Dome Houses
Eastern Province, Ampara
Post-Tsunami Architecture
After the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami destroyed vast swathes of coastal housing in eastern Sri Lanka, various international organisations built replacement homes using different designs. The dome houses near Ampara, built with Monolithic Dome technology, represent one of the most visually distinctive of these reconstruction efforts.
The Settlement
The dome-shaped houses, arranged in neat rows, look strikingly different from traditional flat-roofed or pitched-roof Sri Lankan homes. Many have been painted in bright colours by their residents, creating an almost fantasy-village appearance. The structures are designed to be extremely resistant to hurricanes and earthquakes — a practical consideration for a tsunami-affected region.
Visiting
The dome houses are located near Ampara in the Eastern Province. This is a residential area — visit respectfully and do not enter homes without invitation. The settlement is best visited as a brief stop while exploring other eastern attractions.
