Heritage Interpretation Center for Medieval Crafts

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

Project idea

The current scope of architecture spreads into greater roles than fulfilling a basic need. In present, built environments are trying to emotionally bond with the user while creating a memorable experience. Further, Experiential architecture used as a tool to narrate stories through spaces and create commercial values. And also, architecture can act as a catalyst to create connections between people.
Thus, this design thesis is intended to enhance the economic value of medieval crafts heritage in Sri Lanka through its emotional values and narrating the behind story. This heritage interpretation center act as a catalyst to link artisan or heritage with the 21st century patronage who finance craft practices through a sense of emotional values, aesthetics and social responsibility. In the realization, the design uses the conceptual framework of experiential architecture explained by Anna Klingmann. And it explores the extends of architecture on providing experience, awareness, education and connecting people through spaces.
The proposed site is situated in Kandy, the last kingdom of Sri Lanka: which provides a symbolic value and historical background as a place were the last patronage were held. The project is trying to starts from where its being stopped, converting medieval crafts to a viable economic resource as a benefit to the country, society and most importantly to the artisanal communities.
Key words: Patronage, Story-telling, Heritage Interpretation, Ethical Branding, Experiential Marketing, Experiential Architecture, Ethical Consumer

Project description

Position Statement: “The economic value of crafts heritage in Sri Lanka, can be enhanced through creating a link between artisans and the 21st century patronage while addressing its intangible values.”
Elaboration: Sri Lanka is a country nurtured with people who are dealing with feelings and emotions due to its cultural base. People use different mediums to release their feelings and emotions. Medieval crafts is one of those mediums in early times and considered as an intangible heritage. This intangible heritage consists with the country's identity, believes, values and creativity, blended with artisanal communities.
Even though Sri Lanka has a huge variety of heritage crafts and major government interventions are taken place to uplift handicrafts, still it has not being converted to a viable economic resource. Hence the artisanal communities in practice are struggling to survive, only depending on their inherited crafts.
Kandy is the last kingdom of Sri Lanka. In Kandyan Period, craftsmen were organized into guilds and served to the king and the elite society. With the fall of Kandyan kingdom and the rise of capitalist system, patronage for crafts and artisans has been collapsed. But a few villages survived, and there are artisans still practice these medieval crafts for their livelihood.
In the 21st century, the patronage for handicrafts in enriched by a new paradigm: that of the ethical consumers, entrepreneurs, sustainable businesses who finance craft practices through a sense of emotional values, aesthetics and social responsibility.
Therefore, Position of the project is to find a pragmatic solution which suits the current socio-economic context. Thus, the project explores the role of architecture; in identification and acting as a catalyst to link the artisans or heritage with the 21st century patronage.

Technical information

Structural system (Foundation) - In- site construction with reinforce concrete construction method with contract labor work
Structural system (Columns, Beams) - In-site construction with pre-cast concrete construction method

Floor Systems - Floor slabs: In- site construction with the reinforce concrete construction method
Timber deck floors: In-site construction with contract labor work, Materials bring to site and construct.
Finishes: Terra-cotta, Stones, Bricks

Wall Systems - Partition walls: In-site construction with reinforce concrete construction method
Grill wall(concrete): In-site construction as a masonry construction after the main structural skeleton has been done. Custom designed (design specified by architect) grill brings to the site and construct.
Perforated wall (Timber): Custom designed (design specified by architect) precast timber panels bring to site and construct after the main structural skeleton has been done.
Roof Systems - Roof terraces: In-site construction with reinforce concrete construction method. Specialized consultant, contractor labor work in order to maintain the quality and prevent dampness as the building has long lifespan.
Tile rooves and finishing: In-site construction with contract labor work. Materials bring to site and construct. This is the main featured roof in the design. Keeping same roof angle for the both rooves.

Documentation

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