Awareness Center for Horton Plains

SLIIT

Project idea

Sri Lanka is a tropical country with rich ecosystems and diversity and a large variety of Flora and Fauna. It has four natural/semi-natural ecosystems within itself fitting to suit the climatic conditions of the tropical country. Horton plains is categorized under the Wet Patana Grassland ecosystem as it is located above 2000m above sea level. Horton Plains, located in the central highlands on Sri Lanka, a UNESCO declared site, is a national park known for large landscapes of greenery, a forest of clouds, indescribable beauty and the famous tourist destinations: Baker’s fall and World’s end. Furthermore it is the growth site of many endemic and medicinal plants and as well as endemic fauna. Being located in the pathway of North-west and South-West monsoons, the central highlands has a high precipitation level and low temperatures in which the plants and animals have evolved and adapted into and holds an essential part of the rich Biodiversity present in Sri Lanka.
Horton Plains and the flora and fauna that resides in them are facing certain threats that leads to the decline probability of its survival. These threats can be loosely categorized under human threats, and natural causes. The society is often oblivious to these threats as they are oblivious to the natural value of Horton Plains due to the main destinations being World’s end and Bakers fall where 25.8% of the tourists and 38% of locals are visiting solely for those destinations whereas only a small percentage of visitors are at visiting with a nature related motive in mind. (Rathnayake & Gunawardena, 2014)
This study focuses on an awareness center that will educate the people on the values of Horton Plains and how humans can take steps to preserve it. The awareness center strives to create a humbling experience for humans in relative to nature and to create a wider understanding on the natural world and how the survival of it is essential. Furthermore, this experience subtly focuses on how humans should take more sustainable and respectful actions that would affect the natural world.
The threats faced by Horton Plains can be categorized under human threats and natural threats, but usually the two are closely liked where one can often lead to the other. In this project, the awareness center would be focused on the human threats and impact it has on Horton Plains.
Human activities became a threat to Horton Plains starting with deforestation for coffee and potato cultivation starting in the mid-1800s going onto 1969. Deforestation was also led by the population increase of Sri Lanka which required more land for people. (Wickramagamage, 1998) Human impacts, known as anthropogenic causes, led to the emission of greenhouse gases and Carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in large quantities which led to climatic changes and air pollution. (Kottawa-Arachchi & Wijeratne, 2017) The increase in the number of vehicles in Horton Plains also contributed to the amount of air pollutants and acid rains that led to the negative impacts of biodiversity. Use of Petroleum lead fuel as well as lead based industrial activities in the South West regions caused the pH levels and lead levels to fluctuate creating soil toxicity in Horton Plains. (Fernando, 2008) Improper disposal of garbage and non-biodegradable materials further caused imbalance in the ecosystems with the attraction of crows and in ingestion of fauna.
Deforestation for vegetation and other purposes had great negative effects on the ecosystems where studies show fluctuations in heat and moisture as well as climate change and decline in inter-monsoonal rains; furthermore due to the lack of plants for water absorption, there has been a higher number of soil erosions and landslides noted around the area. It has been noted that, after deforestation for coffee cultivation, the temperature rise has a higher upward trend while the rainfall is sloping downwards and decreasing in the Nuwaraeliya regions. The increase in climatic conditions may accelerate the growth of invasive plants and thereby reducing growth of others causing an imbalance and endangering flora and fauna (Kottawa-Arachchi & Wijeratne, 2017)
Air Pollutants, acid rains and toxic soil conditions plays a major role in forest canopy dieback which is now a greatly addressed issue where studies show that canopy dieback has increased from 2.7% (87 ha) in 1967 to 30.7% (967 ha) by 1998. Soil and chemical runoffs also effect the aquatic ecosystems in Horton plains where sediment settling would lead to lack of visibility in water as well as blocking out sunlight for photosynthesizing plants. (DWC (2007).)
The improper disposal of garbage often lead to the consumption of unhealthy or indigestible substances by the animals in Horton Plains leading to their deaths, as well as the attraction of crows.

