FARU - 2017 (Volume 01)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.248.9.226/handle/123/14715

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Architecture as a social entity
(2017) Tanushka, G; Garg, D
Everyone has right to an inviolable, decorous, and decent housing. And one of the most important aspects of that is affordable and social housing. But does affordable housing brings stability, economic diversity and improves the physical quality of neighbourhood?? The Indian government started a policy called “ Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna” or PMAY targeted at fulfilling the needs of low income groups and keeping the aspect of increasing population in mind. The main objective of this policy has been to provide a pakka house to all the houseless households living in kuccha and dilapidated house. For overpopulated countries like India it is necessary to change the concept of housing. It tends to originate wage employment and programs of national rural employment programs. Rural landless employment guarantee program has been one of them. But are the people able to adjust and accommodate to these changes and does these changes in quality of life of an individual necessarily mean improvement in that quality is a big question. The paper seeks to investigate and analyse and achieve a deeper and a better understanding of architecture as a social entity by citing the example of the rehabilitation of slum dwellers from Banganga slums in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India through post occupancy survey. The case studies, for this research will be intended towards addressing questions like, Is architecture merely a house to live in or a home which connects people to their identity, tradition and culture?? The paper highlights the above mentioned aspects and seeks to set a stage for an expanding creative dialogue, and not offer a utopian solution for the damage caused by the segregation of this society over the past years. So in context of recent development, the community asks, how can architecture be conceived as a socio cultural design for people??
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An assessment of rooftop solar pv policies and domestic energy use: scenario of Sri Lankan residential sector
(2017) Pathirana, SM; Halwatura, RU
The net metering scheme in Sri Lanka has experienced a fast diffusion due to the economic, social and environmental benefits for the consumers and the country. This paper examines the changes in energy consumption behaviour of the solar PV consumers after the installation. Further, this analyses the reasons behind the consumption change and the issues associated with the change. According to the study results, 69% of the respondents have increased the consumption up to more than 400 kWh and the tendency of previously low consumed customers to have higher post consumption is significant. Although, the existing net metering scheme favours the social, environmental and economic conditions of the consumer, the increase in the night time peak is the main issue associated with it. The study proposed three policy options; time of use net metering, battery pack and net metering attached with payment scheme, which need to be integrated to achieve a sustainable net metering scheme
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Communicating femininity
(2017) Liyanage, P; Hettiarachchi, LP
The research in discussion is a pragmatic exploration of a previous study which identified methods architecting the dress. The dress was considered as a body attachment and the methods of architecting was three-fold. Architecting the dress with the body as layers, as elements and as volume based additions. Two main themes are found within the research. The architected dress, which allows a dialogue by using the dress and the body in isolation and in symphony to communicate a particular message and the wearer experience which behaves as a catalyst to the dialogue by enhancing the body movements adding more clarity and versatility to the message that needs to be communicated by the wearer. The work of Senarathna (2016) which focused on communicating femininity is used to critically study the afore mentioned two main themes in discussion. The research problem was recognized as an ill-structured problem (ISP) and uses the methods of progressing in ISP. The research was funded by the Senate Research Committee of the University of Moratuwa under the grant number SRC/ST/2016/26.
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Conceptual framework for designing and placement of open spaces in a residential neighborhood
(2017) Manjari, R
Open spaces are the breathing outlets in the anatomy of any residential neighborhood. The play generated in the plan through these voids ad mist the vast jungle of concrete is the ingredient of a well-planned layout. They connect the society through their varied social usage and act as a refresh command in the life of people from all age groups, finding ways to cure a large number of mental ailments and crimes majorly caused due to seclusion and odd family structures. In the changing times, however, the definition and need of the subject has taken a new shape. People prefer watching a cinema in a home theater than watching ramleela in open ground. With the change in the economic stature, many things in the society have changed generating new modes of comfort and relaxation. This eventually has given rise to a society which is highly gentrified. People prefer living in their own niche, which seems to be cozy but is actually a socially secluded environment. It is therefore important to understand the changing trends and reorient the spaces, to make it more acceptable for all. The concept of open spaces in a residential area needs therefore needs a makeover. This paper would thus aim at analyzing the open spaces and their hierarchy in some selected residential areas of Jaipur city (India). Major aspects of the study would be to understand the type of open spaces, their paucity, usage and location, study of changing trends and needs and arriving at certain planning proposals and design guidelines to improve the urban form and active living of the people.
