Experiential Pathway for Sri Pada - Level 5 CDP Project
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There are significant mountains in Sri Lanka with religious and cultural destinations which has a historical value as well as a tourist attraction because of the connected beliefs, rituals, customs and natural environment with them, which reflects the pilgrimage culture and heritage. Due very sensitive eco-systems inside these forests there were forbidden practices, seasons and off-seasons to worship the sacred destination while minimizing/avoiding the damage to the natural habitats. At past, these routes had a spiritual quality which linked with nature and helped to enhance the faith of the devotee. But that spiritual vibe is fading away due to heavy disturbances happening to the sites through built-environment and pollution The reason is increasing annual human turnover with unexpected numbers which is a result of high demand, popularity and marketing of the place as well as emerging travelling trends and improvement of infrastructure facilities.
Experiential Pathway for Sri Pada - Documantary
Sripada route from Nallathanniya - Hatton is supposed to be a spiritual journey, but due to many disturbances by human interventions it has become degraded and spiritual aspect of Sripada route has been lost. The architectural manifestation to overcome this problem is trying to inbuilt spirituality in the process and attempt to enhance the essence of the pilgrimage while taking down all the unnecessary noise/ elements and enhancing the essence of the journey.
Design Intent
The design thesis examines the ability of manipulation of spaces, sceneries and views along the route to enhance the user’s/devotee’s experience while incorporating functional buildings which are required for the site. In this attempt Re-designing entrance of Nallathanniya route with an enhanced experiential pathway while rectifying the damaged spiritual vibe through existing built environment and supplying required facilities to the devotees incorporating with the proposing experiential path way.
View of the entrance
Entrance to the bridge
View of the public court
View of the entrance court
Context Model
Philosophical Idea
Buddhist philosophy and other religious philosophies teaches a hierarchical spiritual journey towards obtaining enlightenment/ purity/heaven. The design embraces this notion, where the devotee would gradually obtain disciplines of the body, speech and the mind.
The design has three main areas
The Entrance and the service areas: If we need to approach the path to heaven, we need to prepare ourselves with good attitudes and good activities. The service area accommodates bathing rituals to fresh the body, vegetarian meals and buying items needed for devotions
The bridge: This is the main component of the design which act as the gate to the heaven and crossing the river symbolically shows a meaning of crossing from the world with sins, crossing the life or approaching the path of “Nirwana” (the ultimate happiness in mind/ Enlightenment)
Experiential pathway, Resting Terraces, Deities temple, Library, Observation deck, Meditation areas: These facilities gradually heal and prepare the mind of the devotee for the journey. Creates the focus of the mind
Observation deck area
Double Heights of Museum
Public pockets on terraces
Reading Area
Section through the bridge
Observation area
Timber Hostels
Courtyards at the below court
Plinths of stone hostels
Project Report
L R T Weerakoon_152143D_CDP Design Report .pdfDrawings
49_152143D_Selected Drawings_Weerakoon L R T (1).pdf
Section Through a Hostel Building
Section Through Entrance
The project explored the way of addressing a problem by considering the factors of culture, environment, mental models of the people, sustainable credentials and fusion of architecture in the appropriate point.
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