An examination of the pollution of visual environment in urban context : study with special reference to Colombo and Kandy

Abstract

Harmonious existence, continuation and variety play a important role in a city context to express character identity and image. A city can be classified as a largest visual manifestation of an individual as well as a communal being. Each and every city has its own character, harmony and rhythm. Therefore each and every building which is inappropriate within a location, additions and insensitively used design methods diminish the city character and confused the beholder and also diminish the quality of lives of its people. City gains a unique character when solids and voids are composed in a harmonious manner enhancing variety and visual sensation. Streetscapes as well as cities in urban contexts have become important elements to be designed carefully. Urban environments have polluted due to the disordered, meaningless and ad hoc development, that have taken place in present days. These inharmonious environments have polluted the visual environment. Therefore pollution in visual environment can be defined as violation of principle of composition. In other words principle of composition consists of two aspects as aesthetic aspects as well as functional aspects. Aesthetic aspects enhance a beauty of a city and functional aspects expresses their context, expression of a city. Insensitive, incorrect and inappropriate use of principle of composition originate chaos in visual environment while polluting it. In this study, firstly, it is discussed about what architecture and its composition and how one would keep a relationship between man and space without polluting his visual environment. Secondly pollution is analysed by using a theoretical basis. In other words pollution in visual environment is judged according to principle of composition which consists of aesthetic aspects and functional aspects of buildings in city context. Principle of composition is discussed in relation to buildings in narrower context and later on it is applied to city in wider context. Finally these theoretically established principles are illustrated with actual examples from city of Colombo and Kandy and it is explained how this pollution has occurred and how to avoid pollution so as to create better urban streetscape as well as city. Finally the study finds the typology of pollution in visual environment and how to avoid pollution with conscious usage of principle of composition. It is known that there are other sort of pollution such as air pollution, sound pollution, water pollution, land pollution etc. which are of much concern. All these forms of pollution can be determine by using quantitative indicators. For example there are limits and standards to determine the air pollution, water pollution, land pollution, sound pollution. But the pollution of the built environment is not measurable. Therefore a theoretical basis is required. This dissertation is such an attempt.