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1

Notion and Understanding of the Urban Public Realm in Mapusa Goa

Researcher Oriana Fernandez Guide Prof Vishvesh Kandolkar

Goa College of Architecture Dr T B Cunha Educational Complex Altinho Panaji Goa

2009 ndash 2010

Abstract

The spirit of place is a defining concept that determines the character and essence of places and the people (users) in them It is the general atmosphere of a place and theeffect that it has on people Observing and experiencing different places excites curiosityand engages interest among people This technique of looking at places highlights theoptical and peripheral appearance hence the focus on the lsquostreet scenersquo In the same way this study of perception of Mapusa town wishes to delve into the working of theseintricate mechanisms that make up a series of networks each unique in its own way butcontributing to form a part of the whole picture There are a number of aspects involved in the making of a place

The study focuses on trying to understand the reasons behind use of a particular place ndash which places engage activity between people and their surroundings and which places donot and the role time plays in determining how the place is used This is an initiative towards appreciating the spirit of place in Mapusa

In order to understand the public place in Mapusa the study is taken up as followsi Establishing the nature of public realm in Mapusa after identifying important public

placesii Studying the nature of these places

The findings obtained reveal the patterns between the inside and the outside the privateand the public and elements and interface relationships necessary for the image of theurban public realm

Key Words

Urban public realm public place character spirit of place ( genius loci ) artifact interface

Rationale

The city is a place of complex diversity catering to concentrations of people and theirrespective urban accessories and is deeply connected to surrounding territories so as tostate its prominence existence and readily available assistance The city as such is acentre and this centre forms place and it is this place that conciliates various exchangedinteractions between different groups of people and entities These places where theseexperiences are channelled and produced can be referred to as the public realm within the urban situation



2

The concept of public realm no doubt exists in every settlement but it has proven to havegained significant relevance within an urban context The urban scene na rrates a cityrsquospast never leaves out the present and remains susceptible to the future The scenechanges physically in order to adjust to rapid economic and developmental growth but traces of the traditional essence and spirit still abound It is not lost

The urban public realm hosts a range of activities coupled with human interactions andsocial relations It is a realm where people can get together and discuss and identifymatters of mutual interest thus being able to reach a common understanding It is a realmin which this collective phenomenon would cease to function or even exist should even asingle entity be missing from it

Simply put the urban public realm is where anything and or nothing can happen It is ageneral idea derived from instances that are indefinite and unpredictable while also beingbound by norms and regulations within the urban framework

Urban Public Realm ndash its notion and understanding ndash has been chosen for this studybecause it is a complex entity that is capable of interpreting influencing and forgingconnections between various activities and interactions It has always been an importantaspect of cities but is highly neglected This public realm is diverse and multi-functionalbut collectively contributes to the overall composition and existence of a place within acity

Scope

The study carried out is based on perception and not just on physical aspects

sbquoWe turn to the faculty of sight for it is almost entirely through vision that theenvironment is appreh ended‛ (Cullen G 1961) The study is limited to the researcherrsquos observations through viewpoints of differentindividuals while walking through the town scapes Place takes on different appearancesbased on accounts and interpretations from numerous people Therefore each person willhave their own distinctive experience illustrated in their own words Here the scope islimited to pedestrian vision or perceptions of an individual along a street road or space

Understanding a place is possible by picking up a sequence or string of scenes observed atdifferent times of the day describing them and getting a whole if not totally completepicture By observing for example a street with residences on one side and shops on theother side one can determine the type of users frequenting the street as well as theprimary and secondary activity patterns of the street In essence time is a crucial factor indetermining the nature of a place

The area of study is restricted to the town of Mapusa situated in the Bardez Taluka in theNorth Goa District The town is valid in the current context as it exhibits particular aspectsof a place namely diverse uses user groups and activities The subject being investigateddemands consistent cross-checking along with explorative and descriptive research

design approaches Hence Mapusa a town that is constantly growing and evolving with time became an evident choice



3

The scope of the topic is an attempt to cover as many known possible aspects that form the making and working of the public realm Certain parameters have been defined andhave been taken up in this study in order to simulate a methodology that utilizes mereobservation to arrive at various conclusions These parameters can be applied to any place(environmental setting) as they form the basis for analysis and help in comparativestudies thus widening further areas of study The study of built public places like cafeacutesrestaurants religious institutions schools public utility buildings etc is beyond thescope of this study Such functions play an important role in place-making and canlsquocompliment rsquo this research if undertaken

