Shady Grove Avenue Residence
Located in a quiet and shaded residential street of Colombo 08, the Shady Grove Avenue residence is a three storeyed, modern-contemporary luxury private house of nearly 500sqm with separate quarters for maids and drivers. The house was designed to promote family interaction with easy flow between indoor and outdoor activities and clear sight lines across large sections of the home. The L shaped building footprint defines a large, landscaped lush garden ‐ the heart of the house and a focal point of family activities. The garden and terraces, including the expansive roof terrace at the second level overlooking the garden below, allow family activities to spill out to the outdoors.
In order to maintain the experience of an expansive and open space, the design incorporates a double height volume in the living area, which has become the anchor point of the home. Creating another dimension of visual and spatial layering and connectivity, the void allows four key areas – the outdoor landscaped garden, living, dining and upper floor living area – to flow seamlessly into one another.
In reconsidering the conventional entry sequence of residential dwellings, the stone paved entrance vestibule was conceived to create a layered arrival experience, marking the transition between outdoor and indoor; public and private, while also offering glimpses of the outdoor swimming pool through a green visual barrier.
The design seamlessly integrates several sustainable design strategies. The roof of the house conceals a large photovoltaic array for alternate power generation and rainwater is harvested to supplement the flush water system while the balance is used to irrigate the landscaped garden.
