PANADURA - CIVIC CENTER Part 1 Project 2011 Aminah Marika City School of Architecture | Sri Lanka "No man is an Island entire of itself"Meditation XVII, 1624: John DonnePanadura grew with a distinct and unique character, in consonance with the threeidentifiable stages of Sri Lanka's culture: the immigration of persons into the country,the onset of trade relations between Sri Lanka and other countries, and colonization, the last of which had a stilted the development of your indigenous identity. The tension created by the introduction of the last of these factors was brought to public attention by the 'Panaduravadaya' which was a great religious debate that took place in Panadura during the British rule. Through this, reconciliation and adaptation took place in this location. However, this process was disturbed and disrupted further by the advent of the open economy in 1977, creating change s too drastic and sudden to be merged into the existing social fabric, creating a rift and a divide that exists to tills day. It is an inability for the society to function as a cohesive whole that pervades this town presently.The main space is symbolic of the once held debate, this taking the centre stage of thedesign helps users to be connected to other spaces and functions visually or physically, upon reaching the climax of the design the latent mind helps to create a sense of epiphany and the objective met."To create interdependence and interaction amongst people and people, spaces andpeople so that they realize the benefits in having an interactive society."In order to achieve "cultural change" the public need to identify the importance ofinteracting, depending and complimenting their fellow being.The focus was to "tap on the positive/ negative MEME'S in Panadura to rebuild aconnected society".The Civic Centre in Panadura is symbolic o f the MEME'S in Panadura, in representing theMEME you create a common platform for interaction visually or Physically. This will prompt society to gradually breakaway from their introverted shell, which will lead to a new birth of understanding and contribution from one man to society resulting in an identity truly indigenous to Panadura. Tutor(s) Sanath Liyanage Sumith Perera