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Demand shortfall in infrastructure construction projects: case of rail projects in India
(2017) Kumar, MY; Kumar, PV
This paper presents the case of shortfalls from the forecasted demand in feasibility studies of infrastructure construction projects (ICP). The demand forecast is generally required during the project formulation stage. An accurate or ‘close to reality’ demand forecast is significant for the success of any ICP. The paper highlights the role of the utilization of a project on the financial and economic sustainability of ICP. It also identifies the components of a project affected by the change or shortfall in demand. An evaluation of a feasibility study is done keeping the focus on demand and its consequences on expected financial and economic benefits of the project. A metro rail project is selected as a case study for the comparison of forecasted demand with the actual demand after commissioning of the project. The outcome of the exercise revealed substantial variations in demand. The case is then analysed for the extent of variation in the forecasted and actual benefit streams related to the financial and economic performance of the case example. The methodology is applied to a set of similar projects for analysing the universality of the phenomenon. The results prove that ICPs often face a demand shortfall and this has far reaching implications in terms of cost of underutilization. Finally the paper comments on the critical role of demand forecasting in meeting the objectives and success of ICP.
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Democratizing the city through public space
(2017) Shammi, AKA; Nazia, ATB
A city may have billions of investments for its infrastructural developments but without a functional public space, the city can never be as enthusiastic as it can be. The history of mankind shows that all the great public buildings in antiquity had a vital and functional use of public spaces for community life which is missing now. In Bangladesh many groups-women, racial minorities, the homeless and street people have all suffered literal, physical marginalization. The people of Bangladesh are struggling to retain their rights against many odds, for example, the journey of 'Gonojagoron Moncho' (a platform made by mass people where they can raise their voice against injustice & for their rights) began at the busy Shahbag road intersection in Dhaka which eventually resulted in the serious traffic congestion. Despite the odds, this movement triggered the creation of more platforms in different districts of Bangladesh. This shows there is no settled position from which to make public awareness and protest, therefore the public spaces has to be invented again and again. There is no set formula but there are limitations. To increase overall individual well-being and freedom, it is necessary to assure free and unstigmatized access to the public spaces.
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Eestablishing a framework for the earned value management approach in large scale building projects
(2017) Wickramasooriya, KJ; Perera, BAKS; Rodrigo, MNN
Earned Value Management (EVM) was introduced as a powerful project control mechanism to make projects move towards their success. As sophisticated large scale building construction work is now being undertaken in Sri Lanka, the development of an EVM framework can be made a key to project success. Hence, this research was aimed at developing a framework for adopting the EVM approach in large scale building projects. EVM principles that are applicable throughout the project management cycle were identified from a literature review. Eight expert interviews were thereafter conducted to identify the current practices of EVM in Sri Lanka, barriers that impede the implementation of EVM and solutions that will mitigate those barriers. A questionnaire survey was also carried out to identify the significance of the barriers that impede the implementation of EVM in Sri Lanka and the degree of importance of the various solutions that can mitigate those barriers. Findings revealed that though the basic principles of EVM are known by almost all users, most of them do not want to rely on EVM. The lack of awareness about EVM was identified as the most significant barrier that impedes the implementation of EVM. The most important solution that could be adopted to mitigate this barrier is to conduct training sessions on the EVM approach for those from the top to the bottom of the organization concerned. A framework for the EVM approach in large scale building projects was developed ultimately.
