An Examination of the leftover spaces in an urban context and their impact on the cityscape : with special reference to waterfront development in the city of Colombo

Abstract

Most urban built environment in the past have spontaneously responded to social and cultural values a s well a s political and functional needs. Consequently they have responded to qualitative needs a s well a s qualitative needs of people generating authentic and unique characteristics. However a s a result of rapid development and their consequential destructions, most of the cities lost their identity and legibility. Savage of destructions and changes left many urban spaces under utilized, promoting many negative impacts on spaces, are used for diverse functions. They could be considered a s left over s p a c e s since they do not contribute positively to the role and function of the city. Leftover spaces of the city had imposing many negative impacts on the different dimensional of the city life. The immediate surrounding of the left over spaces is already destroyed and it destroys the quality of the entire city. Left over spaces leads to haphazard developments encouraging squatter settlements and creating accommodation for illegal activities etc. thus destroying the smooth functioning of city activities. Most of these spaces are comprehensively neglected and had become dumping yards for garbage collection, causing enormous social problems directly connected with economic aspect of the country. These left over spaces have affected the public realm negatively by reducing the qualitative attributes of the urban s p a c e and making it a less lively space. This in turn has resulted in environmental degradation and psychological discomfort of the citizens thus affecting the entire society and environment and perhaps even the behavioral patterns. Because of the unplanned cities, haphazard development has encroached the public space . In a sense, positive aspects of public activity in tropical urban situations where public activity is viewed as an asset rather than a s a by-product of over urbanization. Urban spaces are coupled most of the time with open s p a c e s where fauna and flora is grown as an enhancement to the environment and a s a breathing space for the built up area. Though such left over spaces have the potential if not enhance leads destruction of the quality of city, which means the destruction of the special quality and results in left over spaces within the city as a permanent feature.