Hi my fellow Architecture+Design community members,
What's up guys? I hope you are doing well. Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka, has many buildings that have been completed and are under construction using various construction concepts. Walking down one of the streets there are many buildings that contain architectural features that stand out. Especially the skyscrapers of Sri Lanka are mostly located in Colombo because it is the last city in terms of commerce. So, the main office and operations of the business branches around Sri Lanka are carried out in these apartment buildings. I had to go on an urgent errand in York Street, Colombo. Meanwhile, I will draw attention to some buildings that interested me.
During my tour through Fort York Street in Colombo, my first observation was a state-owned commercial establishment that was under heavy security during the war, and now runs freely. The shape added to the front look is attractive. I could see it from the side, but to get a good look, I had to go inside through the security cell.
Many multi-storied buildings built according to different architectural styles that have joined each other can be seen on this street. Even though the floors are air-conditioned, the windows are made of transparent dark glass frames.
The head office of Ceylinco, one of the leading institutions registered for life and auto insurance in Sri Lanka, was met next. It is special to build this by connecting several bridges like stairs across two large buildings to almost every floor. Different departments of the organization are engaged in the duties of the respective buildings. Although it is an old building, it is clear that new modifications have been made.
Although not on York Street, across from that building is a huge multi-storey building still under construction. From a distance, it looks like a completed complex. But there is still a lot of construction work to be done before its completion. Undoubtedly, it will be an attractive complex of buildings once completed.
Strolling down York Street, the Pairway complex of buildings takes on a somewhat striking shape. Although it was a coincidence to see trees in the concrete environment of Colombo only 15 years ago, the governments that came after that started the green concept by planting trees. As a result, nowadays they grow to some extent and add greenery to the city. The lower parts of the Pairway building look like the rooms of a ship.
On the other side, Colombo City Hotel is seen shining yellow. Some of its window frames are arched and some are rectangular. Its balcony areas are kept open and covered with concrete. The restaurant of Colombo City Hotel is kept open without walls leaving only a roof on the top floor. Beyond that, the Level Pub Restaurant is also attractively designed. There are ornamental plants on the upper two floors. The arched shape of the first and second floors is remarkable.
Torena Cafe & Restaurant can be named as a place that serves coffee and food and drinks with a roof covered with modern Sinhala tiles. The lights are mounted on the wall itself to illuminate the outside. Although there are not so many unique construction concepts, I photographed the window shapes because they are beautiful.
Take a good look at the front of an organization that provides advice for building your future. It looks like an old building. Here the doors and windows are made into a single frame. Interlocking concrete towers are created between the floors.
The head office of Commercial Bank, one of Sri Lanka's leading private commercial banks, is located near this street. Built in an old building, it has been renovated to a modern standard. The floors in this bank building have various functions. The outer shape is made to stand out. A tower rises from the ground.
An old building filled with money exchanges, jewelry stores, flight booking offices, etc. caught my attention. Although there were many shops on the ground floor, it was confirmed that the administration of the first and second floors was owned by one company. On the upper floors, blue stickers have been affixed to the window panes to add beauty to the exterior.
While proceeding from York Street, near the junction with Chatham Street are several shops with arched doorways. Since I started exploring architecture recently, I have become more fond of arched shapes. A major commercial bank, Nations Trust Bank, is also headquartered on York Street. Accordingly, it is clear to you that many commercial bank headquarters in Sri Lanka are located here. The shape of the Nations Trust Bank headquarters building is different. It is special that more space is reserved for walls without allocating more space for glass windows.
Looking down Chatham Street from York Street, buildings with distinctive architectural features can be seen on that street as well. However, a clock tower built during the Dutch colonial period is still standing strong. Sri Lanka time seemed to be working on the clock in its proper manner.
The headquarters of the Cargills Lanka Institute, which has touched the concept of foodcity, which is spread in almost every town and village in Sri Lanka, also attracted my special attention. In fact, its exterior design and appearance are striking in an interesting way. The arched doors blended with the pink wall are reminiscent of a Dutch building. After coming forward and observing carefully, it can be imagined that this is a building built by the Dutch because the Dutch logo is located on the top. It was found out that one side of this belongs to Bank of China.
Meanwhile, a building of the royal family built during the Dutch era was seen. Currently, it is used for tourism. Dutch emblems are still present all over the walls of this building. How strong the construction technology was at that time can be imagined in a way that is still glorious today. The lower floor has arched open entrances, and the other floors are joined by taller towers. Indeed, this must have been a royal building at that time.
Another private commercial bank in Sri Lanka, Standard Chartered Bank headquarters will meet next. It has been built in a modern way to a shape that is not circular but close to it. The strength of the upper floors is supported by numerous towers on the lower floors. The Standard Chartered Bank logo is also displayed at the top. The hull area is enclosed by contiguous walls and a thin space between them is covered by glass.
At the end of York Street stood an attractive building of peculiar architectural form called the Plantation House. At first glance, the color applied there brings a sparkle to the eye. It must be mentioned that the brown and white colors of the arches and pillars will seduce anyone. In this way, I conclude the exploration of architectural elements in one of the streets of the city of Colombo. see you again.