Master of Science in Landscape Design

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    Landscaping in ancient Anuradhapura : is there any alien influence?
    (2014-07-07) Peiris, MCJM
    At school I was a science student. At University I started as a student of Medicine. But I switched over to Architecture in the middle of the course. After finishing my University education, I was involved with a career of journalism. There too, I was more involved not in writing, but in the artistic field as a layout editor. I am now continuing M.Sc studies in Landscape Architecture. I have found some similarities between landscaping and' drawing layouts for media publications. In addition I was always intrigued by space travel, UFOs and alien mysteries. The background with science, architecture, journalism and layout editing led me to think more about our ancient civilization with unparalleled colossal constructions like Stupas and Tanks. With this backdrop. I selected the topic, "Landscaping in Ancient Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka: Is there any alien influence?"
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    Sri Jayawardenepura : enhancing the landscape of an historic capital
    Gunasekara, HAPS
    he subject of this dissertation concerns the landscape environment within the capital of Sri Jayawardenepura."Remarkable friend! Know then the royal city Jyawardenepura, where reside preeminent men devoted and full of affection for the Triple Gem and which corners the heavenly city with boundless eternal prosperity and named Jayawardenepura, earned by manifold victories."(A verse from salalihini sandesaya)Sri Jayawardanapura city has a significant place among the eight capitals of Sri Lanka. It had been a capital for about 150 years and also the place where the last king who ruled the entire country had his seat. The natural geological surrounding in the vicinity of the city was utilized to the maximum capacity, to transform it into a fortress city surrounded by water. The city was originally built by prince Alakeswara during the reign of king Wickramabahu iii (1351-1374) who ruled from Gampola. But king Parakramabahu vi is the ruler who contributed greatly to the city of Kotte being capital of Sri Lanka and where he had his seat. Unfortunately there is little visible surviving from of this period's landscape and architecture, owing to the fact that the Portuguese sedge destroyed and abandoned in. But the Kotte PERIOD IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE GOLDEN ERA 'N Sri Lankan history because it had highly developed socio-economic and cultural standards. When studying about the Kotte era its literary achievements must be given recognition. Literary success was attained largely due to the efforts of Rev. Totagamuwa Sri Rahula and Rev. Veedagama Maithri,. Gira, Mayura, Selalihini, Parevi.Kouvl, Hansa Sandesa are some of the books containing verses which were published. All these speak of the landscape design of the historic capital.The importance of this study is multiplied by the fact that Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte has once again being declared as the administrative capital of Sri Lanka, since 1983. No doubt, the decision may have been influenced by the fact that it once was also an administrative capital and by being so again the government wished to trade on the idea of going back to its former glory. Therefore it will be prudent for landscape designers, architects and other controlling bodies to evolve a scheme in which it will enable them not to destroy the concept on which Kotte was built, or important characteristics and features it has cherished. The center of administrative power, the parliament was build in the middle of the Diyawanna Oya after excavating more than 300 acres of the water body. New road net works were built to facilitate rapid commercial and industrial growth. Hence the whole area of Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is being developed in order to meet the challenge of being the capital with the status of a newly industrial country status in the 21 st century. Therefore, it has become an important task to investigate the historical city and the kingdom as a whole in order to understand the influences it had in development to meet the 21 st century needs. This dissertation is thus directed to collecting data and information about the evolution of the city landscape, and analyzing it with the aim of using it in the future. Chapter one of the dissertation concerns the historic background of Kotte kingdom. The period covered by this study will be from 1800 to 1950 (150 years of historical development). Chapter two will be the main chapter of this study. In this chapter landscape design and architecture of the Kotte kingdom will be studied in detail. Landscape design, architecture and the existing remains will be described in detail. The third chapter concentrates on the detail of the present capital of Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and its landscape design. The final part introduces philosophies, proposals and guidelines to enhance the aesthetics in landscaping the capital of Sri Jayawardenepura.lt considers in what way modern designs should affect the present appearance of the town; what kind of open space improvements should be included in a master plan for coping with the city's future expansion; and what control measures should be introduced in order to conserve the historic landscape character of Sri Jayawardenepura yet allowing it to grow.
