Polontolawa, Sri Lanka

Polontolawa, Sri-Lanka, 1966, 350 m2

Administration and dwelling built among large boulders in a jungle area in Sri Lanka being converted into a coconut plantation. It was built by a crew of jungle villagers, without drawings, but following a full-size mockup of white sticks and strings that stood for a year while the building slowly grew.
All the materials are from the vicinity, the polished coconut tree trunks, the clay floor tiles burnt in a village kiln and the hardwood timber for the roof. In the warm climate of high humidity the house is open to the breeze on all sides. A wall surrounds the whole site to keep out wild animals, at least the big ones.