22 ND Architect of the Year Awards
Name and Location: Leisure Pavilion at Colombo 3

Description of the Project

Addressing the client’s requirements of a space for leisure and entertainment, this pavilion was built as a space to entertain friends and family of a young couplé in urban Colombo. The clients wanted to maintain the privacy of their own residence and since their lifestyle involved frequent entertaining requested an additional building on a site away from their residence.

The site has two large canopy trees, including a sculptural Ficus tree at the western boundary. Choosing to design a garden pavilion instead of a closed building and inclusion of the existing trees into the design allows for a great degree of openness and provides unlimited options while entertaining.

The pavilion is a double height roofed space that is open to the gardens on both sides. It contains an enclosed timber box that contains the necessary services (pantry, care taker’s room, and toilet).

The entry into the building is through the timber box, a dark passage way gives very little idea of the openness and scale of the space encountered within. The entire building is designed for entertainment. The living/ dining areas area is open to the gardens. The gnarled Ficus against the cement boundary wall forms a backdrop to the entertainment space, and is a lit sculpture in the evenings. The timber box contains a lounge area at the upper level with a tranquil lily pool.

Materials of Construction Details

The choice of exposed concrete (fair faced) as a predominant material in the project was determined in context to the client’s requirements and background. The client is the owner of hydro projects has the ‘know how’ of concrete casting technology which is used in the construction of aqueducts and water channels in his projects. This technology has been used in the design of the pavilion. The client had also collected antique timber which he requested to be used in the design.

Thus minimalistic pavilion comprises of exposed concrete boundary walls (fair face concrete). The concrete boundary wail was also chosen as a solution to save a large Ficus tree that was close to the site edge. The concrete walls have enabled a slender foundation and are also less susceptible to damage by the growth of the Ficus. The cement flooring of the living area has a titanium finish; it is edged by stone pavers. The enclosed service box within the pavilion has been made using the available antique timber. The gates were made of this timber as well.

The upper lounge area has teak flooring .the also has a built- in ledge seating which is made of concrete plastered in
cement slurry. The upper area has a pool that has been planted with native grasses and lilies.

The roof slab of the pavilion has planter boxes with vegetation.