Motor vehicle inthe built environment : an examination of the influence of motor vehicles in forming and shaping of residential environments

Abstract

he influence of vehicles on the built environment, especially the residential environment being focused upon as industrialization and rapid urbanization had been encouraging more vehicles into the scene. The problems of space requirements for its dynamic and static situations are being the main issue in most of the urban areas today. Therefore the main-scale for defining human relationship to built environment has now become a scale of man and vehicle. But most of the urban areas have been generally under-played in the Architectural design. The main cause may have been that the handling of vehicles had been handed over to traffic engineers completely and the significance of Architects role has been neglected. In the light of above, the study aims at which enhance the influence made by residential built environment. It is architects to look into the aspect with much awareness of need of their involvement. In order to achieve this objectives the study explores the possible aspects of the built environment which facilitate or retard the existence of vehicles in the The context of micro housing environments are examined separately to bring out the arrangements for static and dynamic situations of vehicles. In a field research based on four categorized Housing situations, which incorporate number of examples, the above theories formulated on the design aspects are tested as to how they would apply to the contemporary context. The academic grounding is based on the research done in this field by various authors of international repute. The field research was based on data gathered by field surveys, interviews, questionnaires on vehicle owners and observations made by the author. Major findings could be identified as the problem of vandalism and theft of vehicle or its parts and the design solutions which discourage and encourage such situations. The plan and 3D forms, the street facade of the house being over-whelmed by the vehicles and the garage doors, shifting of living areas above, leaving room for the vehicles at the ground level and the residential roads are being molded to reduce speeds, danger and entry of non-access vehicles. Once the influence is clear it had shown the important of integrating the vehicles with the residential environment from the inception of design. Thus enhancing its smooth absorption of vehicles, creating clean, safe and nuisance free environment for peaceful human habitation which handles vehicles carefully.