An Architectural Analysis of Heritage Buildings: A Case of Dutch Wet Markets of Galle, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Abstract: Markets and its built environment, market infrastructure and market actors are essential components of the local food market system. City of Galle is renowned for its cultural heritage and architectural master pieces built in colonial periods. Systematic literature review highlighted that limited research attention on heritage buildings, especially adaptive reuse of markets. This study aimed to investigate the building performance of heritage markets, a wet market places, both green market and fruit market of Galle city, to explore the existing performances of physical facilities of the colonial wet markets, to identify the user perspectives on building performances and climate resilience of the markets and to analyses the adaptive reuse of colonial wet markets and find out the problems created with renovation. Two case studies, green market and fruit market were central to the study. Use and user perspectives were obtained from field survey. Sample profile comprised of 25 retail shop owners from both fruit market and green market. Consumer’s perception on wet markets were obtained from randomly selected 50 consumers from both markets. Mixed methods approach was instrumental in data collection and tools were pre-tested structured questionnaire for retailers and consumers, field visits, photograph analysis and in-depth interviews with key informants. Steeply pitched roof establishes on columns, open-sided and supported by colossal wooden beams and clay and stone mixed columns, specific design elements were best fitted with the tropicalclimate.Conservationandrestorationofeconomicallyandculturallyimportantbut abandoned building through its adaptive reuse contributes to the enhancement of tackle the challenges of resource scarcity, preserve heritage and climate responsiveness of thespaces.