Understanding the territoriality in marginalized neighborhoods from occupants’ point of view special reference to Sammanthranapura, Mattakkuliya

Abstract

The way territoriality is used and communicated can be varied from each other’s such as one person to other person, one culture to other culture. In an urban setting territoriality always plays a vital role to demarcate and communicate the appropriations. In rural areas, individual territoriality is the most prominent feature that people use to communicate their ownership. But when it comes to urban marginalized neighborhoods, that prominence changes from individual territoriality to group territoriality. Because territoriality is not just a strategy for marginalized people which shows the ownership. This research has explored how marginalized people generate territorial boundaries within their well-connected social neighborhoods and why it is that much important to them, from occupants’ point of view. Both personal observations and individual questionnaires are used methodologically to gather relevant data to understand occupant’s perception about territoriality. Except those primary data collection tools, activity maps and interviews also have been done. Finally, at the end, all the data collected under the three tendencies (classification, communication and control) were analyzed together. Research data and observations will support government agencies and architects who involves in designing new settlements for low income marginalized groups. Because these people are very sensitive with the social values which they have upheld from their previous neighborhoods. If the designer is clever enough to add those values in to the new housing settlement as appropriate, it will be a successive design. So, this research will help to understand territoriality in their neighborhoods.