The Role of Socio-Spatial Relationships in Sustaining Communities. Case Study of Low Income Settlements in Colombo

Abstract

Low income settlements in Colombo represent communities that have high interdependence and social ties. Such communities are observed to be significantly linked and dependents on their public and semi public spaces where social activities and ties are reinforced and sustained. But it is observed that when such communities are resettled in other vertical or horizontal neighborhoods such socio-spatial relationships are ignored and hence results in disruption of communities and loss of social ties. Therefore the existing socio-spatial relationships in such settlements can be considered as an asset to the settlement that urban designers and Architects must recognize in future resettlement programmes. This paper examines the levels of physical integration or segregation of public - private spaces within such settlements and explores the impact on social integration. The importance and role of such spaces for enhancing social integration among the community is highlighted. Spatially integrated and segregated spaces within the settlement are analyzed via axial maps and their social integration is explored through activity maps, photographic surveys, observations and semi structured interviews. The study sheds light on the success of highly integrated spaces as oppose to the segregated spaces and highlights that spatial integration, the integration of private to public space in the fowl of space, fowl, activity and function plays a vital role in creating and sustaining socially integrated communities.