Colombo International Finance Centre (CIFC) Phase I, Port City
Presented as South-Asia’s world class city in the making, the Port City Colombo is a modern metropolis soaring out of the water along the Sri Lankan capital’s seafront. Spanning 269 hectares of land reclaimed from the sea, the Port City is set to be Sri Lanka’s first special economic zone dedicated for exports of services, and the new business & residential hub of Colombo. Set in the ‘Financial District’, which is envisioned to become the urban heart and vibrant business center of the Port City, the 3.06 ha project site for CIFC Phase 1, borders the ‘The Marina’ precinct and the old city.
The CIFC Phase 1 development involves the construction of a mixed-use tower and two residential apartment towers with a retail podium on the ground floor. Ascending to forty-four & forty-five floors, the total gross floor area across the development amounts to 159,632 sqm, with residential and serviced apartments encompassing an area of 87,797 sqm, a retail space of 23,306 sqm, and an office area of 23,944 sqm.
The towers are placed in a staggered arrangement creating a collective gateway identity to the master plan whilst maximizing the opportunities for views from within the buildings. The programme has been carefully crafted around courtyards and plazas with the aim of activating the different users and providing grand communal spaces for arrival and gathering.
As the local architectural partner, DG5 provides design reviews for conformity with local regulations at each project phase and query responses on local materials, industry standards, norms and conventions during design development. The scope of work also entails obtaining the necessary statutory approvals & permits and conducting periodic supervision during construction as required.
The conceptual designs were carried by the acclaimed, multi-national architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), during which the DG5 team provided consultations, design reviews and local input to develop and finalize the design. (3D images courtesy of SOM)
