The Small House

Set in a high density urban residential precinct in Nugegoda, Sri Lanka, Small House is an escapade to serenity from all the urban commotion.

The proposal was to design a house for a newly married couple with a minimal set of requirements, including two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living and dining space, pantry, store room and a garage. Facing the challenge of fitting the requirements to a small land area yet creating a spacious home with a limited financial investment.

Simply put, Small House is a simple and minimalistic one with the touch of traditional Sri Lankan architecture and nature, creating open spaces that merges the interior with outside garden spaces, achieving visual spaciousness.

Open planning of the interior played a key role. Entrance to Small House consists of an exposed rubble wall with an entrance door. The garden, garage and living space merges into one achieving flexibility of space. Separations between the spaces are merely defined by the change of floor material.

Nature seeps into the living area in form of light and shadow through the grilled doors casted by the nature beyond.

Next to the living area consist a comparatively small pantry but accommodates all services conveniently. Both the bedrooms, one at the ground floor and the other directed through the staircase that runs along the living area, look out to the backyard terrace creating spaces which are personal and intimate.

The materials were chosen carefully to bring-out a traditional Sri Lankan style into the spaces while maintaining the cost to a bare minimum. Materials take consist of cement textures on walls and floors, natural exposed brick, exposed ceiling with coconut timber and clay tiles, wood that gives cozy and homely touch to the interiors, and recycled antique doors and windows that successfully compliment the architectural style used. Materials blend in harmoniously with the natural landscape.

The inner courtyards keep the house passively cool and well ventilated in the tropical hot climate, it brings nature inside and floods the space with natural light.