Methodology

After acquiring the relevant Mapusa survey drawings and obtaining visual observations of the areas of study findings abstracts are converted into pictorial (drawing) form This isdone initially in the form of base drawings comprising of plans and sections wherein

various elements and factors are outlined

The base drawings in turn yield a common sub-set of drawings (figure ground diagramspace typology urban blocks building typology etc) which helped in comparing all theareas of study Also minor and major activity patterns along with space details weremapped out Sections and sketches serve as a clue to the intensity of use by various usergroups Figure Ground diagrams mapped over a period of time (morphological study) of each area provides easy categorization that assist in the assessment of positive (egshade) and negative (eg alignment of buildings) space concepts

In essence each space area of study is thoroughly documented As a result of which theurban blocks get highlighted and the nature and characteristics of the spaces are brought to light This will helps in determining the location and overall physical configuration andedge conditions

The activities of each area are classified architecturally and analyzed subjectively ie through judgements taking place within the mind and modified by individual bias (in thiscase the researcher)

The existence and presence of physical artifacts also enlists activity in each study area egpersonrsquos relationship with respect to threshold (balcony verandah) Mobile artifacts arepresent as well (level differences shade carts) Symbolic artifacts are special andsometimes sentimental objects put up by people (statues markers)

The understanding of usage frequency of use and time of use of a space by users andresidents will help in forming a complete analysis Observations made during two different time frames ie in the morning (9 am to 11am) and in the evening (5 pm to 8 pm)

Assessment of the public realm would require analysis of the relation between a set of logical physical and phenomenological propositions Parameters that deemed suitable tocarry out specific case studies were proposed These parameters were looked into

individually as well as collectively



4

The Notion of Place

sbquorsquoSpirit of placersquo or genius loci arises from the special character or synesthetic quality of aparticular locality The significant aspects in the evocation of this sense are numerous andcan include spatial structures topographical patterns textures natural and climaticconditions such as light wind and sound in addition to people and the pattern of h umanevents‛ 1

The city street in Goa is not quite like the streets of Delhi or Mumbai but it can often beseen as a concoction between what is left of the old fabric and what was later added thusmaking up the new fabric This can clearly be seen for example when one passes throughFontainhas the old residential quarters of Panaji and then stumbles into Church Squareand then walks along the 18 June Road The change in character and the heterogeneousmix of it is very striking What one notices besides the change in the mere physicalappearance of the streetscape and built form is the change in spirit of place The starting

point is within a quiet enclosed residential area and steadily works up towards theopposite ndash a noisy more unprohibited commercial area which can be seen as twocontrasts along a clear horizontal line The line forms the path taken by a person and isrepresented in this case by access paths and streets Lines play a crucial role indetermining and assessing spirit of place especially in the context of Goa

The experiences of public place and of private place are different yet they are connected through the use of semi-public and semi-private transitions that are present whilenavigating these boundaries

The public place is viewed as a realm of a vast range of user-activity interactions that aremost of the time unpredictable and invariably layered It is layered simply because of thedependence of one activity on another and that a missing link anywhere would lead to abreak in the chain of steps Many of these interactions would together form a collectivecluster of urban entities contributing towards the overall urban place which would assistin its daily functioning Such clusters are seen at the Taxi Stand They are seen in the formof stalls that appear to be temporary in nature but are not and the way in which thesestalls are arranged They are positioned around trees or along the connecting accessstreet They are arranged so as to ensure their relation and easy accessibility to publicusers within the area These stalls form a very fine grain in opposition to the surroundinglarger more complex grains

The private place is viewed as a realm of segregation only availing of partial inclusionwith the public place at main entry exit points There are noticeably fewer user-activityinteractions The interactions that do take place however at transition points (porchescanopies balconies) play their role in shaping the edge of the public place They areexcessively demanded and used when escaping the rain or to take shelter from the heatof the sun This would be interaction with the built form and a public userConversations taking place at a seating place in front of a house would constituteinteraction between a private user and a public user Private place calls for a more

1 Bognar Botond A Phenomenological Approach to Architecture and its Teaching in the Design Studio 2000 Appearing in Dwelling Space and Environment



5

detailed or more intense form of interaction In the case of the access path at Ansabhat the artifacts (seats) which are part of the built form create a lsquospeechless dialoguersquo with theuser The user can belong to either the private or public place but the artifact is commonlyused This forms a case of interaction between built form artifacts and user The foodstalls in front of Alankar Cinema form a defined communicative edge wherein dialogue takes place between the stall owner and the customer Artifacts within this area are temporary in nature and come into play only in the evening when various food activities(fast food fruit stalls etc) begin The artifacts include the arrangement of tables andchairs that in turn form an extension of the private into the public This entire relationshipforms a case of interaction between the private and public user

