2021 IRC Abstracts
http://ir.kdu.ac.lk/handle/345/4469
2024-03-28T14:32:02ZRethinking of the Adaptability in Mass Housing for Pandemic Situations
http://ir.kdu.ac.lk/handle/345/4870
Rethinking of the Adaptability in Mass Housing for Pandemic Situations
Kudasinghe, KSKNJ; Lakmali, RGN; Nawaratne, NMRAT; Premarathna, MLNH
Pandemics spread due to poor housing conditions. Diseases have resulted in
inducing the concept of mass housing, evident from housing projects initiated
after the Great Plaque in London. Current pandemic, i.e., the spreading of the
COVID-19 virus affected physical health of humans at alarming rates. The
relationship between the spread of pandemics and living environments is
unexplored. The study intends to bridge the gap in literature, and explore
methods that could be implemented to mitigate situations in future scenarios.
The parameters by the WELL Building Standard®, of air, water and light have
been considered. Results explicitly prove mechanical systems of residential
housing units need a (MERV) of 8, as 70-85% of particles can be captured.
Relative humidity between 40%-60% can limit spreading of COVID19 within
housing interiors. Pressure difference between corridor spaces and rooms will
prevent air circulating from source to another in hospitals, minimising
spreading of pathogens. Similar strategy can be adopted into the housing context
via mechanical ventilation systems. The most effective method to limit
spreading of pathogens from room to room in hospitals is to design a buffer
space. This can be adopted in the housing context, such as powder rooms in
apartments. Airborne viruses that contain single-stranded RNA are reduced by
90% with a low dose of UV light and is eliminated through building glass layers.
A set of adaptive guidelines have been derived, to be applied in designing mass
housing and also in managing Built Environment in similar situations.
2021-01-01T00:00:00ZContribution of Architecture on Juvenile Rehabilitation Process in Sri Lanka
http://ir.kdu.ac.lk/handle/345/4869
Contribution of Architecture on Juvenile Rehabilitation Process in Sri Lanka
Abeywardhane, HMYM; Gayantha, DWK
The process of reintegrating juveniles to society from juvenile rehabilitation
facilities is as important as the process of rehabilitation. If the rehabilitation
process is not conducted properly it would rather be difficult to control the
reconvicted/recidivism rates. Hence, the rehabilitation methods must adhere to
certain attributes relating to the rehabilitation process, one key aspect being the
built environment of the rehabilitation facilities. Humans by nature have an
undeniable connection with their environment through physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual means. This connection helps to keep a balance within
ourselves. Most of the time, unlike adults, juveniles commit crimes or become
victims without their own will. It is of paramount importance that this is
understood and they are attended with the required special attention in the
rehabilitation process. At the stage of admission to the rehabilitation facilities,
these youngsters are more likely to be in a very weak state of mind, with the
need of protection, self-value, freedom, and to obtain the sense of belongingness
in the society as they are reintroduced. This requires improvement of
interpersonal and intrapersonal skills before leaving the correctional facility to
avoid reconviction/recidivism. The rehabilitation process influenced by
architectural attributes was followed in this research would be to understand
by location and site planning, spatial organization, provision amenities,
supervision and security and visual character. In the Sri Lankan context, it shows
that most of the juveniles from facilities that have considered these architectural
attributes show comfort when reintegrating with the society as adults whereas
others from contradicting facilities show difficulties when reintegrating with the
society as adults.
2021-01-01T00:00:00ZUse of Urban Pockets to Enhance Walkability in Office Neighbourhoods in Colombo Urban Context with Special Reference to Fort, Colombo
http://ir.kdu.ac.lk/handle/345/4868
Use of Urban Pockets to Enhance Walkability in Office Neighbourhoods in Colombo Urban Context with Special Reference to Fort, Colombo
Premaratne, PDJD; Premarathna, MLNH
Urban pockets have been recognized as resourceful collective spaces for urban
functions in a modern-day city. Also, urban design and planning of major
developed cities incorporate the walkability concept in order to minimize traffic,
environmental, and health problems. Colombo is considered the commercial
capital with a high density of office neighbourhoods that attract high density of
vehicular movement. Fort is recognized as office neighbourhoods in the
Colombo area where the traffic congestion is higher. Previous research
considers the physical factors of the street in order to enhance walkability. They
lacked consideration of the walking behaviour-flow, junctions, and small urban
spaces in the process. The study aims to identify the undefined urban spaces that
can be used as urban pockets by studying public behaviour patterns regarding
walkability in office working hours in Colombo. In order to identify the possible
urban spaces that can be developed as urban pockets, the research indemnify
the current walking patterns and walkability of the area. The identified walking
pedestrian flow laid over the identified leftover spaces which have the
possibility to develop without changing the current urban context. Overall
images for study area were developed with the existing and possible urban
pockets based on walking patterns and the lack of walkable routes in order to
enhance the walkability of office neighbourhoods.
2021-01-01T00:00:00ZCompact City as a Response to the New Normal
http://ir.kdu.ac.lk/handle/345/4866
Compact City as a Response to the New Normal
Sanjunee, SMM; Munasinghe, H
The Coronavirus is a pandemic that defined the greatest crisis of the modern
world, and it is the most critical challenge that the world has faced since World
War II. Considering the effect and the scale of the outbreak, WHO declared
Covid-19 as a global pandemic and identified the epidemic as an unprecedented
socio-economic crisis and not just a health challenge. From early 2020, most of
the countries in the world have been in lockdowns to prevent the spread, and
these lockdowns critically restricted mobility resulting in empty city-scapes.
The critical problem of the present is the incompatibility of the city forms to cope
with the pandemic triggered by the inability to locate the ‘New Normal’ concept
in the field of Urban Design. Non-resilience of cities is not a unique case to this
pandemic but was common in the pre-pandemic world too. Modern cities being
dependent on auto-mobiles had created an urban crisis, and the desire of the
designers to initiate sustainable alternatives was always defeated by automobile
transportation. The pandemic has however created a temporary momentum
towards active transportation restricting car-travel, and the study identifies the
necessity of concreting these temporary trends for the long run. Analysing the
initiatives that the cities of the globe have taken, three main concepts could be
identified as cycling, Avoid-Shift-Improve paradigm and 15-Minute city. The
latter part of the study brings these concepts to the city fabric of Colombo and
concludes by stressing the compatibilities of adapting these concepts to
Colombo city.
2021-01-01T00:00:00Z