0 6 3 6 4 , ) ! A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S I s i n c e r e l y e x p r e s s m y d e e p e s t g r a t i t u d e t o , O r J a g a t h M u n a s i n g h e , s e n i o r l e c t u r e r , D e p a r t m e n t o f T o w n a n d C o u n t r y P l a n n i n g , u n i v e r s i t y o f M o r a t u w a a n d i n d i v i d u a l s u p e r v i s o r - f o r a l l t h e v a l u a b l e c o m m e n t s a n d g u i d a n c e w i t h t h e i n s p i r i n g d i s c u s s i o n s , e n c o u r a g i n g w o r d s a n d a b o v e a l l , f o r h i s f a i t h i n t h i s e f f o r t . D r S a m i t h a M a n a w a d u , H e a d o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t , U n i v e r s i t y o f M o r a t u w a f o r t h e c o u r a g e I h a d g a i n e d f r o m h i s g u i d a n c e . r • D r H a r s h a M u n a s i n g h e , s e n i o r l e c t u r e , U n i v e r s i t y o f M o r a t u w a , f o r t h e c r i t i c i s m s a n d g u i d a n c e l e a d t h r o u g h o u t t h e s t u d y . 1 w i s h t o t h a n k ; , . 1 0 " ' ! M r L u k s u m a n a J a y a w i k r a m a a n d M r R a s i k a G u n a w a r d a n a f o r t h e i r h o n o u r a n d f r i e n d s h i p , w h i c h g e n e r a t e d t o w a r d s m e , m a i n t a i n m y " s p i r i t " d u r i n g t h i s t a s k . M y f r i e n d s M a n o r i m a , P a t h m a , H e m a n t h a a y y a , M i t h i l a a n d m y s i s t e r J a g a r i S e n a d h e e r a , b r o t h e r V i d u r a f o r t h e i r c o n t i n u o u s a s s i s t a n c e a n d v a l u a b l e s u p p o r t t o f u l f i l t h i s e x c e l l e n t w o r k . M y f a t h e r M r N . S S e n a d h e e r a a n d m y m o t h e r M r s S u d h a r m a M u n a s i n g h e f o r t h e i r r e l e n t l e s s e f f o r t s e n d o w e d t o c o m p l e t e t h i s w o r k s u c c e s s f u l l y . • V I L I S T O F F I G U R E S 2 3 A f f o r d a n c e - t h e d o o r l o c k A f f o r d a n c e - t h e h a l f o p e n d o o r T h e a c t i o n p o s s i b i l i t y P a g e N o 8 8 9 4 T h e f e a t u r e o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t - T h e s c r e e n d i s p l a y e d i n t h e w o o d e n h o u s e i n J a p a n s c r e e n f e s t i v a l 2 1 5 T h e c h i l d r e n i n t h e w o o d e n b r i d g e - a c t a s f a c i l i t y o b j e c t i n t h e f e s t i v e E n v i r o n m e n t 2 2 6 T h e f e s t i v e c h a r a c t e r o f t h e p r o c e s s i o n a l p a t h & h u m a n b e h a v i o u r 7 8 9 1 0 I I 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 9 2 0 2 1 2 2 2 3 r e f e r e l e m e n t a f f o r d a n c e s , r T h e t u s k e r e d e l e p h a n t c a r r y i n g t h e c a s k e t o f T o o t h R e l i c o f B u d d a K a n d y D a l a d a M a l i g a w a T h r e e e l e m e n t w a l k i n t h e l i n e w i t h C a s k e t i n K a n d y A s a l a P e r a h e r a 2 3 2 5 2 6 2 7 T h e b u i l d i n g h e i g h t g i v i n g p r o m i n e n c e t o t h e C a s k e t i n K a n d y P e r a h e r a 2 7 P e o p l e s a w P e r a h e r a f r o m t h e b a l c o n i e s o f t h e u p p e r f l o o r 2 7 T h e s i g n b o a r d s , s h o p f r o f 1 1 a g e , b o a r d s b r e a k v i s i g i l i t y o f t h e fa~ade 2 8 T h e e l e m e n t a f f o r d a n c e i n t h e e d g e s o f t h e s t r e e t d u r i n g t h e p r o c e s s i o n 3 0 . , _ _ . T h e u s a b i l i t y o f s e t t i n g s i n t h e j u n c t i o n 3 0 a w a n P e r a h e r a f e s t i v a l L o c a t i o n - p r o c e s s i o n a l p a t h o f " J a w a m P e r a h e r a T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f t h e f e s t i v e c r o w d i n t h e s e t t i n g M i n o r d e v e l o p m e n t i n u r b a n s e t t i n g m