The relation between the public place and the private place is their ability to spil l into theother not forcibly but fluidly

The Notion of Public Realm

It is not uncommon to realize that most urban entities or in the case of Mapusa thestreets have great significance which is not given due credit The importance of the streetis not felt nor is it recognized With the passage of time these entities these streets haveundergone tremendous physical changes influenced by the usage of that space as well as the user groups The street edge now caters more to the vehicle than the pedestrian Thereis a growing loss if interaction between the edge and user for the street is now morecommonly referred to as a road bearing the marked qualities and characteristics Buildingcodes also incorporate setbacks that disturb the edge and create gaps in the urban publicrealm fabric

The inside and the outside are two distinct spheres that connect only by way of transitionpoints or by way of some activity that requires facing the outside (eg a shop that extendspartly onto the street in order to display its wares) What is formed is a zone where insideand outside overlap which can be referred to as the space in between This is similar to grey zones that exist within the urban fabric At times it is hard to say where the insideoutside begins ends This gives rise to the interface the overlap where these twophenomena affect each other and are linked to each other in the form of users andactivities and the interaction between the two

How are the inside and the outside defined

Firstly the interactions that occur are mutual They take place either near theinterface on the edge of the interface or even overlap the interface Transition shuttlesbetween the two spheres from inside to outside and vice versa Due to the developedinterface entities from the outside can go inside and the other way around as well Bothspheres will have some properties of the other This shows that at certain points or after acertain level restrictions are imposed maintaining respective degrees of privacy andsecurity from the outside

A case of interaction taking place near the interface can be seen in the form of themobile coconut seller push carts They position themselves strategically so as to drawusers from the private place as well as from the public place These cases were seen at



6

Ansabhat and at the Taxi Stand In the first case the position was on the street inbetween houses and commercial blocks and in the second case between a street and anopen space (parking lot)

Interaction on the edge of the interface is seen at the stall in front of Alankar Cinema In this case the stall forms the defining line or boundary for dialogue between private anspublic user The customer on the public side is only able to communicate with the stallowner but cannot venture into the private confines of the stall As such this forms a caseof dialogue between one common entity (private place ndash stall owner) and an infinitenumber of uncommon entities (public place ndash customers)

Lastly an overlap in the interface is seen wherein private spills out into public and vice- versa Ansabhatrsquos access path displays this overlap effectively with its extensions andprojections seen in the form of seats porches and verandahs At times even steps fromresidences extend slightly onto the access path This is the most intimate form of

interaction as there suddenly appears to be no more limitations or physical boundariesprohibiting a preferred interaction suited to both the private and public place

The Making of the Public Realm

i A sense of belonging can occur within the built form itself and the manner in which the edge (interface) of the built form is utilized Belonging would determine thereason for certain connections of varying intensity within a given place This can beseen in how the interface and its built form are accepted by usersEnclosure is dually associated with belonging It describes the nearness or distance

between the interface and the corresponding artifacts This quality can be found inalmost any place either hidden from the public eye or as the first impressionexperienced The indication of a sense of enclosure helps in determining limits orboundaries within a place by offering little enough or too much exposure within thepublic realm itself and also between the public and private places

ii The public realm in order to communicate with and within a group would require asystem of intersecting lies or channels that contribute to the whole or make part of the whole These interconnected systems of things and people are made up of thephysical layout the activity patterns the association patterns and the connectionsbetween them By analyzing the networks of the public realm various observationsare noted and patterns emerge

iii The existing processes in the public realm produced by man are associated withspecific behavioral and habitual practices From this frequency of usage of a place isa more determining factor The role of usage along an interface followed up with theassociated activity patterns gives rise to the kind of place and whether such a place isgenerally favourable or not

iv The street edge serves as an indicator to where surfaces commence and where they terminate At times it is difficult to tell as many physical and visual elementsoverlap the surface This edge is important as it determines what lies within both thepublic and private place and also acts as a base point for further spatial demarcation



7

The Role of Public Realms

From the two notions described previouslyi Sense of belonging can be seen in how the interface and its built form are accepted

by usersii Sense of enclosure can be seen in how the interface and its elements are perceived

by usersiii The integration of the artifact as well as the recurrence of both physical and spatial

levels are the other factors to look out for while studying a placeiv The arrangement of networks allows for identification of individual components

and the segregation of the same v The frequency of usage of a place is a determining factor The role of usage along

an interface followed up with the associated activity patterns gives rise to the kindof place

vi Control strikes a balance between the internal and the external

The public realm follows an organization based on interactions that are expressed eitherindependently totally or partially which together interlace into a human network

