Hi my fellow Architecture+Design lovers,

In the morning today, we had a meeting in Kollupitiya, where the headquarters of our company is located, so we left home early in the morning because it only took 3.5 hours. The meeting was held for three hours, and after the end, a bus was used for transportation to return home. To go from Kollupitiya to Colombo Fort, you have to take a bus for a distance of only 15 minutes. Since I haven't been to Galle face area in a long time, I walked from Kollupitiya to Galle face for architectural exploration including the unique construction concepts of modern style buildings. So, even though not all the buildings could be covered within the given period, I was satisfied with getting a certain amount covered. Let's go ahead and see guys.

The President's Secretariat is located in front of the Colombo Galle face park. As this is a high security zone, photos cannot be taken from inside. Therefore, I present to you only the front face. But when Sri Lanka became politically unstable in the past, when the activists took over this building completely, the luxurious features inside were revealed through social media. Until then, an ordinary citizen had not seen the inner nature of the Presidential Secretariat. However, it was created at that time by connecting large towers highlighting the triangular shape. Built like a diplomatic headquarters in some countries. It is said that there is an underground floor here.

Passing the presidential secretariat office and walking towards the Beira lake, you can see the lotus tower built by the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. But the lotus tower is not located in the Galle face area. I was able to see through youtube video content that after going to the top of lotus tower, many parts of Sri Lanka can be seen. It is not possible to mention more information about the construction technology without going near it. It is mostly used for various conferences, exhibitions etc. The night time lights make the tower reflect the color of the lotus flower.

On Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019, suicide bombers attacked several Catholic churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. Many lives were lost there. There, one bomb attack hit the Shangri La hotel shown below. At that time, one floor was partially destroyed. By now it has been reformed and restored. Two large multi-storied buildings have been combined and completed using modern construction technology. This is really a luxury tourist hotel. Rooms with land view as well as Indian Ocean view rooms have been built here separately. There are no architectural features of any antique value to be seen in this modern hotel.

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Colombo Galle face is a densely populated area with heavy traffic. So taking photos even while walking is not easy. Meanwhile, a modern tourist hotel called One Galle Face caught my attention. It is a pleasure to see the unique murals and architectural differences between the buildings completed with modern technology. The facade of One Galle Face is very strikingly finished. Although modern architectural elements are used, visitors are sure to be mesmerized by making a difference. Downstairs has shown the character of a typical restaurant. Although it is a concrete city, it is a matter of happiness that many hotels have adopted the eco-friendly concept of planting trees.

A ship-like hotel was still under construction. The front face is covered with transparent glass. Accordingly, it will be fully air-conditioned. Because it is located close to the sea, very thick wire is used and strong bases are used. The thickness of the beams is reinforced with reinforced cement concrete.

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Compared to other cities in Sri Lanka, the capital city of Colombo can be seen with many high-rise buildings. Therefore, if a complete architectural exploration of the city of Colombo is carried out, it should be done continuously for more than a year. It is not an easy task. At the same time, if you look for the architectural features inside those buildings, it will undoubtedly take more time. With the rise of the tourism industry, major construction companies continue to complete these projects.

When constructing such a single multi-storey building, experienced builders use several meters of concrete base after studying the geological features of the site. A small earthquake or an entire building can be destroyed, so prepare for the risk in advance. Major construction companies have a team of construction workers including full-fledged engineers so it is not much of a problem for the entrepreneur.

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One of the unique things I noticed on this tour is that most of the buildings are surrounded by stained glass. Thickened glass is used to withstand even a normal shock. These glasses are mostly used to protect from the sun and to see around. Due to its proximity to the sea, glass windows are also used to reduce the heat.

In the photo below you can see how strongly the sunlight hits the buildings. In addition to glass, large tiled walls are also finished in between. Buildings with various architectural elements add distinctive character to an area.

In this windy environment, instead of the roof, you will see concrete slabs. Water is transported to the underground drains under the ground through water pipelines so that the water does not stagnate. Next I noticed a several-room resort with two rectangular shutters. Several brown coated plates are joined together to add strength.

Buildings clad in colored glass create a glow. This concept can be mentioned as a modern one because it was not used in the past. I think this concept is suitable mostly for business institutions and banking institutions.

During the few minutes of the tour, I could see only buildings with many floors. Single storey buildings were not seen. Many building complexes can be seen at Galle Face near Kollupitiya. In recent times, trees have been planted on roadsides and roundabouts and urban planning has been well demonstrated.

It must be mentioned that the building planning and urban development in Galle Face is at a high level. The reason for this is the presence of many five-star hotels and several government institutions, as well as the presence of many local and foreign entrepreneurs of the executive class. However, as some time passes, more large buildings will emerge from the existing gap.

3speak

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