ArchShowcase Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. WORKSHOP + OFFICE SPACE – SRIMAAL ADVERTISING (PVT) LTD in Kiribathgoda, Sri Lanka by Damith Premathilake designed using SketchUpMay 7th, 2011 by Sumit Singhal
WORKSHOP + OFFICE SPACE – SRIMAAL ADVERTISING (PVT) LTD One of the commercial projects recently completed by architect Damith Premathilake is a workshop and office space designed for Srimaal an advertising company. The project is located in Kiribathgoda a few kilometers away from Colombo. Before the architect could leave his traces on the land he had to combat several restrictions imposed by the narrow sloping site. The main problems were the awkward L-shape of the land area and the building regulations on the site requiring the structure to be set 60ft back from the edge of the road. The client also had specific requirements that had to be catered for by the architect. As the client Srimaal, is an advertising agency the exterior appearance of the building was very vital. The client also required the office and work spaces to be well lit during the day, provide space for the capacity of 250 people and have vehicle access to service the building.
Despite all the constraints the architect has created an elegant piece of contemporary architecture that sits along the main road of Kiribathgoda. As the ground area is not sufficient the architect has opted to extend vertically making a visual statement in tune with client needs. The main body of the structure is constructed using reinforced concrete, steel fixtures and glass. From a distance your eye is drawn to the horizontal lines of the black gate before it unveils the architecture through its slits. The front façade speaks the same architectural language it is composed of strong linear patterns which fade in and out. The ground floor facilitates the reception and the workshop areas while the first floor and second floor accommodates the main office spaces. The above floors can be accessed via a spiral staircase at the rear and another staircase in the front of the building. The occupants also have the added luxury of the roof terraces above the second floor. The beauty of this architecture lies in the planning and the simplicity of the design. The architect uses simple solutions to solve the architectural problems. The strategically placed voids in the architecture not only flood the interior spaces with natural light, it also opens the interior to the exterior making the architecture seem delicate and light. The orientation of the structure and the incisions made in the exterior façade provide more light into the spaces. To control the amount of sunlight directly entering certain spaces transparent roof systems and blinds are utilized. The design can only be concluded as delightful. It is successful in meeting the architectural challenges and being thoughtful in its detail. This beautiful piece of architecture separates itself from other mundane commercial office buildings in the vicinity by providing a humane solution. Contact Damith Premathilake and Damith Premathilake
Tags: Kiribathgoda, Sri Lanka |