Criterion for Selection of Study Area

The following areas were chosen for study (based on the political and religious ward mapsof Mapusa)i Ansabhat (residential area)

ii Hutatma Chowk + Taxi Stand (commercial area)

iii

Municipal Council Angod (administrative + commercial area)iv Old Market Precinct Angod + Rajwaddo (commercial + public area)

Since the town of Mapusa has defined old and new parts it was felt that areas of study be taken up in both fields and also in areas that are beginning to give into the new fabricAreas in the old part of the town would point out the traditional spirit of place the newparts would depict the new presence felt and the places in between would show the finelines between old and new Four types of analysis were applied to four areas of study For the purpose of depicting the application of the methodology the Taxi Stand has been taken as a sample



8

Figure 1

Analysis of Comparative Diagrams

The diagrams depicted for the four areas of study are made up of1 Urban Blocks2 Figure Ground3 Hierarchy of Built and Enclosed Space4 Building Use5 Circulation

Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Comparative Diagrams ndash Urban blocks Figure ground Hierarchy of space Building Use Circulation



9

Analysis of Activity Patterns

This analysis has tried to show how a network is used for different times of the day Itshows which points are frequented more leading to the type of users at that pointObservations were made during two different time frames ndash morning and evening

Taxi Stand Morning Temple related Commercial formal

informal tradebusiness (start)

Transit related (taxi +bus stand + market)

Garden physicalexercise

Parking shoppinggathering

Afternoon Informal vendors Shops closed reopen

in the evening Resting Transit (not too

frequent)

Evening Formal informal

trade business(end)

Shoppingparkinggathering

Gardenstrollingrelaxing

Change through time Continuous

pedestrian + vehicular movement(2 main roads)

Gradual build up innumber andintensity of businesses andusers through theday reaching peakby late evening

Garden frequentedin the evening

Figure 7

Analysis of Association Patterns

Here in order to better understand the levels involved in making of the public realm itwas felt that along with normal street sections functions spatial organization (rooms)building components (form) and typology of built form be noted down This will make for

more complete comparisons

Figure 8 Figure 9



10

Analysis of Artifacts

What is an urban artifact

According to Aldo Rossi (The Architecture of the City) sbquoDefining an urban artifact hellipin other words to define and classify a street a city a streetin a city then the location of this street its function its architecture then the streetsystems possible in the city and many other things ‛

In Mapusa the term takes on a new meaningAn urban artifact represents certain demarcated areas or objects or markers that peopleare constantly using or frequently acknowledging or they are drawn towards it due tosome significance

Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Figure 12

The Treeand Shade (Taxi Stand Mapusa)

Analysis of Parameters Affecting Study Areas

Nine aspects affecting the public place have been covered and have been representedalong with the relative notes observations diagrams photos This helps in forming pointsfrom each area of study thus making up the framework for the conclusion

Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 16Diagrams showing accessibility physical configuration shape and enclosure



11

Inferences

About Ansabhat Ansabhat essentially being residential in nature displays signs of orrelating to the home ie of a very domestic type This is a district or place where peoplelive that is occupied primarily by private residences and this in turn creates a sense of community ndash a sense of common ownership As such there are very few or no strangerswithin this area The presence of these sbquo unknowns ‛ can be seen only in pockets wherecommercial blocks are present along with their shops on the ground floor level In theafternoons the connecting streets within Ansabhat play host to children playing games(the length of each street is acceptable for cricket) All these factors together form anactive place that is more domestic in character rather than commercial The activities taking place would be home or house related and restricted to private semi-private andsemi-public places

About the Taxi Stand The taxi stand bears a striking contrast to the residential Ansabhat

area It is highly commercial in nature wherein there is a constant social exchange of opinions and attitudes that in turn get reflected in the place The nature seen is one of constant integration and segregation between functions and users ndash wherein both areincluded and or excluded Having many transactions taking place leads to a high level innumber of users strangers As such there is no defined containment and there is anapparent sbquo stranger anxiety ‛ This is seen at the two trees wherein the shops here cater toan infinite number of strangers The tree is a scaled activity taking place within the largernetwork of activities So this is a highly active commercial area dealing withinterconnected small and large-scale activities and undefined users

