Concept
The brief was deceptively simple: a home that feels as though it has always belonged to the lagoon. What emerged from months of site analysis was a building not imposed upon the landscape but extracted from it — each geometric form a direct response to solar orientation, prevailing winds, and the specific quality of light that filters through the shallow reef water.
The building plan is organized around a central void — an open-air court that channels the southwest breeze through every inhabited space. The structural expression is deliberately exposed: steel nodes, bolted connections, and structural glazing that make the engineering visible and legible.
Process
Site surveys revealed a coral formation 4 metres below the planned eastern terrace. The foundation strategy shifted entirely: a system of slender marine-grade steel columns was designed to span the formation, touching the seabed at only eight precise points. The structure is engineered to sustain 180 km/h wind events and seismic loads consistent with the regional profile.
Each structural element was prefabricated in Colombo and barged to site, assembled in a sequence designed to minimize disturbance to the reef ecosystem.
Result
The completed residence is organized across three interconnected volumes: a sleeping pavilion elevated 1.8 metres above the water plane, a living and dining volume at grade, and a meditation platform that cantilevers 3.6 metres over the lagoon. The geometry of the plan — a series of interlocking hexagonal forms — echoes the coral structures beneath.
Technical Data
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Site Area | 1,200 m² |
| Built Area | 620 m² |
| Structure | Marine-grade steel moment frame |
| Envelope | Low-iron double-glazed units, teak screens |
| Completion | March 2023 |
| Client | Private |
