Entrance Complex

The Entrance complex site is located 13 km from the Dhanushkodi town. The Coastal regulation zones start from this point. Hence this site is best suited to house all the major services to the visitors. NH 49 runs till the tip of the land spit through MR Chathiram, Dhanushkodi, and Arichalmunnai. The site is surrounded by Protected forest on the northern and western ends, and by CRZ 1B zones in the southem and eastem ends.

Thesis Project | Ar.R.M.Valliappan

The Site is two high lands on the northwestern and southeastern end. A steep slope is observed in the northern end of the site along the forest which collects runoff water from the site and the protected forest. The low lying area is 2400 mm below the road level. Contour lines are drawn every 250 mm. The site is divided into three parts based on the vegetation and contour, The first part is flat, open, and has less vegetation, The second site is steep, has a perennial water body and tall, dense casuarina vegetation and the third site has slight undulations and has sparse shrub vegetation.

Visitors arriving in different modes of road transportation are received in the public plaza. Entry to the site is by climbing down the ramp that connects the visitors with the water body. Pedestrian movement is encouraged around the water body and the waiting area and restaurants are placed as such they have an uninterrupted view to the water body. After collecting the ticket the visitors are taken through the photo gallery and Gulf of Mannar museum to the boarding point.

The Visitors climb down the entrance ramp from the public plaza to reach - 2400 level. They are welcomed by a double-height pergola entry extending view into the water catchment area. The Pathway extends to the lake trall that runs along the periphery of the water catchment area and the waiting lounge. The Double height Pergola entrance extends Into the Lake trail which takes the visitors along the periphery of the water catchment area. The trail climbs level with a series of ramps and steps in accordance with mother nature.

The central spine runs in between the restaurant and the waiting complex along the length of the site directing the pedestrian movement towards the boarding point. The Spine is built to make the most of the existing tall dense casuarina vegetation. Seaters are made around the trees. The space is very much contained with buildings around and reachable. The restaurant has punctures in the root to co-exist with the existing trees. Ticketing counter breaks the monotonous stretch of the Central spine. Visitors start their Journey towards Dhanushkodi after collecting their tickets and baggage checked. On the other side, visitors return to the entrance complex completing their trip to Dhanushkodi and culminate in the central spine. These two pathways are separated by a Battery cat lane that shuttles between the Public plaza and Boarding point to transport elderly and differently abled visitors.

Collecting the tickets from the ticket counter the journey to the abandoned town kick starts with a series of photo display on glass boxes along the pathway to give schema of what they could expect in Dhanushkodi. The Glass boxes are naturally and artificially lighted from above with a northern opening above. The Long Corridor is a series of altering spatial experience and the Gulf of Mannar biosphere museum cuts right at the centre of the pathway displaying the rich culture and importance of the biosphere. The Gulf of Mannar museum bisects the photo gallery pathway with a water body diverting the pathway. The Museum has two Display halls and a water body running between the two buildings and extending into the pathway making a symbolic representation of the gulf. The Museum has large glass openings looking into the protected forest that floods the display hall with natural light. The visitors are taken to the entry in the first floor through a stairway and later to the second display hall, The exit opens into the Photo Gallery pathway right after the water body. The Photo gallery pathway opens into the boarding and arrival plaza. The plaza has an OAT, restrooms and Boarding station from where the visitors can either take a tram or buggy service to reach the next destination Vibishan temple.