The villa sits on a plot of land that for generations was owned by a family involved in the polishing and trade of precious stones. In fact, even today the neighboring city of Beruwela remains the hub of the stone cutting and polishing business in Sri Lanka.

The present owners bought the land and an old house that stood on it in 2004. Their intention was to take down the old structure and build a new villa in its place for use as a vacation home. Plans were made and approved and detailed drawings produced for a thoroughly modern two-story structure. Construction was about to begin. But then the Tsunami came and everything changed