LANDSCAPE AND AESTHETICS

ASSESSMENT REPORT 2005

1.0 Introduction :
The fnal trace of the southern high-way is going through the
few environmental sensitive areas which are belonging to the
four major districts of southern Sri Lanka. The four districts
are Matara, alle, !alutara and "olombo that have very rich
natural settings and scenic beauties of the landsca#e.
Matara, alle and !alutara have lot of archeological
monuments and historical village settlements as well as
cultural and religious interests. $ence in this assessment to
concern to the two main #arts.
Scenic beauty of the #ro#osed fnal road trace and immediate
surrounding environment.
%esthetic of the archaeological monuments of the area to
study and assess the environment im#act of the fnal road
trace following methodology were develo#ed and used.
Metodo!o"#
The methodology contains a descri#tion of the study area to
#rovide a clear #icture of the e&isting landsca#e and
architectural resources and values, within which the im#act
must be considered. The detailed methodology to gather
information, including data sources, should also be brie'y
described. %s much as #ossible the baseline information
should be #resented in ma#s, fgures and tables. The
research materials are collected by conducting various feld
surveys, historical documents and contem#orary #arallel
researches, review of relevant #revious re#orts, consultations
with o(icials of relevant de#artments by getting interviews
with village community members and formal and informal
feld visits.
The road constructions are already initiated. The #ro#osed
fnal road trace is di(icult to change. $ence this )*% is
mainly concern how to minimi+e the negative environmental
im#act and observe and identity #ositive environmental
im#act with landsca#e enhances and cultural #otentials along
with the fnal trace and the major deviational areas of the fnal
trace.
Re$e%rc Te%&

Te%& Le%der
Arct. Sir%nee
'%!%$oori#%
Landsca#e consultant and
senior Lecturer ,e#artment
of %rchitecture -niversity of
Moratuwa
Re$e%rc Co(ordin%tor
En". Su$ir%
)d%!%&%tte
Landsca#e designer
)ngineer and Lecturer
,e#artment of %rchitecture
-niversity of Moratuwa.

Te%& Me&*er$
. ).%.T. Suresh /unior %rchitect
0 1 "handana /unior %rchitect
2 *mashi 3#atha /unior %rchitect
4 ,omini
1ickramasooriya
/unior %rchitect
Ae$tetic A$+ect$
The design of the highway and its structures should aim at
im#roving the 5uality of the local environment. %esthetic
a##earance should be considered both from the highway uses
as well as #eo#le located in and around the highway.
%,6 Section
7!urundugaha to Matara8
Twenty four #laces are selected to the study. %ll the details
and remarks are given by table 9 .. !okmaduwa,
%kmeemana, 6addegama and !urundugaha are the high
environmental sensitive #laces.
,'IC Section
Thirty fve #laces are selected to the study. %ll the details and
remarks are summari+ed as table 9 0.
-%!!e .ort Acce$$
There are no signifcant historic and archeological monuments
along the access road. 6ut there are so much environmental
and biological e(ects. $ence the micro level environmental
study must be wanted to get #ro#er conclusion.
Conc!u$ion %nd Reco&&end%tion
The road constructions are already initiated. The #ro#osed
road trace is di(icult change. 6ut following remedial actions
can be considered during the construction and after
construction of the road to reali+ation of the unifed and
harmonious a##earance of the highway.
Route 9 The route of the highway and newly #ro#osed
access road 7e.g. alle :ort access road8 to be selected
in sym#athy with the landform. *t should look as much a
#art of the elements of the natural environment as
#ossible.
E%rt /or0$ 9 Slo#es and cutting to be maintained the
angle of re#ose or to be hard landsca#ed, turfed or
landsca#ed with ground cover #lanting, that are mostly
available of that area.
'rid"e$ - 1ith the form, materials, surface te&ture,
colour and scale to be com#atible to the local
environmental and regional conte&t.
Street .urniture 9 Signs, bill boards, #lanters, to
conform with overall visual 5uality of design. Side
fences can be used as a bill board holder without
disturbing the views.
;etaining walls, screen walls, noise barriers to be
designed to avoid monotony with scul#tured te&ture
e(ect.
Ro%d $ide !i"tin" 9 To avoid visual disturbance in the
rural environment and birds habitat.
A$$oci%ted Structure$<-
:uel Sheds, tele#hone booths, entrances, gateways, and
all the road side structures should be designed to re'ect
and #resent Sri Lankan architecture culture 7eg. can be
ins#ired from %mbalama :orm8
.urter Studie$
The environmental study of the alle :ort access is not
enough to get fnal conclusion.