24/07/2022
“The Pied-à-terre”-
- Four Unit House @ Rajagiriya
In the heart of cooperate hustle and bustle of Colombo, the house showcases a rare blend of luxury and elegance. This amicable piece of construction consists of 4 identical units of 2-storeyed houses spread over 11.5 perch Plot. It is a haven of peace in the midst of chaos of industrious Rajagiriya suited to the convenient lifestyle. Each house optimizes on a compact retreat built in a most space-efficient manner, furnished with a chic touch.
In a considerably small plot of land, containing 11.5 perches in extent, four interconnected houses have been managed to be well-arranged in keeping with modern architectural trends. Each unit comprises of a dining room, a kitchen, 2 bedrooms, bathroom and an outdoor pantry in 2 storeys. The two bedrooms have a balcony each, overlooking the vertical landscape decked with lush tropical foliage. It is another specialty that, the two bedrooms are located in upstairs and provide with a private balcony. The parking place for vehicles to be parked in the outdoor park. One housing unit containing extent of 850 square feet and the total square feet expend for the project is only 3400 square feet.
This particular project is launched in order to cater to the temporary requirements of the upper- and middle-class people who arrive at Colombo area for a year or two. Under the concept of “Self-Sustainability”, the project expects to earn the cost of the building through the building itself. In addition to that, the minimum amount of walls have been utilized to minimize construction costs. The ground floor is completely done without centralized walls. This minimizes the estimated expenses and allows for more productive space without interruption. The circulation space allocation is minimized as much as possible by efficient space alignment. The walls comply along with the modern concept of rat trap walls to optimize on the economical prudence and also ascertain sound proof quality to cater to privacy. The most commonly used engineering brick on the market is the one that minimizes the flow of heat from the interior to the adjacent interior of the home through the air chambers.
It is designed in a manner in which maximizes the natural light and ventilation, although this is located on a small plot of land. This eliminates the need of turning the unnecessary light bulbs and fans on, during the day-time and also reduces electricity bills contributing to the cost-effective aspect of the project. On the other hand, the solar panel on the roof of the building, provides renewable energy to the main power grid. The minimal use of natural wood and instead of that, “Laminated timber flooring” and aluminum doors and windows have been widely used.
Even though, there is very limited space for the garden, the space has been put to good use and greenery has been created using tropical plants and shrubs endemic to Sri Lanka. This landscaping has been instrumental in minimizing the impact, especially from nearby neighboring residences. A special feature is the use of tropical green cover to reduce the amount of sunlight reflected from the cement floor to the building. A truly quiet environment has been established in the densely populated Rajagiriya area through the 20 feet high vertical garden decoration.
The first task should be to utilized land development as effectively as possible. The location, the scrutiny given to its architectural concept of adding a great value making the best use of the limited space, while its bold interior themes have all paved way for this trendy design.
Principal Architect: Ravindra Kumara Paranamana: B.Arch(Hons): AIA (SL)
Structural Engineer: Niresh Pramal Geegana: AMIE(SL)
Photography: Onil Wasantha Migel Arachchi
Land area: 11.5 P
Building area: 3474 Sq.ft
Contractor: Local Contractors
Project Duration: 1 Year
Project Completion Year: 2019
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