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Architects: Dishna Thilanka Architects
- Area: 3149 ft²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Ganidu Balasuriya
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Lead Architects: Dishna Thilanka
Text description provided by the architects. Nestled amidst the lush greenery of Maharagama's urban fringe, this project embodies a harmonious blend of art, nature, and architecture. Conceived as a residence and art studio for a renowned metal sculptor, the design captures the essence of the artist's creativity while respecting the natural surroundings. Balancing built form and unbuilt space, the project is a testament to thoughtful design that nurtures artistic expression and tranquility.
From its inception, the primary goal was to create a passive-cooled structure seamlessly integrated into the existing environment. Preserving the site's mature trees and green cover played a pivotal role in the design strategy. The structure weaves through the foliage, offering a minimal ecological footprint while maintaining an ideal microclimate. Solar orientation guided the building's placement, ensuring optimal natural light and mitigating excessive heat through careful alignment with the solar axis. This integration fosters a cooling environment while promoting energy efficiency.
The material palette draws heavily from natural and earthy finishes, employing granite, textured cement, natural wood, and metal. These materials celebrate the rugged, expressive nature of the artist's sculptures. The ground floor's stone-clad walls merge into the surrounding landscape, complemented by water features that enhance cooling and create a serene atmosphere. These water bodies, along with strategic fenestration, facilitate cross-ventilation and natural cooling, contributing to the overall comfort of the interior spaces.
The structure adopts a simple geometric language of intersecting linear planes and cubes, articulating a design that reflects clarity and functionality. The pavilion-style open layout fosters an uninterrupted connection with the environment, enabling the artist to draw inspiration directly from nature. The interplay of light and shadow enhances the experience of the space, while concealed services maintain a clean, minimalistic aesthetic. The roof design accommodates solar panels, emphasizing sustainability without compromising the form. Beyond aesthetics, the project addressed broader environmental and societal goals. By minimizing the building's footprint, it aimed to counteract the loss of vegetation and the urban heat island effect prevalent in urbanized regions. The preserved landscape benefits the local microclimate, positively impacting neighboring properties and setting an example for sustainable urban living.
The design achieves a balance of robustness and elegance, drawing parallels to the client's artistic philosophy. The earthy materials and openness to the outdoors create an ambiance conducive to creativity and relaxation. It serves as both a sanctuary and a workspace for the sculptor, blending functionality with artistry. The preserved green surroundings inspire a deep connection to nature, enhancing the artist's ability to craft evocative works that reflect his themes of human anatomy, nature, and abstract forms.
Ultimately, this project embodies a sensitive response to its natural and social context, balancing sustainability, artistry, and livability. It illustrates how architecture can elevate an artist's journey, offering a canvas for their creativity while inspiring a community to adopt environmentally responsible practices. The residence and studio stand as a tribute to the client's vibrant personality and profound artistic vision, encapsulated in a thoughtfully crafted architectural narrative.
