Transformation of shop houses in suburban towns in Sri Lanka: the case of Hingula

Abstract

Vernacular towns in Sri Lanka reveal the specific characters, functions, and activities as well as socio- cultural disposition of natives who are living there. From early human settlements to the contemporary ones, it represents their living organization. A cluster of functions and a cluster of human settlements create a town, a city or a mega city. An urban environment consists of many agglomerations of buildings, services, different kinds of people and activities and physical elements such as bridges, roadways etc. Core functions of a city are the production of commodities, selling goods, education and occupation. Those functions and physical appearance give a distinctive character to the urban environment. When socio- economic aspects change according to the people’s needs, they influence the urban environment. This paper discusses the character of Sri Lankan suburban towns through a mapping of the transformation of shop houses at Hingula. The study establishes the key factors of specific characters of suburban townships and the main factors contributing to their transformations. The case of Hingula town which is a linear township located along Colombo Kandy main road is presented. Persistent observations are used to identify the specific character of Hingula. Key character contributing aspects are studied by using survey maps, land use maps and photographic survey as the main data collection tools. Unstructured interviews are used to clarify socio-economic aspects and its relationship to the built form. The study discusses five key contributing factors that generate built form transformations; spatial layout, form, function, technology and materials. It examines how these physical aspects conflict with the socio economic factors such as regional development, industrial development and urban migration. Finally, the significant impacts on the character of the fabric of the town are discussed comparing them with past and contemporary mappings.