Abstract:
Asian cities contain a unique heterogeneity of social cultural backgrounds,
which has a significant existence of bazaar type or informal sector with open
type temporary and mobile activities that are more flexible, quick, light and
low-cost. Today, the mobile, temporary and bazaar type informal activities
have an increasing demand for its potential in resisting the high urban
rental of land and goods.The study explores the temporary urban
interventions such as activity based intentions, structural interventions and
sensory interventions in urban shopping streets as place making elements.
This stimulates the city to be a unique place for people and transforms it into
a place of enjoyment. It can be remarkably effective in remaking an urban
public place such as Pettah in Colombo city which is studied here as a case.
But permanent physical components are committed resources to improve
shopping streets rather than temporary components. That is because city
development processes assume that improvements in temporary urban
interventions cause uncertain risks in the city. Therefore, temporary
components in streetscapes are provided less attention and care. Resources
are committed for permanent physical improvements of shopping streets by
replacing or removing the temporary installations, which are being eroded
This is despite the great interest people show for these places and the
benefits gained from them over the permanent components in shopping
streets.
The research confirms that the temporary urban interventions in shopping
streets are the key aspects of making the urban shopping places active. The
hierarchy and continuity in the arrangement of layers creates a kind of
urban order, which may not be understood by an outsider of that spatial
culture. Using unique patterns to enhance city identity and image is also a
strategy of economic and community development in the city. Implementing
place-making brings positive results in empowering community capacity. It
also reveals elements for the affordable places given by community.
Citation:
Wijekoon, N., & Wijesundara, J., (2016). Temporary urban interventions for effective place-making in shopping streets: special reference to pettah, colombo. In J. Wijesundara, & R. Dayaratne,(Eds.). Proceedings of the International Conference on Cities, People and Places ICCPP 2016. (pp. 66-80). Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa.