Residential Landscape Project at Thalahena, Sri Lanka
To expand the existing home garden into a large, seamless, wildlife-inspired retreat that reflects the client's cherished childhood memories. The design focuses heavily on soft landscaping and creating a natural habitat for local wildlife. The project involved removing the boundary wall between the existing garden and the bare land to create a continuous outdoor space.
Entry Landscape & Car Parking
The Entry Landscape was strategically designed to manage the critical transition from the public road while seamlessly addressing core vehicular needs. The main functional solution is the creation of a new, wide entrance to allow car access. This area features a dedicated, covered parking space provided by a proposed Gable Carport, which is structurally defined yet softly integrated into the surrounding greenery. Crucially, the access way utilizes permeable materials for the driveway paving, adhering to sustainable principles and enhancing drainage. The entry area features a distinctive main wooden door, which is highlighted by soft uplighting to emphasize its texture and character, blending rustic elements with modern architecture. This zone acts as the essential, functional interface between the urban environment and the expansive, naturalized garden beyond.
Central Garden
The Central Garden serves as the primary transition and aesthetic zone of the expanded property, where organization meets natural beauty. It is designed with organic level changes to create a dynamic and visually appealing circulation path. The signature feature of this area is the Welcoming Water Fountain (or cascading water feature), which is softly lit and surrounded by lush, broad-leafed plants. The design adheres to a strong soft landscaping focus, utilizing native and shade-providing species to minimize the use of hardscape elements. This central area ensures clear, legible pathways and smooth transitions, successfully linking the organized domestic space with the wilder habitat beyond.
Wild Garden
The Wild Garden is the ecological centerpiece of the design, specifically conceived as a forest-style wild garden to re-establish the client's sentimental connection with the area's wildlife. This immersive space features a proposed natural pond for wildlife, integrating aquatic plants to improve water quality and support aquatic life. The atmosphere is characterized by dense, layered, and diverse native foliage, including large trees and ferns that create a lush, shady environment. The deliberate lack of formal hardscaping emphasizes the natural character, fostering a sustainable ecosystem that requires minimal maintenance and maximizes biodiversity. This transformation of bare land into a wildlife habitat is the ultimate expression of the project's vision.
Development Phases
Site Analysis
Site ecology and existing-condition survey.
Design Development
Concept and planting-led design refinement.
Documentation
Construction drawings and planting schedules.
Construction
Landscape installation and habitat establishment.