'Ambalama' - Adaptive Reuse of Colombo Dutch Museum

SLIIT

Project idea

The Colombo Dutch Museum is one of the most historically significant buildings in the Colombo. However, due to it being located in one of the busiest commercial centers, the museum is often overlooked. This project focuses on the adaptive reuse of the Colombo Dutch Museum

Concept
wusn,u (ambalama) is a tradition element in ancient sir lanka. It is a place where ancient people take a rest. While ancient people were going on journeys, when they felt tired or when it got dark night, they stayed at wusn,u (ambalama) and took a rest. The best place , the reference can be taken about wusn,u(ambalama) in a සැලලිහිණි සංදේශය (history reference)and a ගිරා සංදේශය. (history reference)



According to සැලලිහිණි සංදේශය, (history reference)

The wusn,u (ambalama) was located near the pond and near the jungle. It says the ancient wusn,u (ambalama) were located near the water source in order to people needed to wash their faces and they wanted to take water to cook their food

According to ගිරා සංදේශය, (history reference)

this wusn,u (ambalama) was in a beautiful area. There is a beautiful environment surround the wusn,u (ambalama) and the wusn,u (ambalama) were not coved by walls.so there were interconnection between in side of wusn,u (ambalama) and outdoor environment.so ancient people could experience the beautiful of environment from inside the wusn,u (ambalama).some time the ray of sun light came through the trees’ leafs upon wusn,u (ambalama) .


as well wusn,u (ambalama) was place where people could exchange their ideas. Specially some time, people who came from different area , met at wusn,u (ambalama) and it was wonderful opportunity to exchanged their ideas.in this situation lot of expression came to their faces such as happy ,angry, sad ,frighten ,wondering and many expressions. The ගිරා සංදේශය (ambalama) says many thing about that.


According to The ගිරා සංදේශය, (ambalama) some people talked about some kings work angry and some time happily, talked about tasty of food pleasantly, talked about joke with smiling, talked some horrible thing with sad and etc.so this was a place people exchanged their ideas and people exchange their expression.

When talk about the inspiration?
The Architectural language of the Dutch museum is based on essence of Old Dutch tradition and culture. The Coolum, walls, type of windows, timber staircase and form of the building represent essence of Dutch. But the reason of lack of attraction, the new building which is built beside the old Dutch museum, should be contrasted from essence of old Dutch building. specially outlook of the new building as well as form of the new building should be contrasted from essence of old Dutch building outlook as well as form of the Dutch building.
The form of the Old Dutch museum is box shape building and the building which is in around the Dutch museum are box shape buildings.so those building are geometrical shape buildings and the new building which is built beside the Old Dutch museum, should have essence of geometrical form. Then the new building responds to the context very well. According to this foundation the new building which is built, should be geometrical shape building.
Then the form of this modern building is inspired by pyramid shape. Then it has essence of the old Dutch museum building from and surrounding buildings forms. Then new building must definitely respond to the context and attracts people to the old Dutch building.
As well Outlook of the new building should be inspired by modern buildings ,for Dutch museum has old Dutch essence .then so old Dutch building out look should be contrasted in order to increase the factor which is about attracting people to Dutch museum. So people can see modern look pyramid shaped and the curiosity which is about” what is this? What activates are happened in side it?” is born inside them and they they are attracted to the Dutch museum by modern pyramid shape building

Project description

The project which was given, is a convert the old Dutch museum building in Colombo into other activate space which is proposed. This two story colonnade building on prince street,petta.this building was built during the Dutch period (1656-1796) and time by time this building has been used as a teacher training college and an institute for the instruction of clergymen and then police station and then a military hospital.
Main object of the given project is attracting people to Dutch museum and make it as a high income generated museum building. In this project, people are attracted to Dutch museum by The pyramid shape building which is built next to the Dutch museum. it is a resting area for people who come for fort station. Because This fort station has no proper resting areas for the people who come from far distances.in this case those people who have to wait several hours for their train, sleep on the benches and they put their luggage on the benchers. In this situation, this actions disturbs other people who wait for shot time for their bus and traines.so form this convert ,the disbarring other people at fort station is decreed and this solution makes both people who wait long time and short time for their bus or train, comfortable. And some of the part of the museum are converted according to purpose of design.

Technical information

Master plan
When some come for waiting for their train long time, the person who check the tickets, do not allow to go inside the station and he gives the information about how to go station resting area which is at prince street. That information are displayed on the banner which is near the ticket checking area. then people have to go to the resting area which is at beside the Dutch museum.in the way which is from fort station to museum, people can buy many things, for the way which is displayed at banner at station, is located
through petta selling shops. Then people can buy goods and many thing.as well street view photo of new pyramid shaped building is displayed at the banner. Then curiosity is born in side people who waiting for their train long time. Then they attempt to go there. Then they can go to the prince street and go to the resting area.as well now a day everyone has smart phone and they can use google map for this action.

Spatial progression

According to given project, the space are just as important as form of the building. Because people live in space, not form. But in this project, form of the new building is doing difficult task.it is the form of building attracts people to this Old Dutch museum.

When talking about the spatial progression, spaces are designed based on amblema concept. According to ambalama concept ,there are three space built on given site which is next to the Dutch museum and space by space people can experience the qualities which are about ambalama.






People should go to the climax point through above spaces.as well people are leaded to climax point by pyramid shape building.
The hierarchy of pyramid shapes lead people to climax point.



















Especially when people come to the beginning of prince street, they see the pyramid shape building which is contrasted from box type building in context ,without any effort.
Then curiosity which is about what is this? This building is designed for which purpose? Is born in side them. Because it is built using glass and steel which are contrasted material when comparing with other box shaped building in context.Therefore people are trying to find the entrance to the pyramid shaped building. In that moment they can see small pyramid shape form with contrasted material is fitted to the entrance of dutch the building.in this case the guidance is given by the small pyramid shape building which is fitted to the entrance. Then without any effort the people enter to the museum building.
When they enter to the building they can directly see the another pyramid shape building which is little bit big by scale from pyramid shape which is at the Dutch museum entrance. Then again curiosity which is about this pyramid shape building is born in side him. Then he or she go to this building. When they go through the middle garden of the museum to next pyramid shape building, they again see the another pyramid shape building above the this part of the museum building.as well when they go to near this pyramid shape which is at the middle graden of the building , they see hierarchy between two pyramid shaped buildings which are built in given new site. Then again curiosity is born inside them and they try to go to the 3rd pyramid shaped building.
The spatial progression based on ambalama is started at that point. Under this pyramid shape roof people can experience water body whit aquatic plant and aquatic animals, which belongs to sri lanka such as water lily, lotus,etc. it is similar to natural pound.in there they can it on the tibber bench which are fitted to the concrete wall .
Then they enter to the area which is consisted of sri Lankan plant such as habarala, kitul, dan, gahala etc. they can stay there and take rest with enjoing environment. From this area people can see the biggest pyramid shaped building and it is the climax point. Again curiosity is born in side them and the try to go there. In this place designed for exchange of ideas. At ambalama the sitting area is designed to let people interact face to face. Because design of this sitting area , people exchange their idea and their experience without any effort. So the sitting areas under big pyramid shape are designed based on this basic. So in there people can exchange their ideas and experiences with any temptation. And the portrait states which are about the different expressions which are gained on faces, when people exchanging idea , is located like seeing face to face . Then idea which is about this area representing “exchanging ideas and experience “ is born inside people. This place consist of food shop as well. Those three areas based on ambalama , make people comfortable step by step and climax point people become more comfortable with the food and beverage. .