Browsing by Author "Basnayake, V"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

item: SRC-Report
An Analysis of unconventional modern domestic environments in urban contexts
Basnayake, V
Sri Lanka, is an island with a wide coastal belt and an indulging landscape with lush greenery. Its5 strategic position in the Indian Ocean made her rich in contacts with the outside world. The diverse influences from India, Southeast Asia, East Asia and also from colonization have been interpreted in historical, social, cultural and especially in physical contexts through out its5 civilization. With passage of time due to many known and unknown reasons most of these evidences are not visible today. Urban domestic architecture is one such. Current visible evidences of urban domestic architecture mainly have roots in colonial Ceylon. Although we are short of Portuguese domestic architecture in Sri Lanka we do have a considerable amount of features from Dutch influence. Baroque gables, verandas and courtyards with spaces interconnected within could be mainly figured as Dutch introductions to new urban centers. But the British kept a maximum possible garden abounded with a large garden at front. These elite residential areas within cities were very similar to country houses in Britain and were far away from architecturally domestic urban quality. Ending the colonial rule independence movement began. Political, social and cultural winds blew through the continent effecting the sciences and arts as well. People were searching for their own identities and in parallel we were looking for a “Sri Lankan identity55. By this time our architects who were caught up in modem movement thinking during their study stays in western schools were back in homeland. The so-called modern movement was the international trend, the style of freedom representing the independence. The principles of clarity, purity and completeness introduced by modern movement were slowly rejecting by Asians. The process of continuous growing which, the Asians were adhered in ‘living5 could not be accommodated by those specific designs. We are spontaneous. We do not take much care about a clear beginning or on a destination. We move in time spontaneously. Our ideas, needs and desires change with time within where we are. We just happen to live accommodating what we have; accommodating surrounding. This spontaneousness within our cultural setting backed by Buddhist philosophy should possess our identity in architecture.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Eco friendly architecture in eco tourism: an illustrative study of eco tourist architecture in the tropical environment with special reference to Sri Lankan context
(2014-07-04) Rajapakse, DS; Basnayake, V; Chandrasekara, DP
The pace of development in countries within the tropical region is among the fastest in the world. Yet many of these nations still depend heavily on their natural resources. This today has led to a conflict: rapid development places an ever-increasing claim on scarce natural resources, which results in environmental degradation. On the other hand the effects on the ecological balance due to mankinds short sighted activities. The key element in any sustainable development is to ensure that they are undertaken in an environmentally sound manner. Here the buildings are the main added contributor into the creation of imbalance in the natural environment. With the rise of the concept of eco tourism this has become more aggravated as it makes direct physical interaction within the nature. The built environment as the major physical component in eco tourism, which also contributes to give the character to he place, visualizes the significant role of the architect creating sustainable eco tourism friendlier towards the nature. But unfortunately in the contemporary practice of eco tourist architecture, though it needs to be exceptionally eco friendly, has lost the sensitivity mainly because of lack of understanding the design principles of eco tourism. Finding the solution it convinced the necessity of the comprehensive understanding of eco friendly architecture, which is the total interpretation of design principles of eco tourism. Thus the study is initially attempted to make a broader understanding of eco friendly architecture, clearly defining the concept as a holistic approach of the green, eco sensitive, sustainable and ecological conceptions with their physical and psychological perception as a criteria to evaluate the design principles in a more elaborative manner. Since the concept of eco tourism is highly elaborated in the tropical nature and its merged exclusive culture the examples are evaluated mostly within the tropical eco systems. Thus the study attempts to visualize how possibly viable eco tourism can be generated in Sri Lanka which has an exotic tropical nature enriched with an exclusive culture. Thus has given examples of some of the recent tourist products, which are developed within these natural and socio cultural settings making closer attitudes towards sustainable eco tourist architecture.
item:
The house of Mutubanda
(1987) Basnayake, V
We were walking along a foot path by the side of stream. To our left, were vast stretches of paddy fields, as far as the eye could see—to the right there was a profusion of vegetation comprising various trees such as Jak, Kumbuk. Coconut etc. The temperature was fairly high and the environment, hot and humid.
item: Thesis-Full-text
"Reuses" an examination of the concept and its adaptability in contemporary architecture
Piyanandana, KAUI; Basnayake, V
The past lives in the present and the present in the future, which the concept of reuse always harmonize with present need and future aspirations. Since remote times, man has made use of the concept of reuse. But the change has become the most characteristic phenomenon of our age and the concept reuse also gets changed and evolves with this changing context. In this evolutionary process the use of reuse concept get faded due to the profit-motivated society. Much attention has been given to the concept of reuse in architecture and it has been subjected to greater discussion since it is required by the modem world. Because it has been realized that this concept is a good solution for the problem of unlimited consumption increasing needs. This study thus concentrates on the importance of revitalising the concept and intends emphasize the importance of its applicability in architecture. Therefore it hopes to identify the reuse as a concept and explore its principles under ping the concept in relation to architecture. Finally it will emphasize the need for this concept in contemporary architectural practice, as it is required urgently.