This fishing village will be rebuilt thanks to the efforts of the English entrepreneur Horde Levinson, who was there during the tsunami at the end of last year, and after returning home, he founded the charitable foundation Unawatuna 2612 to help the villagers.
Libeskind's workshop developed a master plan for this public organization, plans for individual quarters - residential and mixed development, as well as standard projects for private houses, craft centers, shops, restaurants and hotels. The first building to be restored is the community center, which will replace the destroyed school.
All of these buildings will be "modern interpretations of local buildings", which combines traditional elements (courtyards, verandas, window frames, stonework) with Libeskind's style, which means geometrization and sharp corners.
Projects of 70 buildings are already ready, including about 50 houses. Local artisans and workers will help Western benefactors build them.
Development will begin at a distance of 35 meters from the coast, with residential buildings at least 100 meters away from the ocean, in case the tsunami repeats.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the community center building is scheduled for December 26, 2005, the first anniversary of the disaster.
