MSc Year 01 Semester 01

MSC YEAR 01 SEMESTER 01

URBAN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

The design project is evolves from an urban residential development proposal for an existing low income earning community in slave island, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The project demonstrate the research, origination and resolution of the end part of this proposal in a gradual manner which manifest an organization of 71 housing units within the existing physical borders of the community.

The project was an attempt to address the rather uncomfortable setting and the challenges the underprivileged residents were faced with such as the clustered sense, spatial lack ,lack of privacy, poor infrastructure, poor cleanliness and lack of allowance for outdoor activities and hobbies. The entire current state of the setting robs the residents of the most basic comforts and privileges that are rightfully theirs to experience giving the sense that they are in imprisonment.

The ultimate goal of the development is to increase the quality if life of the people living in the particular area by giving them much organized living space and infrastructure which takes away the sense of mental imprisonment they are currently experiencing and exposing them to a much free and mentally satisfying atmosphere with he conceptual sense of being ‘out of the cage’ . It aims to make people embrace their personal selves and being who they yearn to become.

The residential zone of the scheme consists of three main types of housing units depending on the user

Unit type 1 Consists of a living room, a kitchen, a dining, a common bathroom and two bedrooms including the master bedroom.

Designed particularly for small scale families with one child and temporary residents staying within Colombo for job options.

Unit type 2 Consists of a living room, a kitchen, a dining, a common bathroom and three bedrooms including the master bedroom.

Designed for much larger scale families with more than one child who are both male and female.

Unitt type 3 Consists of a living room, a kitchen, a dining, a common bathroom and four bedrooms including the master bedroom.

Designed for the largest user group who are families with parents children and grand parents or other types of extended families.

BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN

Consists of public parking space and bathrooms for the security and employees. The courtyard at the center provides natural light, ventilation and an aesthetic outlook to the basement

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

Houses the commercial section of the building. The front facade consists of the showrooms and possible shops while the corners sections open up the two main entrances that provides access to the residential section. The y consist of ten elevators and two staircases along with public bathrooms for men and women.

The green patches of vegetation at the front yard provides shade and façade cooling while adding and aesthetic twist to the building.

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

The residential zone of the building starts from he first floor. Can be accessed by either the elevators or the staircases at the corner section. The corner sections also consists of miniature shop spaces and sitting areas free for the residents to used for relaxation purposes.

The entrance of each housing unit opens up to the central courtyard. Within the boundary of the scheme, the outdoor spaces are used as playgrounds for children,

The rest of the scheme remains as a multi storied continuation of the residential units and open areas that allow , light, ventilation and aesthetic to the building.

Commercial zone facade

Building entrance Housing units Open relaxation zones with tree shading and sitting areas

Corner section consisting of elevators stairs and mini shop rooms