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    The Transitional role of open space in architecture
    Kariyawasam, MGT
    The experience of space is a common and vital human need, similar to food, sleep, and clothing. Man as a species with inherent emotional needs experiences space with the aim of satisfying the objectives or needs for which space is supposed to be used. For achieving such aims particular spatial behaviours are needed by particular situations . • Therefore special experiences should be defined and conditioned, to generate appropriate behaviour patterns in a given place. With regard to the experience of a building, these spatial experiences usually form a sequence, in which each experience is conditioned by the successive experiences of past and probable future experiences. Sudden change of experience from one condition to another causes physical and psychological separation, often resulting in stressful and inappropriate behavioural patterns in man. In relation to building, front garden spaces created as in between spaces might avoid such behavioural changes, by conditioning the spatial experience of people. Either providing physically occupied spatial transitional spaces or allowing vision from one space to another as usual transitional space, such intermediate space might perform its role in conditioning the behaviours of people. Motivation is the basic psychological need that should be satisfied by a transitional space for such a conditioning of behaviour. Motivation accomplishes its role by sustenance of different patterns of emotions and actions. In architecture, intermediate approach space allows people to gradually achieve the ultimate objective of the building. This may be referred to as "threshold space", and in Sri Lankan culture it has special meaning. Natural spaces are man's basic desirable experience and characteristically they provide inspiration, comfort and relaxation. Due to reciprocal relationship with a building, and also due to its infinite motivational attributes, threshold spaces of buildings can be used to achieve this end. Either in a form of a natural space or a combined natural and built space, these garden spaces can be made to fulfil this task. They take two forms namely, spatial transitional spaces of "rooms" and also visual transitional spaces of "panoramas" and "vistas". These types of out door spaces thus can be formed to satisfy different transitional needs, by generating transitional behaviours. Thus in relation to architectural experience, properly designed threshold spaces condition the behaviours of people and lead them gradually, to achieve the ultimate objective of the building and to make architectural experiences more efficient and successful. Landscaped front garden threshold outdoor spaces in and around buildings always forms a reciprocal relation with each other. Therefore landscapes of out door spaces perform an important role in making architectural experiences more efficient and successful.
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    The Use of water and hydraulics in the landscape design of Sigiriya
    Udalamatta, SS
    "The concept of landscape design begins with emerging and developing societies based on agricultural productivity and a symbolic approach to the universe."1 "The design principles and urban environments were created and reflected both the relationship of society and political impacts".2 A Sri Lankan civilization flourishing for more than two thousand five hundred years has made many out standing contributions to art, landscape architecture and technology. In ancient city planning and urban landscape design of Sri Lanka it is possible to identify planning principles and concepts which integrate manmade and natural elements. The Archaeological remains of different periods in its history reflect these Sri Lankan concepts and principles of landscape design. When selecting a site for a city, in addition to being a strategic point for protection and safety its topography, aesthetics and availability were also carefully considered. The fortified garden city of Sigiriya is considered as a classic example of identifying landscape design concepts with Sri Lankan traditions of hydraulic engineering. A description of Sigiriya's landscape design concept has been appropriately summarized in verse by a contemporary poet. "When Sigiriya on its base and crest, Bore noble works of man And clinging to its scraped breast The guarded galleries ran"3 Built on the summit and surrounding slopes of the Sigiriya rock, this fortress city is an accepted master piece of ancient landscape architecture, construction technology and hydrology. This dissertation attempts to focus on selected aspects of the Sri Lankan uses of water in landscape design, based on the development of hydraulic technology, during the Anuradapura period, and as applied at Sigiriya. The first chapter summarizes the historical background of Sigiriya. The development of Sri Lankan hydraulic technology and water uses in Anuradapura period is outlined in the second chapter. The design concept, principles and water uses of landscape are detailed in the third chapter. Hydraulic details within and around the Sigiriya citadel are dealt with in the fourth chapter. The fifth chapter ends the dissertation with a concluding discussion and suggestions. 1. Jung C.G. The Spirit in man Art & Litreture : London - 1966 2. Jellicoe, Susan & Geoffery : The Landscape of Man: London - 1975 3. S. Paranavithana Sigiri Graffity : Colombo.
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    Transformation of the landscape of Nuwara-Eliya
    Weerasinghe, DWK
    Chapter one introduces the natural landscape of Nuwara-Eliya and explains the location of the city, with it's climatic and topographical background and it's landscape elements. Chapter two describes the historical background of the city. It includes the pre-British period, that is during the king's time, its original landscape which was as virgin forest patches, and it describes the British period, which explains the starting of its transformation, to meet their needs. Chapter three concerns the present city of Nuwara-Eliya. It describes the post-independence period and transformation of the city during this period. Further more the haphazardly added buildings and renovations which started to break down the English city character of Nuwara-Eliya due to the irrelevance of British ideas. The town evolved as a holiday resort for it's scenic beauty and as a commercial center due to a great increase in the area given to agricultural crops. The economy of the city dwellers much depended on the agricultural crops supplying rather than facilities during the holiday season. The problems and impacts associated with the development of the city including socio-economic and political problems, visual pollution are also looked in to. Finally the thesis considers how to restore the city by understanding what is relevant to the city now. Guidelines to enhance it's beauty, and proposals to restore the city sustainability, are considered.