Think global, act local

Sri Lankan Architect practicing in USA is in Sri Lanka to replicate his success in Panama here

 

“Architecture is an art; a pragmatic art. It is a science, a sensuous science,” says Archt. Dr. Raj Barr-Kumar. Here in Sri Lanka to initiate three projects incorporating sustainability, latest technology and modern design, Barr joined the Daily FT to talk about his upcoming projects and sustainability in design:

By Cheranka Mendis

From around the world to Sri Lanka

In Colombo, to develop and design projects that will propel Sri Lanka to take a lead role in sustainable design, Barr brings home three key elements known as the triple net design, from his experience building in USA, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. A pioneering move by Barr, the triple net design includes net zero energy consumption, net zero water consumption and net zero carbon emission.

Building here on the success achieved particularly in Panama where the climate is similar to Sri Lanka, Barr is looking at an urban high rise tower in Colombo, an eco resort in a location closer to the beach and one in the hills.

“Among the three projects, the one in downtown Colombo will be a high rise tower with 35 storeys. The population density requires it to be built this way,” he said.

Also bringing home Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) which are silicon chips of solar panels now embedded in film which is flexible and can be attached to fronts of buildings, roofs of buildings or even integrated to the titles of the roof, etc., so that the building is pumping energy, Barr will use this to conserve energy and establish net zero energy consumption.

Colombo high rise building project

“While we will be generating the energy the building needs from the sun, we will also look at harvesting the rain. In a tropical country such as Sri Lanka harvesting rain is a no brainer,” he said.

In the Colombo project, he said: “We will catch the rain at the top where we will build a green park or a sky garden.” The water will come terracing down to the next level through a planter and come to rest every five floors or so. Every floor where the water will rest will have an outdoor terrace, bringing nature closer to the people even 30 storeys high.

“Like water purifying itself as it passes through earth, by the time the water reaches the special tanks at the bottom, the water will be purified and will be of quality drinking water status,” Barr said. The water thus collected will be used for recycling, flushing and landscape, etc. Extending water is now more valuable than oil. The plan is to grow vegetables as well on the 35th floor along with other plants such as hydroponic tomatoes, which can double up as decoration as well. “I say we celebrate sustainability.”

Acknowledging that humans are naturally connected to the ground, the concept is to take the trees up as buildings rise. Curtains of green plants to screen the hot sun from reaching the glass and overheating it, sky gardens and outdoor terraces are all part of the plan.

Projects in the mountains and on the beach

Barr noted that a project similar to Altos Escondidos (meaning Hidden Hills), Panama’s first 100% sustainable luxury community designed to integrate the comforts of modern life with nature’s luxuries – pure mountain air, water drawn from their own aquifer, cool breezes, tropical sunshine, stunning views, organic food and outdoors just a step away, will be replicated in Sri Lanka.

Even though unqualified to divulge the exact location or the name of the project, he stated that the buildings will be designed in a way where there is minimum harm down to the land. “We tread carefully on land,” he noted, “Without clearing the ground, each room will be made separately like a village house, 400 sqft or so each, and will be supported by pillars.”

Like in Panama project where Barr insisted on replanting all the trees that were cut down in the area by villagers to herd cattle prior to building so as to generate carbon credit which is now traded to create added revenue, Sri Lanka too will be directed the same way. The water front eco resort in the beach area will follow a similar trend of architecture and design.

The two projects are targeted for a specific group of people like the Middle Eastern community looking to spend time in a cool climate, five hours away from the hot weather in their country. With the primary goals being privacy, security, health and wellness the target is for a blended active living community of professionals and expatriates. “We want to build the condominium concept so that they will keep coming back.”

 Giving back to the community

A foundation similar to that of Panama will be set up close to the new areas to share the wealth made by the company with the local community from which the common ideas have been derived for the projects. Computer equipped classrooms for children and ‘green job’ training and vocational training for the youth of the area will be provided through the foundation. Community centres as well as arts and crafts centres will be part of the building.

“By taking their wealth of ideas and sharing with them what is needed to make life better, it is a common win-win situation for both the locals and us.”

