UPCYCLED RESORT at Kalutara, Sri Lanka -A journey to indulge the informality of the context

University of Moratuwa (UoM), Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architecture, Moratuwa

Project idea

Tourism should ideally, in countries such as Sri Lanka, be means of renewing abandoned environments which once supported its unique heritage. In these circumstances, the vitality of our value systems combined with the tranquil balance of our lives could be shared with guests who seek our hospitality.

From the outset, the aim was to transform this unnoticed patch to a beach stretch, creating a haven for guests to enjoy a setting in which Man and Nature lived in harmony with each other where even a casual visitor feels a sense of belonging that is essential to comfort, enjoyment and nostalgic memories.

Project description

In the idea of contributing to a common vision of re-discovering, nourishing and molding a landscape that once flourished but was no more within Kalutara city center, the Calido stretch displayed unique characteristics being a spit of land extending between the sea and the estuary of Kalu River to be developed as a potentially capable tourist destination.
Tourism is not necessarily to be developed mainly as a commercial or a service-oriented industry, thus should ideally, in countries such as Sri Lanka, be means of restoring environment through effort of locality in means of labor and material.
The scheme would become an extension to the unnoticed green patch and merge it with the immense beach stretch, by giving a continuous serene atmosphere where even a casual visitor feels a sense of belonging that is essential to comfort, enjoyment and nostalgic memories.

Technical information

From the outset, the aim was to transform this unnoticed patch to the beach stretch, creating a haven for guests, a setting where man and nature lived in harmony with each other.
The design process involves,
• Reuse of local material such as reused rubble for the main structure of the design (gabion walls), lath and plaster as partitions and railway sleepers for flooring.
• The host community is involved in terms of the labor for construction to create employment and as a learning tool for building systems.
• The central spine acts as the main circulation path which interacts the community and the visitors while maintaining a level of privacy.
• The design is sits upon four gabion walls (two on each wing) so that there is a minimal impact to the site and that the design achieves the concept of “Loose fit” that is to touch the Earth lightly
• The nature plays a key role in the design whereas with time it become a part of nature.