Project Team

Pulasthi Wijekoon (Chartered Architect SLIA).

Ruwani Guruge (Chartered Architect SLIA).

Nath Rankothge (RAIA, Registered Architect ARB NSW).

Thusara Waidyasekara (Chartered Architect SLIA).

Nadeesh Seneviratne (Chartered Architect SLIA).

 

Project Description

A stepped building and a carved out “veranda” along the full length of the site creates environmentally responsive interiors and engaging urban presence in its unique context.

 

The irregular double triangular shape of the site poses a design challenge that is turned to advantage by creating two separate buildings connected by a network of pedestrian ramps and bridges.

The two buildings were set back gradually in the lower floors creating a double height, landscaped, colonnaded veranda. Full height glazing is shaded by an external patterned screen inspired by Sri Lankan “Beeralu lacework” and cement grill patterns in the Town Hall and neighbouring buildings. The veranda and the colonnade resonate with elements of the Town Hall building in a refined, abstract, contemporary interpretation, creating a dialogue with the existing context.
 

The veranda becomes an extension of the public pedestrian street that spans the full length of the site, connecting the two main roads Dharmapala Mawatha and Dr. C.W.W Kanangara Mawatha, extending to surrounding parks through landscaping, and becoming a major public space accommodating social and outdoor activity to reinforce the civic aspirations of the site and the project.
 

The building provides pleasant and inspirational interiors, utilising a minimal, durable palette of materials, well lit, climate controlled and ventilated, with visual connection to the surrounding landscape.  The facade screens, stepping building section and landscaping adds spatial quality, interest and variation to the interiors.
 
Passive environmental design, supported by low energy and low cost technologies reduce initial capital costs, operational / maintenance costs, carbon footprint and environmental impact. Features include a double skin facade with an outer screen layer that ‘breathes’ and shades the inner glass layer; Perimeter glazing to ensure ample natural lighting; Skylights to provide natural day-lighting to the largest floor plate; Good north-south orientation, and service cores located on the side boundaries to buffer direct sunlight; A double layer roof with ventilated gap, and insulated green roof possibility on eastern wing building; A low cost, efficient HVAC proposal; Landscaping elements to keep the surrounding environment cool; A stepping building section to provide shade from the sun and a bigger roof area on top to provide more space for solar panels and rainwater collection.

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NRA Project Involvement

Competition - Concept design and development; Presentation drawings – Plan diagrams, section diagrams, ESD section; Competition design report. 

Post Competition - Design development & tender documentation reviews, data collection, meetings with client’s project team.

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