Hiriketiya Guesthouse in Sri Lanka by Swiss architects
Atelier Abraha Achermann exists as a sculptural intersection of built forms and gardens – the unapologetically brutalist guesthouse speaks directly with the natural environment it sits within.
Located within a small village on a picturesque bay in Southern Sri Lanka, the small-scale building unfolds within a series of concrete planes. Curved surfaces meet clean straight lines, the intersection of the two forming fine-looking spatial experiences. The scars left from previous formwork tell the story of the building’s construction, its raw surface bringing textual interest to the project.
Walking through the spaces can be likened to moving through a sculpture garden, as dancing sunlight transforms every surface into a piece of art. The homogenous, solid language attached to concrete is counterbalanced by the organic, lush greenery that surrounds the buildings. The incongruent elements manage to sit in perfect balance with one another, generating an aesthetic that’s equally robust and expressive.
