Colombo Final Plot Final

U.S. Department of State Overseas Building Office Makayla Bellamy University of Virginia School of Architecture Juwan Palmer Felix Yizhou Li Systems, Sites and Building, Fall 2014 Colombo, Sri Lanka is the largest urban city on the island just off of the southern coast of India. The island has a history of immigration, trade, and colonial invasion, providing the city with a diverse variety of ethnic groups, languages, and religions. While the largest religion on the island is Buddhism, there is a large collections of Tamils and Muslims. The topography of Sri Lanka is classified into two regions; the dry-zone that stretches from north to southeast, and the wet-zone that stretches from west to south. The dry highlands consist of a variety of temples and man-made lakes, while the dry lowlands are preferred farmland. The wetlands consist of sites preferable for fishing, and tourist attracting beaches. This is where Colombo is located. The construction of Sri Lanka was based off of a hierarchical system, in which only buildings of high elite were designed to maintain permanence. This left many ruins throughout the island that are representative of this elite system. The architecture current- ly is mainly religious, and because of the high religious diversity, there is a diverse architectural landscape. Around the island, there is a large percentage of the poor that live in mud and thatched roof houses using designs that date back to ancient times. In Colombo however, there is a high percentage of lower middle class, most of which prefer white washed cements houses with polished cement floors. Due to the high heat climate of the island, these houses contain windows designed to keep out the heat and the light, built in vents that reach to the outside of the house, allowing for natural ventilation throughout the house. Also, the use of concrete as a passive thermal material absorbs the heat, preventing it from being passed through the walls like a natural insulation, and then releases the heat at night. Climate Data Average Sky Cover: 61% (annual) Average Ground Temperature: low 80s (monthly) Average Wind Velocity: about 7.5 annual) Relative Humidity around can range from 40-60% in the months January through March and increases to about 40% and above in the months of April through December. In this type of climate, air conditioning will be needed; there are very little The average temperature in Colombo is usually around 80-87 degrees passive design strategies that will work except for using things such as over- Fahrenheit. hangs, porches, high ceilings, etc. Precedent Studies Gangaramaya Temple Vernacular Passive Cooling Strategies: Elongated roofs allow people to walk in the shade on the walkways, which is a shading strategy. Utilizing the lake that the Temple sits, columns in the structures are spaced widely apart to capture the breezes that are blowing across from the lake, which is a natural ventilation technique. Surroundings and Resources: The Temple is built on a lake and the direct radiant cooling from the water and the stilts amplify the cooling effect from the water and the winds that travel across the lake. Much of the heat from the sun is absorbed by the water as it evaporates and then is swept away by the wind, creating a constant flow of clean and cool air. There are no obstructions of the sky and thus the openness created by the columns helps let in some of the light of the sun, but not much of the heat. Background and History: The Gangaramaya Temple’s architecture contains cultural influences from Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, and Chinese Architecture. This temple is located close to Beira Lake, causing its pre-existing site to be marshy and wet. It was home to Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumanagala Nayaka Thera, founder of the Vidyodaya Pirivena over 120 years ago. It has the main features of a Vi-hara temple, the Cetiya Pagoda, the Bodhitree, the Vihara Mandiraya, the Seema Malaka, which is an assembly hall for monks, and the Relic Chamber. The part of the temple that we focus on is the Seema Malaka. The features of the temple include a museum, library, a residential hall, a Pirivena, an education hall, and an alms hall. Pettah Market Contmeporary Passive Cooling Strategies: Most of the shops have open doors, which allow the wind to be constantly funneled into the building. This allows the hot air to be exchanged with fresh air. Some of the stores also include chimney like structures in which hot air leaves to create a flow, as the cool air stays on the bottom. Both of these methods are utilizing natural ventilation. Most of the shops have canopies to create extensive shaded areas in the structures, which is a Shading Strategy. Surroundings and Resources: The market is right next to a harbor that leads out to the ocean. The ocean constantly floods breezes into the market through the open doors and windows. There are many buildings obstructing the sun and blocking most of the light out. The buildings are open, but close-knit, thus the wind is dampened a little to prevent people from being blown away. Background and History: The Pettah Market is an open square market surrounded by historical monuments such as the Kahn Clock Tower, built by the family of Framjee Bhickajee Khan who used to own a lot of the Colombo Oil mills, and the Colombo Old Town Hall. There is an open wooden frame roof over the aisles of shops and vendors. It provides some shade and allows the wind to pass through all open sides, utilizing natural ventilation. One of the most recognizable buildings in this area is the Jami Ul-Afar Mosque that is a red and white striped tower. Design Proposal The site in Sri Lanka utilizes many aspects of the culture and demographics of the Colombo region, especially the religious aspects, and utilizes many passive design strategies in order to maintain a level of comfort in the hot and wet climates. The design of the building itself uses passive cooling strategies to help combat the heat such as thermal cooling by constructing with light concrete. This allows for the structure to absorb and maintain the heat when the sun’s rays hit it, instead of allowing it to leak further within the building. One cultural factor that was taken into account when designing the structure also doubles as a passive cooling technique. The Buddhist culture has a large emphasis on giant overhangs on their structures, especially temples, that have been seen throughout other structures in Colombo. This also acts as an awning of sorts, to help block out the sun’s rays from the South. This orientation gives a lot of natural light to the patios on the southern side that are facing the view of the ocean, with the overhangs preventing an overabundance of light and heat. The levels of the structure are tall and narrow with open corridors from the east to the west. Windows at either end allow for natural ventilation from the wind current that runs east-west, keeping the interior cool. Also, a feature that contains two purposes, is the building being raised off of the ground. It prevents the material from sinking in the wet soil, and allows a wind current to proceed underneath the structure and up throughout the rest of the structure. Also, the tall and narrow structure creates a stack effect that helps the current flow up and out of the structure. On the practical level, the area was designed with three entrances, the main entrance through the courtyard from the North. This is to the general public, and the courtyard before the gate acts as as public gathering space. Within the gate, the courtyard is sectioned off to the general public that has gone through security. Due to the slope in the topography, there is a way for the roads on either side to go below the building. The westward side containing the parking lot is the entrance for those who work at the facility. The more private and secluded side to the east is the entrance for visiting ambassadors and those of higher power. A perimeter is fenced around the surrounding field, creating a secured public space for the general public to partake in leisure activities. Citations Climate Consultant “Countries and Their Cultures.” Culture of Sri Lanka. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. “Gangaramaya Temple.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Nov. 2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. “History Of The Temple.” Gangaramaya Temple About Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2014. “Pettah Market.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Nov. 2014. Web. 30 Nov. 2014..

Load more