Architect Muraj HWD

Project Name : Residence of Mr. Janaka Maillewa at Maharagama, Sri Lanka.
Architect : Architect Muraj HWD / Dilantha Muraj
Project area : 3050 sft2
Land area : 6.5 perches
Structural Engineer : Nuwan Bandaranayake

Re-creation of country features in a tight urban plot…… Being client a voracious country lover, but at the same time a person who had to choose an urban living for his family requirements, generated this creation. He had selected a 6 perches land situated at around 150 m away from the high-level road in Navinna, Maharagama, Sri Lanka. In this tiny land plot, created spaciousness, use of natural timber color in harmony with dull cement cut and polished color, installation of greeneries in every possible space are remarkable factors which give great contribution to enhance the rural features. Vertical spread of greeneries plays a major role in this house instead of horizontal green spread in a country side. All green areas are allowed to act and grow as a natural envelop for the house to cover the vision of flurried development in surroundings. Not only being a visual barrier, these greeneries contribute a low heat gain into the building and a sound barrier as well. In addition, these green areas have become spaces to live and make nests for creatures like birds and squirrels. Living, dining and garage spaces in the ground floor are act as one visual entity which becomes the main space of the house. Though it is a 6 perches plot, this space proves the optimum usage of land while providing other ancillary spaces in the same level. Thus, visitor bed room, servant’s room and toilet were located in the ground floor, which were essential in that floor. First floor was allocated for master bed room, children’s bed room, office room and study area. Furthermore, in this floor, flower troughs were used to create green barriers, which act as curtains for rooms. Moreover, these greeneries provide natural contrast effect in the urban context and immersed the building in a rural context. Master bed room and children’s bed room were separated by a sound proofed timber partition and ceiling and some walls were cladded with timber to give lightweight quality and enhance the special quality. It has been allowed second floor, the terrace area to be covered with trees, bushes and vines making it a serene gathering space for residents in any special family event, enjoying the openness without any disturbance. It is believed that client as a nature lover finally received the house what he expected. The entire block is designed as an urban lung and a place where retain birds and some other creatures within these greeneries. All these features and sustaining in harmony with environment, recall and express a rural beauty in an urban setting.
Structural Engineer - Nuwan Bandaranayake
Photography - Amila Rathnayake Photography

Project Name : Raffles Banquets & Catering Raffles Residence (Banquet and Office) for Raffles Consolidated (Pvt) Ltd at Mirihana, Nugegoda
Completed year : 2016
Project area : 35000 ft2
Land area : 47 perches

Description of the project
The client is a company, Raffles Consolidated (Pvt)ltd, who are experts of catering service. Their requirements were to provide a grand banquet for 250, a mini banquet for 125, required spaces for ancillary activities of catering and office spaces to house their managing activities. The site has located facing to Kotte-Nugegoda road which consist of 47p land extend and irregular in shape.

Architectural Approach
Banqueting has been an important practice ever since the man began feasting over the surplus of food. According to the historians this deliberate practice was a statement of one's own wealth, social and political capacity. In the dawn of the new era banqueting has been developed beyond mere feasting over a new crop. People gradually began to banquet over reveling significant affairs in life in a congregational mode.
This only intensified their yearn to display their own social significance be it a mere birth celebration or a wedding ceremony. The design of the Raffles Residence, was approached with conscious knowledge of above. The architecture, therefore needed to be addressed towards achieving certain objectives which would stretch beyond the functional requirements or the 'workability'.

The predominant Hellenic touch of the exterior is inspiring; with in the right blend of many architectural styles rather than been singularly slavish to one style. The congregational nature of the main building function has further encouraged to follow the strong Hellenic style reminiscing ancient Greek and Roman congregational halls. However, the exterior architecture has been reinterpreted in modern terms rather than recreated entirely. Thus the columns, lines, shapes and forms have been borrowed from classical architecture to adorn the building exterior.
Roof Terrace in contrast has been designed as an open gathering area with necessary service access for an outdoor function. The semi covered Roof Terrace creates shading and space definition by simple pergola along the access path. It has conceptually brought forward the vegetation at ground level to the roof terrace level by controlled plant trough arrangement around the roof terrace boundary wall; the introvert nature of a gathering space for celebration has been considered thereby.
The interpretation of the concept for the interior was 'creating modern simplicity by furniture & lighting'. The furniture in common spaces has been chosen to be solid timber in order to accentuate the domestic warmth inside the space rather than public hospitality. Timber and glass, which are known for their less overwhelming quality, have been used for internal partitions and screens at public areas to create 'pocket spaces' within one whole entity in order to generate interconnectivity between spaces. Further the patterns and decor on the timber paneling and screens have been less adorned with carvings to offer a contemporary minimalist ambiance.
The main function was treated as an introverted space in order to encourage congregation & interaction. Thus the importance of artificial lighting was given a careful consideration. The vision has been to creating a warm overall ambient lighting. This has been given a diversity by introducing linear cove lights of varying colours and intensities to match the ambience of the space. Further the congregation hall ceilings are adorned with lighting streaks of diverse colours that could be manipulated to bring about a mood difference in the space as fitting to the function.
The architectural statement of the project is that the project portrays the grandeur of classical age and the subtlety of contemporary age in refined mix in order to create the space that the jubilation can be made a spectacle of.

Photography - Mr. Eresh Weerasuriya