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Enhancing security by reinstating “shared” space as negotiator between private and public spaces
(2017) Smits, MWM
Searching for better opportunities and exponential population growth have forced many rural inhabitants in developing countries to urbanize. Thousands of new “informal” houses are built every day to accommodate these people around the world. Due to the lack of land, financial capacity and planning these areas become particularly dense informal housing districts. The scarcity of social and spatial organization in slums is leading to degradation of the living standard and security. This article argues that one of the main reasons for these problems seems to lie in the relation between private, semi-private and public spaces organization. The article starts by situating the problem within a global context and the magnitude of self-build informal housing. Secondly, explaining the different levels of public private relations found in rural self-build practice by observing a local family on Mt. Elgon. Here the importance of transitional spaces to the sense of security is explained. Thirdly, identifying the lack of spatial negotiation and organization in urban informal housing (Nairobi) in Kenya. The article concludes by describing the importance and possible improvements of reintroducing transitional ‘shared’ space into informal neighbourhood planning.
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Evaluating vocational education service quality using SERVQUAL at community college, Central University of Rajasthan
(2017) Abhijit, R; Neeraj, G
Recognizing students as key stakeholders, this research aims to assess students’ satisfaction with their experiences at community college CURAJ through a Student Satisfaction Survey based on SERVQUAL model. The SERVQUAL model covers five dimensions - tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. This survey will help in strategic planning and decision-making regarding further improvement of Community College’s services to students. This paper aims to assess students’ satisfaction with their experiences at Community College, CURAJ through a Student Satisfaction Survey. A questionnaire based on five point Likert scale covering various dimensions of service have developed, put to pilot test and then administered to all students of the community college. Presently there are four batches of the B.Voc. (Interior Design) Programme. Few open ended questions will also be included in the questionnaire to assess the weakness and strength of the community college at CURAJ. The reliability of the data collected will be checked by using SPSS and the student inputs will be analyzed according to the principle of weighed averages. This survey will provide valuable information about perceived service gaps and other inputs to support strategic planning and decision-making at community college and thus help to improve quality of programmes and students’ services.
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Good reading light: visual comfort perception and daylight integration in library spaces
(2017) Swaris, WDNP; Perera, NGR
Daylight creates an ambience of quiet tranquillity and visual comfort to link the modern library user, psychologically, with the space they occupy. In order to provide comfortable and glare-free light in reading spaces, volumes and surfaces illuminated with natural light have played a significant role. There should be optimum natural light which provides comfort for the user, albeit without the negative aspects of glare and heat. We Focus on ‘Good Reading Light’: Visual Comfort Perception and Daylight Integration in Library Spaces. Research problems evaluate the ‘Perceived Reading Light Level’, why and in what way daylight should be integrated into the indoor environment in a library space, to realize light-related goals of visual comfort. The research method consists of two parts; the Reading Light Test and the Perceptual Spatial Analysis (PERCIFAL). A group of twenty architecture students were surveyed for both components. The results show that Visual Comfort Perception depends on strategies adopted for daylight integration and that most reading spaces were perceived to be over lit. Conclusions drawn highlight that top lighting strategies and a combination of clerestory and side lighting are more effective than only side lighting via windows - as daylight control in public library spaces are difficult.
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The grounds for caring architectural practice: how aspiring life's purpose as wellbeing is architectural value
(2017) Karassowitsch, M
A comprehensive orientation to science and technology, as thought ‘answers’ for problems and design is not essentially caring nor humane and has inherent destructiveness to the planet’s life. This paper proposes that architecture is original to dwelling and it is 'caring' as questioning life’s purpose. Its role is to provide care as environments that support wellbeing. The built environment that provides wellbeing is caring. Wellbeing is defined as cascading out of life’s purpose. Life’s purpose is finding out what that is. Spiritual practice engages this. Spirituality in the form of rajayoga and its antecedents brings a 'more original' 'alternate cognitive knowledge' that inform discriminating architectural value from the profession’s hegemony of technological problems and design. The Verknüpfung or ‘mutual claiming of one another’ of architecture and spirituality is described in outline according to my dissertation to show how architectural value may be generated in a space of discriminating means (technology) from ends in dwelling (architecture). The conclusion is that the technicist value proxy is replaced by re-allocating the discriminative capacity of consciousness to provide practice of architectural value. Caring architectural practice that serves wellbeing is based in Mind rather than body. This is illustrated with five vectors of research questioning how matters of dwelling presence aspiration at loci to provide caring architecture for realizing such practice.
