Community Centre for IFRCS at Thalalla, Mathara

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as there tsunami rehabilitation and livelihood support close out program, invited the architects to design and supervise a community centre building for the tsunami affected community of Thalalla Mathara southern Sri Lanka. Total budget allocation was Sri Lankan rupees six (06) million (55,000 US$ approx.) and the community centre building was to be built in a Buddhist temple premises as a token of gratitude to the chief monk of the temple who helped tsunami affected Thalalla villagers in numerous ways by providing food, accommodation and sanitary facilities during the difficult days in the immediate aftermath of the December 2004 Tsunami. Rebuilding in Sri Lanka still has a long way to go after the catastrophic damage wrought by the 2004 tsunami. This new community centre on a budget of $55,000 (£34,000) works hard to restore essential services for the villagers of Thalalla.
Set in the grounds of a Buddhist temple (as a debt of gratitude to the local chief monk who assisted with the tsumani recovery effort), the centre adopts the ancient Buddhist temple building tradition of tam pita viharas (building on pillars) so that it can withstand flooding. As the community centre was located in a temple it was decided to raise the building above ground in the ancient Buddhist temple building tradition of ‘tam pita viharas’ (building on pillars) so that it will be accessible during a possible Flood or a worst case scenario Tsunami. Raised Floor of the community centre was a suspended concrete slab out of pre cast slab laid on in-situ cast reinforced concrete column and beam structural skeleton
As the community centre was located in a temple it was decided to raise the building above ground in the ancient Buddhist temple building tradition of ‘tam pita viharas’ (building on pillars) so that it will be accessible during a possible Flood or a worst case scenario Tsunami. Raised Floor of the community centre was a suspended concrete slab out of pre cast slab laid on in-situ cast reinforced concrete column and beam structural skeleton. Chief Monk of the temple was initially reluctant to donate temple land for a single storey building, due to scarcity of vacant temple land. To solve above problem the architects had to come up with a design proposal where a future expansion in terms of a timber deck mezzanine floor can be carried out at a later stage, after completion of the construction of the community centre as a first phase. Thus the resultant cathedral like double height volume in the community centre due to its 45 degree steeply sloping roof angle, leaving ample space for a future expansion vertically.
Due to budget constraints walls were left exposed brickwork, without plaster and concrete columns and beams including roof beams were left raw concrete to increase the textured tactile quality of the community centre. Roof was also left ceiling-less as a value engineering exercise, letting the possibility for the roof to ‘breathe’. The steeply sloping roof was constructed out of exposed couloured timber rafters in a clay tiled roof cover. As a counterpoint to the otherwise sombre surroundings, splashes of colour were introduced by way of cheerfully coloured doors to the interior of the building.
Two four feet tall triangular hanging lights were fixed to the roof ridge beam of the main multi-purpose hall, designed in the tradition of ‘vesak lanterns’ with a cheap white cloth cover emitting a soothing light emanating from the 4 feet tall fluorescent light, to brighten the double height hall. All windows were designed as timber framed glazed, vertically pivoting windows inspired by nearby 1970s Thangalle Bay Hotel Windows by Architect Valentine Gunasekara. Facilities in the community center include a reading room, a library, male and female toilets and a common hall for meetings. It serves as Buddhist religious school on Sundays in addition to being a preaching hall on Buddhist religious full moon ‘Poya’ holidays.
With the above multipurpose flexibility of the community center building it was expected to serve wider variety of public in various ways in this region of Tsunami hit Southern Sri Lanka Cheif Monk of the temple was magnanimous enough to provide cooked meals in addition to the free accommodation provided including sanitary facilities. Tsunami refugees were housed in the temple for over three months with the chief monk spearheading a generous relief effort. As a gesture of goodwill to the cheif monk for the services rendered during this trying times aid organisation IFRCS decided to gift the temple a community centre in recognition of the services rendered during that time.
The Community Centre is built in the vernacular temple building tradition of tam pita viharas (buildings on pillars). Standing in the premises of the Sri Mandalaramaya Buddhist temple in Thalalla, this modest community centre is cleverly designed for spaciousness and multipurpose flexibility, and in the few months since completing construction, it has quickly become the centre of activity for the multi-faceted needs of the local village community. Architect has incorporated into the design, individual spaces for the office of the local grama sevaka, a library, and a reading room, in three corners of the Centre, with toilet facilities in the fourth.

The capacious main hall is home to the many community activities during the week, while on weekends this is where the youth of Thalalla come together for the daham pasala religious school and on full moon poya days, the Centre becomes the preaching hall ‘Bana Maduwa’ and the heart of the village religious observances. Community Centre design is noteworthy for a number of significant features. Its modest yet versatile design, the relatively restrictive site area available for construction, the futuristic design of the steeply sloping roof that would enable a mezzanine to be installed giving greater floor space at a later date economically and within the existing building profile, the centre completed within a limited budget of Rs 6.0 million.

It fulfills the floor area needs of a double-storied building within the footprint of a single storey, with future expansion possibilities. A robust concrete frame holds infill panels of exposed red brick and supports a clay-tiled pitched roof. The centre’s simple yet effective treatment of exposed red brick and raw concrete skeleton, mixed with cheery accents of colourfully painted doors in hues of bright red, blue and green, rafters of turquoise blue, shelters all community-related activities. The Centre is a haven of serenity, the sacred Bo tree reaching out to nestle the building within its shading branches, the interior spaces providing a calm environment ideally suited for the multi-functional activities of the people of the village for whom this Community Centre is a second home away from home