ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS CENTER AT HAPUTALE, SRI LANKA

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

Project idea

Lies beneath the beautiful hills of the central land of Sri Lanka, Haputale is well known as a picturesque city with comforting weather conditions. Yet the hills are overtaken by the disastrous pine trees heavily grown in the hills, making the soil poor, terminating the water resources, and causing landslides throughout the year. The government has already taken measures to eliminate the pine trees from the hills through the process of planting alternative trees. Bringing an environmental awareness center to educate the community would be the best ideology to get the involvement of the community through the process.

Project description

The community will be taught the cons of the pine trees, how to grow alternatives, how to use the discards of the tree when cut. Providing them job opportunities enriches them with skills through residential workshops and activities in the Environmental Awareness Center. The center is also constructed with the help of the community through a planned timeline. Finally, when the process is over, the Environmental Awareness Center would be converted to an adventure basecamp. Preserving nature.

Technical information

The building has been inspired by the skeleton of a tea factory since it is a well-known familiar structure among the community. The construction is done through a module system where the modules can be placed on portal frames build with discarded railway lines which can be found in the immediate context. And the modules have been placed considering major trees in the site where no tree would be cut down to place them. All the units have been raised at least 2m from the ground to encourage the under plantation. The complex consists of three cores, named activity core, administration core, and accommodation core. The modules in the activity core can be moved along the railway lines, making spaces according to the usage and the time. Such as workshop areas, exhibition hall, and lecture rooms. Units have been made using the pinewood and the panels which act as walls are made of woodcrete getting the use of discarded sawdust. Steel corrugated sheets have been used in the roofs which were removed from the surrounding tea factories. The construction process would educate the community and make them skillful while preserving nature at its best.

Documentation

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