About MMC Area Being a place that caters more to street and junction movement theplace has a mixed use nature wherein different activities are brought or combined together with another activity function There is a constant movement betweenpedestrians and vehicles and as such major activities are anchored along various pointsalong the streets and at the junctions There are specific activities that take place along the street and many sub-activities (stalls attached to the Municipal Council) are foundhere as they cater to other major activity points There are a number of indicators orreference points that pedestrians use in order to orient themselves The Municipal Councilis one such point that invariably stands out and directs users in a particular direction Thisdefines an active place of movement

About Old Market Precinct This is also a mixed use area infused with public usage Itdisplays a particular set of activities during the day (commercial) and another (public ndash food stalls) at night The connecting street in front of Alankar Cinema caters to rows of food stalls on either side This promotes interaction between inside and outside but theactual physical enclosure is not affected The food activities take place within the realm of the street itself and not really encroaching upon the built form The built form ie theAlankar Cinema is a public activity generator serving as a movie theatre which anchors allother peripheral activities around itself This serves as a destination towards an activeplace



12

Conclusion

The notion of the public realm could be acknowledged after accepting that it is a planeof existence that holds diverse patterns and unique significance for every user within it Inany public realm the type of use and number of users will always influence the kind of place and thus lead to the overall formation and character

For example the taxi stand near the bus stand and market place is itself a mini sub-system of the urban place in Mapusa which despite being off-centre manages to handle traffic and pedestrian movement all around it and if not for the presence of 2 gas stationsalong its cross-connecting access road would probably have been a place to host morepedestrian-oriented activities The 2 trees and their associated stalls (and shrine) within the confines of the taxi stand are proof of this place as opposed to the surroundinghaphazard environment that in a sea of vehicles (and chaos) there are pause pointslocated which are indeed essential for the urban public realm

Another idea behind the public realm is that it is made up of a series of seeminglydisjointed but nevertheless related and inter-connected interactions It is required that these interactions make use of the interior and the exterior the inside and the outsideHowever it is not possible to have defined and rigid boundaries for every lsquoinside -outsidersquofixture located along and within the public realm

For example is the access path located within the residential precinct of Ansabhat a partof the inside or a part of the outside The answer is that it is both It is convenientlyplaced and its purpose is mainly to provide entry to the houses along the path The path is

physically visible and present but there are no restrictions or obstacles preventinganyone from traversing its length It is remarkable to see that such a simple urban artifacthas managed to exist let alone survive within this ever -changing urbanscape in Mapusa

So far we have seen that place is formed within the urban framework due to the presenceof connecting or pause points and their related interactions There ideally should be noboundaries preventing access to a worthwhile public point along or within an element orartifact within the public realm Urban place is thus discovered and realized by allowing these non-restricted points to coexist simultaneously and produce various multiplepatterns of public place

Determining whether a public place is active or inactive also helps towards classifying the place Would not all or at least most public places be active (simply because it iswithin reach of the public users) This is not always the case

Within the 4 areas of study 2 parks gardens were studied ndash the Dr Rammanohar Lohiyagarden near the taxi stand and the MMC garden near the Mapusa Municipal CouncilLocation plays a major role in determining who uses both gardens and the number of usersThe former garden is located with proximity to the bus stand taxi stand and market placeand also serves as the only source of repose and shelter for that entire area It is a mostwelcome addition in what would have otherwise been another parking lot or mini busstand The garden is maintained and frequented (the fountains are a crowd-puller and



13

counter the high temperatures in summer) and there you have a so-called active public place On the other hand the MMC garden has probably exhausted all its glory days and it bearsonly a few trees that stand testimony to its former past The garden was at one point visually blocked due to the construction of a ramped parking lot for 2-wheelers in front of it (this ramp got demolished recently) and was also stripped bare of its greenery so as toarrange for its lsquorestorationrsquo and lsquorenovationrsquo No doubt the containing wall was repairedand painted along with commemoration stone installed et al but the green character of the garden never returned Thus we have the creation of an inactive public place whereincharacter is lost or completely erased for the rsquobetter goodrsquo

The power of observation is a wonderful tool to work with It is an art which cannot belearnt easily but once acquired it makes analyzing of a given situation more effective andmore efficient

For the purpose of this study these observational skills were applied using 4 differentaspects that would help in building up the overall picture for each study area

i A public place functions differently for various times of the day It will respond in acertain way to morning activities and to evening activities in another way If the placehappens to be predominantly office and commercial in use like at the Taxi Stand itwill cater to more types and numbers of users during the day than at night Theexception to the rule however is seen at the Old Market Precinct which is nownotoriously well known (and revered) for its scrumptious (or horrendousif one had to consider cleanliness) display of food stalls all lined up in 2 rows in front of

