Urban social space design in Sri Lanka : an analytical study of sense of belongingness in commercial oriented urban public spaces in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sense of belongingness, which is deep-rooted biological need of the individual, helps to build a strong bond with the environment and individual. Each and every motion of the human behavior and the physical attributes of the environment enhance this. On the other hand this help to reduce the space being abandoned or destroy intentionally by the incident like graffiti, vandalism and dumping litter every where which destroy the physical and visual calmness of the society and space want be happen. Instead of that it derives a visual and healthy space for the man to perform his action. When creating or achieving the sense of belonging, environment helps the individual in great extent. The environment consists both natural and physical, orientate the man and create meaningful interaction with them as well as with it, derive the sense of belongingness. The urban situation more than the natural environment, built environment helps to achieve the sense of belonging. Buildings arranged in a street or a park landscaped with the required facilities achieves this with the help of community interactions. Due to the tightness and haphazard development in the built environment in urban situations makes threat to develop the sense of belongingness among its residence. Because of that building situated in the cities sometimes abandoned by the public or they may use it for another purposes. The uses of the building do not attach or psychologically link to it and they either intentionally or unintentionally destroy its beauty and create visually polluted environment. Therefore built environment in the cities lacks sense of belonging significantly. In this buildings, main space has more value because its main task is to derive the ultimate meaning of the building and the ultimate enjoyment provide through the building. This has to be carefully done and this helps to pause the movement of the public. Hence in a building this is the prime space to derive the sense of belonging. Each of the building has its own way of achieving it in the main space. But the way of deriving sense of belonging in the space has to be studied because it will help the others to do social experiment with the built environment and on the other hand it will make easy for individual to be in the space more and more. Ultimately the study helps to create the urban social space more meaningful and aesthetically pleasing with enhancing the social interactions.