Project description

Horton Plains is facing multiple issues and with no proper methods to address them or make them aware to the public, the issues go unnoticed and ignored. The awareness center thrives to make the visitors aware about the changes that the Horton plains have undergone throughout the years due to issues such as pollution, acid rains, deforestation, hunting, etc.
One of the growing interests in the world is the observation and interactions of wild life experiences in the habitat of the flora and fauna. Because of this, a large amount of people visit Horton Plains for various reason, furthermore Horton Plains is often visited by tourists which brings tourism into a factor to be considered in the building. The proposed design serves as a resting spot for locals and tourists, where studies have shown that one of the greater suggestions were clean drinking water and toilet facilities. Furthermore, tourists have often shown interests in the purpose of books, maps and souvenirs which will also be provided in the awareness center.
The project showcases how the time has affected Horton plains. This acts subtly to the visitors as they move through the building. Since panels and printed boards often go unnoticed, the architectural aspect of this building is to take the user from a hectic busy zone that is overrun by busy visitors, guides and workers of the building to a calmer environment where they start noticing less humans in the surrounding and starts noticing natural elements in a four dimensional sense.
Horton Plains is a sensitive area that is home to a large amount of flora and fauna, therefore taking the environment into consideration, the design, the building process and the final outcome should be eco-friendly and sustainable, while at simultaneously should sufficiently satisfy the needs of the users and visitors. In response to the natural environment, the building should be biased towards sustainability, hence the use of sustainable materials in the building is crucial.
Horton Plains is visited by a large amount of people every year, and are often oblivious to the threats faced by it. The goal of the project is to create an awareness center that humbles the visitors into realizing that a place such as Horton Plains is essential to the survival of flora and fauna that are not only limited to Horton plains, but to the country as a whole. The process of the creation of such design should break from the traditional methods of panel and leaflet display that often goes unnoticed by visitors only to be rushed in and out of Horton plains, but to create an experience that they would recall throughout the stay in Horton plains.
The proposed project is designed in a method that separates the building into three separate levels, here forth known as “timelines”, and each timeline is meant to represent different time periods of Horton Plains. This experience will be given to the visitor by taking him from a busy area packed with people and human sounds to a quieter area, and as the levels descend the visitor will be exposed to nature inspired soothing elements such as shade, sound of birds and water. In the final stage, the user will be accustomed to hearing the sounds of nature enhanced and once he moves to the viewing deck, he would no longer hear the sounds of nature, but will be humbled by the view of Horton Plains.
The design inspiration was the winding paths of the Horton Plains topography.

Technical information

The following proposed spaces will be given through the awareness center to further increase awareness as well as take steps to protect the environment.
• Bio-degradable solutions
The visitors will be encouraged to switch from non-biodegradable materials such as polythene and plastic bottles to biodegradable materials. It also encourages to leave unnecessary items that can potentially harm Horton Plains.
• “Leave only footprints”
A detailed 4D experience of how Horton Plains would be, and could be in the future if it is not exposed to aforementioned dangers or threats. This can also offer sustainable camping guidelines to follow that will create a minimum impact on the environment.


• The viewing deck
The top viewing deck will be equipped with high power binoculars focused at locations such as the cloud forest and bakers fall. This will act as an attraction and purpose for the visitors to take the journey to the top of the building, and it will also act as a recalling point.

Sustainable materials will be used at all times
The building will be based on eco-friendly, sustainable principals. The orientation of the building would be along the East-West axis to gain maximum sunlight. Furthermore, with the use of a void, it can gain natural sunlight and ventilation.
The building materials used will be:
Hempcrete: a bio composite form of concrete used for construction. It is also an insulating material.
Bamboo : an upcoming substitute material with easy maintenance
Composite timber : cheaper and easier to maintain than timber. sustainable and waterproof