Alankar Cinema The stalls are open throughout the year even during the monsoonseason They are however never open during the day except for the occasional clean-up but are released from their dormancy only after 5 pm every evening They remainactive till the wee hours of early morning ie 1 am to 3 am The stalls get a good turnout especially over the weekends Observing activity patterns help to judge thesituation within the urban public place better

ii The understanding of restricted areas limits boundaries demarcations theclassification of hierarchy of built and open space means that one is able to see thelines that are drawn that separate public activity from the private domain A purelyresidential street like that at Ansabhat would follow a certain pattern whichcommences with the street (and its components) that leads to a balcony porch verandah seating space which further leads into the actual dwelling unit and itssubsequent spaces (rooms) This is what is seen in plan In sections and even from a three-dimensional point of view one is able to gauge the kind of spaces created byobserving volume mass height roof lines etc Then there are the semi-private andsemi-public spaces which further contribute towards the understanding of associativeproperties or association patterns of a place

iii The street components from the previous point too play their part and contribute to the fabric of the public place It has been noticed that in almost all (3 out of 4) thestudy areas there is at least one hair cutting salon for men or a barber shop Even atAlankar Cinema a shed near the omelette pao seller has been reserved solely for the



14

purpose of hair cutting The oldest establishments are those from Ansabhat and near the MMC Along with the barbers the other shops stores and stalls fall in place Oneshould be aware of the urban artifacts (elements) that are mobile and move It isinteresting to follow the path taken by a hand cart selling coconuts (and these wereseen at 2 out of 4 study areas) as the object of consideration knows where to go andhow to get there in order to entice and draw in coconut lovers The artifact shouldnever be taken for granted no matter how small for each one helps to shape anddefine the public realm

iv It was also possible to compile a set of factors that seemed to fit the areas of studyThese were quantitative and qualitative in nature and they characterized a given areaof study from which estimated points were made from data previously collectedThese parameters helped in defining a system and determined or limited the placersquosperformance in the overall working of the public realm

The dissertation has ventured into levels that define and explain the composition andworking of the urban public realm that within the Goan settlement time of day seems tobe a very prominent factor and allows for public places to experience the heat of sun ornot at all Most businesses in Mapusa tend to close shop from 1 pm to 4 pm in order toavoid the heat while also availing of the traditional afternoon siesta followed ritually afterlunch

The analysis adopted has shown the relationship between location physical configurationand edge conditions of public place In almost all the study areas most of the activity(interface) takes place at ground level or shop level which faces the bustling street The

sad truth is that there are no subtle distinctions (in fact they are quite the opposite -harsh) between new components ie new commercial multi-storey blocks and oldcomponents ie traditional Mangalore tiled sloping roofs In due course if not seriously(and genuinely) checked or looked into the physical set-up will be totally mass-manufactured bar coded and will cease to possess a character that is to be identified with that of the Goan street Location has to be influenced by its surroundings ndash both in termsof built environment and related activities So the appearance of built form also presentsan important contribution to this relation

The methodology helps in identifying types of public places finding out if they are activeor inactive and what recommendations can be made to make an inactive place moreactive Understanding urban artifacts ndash their configuration and working ndash is an importantclue in understanding the notion of public place and thus the overall public realm



15

Acknowledgement

I wish to thank my guide Prof Vishvesh Kandolkar for his encouragement guidancesuggestions and captivating conversations throughout the process of this investigation Iappreciate the discussions I had with Prof Rajiv Kadam (CEPT Ahmedabad) and with ArchYatin Pandya (Ahmedabad) I am grateful to our Dissertation Committee comprising of Prof Himanshu Burte Prof Rohit Nadkarni Prof A R Antao and Prof A K Rege for theirassistance I would like to thank Prof Amit Parashar and Apurva Kulkarni for their adviceand suggestions I also appreciate the cooperation and assistance of the Urban Design(Masters Program) students from CEPT Ahmedabad - Navajyothi Mahenderkar HemangMistry Heera Mohan and Vasim Shaikh The assistance given by the various governmentdepartments to obtain the necessary data required for the initial stages of urban study is very much appreciated I wish to thank my parents and family for their encouragement andpatience throughout the course of this dissertation

About the Author

Oriana Fernandez is a final year student of the Goa College of Architecture for theacademic year 2009-2010 This research dissertation is a part of fulfilment of thecurriculum for obtaining a degree in Architecture from the Goa College of ArchitectureGoa University She was chosen to represent her Semester 9 Design Thesis project at theKurula Varkey Design Forum 2010 held at Centre for Environmental Planning andTechnology (CEPT) University Ahmedabad

