Residence at Thalahena, Malabe

Home to a young family with working parents the design had to offer a relaxing ambience. Both Eranda and Dhanushka drive to Colombo for work from their home at Thalahena, Malabe and from the onset they both wanted an extent of privacy that would still allow them to enjoy the outdoors; and the idea of a courtyard house was born. The courtyard of this home forms a double height internal volume and the level play inside the home allows for variant views of and through the courtyard from the difference spaces. This central open to sky space sets the ambience of the home a par with the outdoors and it connects spaces in a single line of sight although at difference levels; where the family would mostly spend their time. The Living spills over to the courtyard for additional space for guest entertainment at ground level. The dry kitchen and family lounge, family Lounge and Laundry, Living and family Lounge, Living, Dining and dry kitchen are all open to one another; visually and physically borrowing and sharing space with each other and central courtyard and peripheral garden; resulting with free-flowing volumes with the illusion of larger space despite the restricted area. Stack ventilation through the courtyard keeps the house the cool while only the bedrooms are thermally controlled for comfort.