while visiting dambulla, we took a tuk tuk to one of the most well-know hotels designed by the famous sri lankan architect - geoffrey bawa - kandalama hotel.
the drive was through a narrow dirt road and our driver took us on a detour along a flooded lake, to experience the nature of the surroundings ...
the flooded lake after weeks of heavy down pour
view of the lake from the hotel
kandalama is immersed in nature ... it is consumed by the thick vegetation, surrounded by mountains, water and mist.
an elephant at the hotel lobby, waiting to pick up a bride
view from the lobby - the hotel feels is like a tree house, perched amongst the trees
nature is invited into the architecture through seamless transitions
bawa's simplicity does very little to achieve a lot...
the hotel is surrounded by layers of nature - the vines, the vegetation, the lake, and mountains... and it reflects these elements from within.
... in the construction detail - encouraging the vines to grow along the building facade
... in the staircase ...
... through the openings ...
... by bringing in the surroundings in ...
bawa's minimal intrusion on nature allows the elements to touch the ground gently
what's most amazing about the hotel is that it is so welcoming to everyone - even the monkeys.