a k e s a f f o r d a n c e s V i e w f r o m t h e r a i s e d p l a t f o r m - r a i l i n g a s e l e m e n t a f f o r d a n c e C i r c u l a r p a t t e r n o f o r g a n i z a t i o n o f p e o p l e N a t u r a l e l e m e n t i n u r b a n s e t t i n g m a k e a f f o r d a n c e s A f f o r d a n c e f r o m t h e b o t h s i d e o f t h e s t r e e t T h e l o c a t i o n p r o c e s s i o n a l p a t h o f N a w a m P e r a h e r a 3 2 3 3 3 4 3 5 3 5 3 5 3 8 4 0 4 1 2 4 T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f f e s t i v e c r o w d i n t h e s e t t i n g T w o a n d d e g r e e o f u s e o f s p a c e b y t h e i n h a b i t a n t s i n u r b a n s e t t i n g 4 2 2 5 T h e p e o p l e r e f e r f i x e d e l e m e n t u r b a n s e t t i n g 4 2 2 6 2 7 T h e u r b a n e d g e s o f t h e c i t y l a n d s c a p e m a k e a f f o r d a n c e 4 3 • 2 8 T h e l o c a t i o n - p r o c e s s i o n a l p a t h o f N a w a m P e r a h e r a 4 5 2 9 T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f f e s t i v e c r o w d o n t h e s e t t i n g T h r e e a n d t h e d e g r e e o f u s e o f s p a c e b y t h e i n h a b i t a n t s i n t h e f e s t i v e e n v i r o n m e n t 4 6 3 0 T h e a c t i o n o f t h e p e o p l e a c c o r d i n g t o t h e a f f o r d a n c e o f t h e p h y s i c a l s e t t i n g 3 1 3 2 3 3 3 4 3 5 3 6 3 7 T h e l a c k o f a f f o r d a n c e i n f r o n t o f t h e h i g h s c a l e b u i l d i n g E l e m e n t a f f o r d a n c e s T h e f e a t u r e o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t o f f e r k i n d o f a c t i o n T h e a c t i o n - b a t h i n g o n r i v e r T h e q u e e n ' s h o t e l b a l c o n i e s , d e t a i l s m a k e f e s t i v e c h a r a c t e r O l d w o o d e n s t o r i e d b u i l d i n g - f e s t i v e c h a r a c t e r T h e " w a l a k u l u B a m m a " - K a n d y r 4 8 5 0 5 3 5 4 5 4 5 5 5 5 3 8 A f f o r d a n c e i n t h e i m m e d i a t e s e t t i n g - G a n g a r a m a N a w a m P e r a h e r a 5 6 3 9 T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n p a t t e r n o f t h e p e o p l e b y r e f e r r i n g t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l 5 7 a f f o r d a n c e i n i m m e d i a t e s e t t i n g 4 0 S e n s e o f e n c l o s u r e a n d c r e a t i n g s t a g e s e t f o r p e r f o r m e r 5 7 4 1 C r e a t i n g s e n s e o f e n c l o s u r e f r g r n t h e n a t u r a l a n d t e m p o r a r y e l e m e n t o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t ? 4 2 F e s t i v e c h a r a c t e r o f t h e p l a c e o n e . . > 5 8 5 8 4 3 p r o c e s s i o n a l p a t h d e m a r c a t e d f r o m t h e t e m p o r a r y a r r a n g e m e n t o f p e o p l e 5 9 4 4 T h e u s a g e o f p a v e m e n t e d g e s s p a t i a l d e m a r c a t i o n b e t w e e n d a n c e r a n d o b s e r v e r i n P l a c e O n e 6 0 4 5 C r e a t i n g o f p e r s o n a l s p a c e o f t h e d a n c e r 6 0 4 6 T e m p o r a r y h u m a n s p a t i a l d e m a r c a t i o n 6 1 4 7 D i s c o n t i n u a t i o n o f s p a t i a l d e m a r c a t i o n 6 1 4 8 P a t h d e m a r c a t i o n - k a n d y 6 2 • V I I I L I S T O F I L L U S T R A T J O N S I . 1 T h e m o r i i d i s p l a y - k a n d a i j i n c h o 9 2 . 1 f e s t i v a l d e c o r a t i o n b e f o r e t h e s e c o n d w o r l d w a r i n H o k o n e i g h b o r h o o d 2 1 2 I c o m m o n f a c i l i t y - G i o n f e s t i v a l 2 2 2 . 2 T h e K a n d y D a l a d a Y i d i y a 2 0 0 5 2 7 2 2 g U t d e b o o k o f S r i L a n k a 2 7 2 . 2 s h o p fa~ade i n K i a k k y o y a m a c h o . l 9 9 2 , J a p a n 2 8 2 2 T h e K a n d y P e r a h e r a M a g a 2 0 0 3 3 0 -~ / • ; . ! ·. l i p >