Adaptive Reuse of Old Houses into Boutique Hotels: An Approach to Market Architectural Heritage

Abstract

Adaptive reuse of old house with rich architectural heritage into a boutique hotels or speciality tourism sector becoming a popular strategy while catering to sustainable use of resources. In addition, adaptive reuse helps to preserve architectural uniqueness, strength the local economy through environmentally friendly manner. This study focused to explore reuse house as boutique hotels in Sri Lanka, the vernacular and colonial approach by analysing the process and changes that occur on its application and identify the tourist perception on unique experience. Mixed method approach was instrumental in data collection. Site visits, walkthrough tour to identify building performance, analysis of the photographs, videos and online user satisfaction reviews were used to obtain tourist perceptions on reuse of old houses. Case studies approach used to study the 15 old houses converter to boutique hotels. Adaptive reuse of boutique hotels carter to the high-end tourist market and specially cratering to families and groups. Renovating old houses into boutique hotels enhances the value of the structures while preserving the passive design strategies inherent in vernacular and colonial buildings. Tourists appreciate the remarkable design layout, refined decor, aesthetic appeal of the space, and the ability of the interior to maintain its charm despite the tropical climate, offering mesmerizing views of the architecture. The result shows that a significant number of vernacular and colonial residences belonging to rich individuals have been transformed into boutique hotels, attracting a discerning clientele of high-end tourists. Conservation and restoration of economically and culturally important but abandoned buildings through its adoptive reuse contributes to the enhancement of tourist attraction, liveability, tackle the challenges of resource scarcity, waste prevention and preserve heritage.

Keywords: Old houses, Tourist perception, Adaptive reuse, Sri Lanka