Hello my loving Architecture+Design community members,
What's up Hivers? I hope everything are fine with you. Last Sunday was a relaxing day for me, so I thought of visiting the Dalawella town, which is close to home, because there are many foreign tourists these days and tourist lodges and resorts have been created attractively. Builders and owners have focused on different architectural elements to attract tourists. From the last week of August, more people are coming to Sri Lanka to enjoy the beauty here. As Unawatuna Beach is more famous for tourists, the tourists staying here should be provided with the expected facilities. For that, the owners of these resorts are making different types of changes compared to previous years because the same tourists who came before may come back. My opinion is that changing the construction concepts is a more appropriate policy. But their cultural or traditional values should not change. So this content is presented to explain the architectural features of the tourist resorts seen during this walking.
Let's first focus on Hotel Sun Shine Inn which is approved by the Sri Lanka Tourism Board. The resort is surrounded by a yellow-brown wall. Several wrought iron gates have been installed in between to view the inner garden from the main road. Some tourists may take some time to enter this way. In the inner garden, some big trees and ornamental plants have been planted and created an eco-friendly concept. The resort had tiled roofs as asbestos sheets were not suitable for the tourists staying. The shape of the roof and windows of the small hall next to the entrance is very attractive.
The main entrance of the resort called Villa Pinthalia was closed so I didn't get a chance to take photos inside. But special attention should be paid to the name plate in front of the entry point. The part called Pinthalia was on a thick cement wall and the part called Villa was cut and written on a stone slab. The stone piece was supported so that it would not fall.
Next, my attention was drawn to the Angel Beach star class hotel located in Dalawella area. A close friend of mine is working here, and he has mentioned to me before that the food and drinks at Angel Beach Resort are very tasty and they are served in a variety of menus. On the wall above the entrance is a crest of an angel. It is a perfect indication of the quality of the hotel. Although it is a recently built resort, it has ancient architectural elements added to it. The doors and windows have a similar shape to the Dutch period. The walls are completely made of clay bricks. So the exterior looks interesting. Emblems of angels were seen on every outer wall. Instead of the roof, a water-proof concrete slab has been used. Being located near the sea, the concept is useful in preventing decay.
There was also a temporarily closed tourist resort with a mesmerizing wall made of a different type of clay brick. Its gate is made of very strong wood. Being so close to the beach has inspired many hoteliers to use wood instead of iron.
Sanmira Tourist Hotel, a three-star hotel, drew my attention next. Having a swimming pool and all other facilities, I can say that this is a really relaxing accommodation because I have stayed here. It has many rooms with front balcony areas. Sea facing and garden facing can be booked separately. By booking a room facing the sea, you can have a good view of the Indian Ocean.
There are two entrance and exit gates. A replica of a cannon has been added to the stone wall above the security guard's cabin at the exit gate. It is kept to commemorate the war period and the resort also has wooden gates. Beautiful pieces of stone have been used for the wall built near the main road.
Next, my attention was drawn to a small restaurant called Hotel Angurama, which was set up in a very beautiful environment. It appeared that this was still experimenting with new constructions. With several rooms, this is not only a restaurant but also a small lodge. The nameplate arrangement here is interesting. Several sheds covered with dry coconut branches have also been built for the comfort of tourists. A few hanging lights are installed to diffuse light at night.
Fairway Beach clubhouse was another resort in Dalawella town that was designed with its own unique shape. The hall is covered with a wall surrounded by black stones. It is special that it was built in a rectangular shape in the front but in a triangular shape towards the back. It may have been a reason to attract tourists.
Two years ago, the above Horizon Resort was built with three floors and many rooms. Glass has been used for the entrance doors and windows of the rooms. A certain amount of space has been reserved for the balcony section. Although there is no garden here, the parking area is dotted with ornamental plants which add some charm.
During my visit, I came across a resort built by creating very interesting architectural forms. Although the entrance gate is not clearly visible in the photo, it is beautifully made in a semi-circle using granite stones. Although it looked small from the front, the hall was long towards the back. Balcony sections are small but attractive in shape.
Although not a building, the wall of the Ridhee Villa was very attractively finished, so I took a photo. The stones used to build the wall were cut into various shapes. A green color has been added by making ornamental vines grow above it.
An idea of the interior garden decoration of Ridhee Villa can be obtained from the outside. The green concept was followed by planting ornamental plants so beautifully. Ridhee Villa has two floors, and it is notable that the upper floor rooms have more space for the users to spend freely. The windows in the rooms on the first floor are larger. Its shape is also very attractive. There was no balcony on the first floor. The shape of the roof of the second floor and the wood carvings below it add a unique touch to the resort. Wood was used for the entrance gate, but it is now slightly decayed. Therefore, it can be concluded that the wooden gate is a little old.
Sam's guest house is built using modern architectural concepts and accessories and faces the main road. The upper floor is open like a conference hall. Roof tiles make it convenient for tourists. But due to the use of iron for some places, it will cost more to repair them in the future.