Atelier Abraha Achermann . photos: © Dominic Kim
A village located on a picturesque bay in southern Sri Lanka is the venue for a small archaic project. An inn with access to the Indian Ocean is created by means of a sculptural interconnection between indoor and outdoor spaces. A succession of yards and walls surround four guest rooms, with outdoor showers and a direct view over the ocean. Two outdoor staircases lead up to a public roof terrace with a fireplace and a raised platform offering a spectacular angled view over the coastline and the sea. The concrete building was constructed in small steps. The raw kept surfaces reflect the local handcraft where available resources are limited. All openings have wind permeable wooden shutters. There are no windows, indeed, there is no glass. The flooring is at different levels allowing for massive rainfall during the rainy season and creating a fine pattern of thresholds and spatial hierarchies.
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