Reimagining Coastal Futures: Architectural Innovation and Environmental Harmony Tthrough Coastal Restoration

Volume: 11 | Issue: 01 | Year 2025 | Subscription
International Journal of Landscape Planning and Architecture
Received Date: 10/09/2024
Acceptance Date: 11/19/2024
Published On: 2025-01-30
First Page: 9
Last Page: 30

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By: Nilma Tissakuttiarachchi

Graduate, Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.

Abstract

In a world woven around constant change, architecture stands as a strong transformative force which is capable of shaping and responding to the evolving built environment. It plays an important role in community resilience and sustainability in an era of fast environmental change, going beyond simple aesthetics. This essay introduces a Coastal Restoration and Awareness Center for Kalutara, a cutting-edge architectural project that balances the built and natural environments. The center hopes to become a game-changing hub for environmental education and community engagement by tackling urgent issues like coastal erosion and climate change. The idea of “‘design for change”’, and “‘designing to be able to change”’ which highlights reimagining of obsolete spaces while also elaborating flexibility and foresight in architectural practice, is fundamental to the project. By utilizing environmentally friendly materials like stone, timber and biodegradable materials made from nearby resources like algae and corals, the institute aims to restore abandoned coastal areas. This method promotes communication between the past and present by integrating modern design aesthetics with traditional workmanship. The Coastal Restoration and Awareness Center strives to raise community understanding of the value of environmental stewardship and to empower communities through such efforts. Through fostering a more profound relationship between people and their coastal environment, the center promotes sustainable behaviors that acknowledge the fleeting character of human existence within a dynamic natural context. Ultimately, this project functions as a model for upcoming architectural projects, demonstrating how careful design interventions can foster ecological consciousness, resilience, and adaptation. The proposed model of Coastal Restoration and Awareness Center can become a testament to the capacity of architecture to create significant change and preserve coastal legacy for future generations while bridging the gap between nature and the built environment.

Keywords: Sustainability, coastal restoration, architectural innovation, cultural heritage, adaptability, community engagement, eco-friendly materials, environmental awareness

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Citation:

How to cite this article: Nilma Tissakuttiarachchi, Reimagining Coastal Futures: Architectural Innovation and Environmental Harmony Tthrough Coastal Restoration. International Journal of Landscape Planning and Architecture. 2025; 11(01): 9-30p.

How to cite this URL: Nilma Tissakuttiarachchi, Reimagining Coastal Futures: Architectural Innovation and Environmental Harmony Tthrough Coastal Restoration. International Journal of Landscape Planning and Architecture. 2025; 11(01): 9-30p. Available from:https://journalspub.com/publication/ijlpa/article=15672

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