The Pavilion
‘A simple retreat across the
river Kelani with dramatic
views of the rainforest’
Discover bliss in the lush greens
of Kitulgala.
Features
A drive across a long steel bridge across the river, and winding pathways bring one to the entry gate, a steel sheet salvaged from containers leads to the entry court which provides little preparation for panoramic the view that is to be had once the pivot door that opens out to the dramatic tree tops of the rain forest and the cloud laden views of the hills beyond, with the perpetual soothing gush of the river.
This upper level pavilion is a long living cum dining space, with a kitchen /pantry. Two ponds with the riverine fish reflect the clouds and the proximal trees .No rooms are in sight & to both ends of the pavilion are tucked away stairs that takes people down to literally the level of the river, to the rooms.
The shipping containers form two out of the four bedrooms. The four bedrooms which are at the lower river level, close to the water provides a magical views of the rainforest strata , tree trunks & undergrowth coupled with the soothing ambient river, a sound that changes with the seasons.
Often the challenges of working with shipping containers, is the limited volume it contains and a sense of claustrophobia that is often created, to mitigate this, The containers were cantilevered to create an expanded sense of space & a connection with the outdoors through a deck.
The possibility of carving out space for two more bedrooms between the containers was discovered during construction. These spacious rooms, that have the feeling of an underground cave closely connected with panorama of the river .
The service block that is connected via the living spaces & the entry court, comprises of 2 shipping containers with a courtyard that acts as a service yard.
Encounter life
at the rainforest!
An ethereal experience
by the banks of River Kelani