Abstract:
The social and cultural qualities of the surrounding community combine to create a
place’s identity, which is expressed in the physical shapes and forms of the urban
area. The commodification of places and homogeneous planning and development
principles in today’s cities, which have resulted in the loss of sense of place, all
contribute to the weakening of identity. (Montgomery, 1998). Place identity is linked
to meanings and perception held by the people in relation to their environment. The
loss of identity weakens the depth of meaning, attachment and diversity of place
experience and creates a notion of non-place. It denotes the lack of connectivity of
the physical landscapes with place meanings held within broader physical, cultural
and emotional context. Nagapattinam, a colonial port marvel with many dramas to its
glory, is losing its identity. This describes the diminishing of place significance or
placelessness (Relph, 1976). It is evident that new developments within the
traditional settings in the city centre transform constructed places and place
meanings and attachment embedded in the existing social and cultural setting. This
thesis investigates the spatial organisation of such historic public places and the
interaction between the neighbourhoods and the colonial heritage is examined along
with the cultural value of these unique forms, in an attempt to revive the identity by
restoring the public realm for more inclusive and sustainable future. Sustaining the
meanings and identity of the urban elements is important because they contribute to
self-identity, sense of community and sense of place. Additionally, it might help a city
deal with future social sustainability issues, economic development, and social
coherence.
