Caring neighbourhoods in managing cities for transforming futures

Abstract

City performance ensures references to the spatial form of the city or any built environment as places for people. The quality of a place is a result of the combined effect of place and society that inhabits in it. In managing cities, it is important to understand behavior of different social groups reflected in urban formation and transformation. Several performance dimensions are identified in Good City forms; it should be vital, sensible, well fitted, accessible, well controlled and all of these are achieved with integrity and internal efficiency. They are the collective experience of urban form of a city; at local community space levels, giving birth to neighbourhood sustainability. As an important concept in Planning and Architecture, Sustainability has become vital in contemplation of cities. In the development of neighbourhoods, it has received lesser attention particularly in the context of developing countries for some reason. However, cities cannot be considered sustainable and cared, if constituent neighbourhoods, do not meet sustainability measures. It is clear that the urban form of a city is constantly facing to challenges in transforming into futures, and therefore, should with-stand to impending social, environmental and economic requirements of the neighbourhoods; where people live in and work at. This paper attempts to discover the sustainable identity of a selected residential neighbourhood in Colombo inner city limits as a case sample, to recognize its determinant factors in design formation. Further it investigates the means of improving and maintaining them, to be preserved as long lasting, great urban neighbourhoods. This will address the essentials in caring such urban neighbourhoods as distinctive living entities, which are momentous constituents of changing city.