Analysis of Housing Patterns of Nuwara Eliya Landscape

Studies on landscape have evolved from early morphological approaches to modern empirical field-based studies. This research analyzes the housing patterns and structures of Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council Area using spatial tools including satellite imagery, Google Earth Pro, ArcGIS, and Ms Excel. Field exercises conducted in June 2019 identified six settlement-dense core areas within the municipal boundary. Housing structures reveal distinct spatial variations influenced by British colonial architecture, economic activities such as tea and tourism industries, and government planning policies. The findings demonstrate that Nuwara Eliya exhibits multiple housing patterns ranging from historical colonial structures in the Grand Hotel area to fully urbanized commercial buildings in the Round the Board area, rural patterns in Black Pool, and estate line settlements in Shanthipura. This spatial diversity is critical for sustainable urban development and planning decisions in the region.