Paddy Field House

Set on a small hill surrounded by paddy fields on Sri Lanka’s south coast, this proposed dwelling draws on local materials and building traditions. Its circular plan opens to panoramic views, creating a home shaped by the landscape and tropical climate.

Monolithic rammed earth volumes anchor the house, enclosing bedrooms and bathrooms within thick, tactile walls. A continuous roof of traditional clay tiles, supported by reclaimed timber, shelters and unifies the spaces beneath it.

At the centre, a planted courtyard brings daylight and air into the home. Inspired by Geoffrey Bawa’s approach to indoor and outdoor space, it connects the sheltered rooms with an open-air living area that extends towards a curving pool and the paddy fields beyond.

The design balances the solidity of earth with the openness of the circular plan. The architecture is at once rooted in its context, built out of the very earth it sits upon and open to the landscape that defines it.