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Heritage urbanism
(2017) Tasmia, F; Trina, NA; Rahman, MM
Heritage must not only be a historic monument but also an active factor in contemporary life. The use of cultural heritage as a tool to respond to the rapidly changing socio-economic conditions becomes one of major focus points of historically rich cities. It has been proved from the claims of planners, conservationists, architect, historians, artists that the encouragement of and modernization of cultural heritage has a significant role in sustainability strategies that focus on responding to social and cultural needs to sort out conflicts and to actualize economic objectives through long-term vision and goal. Piary Das road, a historically significant street of Old Dhaka Bangladesh containing a number of historic buildings of Mughal and British Period. Vibrant, vigorous and vivid image of the daily activities surrounding this road, eventually tells a story of the past to the present. This paper aims at the possibilities of modifications, modifications, and rejuvenation of Piary Das road to uphold the scope of creating an arena that bears the flavour of its context and identity. It focuses on the acknowledgment of the value and potential of urban heritage. Also, emphasizes how heritage can be used as a trigger in socio-economic development in the neoliberal age.
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Identifying existing constraints in carbon footprint calculation tools and addressing the improvements to bim
(2017) Rathnayake, KKND; Jayasena, HS; Madusanka, HWN; Wijewickrama, MKCS
The world faces “an inconvenient trouble” of global warming which is immensely catalysed through the emission of different forms of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). Construction industry is a prominent sector which accounts for a higher percentage of GHGs emission to the globe. Buildings embody and consume a large fraction of energy and cause for more than 50% of the carbon emission of a building during the whole life span. Therefore, the need of curtailing embodied carbon emission from construction is essential. In order to address this issue, an emerging concept of “Carbon Footprint” has been introduced to the modern construction industry. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the method which holds number of tools to assess the carbon footprint of a product. However, these assessment tools enclose number of limitations which barricade the precise assessment of carbon footprint. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an emerging technology which has an ability to optimize the energy efficiency in the buildings. Thus, the research aims to address the potential of using BIM to quantify the carbon footprint in the construction industry over the existing non-BIM LCA tools. To accomplish the aim, a qualitative research approach was followed. The topical study exhibits that, BIM can be identified as the most suitable option among existing tools which should be upgraded to improve the accuracy and reliability of final output by mitigating the existing shortfalls.
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Impact of class room colour on primary education : a study implemented in a boys’ primary school, Colombo
(2017) Hettiarachchi, AA; Nayanathara, AS
Primary School is considered the starting point of the learning process of a child and should be designed with a conducive learning environment aligned with the intended learning outcomes. Colour being an important visual element of design is recognized to have a direct impact on a child’s psychophysiological and behavioural aspects. This study investigates the impact of long term exposure to a monochromatic class room on primary education. Participants were 213 grade 2 students (age-7, gender- male) of a boys’ primary school in Colombo studying in identical classrooms (n=6) having a monochromatic interior (orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink) for two consecutive years (grade1 and grade 2). Students and class teachers were given two distinct questionnaires on student’s preference, performance, learning and behavior. Subject preference of student participants revealed that certain colours support specific skills of primary grade children. Blue and orange demonstrated most favourable impacts on their learning and behaviour. Blue was found to enhance creative artistic skills of children while orange and yellow were identified to support logical thinking associated with mathematics. Green and purple were found to have a balanced impact on improving both logical and creative thinking. Orange and green classes were with a majority of students significantly skilled in learning. A positive impact of blue colour on school attendance was identified. Accordingly, the potential of colours in creating conducive learning spaces aligned with the learning objectives of primary education, was revealed.
