Identity of place : an examination on capturing the identity of place and responding to it through architecture

Abstract

The place is what makes the human habitation meaningful. One's attachment to a place will provide the basis for identification to an existential foot hold in the community. The space is a prime considerater of architecture that gives the existential roots for people. There are different aspects and functions of spaces that can be categorised as unselfconscious and pragmatic space of the primitives, the self consciously experienced perceptual space of individual, the built space of architecture, and the abstract space of geometry. The concept of "existential" or "lived space" is particularly important in this sense, for it seems specially relevant to phenomenological understanding of place. The place is created in concretising the existential space. This holds a strong relationship betweenthe place and the space. "in general it seems that space provides the context for places but derives its meaning fromparticular places" ( Relph,e, E. 1976, p.2) "A place is a space which has distinct character" (Norberg-Schulz, C, 1980, p.5) The place is understood based on many concepts that involves place; sense of place, spirit of place, character of place and identity of place where each of these concept is different yet are interrelated to each other. The identity of place pour out the essence of understanding the place in order to respond to place through architecture. It is the identity of place that helps to distinguish a place as a unique entity with it own inherent attributes. Identity of place constitute of the static physical setting, observable activities and the meaning depicting the interrelation of the above two. It is the meaning that holds in minds of the people within the field of their position of inside or outside that help in understanding the identity of place. the image of the place, whether consensus, mass, individual or community will cast different identities that exists within a place. any architectural intervention in a place can be executed to reduce, change or to respond to the existing identity of place. If one were to respond to the identity of place first the identity of place must be captured. Capturing the identity of place can be done in an analytical way' concluded in several steps starting from recording and analysing the existing situation, verbalising the identity and then abstracting it. The recording and analysing the existing place can be set down as a series -of steps with an intellectual backing whereas the verbalising and the abstracting is determined by the ability and biases of the designer. The captured identity is reflected through the built form in means of its expressions using appropriate scales, proportions, colours, textures, lighting conditions and maintaining the correct inside outside relationship. Architecture that respond to the identity of place is perceived as part of the place that does not destruct its inherent uniquenessbut rather enhancing and giving sense of continuation.Key Words: Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD), ESD Principles, ESD Scorecard.