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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. Oculus Staff Quarters in Jaffna, Sri Lanka by PALINDA KANNANGARA ARCHITECTSFebruary 14th, 2019 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: PALINDA KANNANGARA ARCHITECTS This is a guest quarters that is a part of the Jaffna Wind Power Park. Located close to a lagoon and mudflat landscape. It’s a part of an axis/spine of wind power turbines 16 (Plant Capacity 20MW), in number that begins with the staff / guest quarters at the entrance and culminates in the office building at the end. It is a simple plan with a low budget designed without harming the surrounding vegetation.  Image Courtesy © Mahesh Mendis
 Image Courtesy © Mahesh Mendis The guest quarters are for the visiting engineers and staff members. It has been built with a close connection to its context, with an open ground floor living area and finishes that reflect the colors of its surroundings. It is a unique wind power plant that is cultivated as a seasonal lagoon landscape that floods during three months of the year, it has a unique ecosystem that attracts a variety of birds. The ground floor consists of an open living, dining area, kitchen, caretaker’s quarters and a shallow pond with a sculptural spiral staircase leading to the upper floor. The ground floor has a height of 16’ which adds to the spatial experience of a wild open landscape coming into the building.  Image Courtesy © Mahesh Mendis  Image Courtesy © Mahesh Mendis The shallow pond at the core of the building with varying water depths that catches the reflection of the windmill acts as the eye of the oculus. It is a constant presence against a backdrop of lush vegetation mixed with clear skies. It also catches the reflection of the windmills along with the landscape of lagoons and mudflats and windswept grasslands. The four corners are sliced through with the pond in the center offering the notion of an axis that opens out. The upper floor consists of a living area, two rooms for staff and two rooms for guests. Each bedroom located has a view of the surrounding landscape and lagoon with plenty of light and ventilation providing a light, airy space. Each room comes with an attached bathroom which has an open to sky courtyard for natural ventilation. Also there is an option to mechanically condition the space in the future if necessary.  Image Courtesy © Mahesh Mendis  Image Courtesy © Mahesh Mendis Materials and Tectonics The roof appears to be floating, supported by steel props. Cut cement is used for the flooring. The incorporation of small aesthetic details like the cosmic composition of the sunburst pattern etched into the cement floors, augment the crescent shaped pond in the center. The dramatic spiral staircase, built by a local laborer, has an ossified look to blend into the scrubland mudflat environment. The bedrooms have timber screens which offers filtered light. The timber screens further act as an additional layer of heat protect to the inner glazed screens. Furthermore, the entire building operates on clean energy.  Image Courtesy © Mahesh Mendis  Image Courtesy © PALINDA KANNANGARA ARCHITECTS  Image Courtesy © PALINDA KANNANGARA ARCHITECTS  Image Courtesy © PALINDA KANNANGARA ARCHITECTS  Image Courtesy © PALINDA KANNANGARA ARCHITECTS  Image Courtesy © PALINDA KANNANGARA ARCHITECTS
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Categories: House, Residential |
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