Tsunami Housing, Ranna

Floor area: It has changed from initial 771 sq.ft. to approx. 550 / 600 sq. ft.
Cost: about Rs. 800,000
Donor / Implemented by: Plan International in collaboration with TUI, UDA and
the Government of Sri Lanka

The resettlement scheme is situated close to Ranna, on the mainTangalle /
Hambantota highway. The site is located near the lagoon, a flat site, accessible
from the main road.

A large housing layout was carried out by Plan International and partners for 200
families, and work at the initial phase was carried out with locally produced
compressed stabilized earth block technology. However the project was
completely abandoned and later, 69 houses had to be demolished due to very
poor quality of the soil block. At present the scheme adopted
conventional building technology.

Two architectural designs were adapted one for earth technology and a smaller,
modified plan for the present construction. The design was done according to
traditional building typology with front and rear verandahs and deep roof
overhangs. Other special features are short interior partition walls and the
colourful elevations. A single house contains two equally sized bedrooms, a hall,
kitchen and toilet at the side with a small roof, accessible from outside. Large
openings are provided for cross ventilation.

Now the technology has reverted to traditional 9” load bearing brick walls with
lintels above doors and windows and fully plastered walls. Good quality
interlocking tiles from Polonnaruwa are used as roof covering on wooden rafters
but untreated wood is used for door and window frames.

Information form GTZ document