HOUSE & DESIGN
A SENSITIVE REIMAGINING by Archt. Indudunu Kariyawasam
Inbuilt 1740 as a Dutch residence, this historic property inside the UNESCO listed Galle Fort carries a layered previous. Its partitions as soon as framed day by day life in the course of the colonial period and even served because the setting for the Sinhala movie Pawuru Walalu. Nevertheless, by the point the undertaking was undertaken in mid-2023, lots of the authentic Dutch particulars had been misplaced or altered. What remained was a shell of historical past that required delicate reimagining.
The property enjoys a singular place with two entry factors – one from Pedlar Avenue and the opposite from Parawa Avenue. The design temporary was clear but complicated: divide the constructing into two distinct capabilities, with the Pedlar Avenue frontage working as a industrial area and the rest remodeled into a 3 bed room residence. This method echoes the normal store home typology, but the undertaking sought to reinterpret it at a extra refined, unique stage.
A number of new architectural interventions have been obligatory. A coated exterior staircase was launched to supply unbiased entry to the higher flooring, related by a bridge that leads straight into the residence. These insertions weren’t conceived as replicas of the previous however slightly as distinctly trendy gestures. The staircase, as an illustration, was sculpted with sloping bolstered concrete (RC) slabs and enclosed in glass, framed by skinny RC fins. Such strikes deliberately distinction with the historic quantity, making certain that the brand new stays legible whereas the outdated is revered.
The design philosophy was grounded within the thought of dialogue slightly than imitation. As a substitute of replicating Dutch detailing – which risked diluting the authenticity of the heritage material – the architect selected to let the trendy stand confidently beside the historic. The result’s a uncommon architectural dialog: Dutch colonial heritage assembly modern minimalism. This type of juxtaposition is uncommon inside the Sri Lankan context, particularly in Galle Fort, the place replication is commonly the default.
Contained in the residence, the language of simplicity prevails. Scandinavian impressed white flooring defines the ground-floor bedrooms, whereas fastidiously positioned gentle wells and roof openings draw shafts of daylight into inside areas, animating them with ever altering patterns of shadow. Nearly no alterations have been made to the unique structural material; as a substitute, the architectural vitality focussed on additions and particulars that might elevate the present ambiance. One of many property’s rarest options is its roof terrace, a vantage level seldom present in Galle Fort homes. The attic stage foyer main onto the terrace was designed as a quiet retreat – a spot to sit down, write and ponder the sky and the encircling cityscape.
The undertaking was formed not solely by the location’s heritage but additionally by the sensibilities of its proprietor – a poet, author and medical physician who values readability, restraint and element. The architect’s position prolonged far past the constructing envelope: from wardrobes and beds to tables, towel rails and even bathroom paper holders, each component was fastidiously designed to make sure coherence. Every nook, junction and piece of furnishings was handled as a possibility to refine and enrich the standard of area.
In the end, the undertaking represents greater than a renovation. It’s a cautious marriage of outdated and new – a uncommon steadiness of preservation and modernity. Throughout the historic partitions of Galle Fort, the home now stands as each a vessel of reminiscence and a stage for modern residing.
PROJECT DETAILS
Principal Architect: Archt. Indudunu Kariyawasam
Venture Architect: Archt. Indudunu Kariyawasam
Architectural agency: Archt. Indudunu Kariyawasam
Venture Sort: Renovation, new building (addition)
Shopper: Dr. Janaka Malwatta and Lana Currie
Space: 3,930 sq ft
Structural engineer: Harsha Wijesinghe
Contractor: SIREKA Engineering
PHOTOGRAPHY
Archt. Indudunu Kariyawasam
