About
WHAT IS URBAN DESIGN?
Urban Design is the collaborative and multi-disciplinary process of shaping the physical setting for life in cities, towns and villages; the art of making places; design in an urban context. Urban design involves the design of buildings, groups of buildings, spaces and landscapes, and the establishment of frameworks and processes that facilitate successful development.
While Urban Design is a profession, primarily prescriptive field that relates only sporadically and selectively to substantive inquiry and theory, it is an interdisciplinary approach to designing the built environment; towns and cities, streets and spaces.
WHY AN URBAN DESIGN INSTITUTE?
The profession of Urban Design is much needed for the development of a country and the cities are to be designed with a holistic approach, where the elements of the urban fabric can be knitted together in harmony with the environment, which will result in a sense of place and a sense of urban spaces. This will also create habitable, livable sustainable cities, instead of polluted unsightly and placeless cities.
Therefore it is imperative that such suitably qualified urban design professionals of the country to assemble and make a forum to actively engage to contribute to the urban design and development process of the country.
OBJECTIVES OF THE INSTITUTE
a) To develop the profession of Urban Design in Sri Lanka to internationally accepted standards and bring up the recognition of the profession at National level and amongst the stake holders.
b) To promote Urban Design as a key profession into the policy level in national and regional development.
c) To promote and standardize the urban design education in Sri Lanka
d) To provide leadership and guidance to the profession of Urban Design and to facilitate the profession in fulfilling its vital role in the process of urbanization and sustainable urban development, while ensuring the inclusion of the profession in the national development process, and strengthening of the urban design profession.
e) To contribute to balanced and sustainable development in the urban environment, socio economic conditions and urban ecology.
f) To recognize the significance of the heritage and culture in urban development.
g) To seek co-operations with, and co-ordinate actions with national and international organizations and persons whose functions and actions relate to Urban Designers’ profession.
h) To act on behalf of and for the benefit of its members.
i) To act as a learned society for Urban Designers and those involved in Urban Design profession within public, private, non-profit and charitable sectors.
j) To be the National professional body for Urban Designers in Sri Lanka
FUNCTIONS OF THE INSTITUTE
1. To promote and advance the education, teaching, study and researching in Urban Design and its related subjects and the arts and sciences connected therewith.
2. To establish and maintain the highest possible standards of professional practice in planning, designing, development, management and conservation of the urban environments and cities, along with other relevant professionals and professional bodies.
3. To promote, establish and maintain close relations with the profession worldwide, including the international exchange of knowledge, skills and experience in both educational and professional spheres.
4. To organize, supervise and control the admission and the professional education and training of persons desiring to qualify as urban designers, to prescribe or approve courses of study for the qualifying examinations for membership of the Institute and to conduct or provide for the conduct of such courses and examinations.
5. To protect and promote the interests, status, welfare, rights and privileges of the profession of urban designers in Sri Lanka and the interests of the public in relation to that profession, and of persons desiring to qualify as urban designers.
6. To establish, regulate and maintain libraries and benefit schemes for the benefit of members, officers and employees and their dependents.
7. The institute shall maintain a register of practices of urban design in Sri Lanka and the basis of such registration shall be formulated by the Council and approved by the General Membership.