Source of Illustrations All images are by the author

References

BOOKS

History

1 Kostof Spiro (1992) The City Assembled The Elements of Urban Form Through History London Thames and Hudson Ltd

2 Kostof Spiro (1991) The City Shaped Urban Patterns and Meanings Through History London Thames and Hudson Ltd

3 Lozano Eduardo (1990) Community Design and the Culture of Cities The Crossword and the Wall USA Cambridge University Press

Methodology

4 Kaplan Abraham (1994) The Conduct of Inquiry Methodology for Behavioral Science California Chandler Publishing Company

5 Michelson William (1975) Behavioral Research Methods in Environmental Design Pennsylvania Dowden Hutchinson and Ross Inc

6 Oppenheim AN (1968) Questionnaire Design and Attitude Management LondonHeinemann Educational Books Ltd



16

Re (Presentation)

7 Bernard Loidl Stefan Hans (2003) Opening Spaces ndash Design as Landscape Architecture Birkhaumluser Publishers for Architecture

8 Calvino Italo (1978) Invisible Cities Harvest Books

Technical

9 Batchelor Peter Urban Design Vocabulary Process Technique North CarolinaChapter of the American Institute of Architects (Printed in North Carolina Architect)

10 Cullen Gordon (1961 (first published) 1971) The Concise Townscape Great BritainThe Architectural Press

11 Krier Rob Urban Space London Academy Editions12 Lynch KevinThe Image of the City Cambridge MIT Press 13 Rapoport Amos History and Precedent in Environmental Design New York and

London Plenum Press14 Rybczynski Witold and Others (1984) How the Other Half Builds Vol 1 Space

Montreal McGill University 15 Tibbalds Francis (1992 (First Published) 2001) Making People-Friendly Towns

Improving the Public Environment in Towns and Cities New York Spon Press

Theoretical

16 Anderson Stanford (1986) On Streets MIT Press17 Habraken NJ (2000 The Structure of the Ordinary Form and Control in the Built

Environment The MIT Press18 Norberg-Schulz Christian (1971) Existence Space and Architecture Great BritainStudio Vista Limited

19 Norberg-Schulz Christian (1980) Genius Loci Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture New York Rizzoli International Publications Inc

20 Pandya Yatin and Others (2000) Urban Open Spaces as Civic Nodes Ahmedabad Vastu Shilpa Foundation for Studies and Research in Environmental DesignAhmedabad Sangath

21 Rossi Aldo [1989 (Fifth printing) 1982] The Architecture of the Cit y Cambridge MITPress

UNPUBLISHED THESES DISSERTATIONS

1 Chandrasekhara Sowmya (2004) Urban Space as a Manifestation of Temporal ActivitiesAhmedabad School of Urban Design CEPT Uni

2 Govindan Aruna (1994) Urban Space Structuring and Imagery Ahmedabad Schoolof Architecture CEPT Uni

3 Haideri Abbas (1993) Urban Public Spaces Traditional to Contemporary AhmedabadSchool of Planning CEPT Uni

4 Jain Puja (2001) Greyzone An Integral Part of Indian Urbanity Ahmedabad School of Architecture CEPT Uni

5 Jani Tarak (2007) Role of Inclusive Public Spaces in the Palimpsests of UrbanityAhmedabad School of Architecture CEPT Uni



17

6 Joshi Shirish (2005) Understanding Notions of Layering in the Making of a Street Case Specific to Paranjpe Street Tulsibaug Pune Ahmedabad School of ArchitectureCEPT Uni

7 Kandolkar Vishvesh (2007) lsquo To Reinforce the Characteristic Lociirsquo of HalasuruBangaluru Ahmedabad School of Urban Design CEPT Uni

8 Kapadia Anal (2001) Understanding the Behavioural Aspects of lsquoExtended Transition in an Urban Streetrsquo ndash A Case of Old City of Ahmedabad Ahmedabad School of Architecture CEPT Uni

9 Karan Vir Mehta (1993) Urban Space and City Structure A Comparative Study of the Historical Development of Urban Spaces in Delhi Ahmedabad School of ArchitectureCEPT Uni

10 Parikh Meghana (1992) Urban Public Realm - A Spatial Manifest of Culture A Study of the Urban Public Realm of Ujjain Ahmedabad School of Architecture CEPT Uni

11 Parmar Sangramsinh (2001) Understanding Urban Nodes A Study of the Physical Form of the Nodes on CG Road Ahmedabad Ahmedabad School of Architecture