Sri Lanka – pioneers in sustainability

Barr went on to say that sustainability is a concept not foreign to Sri Lanka. “Sri Lanka pioneered what we now call sustainability.”

Noting that the high tax imposed on glass and air-conditioning units during the 1965 Bandaranaike Government pushed people to design houses to get the best breeze and the maximum use of sun. The State Engineering Corporation even went on to invent a ‘kohutex,’ which was environmentally friendly and was used instead of fibre.

“In that period we did things that were so far ahead and those architects became known for what they were doing. One of them was Geoffrey Bawa. People think he is a stylist, which is why he picked up Dutch columns, etc. But the truth is he went there because he knew how to make the building cool naturally that way. Remember that air-conditioning was only invented in 1818.”

Pioneers on a downhill slope

“As we get more sophisticated we do not have to get dumber; we can actually keep that wealth of knowledge,” Barr said. “Sri Lanka is sustainable but we are moving away from it; that is my concern.”

He noted that Bawa created structures which are today identified as ‘eco resorts’. “Even before they had a name for it, Bawa and other local architects created it. Bawa was recognised more since he was the best in image creation. He did not import material for his designs; it was all locally-based. People are now losing this touch.”

Sri Lanka was also the pioneer of pools with vanishing edges known as infinity pools. Barr worked together with Bawa to create this, he said. “We wanted to show that the pool and ocean are on the same level and did not want the concrete blocking the view. It was a design decision in response to a sensitivity.” Barr said: “We as architects were exposed to it much earlier. Now they have fancy words for it.”

He noted that if we go back to our basic principles, we can live in a tropical island with a fabulous lifestyle without having to mimic and imitate the West.

“120 years since the invention of air-conditioning, we have managed to blow a hole in the ozone layer, which is changing the climate. Higher technologies do not mean you must get dumber.” He noted that to become sustainable, architects should chose commonsense as their base and later selectively add higher technologies as and when needed. “It is a very focused, almost an incisive scientific way of doing it. It is much easier to design any shape and turn the A/C on; however that is not sensible and its negative impact will be on the environment as well as on the pocket.”

Barr vs. foreign architects

A cause for the current situation came with the country inviting more and more foreign architects who know little about the country to design here. “As we have more and more foreign architects coming in, which we tend to reach for now as we are trying to catch up with the world, we are getting people who are not familiar with our country; they are just bringing architecture. This is not always sustainable.”

The experience and expertise gained doing projects abroad and his link with Mother Lanka would form the perfect balance for the country in terms of architecture and design as it moves forward in development. “The reason why I am coming in is that for one, I got a free education here, therefore I owe it morally and ethically back to the country, and more importantly, what is the point of success if you cannot give back to your country?”

Barr, who will continue to be based in USA to keep up with the latest technological developments, etc., will however work both as a foreign architect and a local one to complete the work undertaken. “What I’m offering is a foreign architect with latest cutting edge technology who has done well overseas. But I am also a local. Normally a foreign architect does 40% and flies out, leaving 60% to be resolved by local architects. 100% responsibility is what I take, because I can switch the hats and offer the best.”

Sustainability

So how exactly would he pin sustainability? “Sustainable design is about how to live in today’s context without wrapping it up for the next generation. As Native Americans say, ‘we are borrowing from future generations,’” Barr acknowledged.

Professional are also responsible for the health and wellness of the public, he asserted.

Health and wellness today is incorporated in what he calls ‘village value of Sri Lanka’. By village values, he means taking a wealth of ideas from the village, understanding at the basic and then moving forward with technology. This would enable living in Sri Lanka a low expense living.

“The quality of life you can live with a lot of money can only be achieved in another country after you have made millions. Living ethically can be done easier here than in the West.”

Health and wellness in turn come together with sustainability. “For me sustainability, health and wellness are intertwined. The buildings we are now building in Sri Lanka, where we cannot open windows, speaks otherwise. In a tropical country we should breathe more fresh air. Opening the windows will enable this and also reduce the cost of air-conditioning.”

Barr added: “The architecture of the buildings should be rooted in the country’s rich cultural traditions and updated with modern elegance, served by latest technological innovations. The marriage is of simplicity and sophistication along with innovation and tradition.”