AHASA ONE Sky Bridge – First of its kind in South Asia
View(s):For over a century, Galle Face has been Colombo’s prestigious ocean front green and the city’s ceremonial centre. Sitting majestically between the ocean, bustling metropolis and lake, this narrow, picturesque stretch of prime land is being transformed into a vibrant new cosmopolitan area.
The Sky Bridge
Today, with luxury property after luxury property appearing in this central zone (epitomized by the massive feat of engineering at Colombo Port City), Galle Face is set to become the heartbeat of one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.
This ambition is about to be manifested by the installation of the remarkable AHASA ONE Sky Bridge. “It is certainly the most distinctive and striking feature of the iconic Sapphire Residences and ITC One hotel complex, which dominates the centre of the Galle Face oceanfront and is destined to become a major landmark for the city,” the company said in a media release.
Scheduled for completion in 2021, this iconic development comprises the impressive c.224-metre residential tower, which sits alongside the c.140-metre high hotel. These two vertical structures will be connected c100 metres in the air at the 19th to 21st levels by the AHASA ONE Sky Bridge.
The first of its kind in South Asia, AHASA ONE will have not one but two infinity pools and a sun deck on top; inside the structure will be a luxurious jazz lounge and bar, which will surely become one of Colombo’s social ‘hotspots’. The dual-panoramic views from this awe-inspiring structure will be some of the most breathtaking in the city, revealing the Indian Ocean, Beira Lake and the city lights below in all their glory, the release said.
“Inevitably such a unique design has presented some interesting and unique challenges. Suspended 100 meters in the air and weighing a staggering c.3,000 tonnes when completed, this c.55-meter-long elevated pathway is unquestionably an engineering marvel, which demanded the world’s best minds to turn it into reality. As such, developers WelcomHotels Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd. sought the expertise and experience of world-leading construction company L&T. The Skybridge is one of the most unique structures that we have ever built, not least as it requires extensive full-scale load testing before final assembly on site,” explained L&T Sri Lanka Head Natarajan Namachivayam. “This is a unique challenge that, to our knowledge, has no precedent of this nature and complexity anywhere in the world. The balanced double infinity Skypools and the suspended Sky Lounge below the pool are features which are unique to this project,” he observed. “The AHASA ONE structure is the result of a two year long collaborative effort between the design, procurement, fabrication and erection teams. As far as construction is concerned, highly specialised synchronised lifting systems and fabrication methods, together with a unique ‘top down’ assembly process in the suspended condition, have been employed.”
In order to create such a landmark building as the region’s most exclusive, sustainable complex, leading companies around the world covering architecture, engineering, interior design, security, landscaping, marketing and sales were approached, from which a world-class team of global experts was assembled. This team includes the world’s most revered living designer Philippe Starck (Paris) and YOO (London), Gensler (San Francisco), Control Risks (London), Thornton Tomasetti (New York), L&T (India/Sri Lanka), Sterling (India), Design Wilkes (Malaysia), Meinhardt Façade (India), Burega Farnell (Singapore) and Sotheby’s International Realty (global sales). This is underpinned by the exceptional five star hospitality services that will be delivered by India’s ITC Hotels to residents, guests and visitors to Sapphire Residences and ITC One hotel, the release said.
Closer to home, a leading consultant on this iconic development is the renowned and celebrated Sri Lankan architect Surath Wickramasinghe, who has been at the forefront of this project since its inception.
Mr. Wickramasinghe agrees that the most significant aspect of the Galle Face development is the Ahasa One Sky Bridge. Describing it as ‘architecturally iconic’, he believes the exterior glass facade enabling spectacular panoramic views will generate an ambience that is unique to Sri Lanka and to South Asia. “This exceptional Sky Bridge will be a distinctive landmark for the City of Colombo, a symbolic catalyst to convey to the world the country’s resurgent economic and cultural growth. I hope that it will also inspire our own architects and designers to push the boundaries of creativity in transforming Colombo’s skyline,” he said.