CEPT Uni12 Sobti Manu (1993) Urban Form and Space in the Islamic City A Study of Morphology

and Formal Structures in the City of Bhopal Central India Ahmedabad School of Architecture CEPT Uni

13 Varma Nikhil (2001) Place A Study in the Indian Context Ahmedabad School of Architecture CEPT Uni

PUBLISHED THESES DISSERTATIONS

1 Nanda Vivek (1990) Urban Morphology and the Concept of type A Thematic and

Comparative Study of the Urban Tissue

Ahmedabad School of Architecture CEPTUni2 Parikh Tanvi (1998) Analysis of Streets A Socio-Physical Perspective Ahmedabad

School of Architecture CEPT Uni3 Sachdeva Manish (1999) Urban Public Realm A Methodology for Analysis

Ahmedabad School of Architecture CEPT Uni



2

The concept of public realm no doubt exists in every settlement but it has proven to havegained significant relevance within an urban context The urban scene na rrates a cityrsquospast never leaves out the present and remains susceptible to the future The scenechanges physically in order to adjust to rapid economic and developmental growth but traces of the traditional essence and spirit still abound It is not lost

The urban public realm hosts a range of activities coupled with human interactions andsocial relations It is a realm where people can get together and discuss and identifymatters of mutual interest thus being able to reach a common understanding It is a realmin which this collective phenomenon would cease to function or even exist should even asingle entity be missing from it

Simply put the urban public realm is where anything and or nothing can happen It is ageneral idea derived from instances that are indefinite and unpredictable while also beingbound by norms and regulations within the urban framework

Urban Public Realm ndash its notion and understanding ndash has been chosen for this studybecause it is a complex entity that is capable of interpreting influencing and forgingconnections between various activities and interactions It has always been an importantaspect of cities but is highly neglected This public realm is diverse and multi-functionalbut collectively contributes to the overall composition and existence of a place within acity

Scope

The study carried out is based on perception and not just on physical aspects

sbquoWe turn to the faculty of sight for it is almost entirely through vision that theenvironment is appreh ended‛ (Cullen G 1961) The study is limited to the researcherrsquos observations through viewpoints of differentindividuals while walking through the town scapes Place takes on different appearancesbased on accounts and interpretations from numerous people Therefore each person willhave their own distinctive experience illustrated in their own words Here the scope islimited to pedestrian vision or perceptions of an individual along a street road or space

Understanding a place is possible by picking up a sequence or string of scenes observed atdifferent times of the day describing them and getting a whole if not totally completepicture By observing for example a street with residences on one side and shops on theother side one can determine the type of users frequenting the street as well as theprimary and secondary activity patterns of the street In essence time is a crucial factor indetermining the nature of a place

The area of study is restricted to the town of Mapusa situated in the Bardez Taluka in theNorth Goa District The town is valid in the current context as it exhibits particular aspectsof a place namely diverse uses user groups and activities The subject being investigateddemands consistent cross-checking along with explorative and descriptive research

design approaches Hence Mapusa a town that is constantly growing and evolving with time became an evident choice



3


Methodology












4

The Notion of Place










5











6













7













iii





8

Figure 1






9










frequent)


trade business(end)







Figure 7




Figure 8 Figure 9



10












11

Inferences








12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















3


Methodology












4

The Notion of Place










5











6













7













iii





8

Figure 1






9










frequent)


trade business(end)







Figure 7




Figure 8 Figure 9



10












11

Inferences








12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















4

The Notion of Place










5











6













7













iii





8

Figure 1






9










frequent)


trade business(end)







Figure 7




Figure 8 Figure 9



10












11

Inferences








12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















5











6













7













iii





8

Figure 1






9










frequent)


trade business(end)







Figure 7




Figure 8 Figure 9



10












11

Inferences








12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















6













7













iii





8

Figure 1






9










frequent)


trade business(end)







Figure 7




Figure 8 Figure 9



10












11

Inferences








12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















7













iii





8

Figure 1






9










frequent)


trade business(end)







Figure 7




Figure 8 Figure 9



10












11

Inferences








12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















8

Figure 1






9










frequent)


trade business(end)







Figure 7




Figure 8 Figure 9



10












11

Inferences








12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















9










frequent)


trade business(end)







Figure 7




Figure 8 Figure 9



10












11

Inferences








12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















10












11

Inferences








12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















11

Inferences








12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















12

Conclusion











13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















13










14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















14









15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















15

Acknowledgement


About the Author



References

BOOKS

History




Methodology






16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















16

Re (Presentation)



Technical







Theoretical














17


















17
















working paper - 1005

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