Impact of canal re-vitalization projects on living environments of informal sector communities an examination of the canal environments of the Colombo metropolitan region

Abstract

Is an environmental and Architectural approach in looking at a canal bank development as a solution of current housing issues and the impact of that development on the informal sector communities are the major scope of this book .It is essential to study the current use of local canals and feasibilities for finding more effective ways and sustainable ways for developing them as well as the impact of that development. Water has had a social and cultural importance from earliest times. It has acted as a powerful medium to create relationships between human beings and their nature. It also plays an important part in the human activities from birth to death. When looking at Canals in various ways as potentials to development possibilities in the future rather, than a history activities related to the canal banks they play vital part in the urban context and also the suburban context. For these reasons this influence of the canals banks on development of the informal sector settlement are undeniable. Like wise this study takes in to account the history of water in man-made world. Water bodies in Sri Lanka and the canal system in Colombo is remarkable for the settlement of human beings and the transport of goods the items for trade from early history, because water has a close relationship with humans and their settlement. While examining the certain developments of canals in world history, most of the early great cities had been developed with or along the waterfronts as river cities and port cities. But most canal banks acted as an unpleasant built environment area due to many reasons. Therefore when we consider about our Capital city Colombo was no exception .It consisted of neglected canal network too. It also caused to various un authorised encroachments various type of communities. These communities were upgrade and restructured by Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation. This study then intended to identify the impact of the canal bank development and the informal sector community encroachments .It has also identified several design strategies and objectives and methods which are useful to crate redevelopment in the canal bank area using existing potentials.