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'Mithya Vananta' - Mythical Forest

  • Prize
    Winner in Architectural Design Eco friendly
  • Company/Firm
    URBNarc
  • Lead Designer
    Gaurang Khemka
  • Other Designer(s)
    Nitika Agarwal, Kamil Mahmud, Aproova Madhusudan
  • Architect
    URBNarc
  • Interior Designer
    URBNarc
  • Hospitality
    Resplendent Ceylon Hotels
  • Location
    Dambulla, Sri Lanka
  • Project Date
    June 2027
  • Developer
    Dilmah Tea Group

Located in the Dambulla region of Sri Lanka, the project is set within a 4-hectare forested site overlooking a serene reservoir, paddy fields, and distant hills. Designed to harmonize with its natural context, the resort offers an intimate experience that is seamlessly integrated with the environment.

A key design decision was to elevate the built structure and reduce the building footprint. This allows the existing terrain, micro-fauna movement and over 1,000 mature native trees to remain undisturbed, thereby preserving the site’s lush ecological character. In this spirit, the eco-resort is crafted to find its place within the forest’s natural clearings, minimizing deforestation and maintaining a seamless dialogue with nature.

Pod-like rooms nestled within the tree canopies are linked by a series of biomorphic elevated walkways that echo the organic forms of the trees and their branching patterns. The accommodation and public buildings employ minimal materiality of green steel and thermopine wood – reinforcing the idea of a highly sustainable eco-resort with a low carbon footprint.