|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 7 March 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Architects must adjust role in nation building by Elmo Leonard A plan for the rehabilitation of Colombo Fort has been completed, it was revealed at the annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA). The SLIA has defined its role in the massive infrastructure development program the government had planned SLIA president, Lalith de Silva, said at its 21st annual sessions, concluded recently. "Architects of a country play a role in its economic, social and physical aspects, besides contributing to other areas of activity. Thus, architects should adjust their thinking to accommodate the changes that take place worldwide, which affect people in the face of globalisation," De Silva said. "If we adopt them we prosper, if we don't, we perish," he said. De Silva posed the question as to how architects could frame the nation's development policies to integrate and mobilise its limited borrowed resources for development - and to manage our economic and social growth, while sustaining our precious environment and culture. Also, he questioned whether architects could contribute in making our cities and regions livable for future generations. What are the challenges faced by architects, planners and policy-makers to likely population growth? The developing world was being transformed into an urban jungle, rapidly and at random, De Silva said. Cities with populations exceeding a million inhabitants had captured considerable attention. In 1950, Mexico City and Sao Paulo's populations were 2.1 and 2.8 million respectively, but in 2000, their population had grown to 25 and 22 million respectively. "Similar trends take place in Asia. Metropolitan Bangkok, for instance, accounts for 86 percent of GNP in banking, insurance, real estate, and 74 percent in manufacturing, but Bangkok houses just 10 percent of Thailand's population. Likewise in most developing countries, modern production activity are conducted in large urban centres, often at a level higher than their share of national population. "In Sri Lanka, the situation is no different, and such cities, contribute disproprionately to national economic growth and social transformation and have become an unmanageable problem. Such cities carry high rates of unemployment and underemployment as labour markets are unable to expand to absorb increasing numbers of job seekers and eradicate soaring labour poverty. The infrastructure facilities of such cities, cannot cope with teeming populations. This leads to insufficient shelter, inadequate sanitation, contaminated water supplies, air pollution, congested streets, overloaded public transport systems and the like. In this context, the deliberations of the secessions, are vital, De Silva said. Former Minister of Economic Reforms and Science and technology, Milinda Moragoda, said that the work of the Sri Lankan architect was reflected in the buildings and infrastructure of historic value, and was continuing to be shown in ongoing work. Many Sri Lankan architects were working abroad and continuing to develop the landscapes and infrastructure of other nations. Moragoda said that the number of high rise buildings, coming up in the metropolises, although said to be too many by some, had practical use. Plans were on to build many more high rise buildings for large infrastructure programs and roads as well. Local contractors and architects had often said that too much of such work was handed over to foreigners and they got too little. Being two years in government was insufficient to address the issue and find solutions for it. That problem, could be undertaken in the future, he said. Many people had conveyed to the former minister their ideas which had gone wrong, and what could be done to rectify them. The architects, also had a plan for the rehabilitation of Colombo Fort. Moragoda said that preparing plans on paper was insufficient. When the proposers were expressed willingness to undertake the execution of the plan, it was accepted and implemented. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
