'House 123'
INTRODUCTION to 'HOUSE 123'
Our beach house in Unakuruwa is called 'House 123', because it sits on a plot of land measuring 123 perches. A 'perch' is a measure of area still widely used in Sri Lanka, and there are 160 perches to an acre. This beach front property sits on west-facing bluff some ten metres above the beach. The garden descends direct to the rocky shore, providing direct access for a walk along the seashore.
In designing the house, the owners were keen to respect the topography of the land and its vegetation, especially the palm and mangrove trees. The house is modern and contemporary with spectacular sea views across the infinity pool to the headlands across the bay. The crisp white simplicity of the house contrasts with the adjacent 'jungle' and sea, providing spacious living spaces where the Sri Lankan vegetation and ever-changing sea views are constantly present.
The beach gate
BACKGROUND
The owners spent many years looking at houses and sites in southern Sri Lanka. In 2007, they discovered this property, nestled just outside a small village on a bluff, with an incredible view out over the sea and headlands. The land was bought in 2008 and planning permission was granted in 2009. The building work started in 2011 and the house was fully completed in July 2016. This long build period reflects the high quality of finish, all of which has been done by local craftsmen, much of it bespoke.
The owner developed the overall concept and design of the house and he worked closely with two architects, Thushar Jayamanne and Philip Weenaratne and their Sri Lankan architecture and design firm, PWA. The overriding ambition was to create a simple but comfortable house with lots of separate but linked large spaces for dining, reading and relaxing both inside and outside. The owner worked closely in collaboration with PWA, with almost every detail designed by the owner and Thushar to achieve this ambition. The furniture was designed by the team and made by a local workshop largely using local materials such as kithul wood (a very high quality sustainable hard wood found in Southern Sri Lanka). The artwork in the house is a mix of paintings bought over the years by the owners, including pictures by Sri Lankan artists and by the owner.