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Impact of land area change on the livelihood of farmers of coastal Bangladesh: a case study on Bhola
(2017) Bosu, SP; Kobir, S
Bangladesh is exposed to disasters mainly due to her topographical location. Calamities such as floods, river bank erosion, cyclone, tornado, cold waves, arsenic contamination in ground water, water logging, salinity intrusion etc. are gradually intensifying by climate change and combining risks for the coastal people in Bangladesh. Such calamity took peals less in lives but more in livelihood as agricultural land and homesteads along with other livelihood options which are banished. The current study is concerned with climate change related menaces and risks that affects the occupants of coastal Bangladesh. The study outcomes revealed that the climate change has gradually affected the livelihood of coastal people in many aspects including losses and damage in crop cultivation, inadequacy of pure drinking water, extreme poverty, homestead land and natural assets etc. It has also generated a state of unemployment among the people of coastal communities. As a consequence, the affected people are losing their means of livelihoods and enforced to take numerous alternative means of livelihoods to cope with the adverse impact of climate change related catastrophes. The study detects the alternative adaptation strategies adapted by the affected coastal inhabitants in coastal Bangladesh. The present paper unveils that the coastal community people try to solve their problems through adopting and exploring alternative employments.
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Impact of urban configurations on air temperature in Kuala Lumpur
(2017) Yola, L; Siong, HC
Rapid population growth causes the trend of high-rise buildings in the urban area. The modification of urban surface generates the poor scenario of microclimate, which mainly contributes to the increase of Urban Heat Island (UHI) intensity. UHI mitigation strategy is urged among planners and designers to ensure urban development meets the climate change adaptation agenda. Urban climatology studies mostly focus on the urban canyon geometry of the Height to Width (H/W) aspect ratio and Sky View Factor (SVF). There is lacking justification on the relationship of urban configurations and microclimate in the hot and humid region, especially in Kuala Lumpur. This study aims to investigate the impact of urban configurations on the air temperature. Four urban configurations; Courtyard, U, Courtyard Canyon and Canyon were simulated by using ENVI-met 3.1. The urban configurations study was set in two sites located in Kuala Lumpur with the East – West and North – South canyon directions. The results showed that the urban configurations generate impact on the mean of air temperature. The drop of nocturnal air temperature indicated that the UHI was worse in Courtyard configuration in both East – West and North – South canyon directions. The results also confirm that the reduction of the Sky View Factor (SVF) in urban configurations encourage the increase of the UHI intensity. The finding of this study stresses that the solar radiation was majorly influenced by the urban configurations which was significantly correlated to the results of air temperature. The finding suggests planners and designers to strategise the urban configurations according to the setting of the canyon direction during the preliminary design and planning stage.
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Intervention to control cooling energy of west facing buildings: simulations from Colombo, Sri Lanka
(2017) Semasisnghe, SHAKW; Rajapaksha, U
Optimum building influences to decrease the energy demand and enhance the indoor thermal comfort. Buildings facing west in tropics contribute to overheating and subsequently increase the energy demand. This may create a problem of energy oversupply difficulties due to rapid growth of construction, and exhaustion of energy resources and environmental aspects. This study was designed to assess the impacts of the outdoor shadings in order to control heat gain and indoor thermal comfort of west facing front façade buildings, in accordance with the fixed north-south orientation of street and a representative building typology in Colombo. Building namely, building orientation, façade direction, window to wall ratio (WWR), floor to floor height, room depth, were modeled for shade, and cooling load and comfort hours were simulated using the Ecotect software. Buildings were mainly considered into WWR>50% , WWR=50% and WWR<50%. Results suggested that 34.3%, 19.7% and 12.0% reduction of cooling load can expect in WWR>50%, WWR=50% and WWR<50% respectively, with outdoor shading. Optimum angle was found to be 45⁰ for tropics that has minimum cooling load. Outdoor shading with 45⁰ shading angle has a great potential to reduce the cooling demand independent to the different WWR of west facing front façade buildings.
