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DESIGN STATEMENT

MUTUALISTIC LIVING; WILD ELEPHANT CONSERVATION VILLAGE AT KALAPURAYA, SIGIRIYA, SRI LANKA

Theoretical position

Cultural position

“Architecture can be a medium through which human and wildlife discover mutualism”

Project position

Understanding “Mutualistic Architecture” to accommodate and enrich the interrelationship between the broader village community and wild elephants

Human elephant conflict in Sri Lanka

It is estimated that Sri Lanka has the highest density of elephants in Asia but the population of Sri Lankan elephants has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations. Human-elephant conflict is increasing due to the conversion of elephant habitat to settlements and permanent cultivation.

Project justification

This project will act as a pilot project to check on the feasibility of using architecturaldesign principles to mitigate the issue. The negative connection between community and wild elephants can reversed by identifying methods of economically benefiting from their unique situation.

• Mutualism between community and the wild elephants

• Economic mutualism between community and tourist

Architectural objectives

This project attempt to create a “mutualistic” relationship between different parties as well as to identify how elephant and humans experience the build domain and theirspaces while they coexist without harming each other. Creating the innovative architectural strategies to mitigate the conflict and symbiosis in the same area interpret the “Mutualistic living” between the affected community and the elephants. Therefore using that phenomena as a benefit, this project will also facilitates the tourists to get an experience by observing the behavior of wild elephants, which make as the “Economical mutualism” between community andtourist.

Brief

In respected to the symbiosis with each other, the 3 key zones have contributed to coexist with the wild elephant while the human functions gives zero impact to their habitats. Community participation to mutualistic living with wildlife and transfer knowledge to improve their lifestyle while mitigating the attacks to their properties and crops. The existing local industries and proposed elephant dung paper factory have developed. Spaces provides for main community activities and for their utility services. Researcher’s participation to investigate the human-elephant conflict mitigation strategies and contribution in conservation of wild elephants and other species. This category has an important role in the project, which helps to transfer knowledge to the affected community as well as to generate and apply the innovative HEC methods by corporate with community. Public participation helps to improve the economic aspects of the overall project and generate the mutualism between community and public as the side effect of the human-elephant conflict. The difficulties of the boarder living would use as the benefit to the affected community by making connection with the public.

Environmental compatibility

• Construction methods of the building consumes less energy due to the localized and ecological material and indigenous construction techniques ( earth bag techniques, jungle wood and used timber, existing rock boulders and thatched roof)

• The design has been placed with minimal damage to the site as well as giving a life cycle to the building with temporal materials while Easy and flexible construction materials to withstand for Elephant attacks.

• The building will use natural ventilation and lighting during the day time, which is energy efficient in operation.

• Waste management program

Form

• Structural form perform better in elephant attacks

• Traditional- forms interpret local architectural elements - granary & simple house structure