THE EXPLORATORIUM FOR SINHARAJA NATIONAL RAINFOREST

SLIIT

Project idea

The inspiration comes from the contrasting nature of a creeper existing in the Forest of Sinharaja locally known as “Yoda pus Wela” – the giant creeper .The creeper’s movement along the ground is subtle and it gives a more iconic remembrance for the visitors to take with them.

The center focuses on facilitating Eco focused visitors with eagerness for exploring the reserve with known care. Also, it focuses in enabling and guiding other pleasure-seeking visitors with less interest in Eco focus to get inspired in assimilating towards becoming Eco driven individuals during and after the visit. Therefore, the center would involve in creating the architecture and a supporting program for the successful implementation of this required effective objective. As mentioned earlier, the number of visitors keep rising annually meaning a more equipped management program should be awaiting to greet these numbers in the coming years. This means effective methodology of experience transfer to these visitors should be carried out. Therefore, this experience center will contribute in achieving hands on experience of a careful forest trail right before the actual trail right in the Exploratorium itself using actual rails and with Virtual reality technology. Also, it would cater in providing a platform for the locals to engage with visitors at an economical stance.

Project description

The Forest Department required the current visitor’s center to be transformed into a better spacious and functional center for the current requirements by overseeing potential increments of the visitors and therefore to be able to cater their needs as well as the staff working in the premises. Also, the department accepts further additional function proposals to be included in the project with justifiable reasoning.

User(primary) – Center officers, site administrators, watchmen, support staff, Guiding officers, Visitors; School children, University students, Friends, Fan clubs, Couples, Families
Reasons people visit Sinharaja:

• Bird watching
• Educational purposes
• To experience nature
• For retreat purposes
• To gain general knowledge
• For fun and adventure

User(secondary) – nearby villagers close to the reserve periphery. Most villagers close to the visitor center have put up minor boutiques which sells many locally produced goods such as local food and drinks. Some villages provide lodging facilities to the visitors.

Technical information

The primary structural material used is reinforced concrete and structural steel. Both these acts as structural components as well as an aesthetic elements which blends with the surrounding providing long term output of sustainability intact within a context of high rainfall. Furthermore interior is naturally ventilated while glass facades used to cover the main view point assisting against horizontal rainfall with wind while enabling a cozy interior environment at all times with a good view as well. The finished ground floor exposed to outside are of porous nature allowing water to seep immediately into the ground.

Documentation

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