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Microclimatic impacts of high-rise cluster developments in Colombo, Sri Lanka
(2017) Vidanapathirana, M; Perera, NGR; Emmanuel, R
Colombo is rapidly expanding both horizontally and vertically. With limited land and infrastructure resources, the adoption of compact forms invariably result in high-rise developments and Colombo is not an exception. Current regulation limits its scope to individual plots rather than an urban area. We map the city and its current developments utilising the Local Climate Zone system, to identify critical zones and select case studies. With a focus on microclimatic impacts at street level, we simulate selected high-rise clusters, typical podium shape changes, within a similar Frontal Area Index (FAI), using the software ENVI-met. Results show that having a block form podium and increasing building height resulted in lower mean radiant temperature (MRT) values. Reducing the FAI or removing podiums increased wind movement, yet resulted in adverse MRT effects at pedestrian levels in the immediate vicinity of the cluster. The theoretical shadow umbrella simulation option reduced MRT by a significant degree while still maintaining comfortable wind speeds. Conclusions highlight that high-rise building clusters have a significant impact on their surrounding environment. Thus, it is essential that urban planning and policy strike a balance between development goals, quality of life of inhabitants and climatic implications.
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Mud house: the gradual shifting of traditional vernacular architectural practice in northern Bangladesh
(2017) Monzur, N
The diversified vernacular architecture in rural Bangladesh is the result of a constant and gradual attempt to maintain sustainability and cultural identity by using knowledge of the local environment. However, factors like natural resource scarcity and economic viability of modern construction techniques is evidently causing a rapid change in the rural landscape. A physical and questionnaire survey carried out in the area under study, namely the village Kaligram in Manda upazilla, Naogaon, revealed that, nearly sixty-percent of houses built within the last decade is concrete and brick made with little or no regards to any traditional vernacular features. Investigation of various parameters such as mud wall construction techniques, availability and preference of building materials, socio- economic changes through surveys, has revealed that the loss of precious fertile top soil, high maintenance of mud structures added with the availability and affordability of more durable materials, are some of the prime reasoning behind revising their options to brick construction. This research aims to assess the factors causing gradual shifting in the indigenous practices of mud houses in the study area. The study further extends onto a discussion of an alternate design approach that will exemplify a more durable, low maintenance, energy efficient yet economic building technology while acknowledging the strengths of the indigenous architectural practices.
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Ordinary heritage: a case of Boro Bazaar, Khulna
(2017) Podder, AK; Hakim, SS; Bosu, SP
The motives behind the selection of heritage buildings for conservation are conventionally founded on an elitist sense of historicity and romantic nostalgia of the past. This paper argues that such an approach has a tendency to be temporally rigid, object focused and exoticism biased. Often many of the buildings selected as heritage are those built by extensive labour, expensive materials and wealthy patrons. Little, however, has been explored on the relation between heritage and aspects of ordinary life, where, in many cases, the latter continue to infuse meaning into the former’s present heritage status. This paper uses a non-participant observational lens to examine an old market tissue in Khulna, an ex-colonial city in Bangladesh and proposes a new notion called ‘ordinary heritage’. Ordinary heritage, as this paper argues, relies on historically persistent socio-economic transactions of the common and the ordinary in their everyday and occasional pursuit for livelihood. These transactions of ordinary people, which are also temporally non-static and evolving, take place within and around the architecture of the built environment, making the production of architecture to be fluid, dynamic and most importantly temporary. It forces architecture to constantly evolve, while negotiating the aspiration, need, aesthetic and reasoning of ordinary subjects. Ordinary heritage thus manifest as a socio-spatial-temporal assemblage innate to an urban tissue that runs as a single organism.