Architecture Asia - ARCASIA Awards for Architecture 2018

This is a residence with a studio for an architect, located by a
marsh in Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka. Although located along an urban
fringe near a series of high-rise buildings, and close to the main
road, the building is designed like a fortification. It is well insulated
from the tropical heat via specially designed double screens, as
well as from road noise and traffic. Once within however, this
home reveals unexpected views of the marsh within a highly
permeable setting.
Located on a small footprint of 2,720 sq ft, the building comprises
three levels. The ground floor, which houses parking, the kitchen,
a model making room and a guest suite, also acts as a ‘flood
garden’, in response to the flooding conditions of the marsh. The
second floor comprises the lobby and workspaces, while the third
floor has a meeting area, lounge, library, and a bedroom with an
adjoining balcony and sky bathroom. The roof level comprises a
living and an entertainment pavilion.
A green building, this residence uses built and landscape strategies
in order to create a cooler microclimate, and also features
a green terrace on the roof that re-uses collected rainwater to
cultivate a spice garden.
SECTION
ARCHITECTURE ASIA ISSUE 3 2018
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