'THE DIGITAL CIRCUIT' - BAMBALAPITIYA SKYWALK

‘The Digital Circuit’ – Bambalapitiya skywalk, was an overhead pedestrian bridge, that was to be sited in Bambalapitiya, as a connector between the Bambalapitiya railway station, the public market, Unity Plaza, and Majestic City shopping mall. The skywalk was proposed to run above Marine Drive, Station Road and Galle Road with stairways, three outdoor escalators and three elevators connecting it to the ground at various points. Vast ‘hangout’ spaces were envisioned with kiosks, outdoor LED screens and stages for performances that served the area’s entertainment and recreational purposes, making circulation through the space a better experience. Unity Plaza, the city’s main source of tech products, initiated the concept of the ‘the digital circuit’ with the intention of one’s experience of treading through a digital circuit board. The LED lights create a magical experience of one’s presence within a computer most prominently during the day’s darker hours. The primary elements of the bridge included a galvanized steel structure with perforated mesh and fiber sheet coverings, and an engraved glass box with the print of a digital circuit board. A secondary link was put forward tethering the Unity Plaza and the Majestic City Shopping Complex, for which the owners of the shopping complexes consented to fund. Furthermore, the Secretary of the Defense and Urban Development Authority requested the Bambalapitiya railway station and the CMC Public Market to be revamped, accommodating all modern facilities. The two ends of the bridge were positioned to lead into the Bambalapitiya railway station and the market complex on either end. The Cargills group also agreed to fund the reconstruction of the railway station with an agreement of the presence of a roof slab for their business activities. Thus, this project engaged all possible stakeholders, using incentives to private companies in order to uplift the project and reduce the financial burden on the state.