Abstract:
Though, architectural details play a major role through out the history up to
date, they are considered as secondary elements in Architecture. In their creations our
ancestors used variety of details in their creations for various purposes. Some of the
details performing as sings and symbols even in the most primitive societies. This
symbol creating function is said to be one of the mankind's primary activities, which
developed in to a work of art. Incorporation of details in Architecture adds beauty to
the product and performs various functions. Details help the integration of various
building elements together and give uniqueness to it while showing ethnicity, culture
and the prevailing Architectural style.
Therefore it is prominent that the integration of uniqueness, ethnicity, culture
and style together can give an identity to a place or a building, Though the identity
of a place, a person perceives the sense of place, The varieties or truths of details acts
as the vehicle to create an appropriate ambience for each individual to feel his own
identity and to make him belong to that place. Sense of belongingness to a certain
place makes oneself a part of his surrounding environment; a part of whole. This
phenomenon is called as the concept of authenticity.
Authentic places help a person to become a part of his surroundings, bounding
him to the context and to feel that the rest of the world does not exist. Creation of
such appropriate detailing according to the perceiver's taste, together with Architect's
talents.
But many of modern days architecture lacks his meaningful, appropriate
details, catering only towards functional and constructional aspects. Thus making the
human being lost, in the modern day building without a sense of place or identity.
Many writers have echoed that modern life is filled with an overwhelming
sense of fragmentation and transitoriness. This has created a need in urban man to
escape from his every day life, in search of something more real, than today high rise
buildings and materialistic life style. This demand has been met with many ways. One
way of meeting this demand is the hospitality industry, with their creation of modern
day resort hotels. This phenomenon has given rise to a new dimension in architecture.
The tourist industry has created a new niche by marketing what is termed as
the concept of authenticity, according to many writers and researchers of Resort hotel
trade. This concept is meant to offer tourists a glimpse in to another culture via the
resort hotels. Many examples of such can be cited in Sri Lankan context. So that the
modern day architect of these resort hotels is confronted with creating a real situation
out of exercise which in its extreme from of fantasy. This study intends to focus on
how these resorts attempts to achieve this sense of authenticity through architectural
details.
The theme of the essay revolves around detailing as an approach to the creation
of resort architecture.
