Shayari De Silva – författare

The Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa (1919–2003) fused sensitivity for local context with the technological discoveries and design principles of modernism in his work. Accordingly, Bawa often incorporated materials (local stone and timber) and layouts (high roofs, cross-ventilation, vast overhangs) specific to Sri Lanka’s monsoon climate and storied architectural history – from the cave monasteries of the Anuradhapura period to the feudal Walauwa style of manor houses – into his modernist designs.Gathering essays by scholars and writers across a multitude of disciplines – including architecture, photography, geography, urban design and art history – this volume spotlights Bawa’s exceptionally beautiful architectural drawings, delving into the central, multipronged role of the medium in his practice, from ideation to instruction to post-construction review. The anthology also explores the identity of post-independence Sri Lanka, which Bawa helped to shape – aesthetically and, less overtly, ideologically. Featuring over 200 lush drawings and photographs, many of which have never been published before, the book promises to engage both general and scholarly audiences with interests in architecture, drawing and archives.

Covering the entire career of the renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, this comprehensive monograph offers original perspectives on one of the most influential twentieth-century architects in South Asia, whilst featuring new photography of built projects and never-before published material from the architect's own archive. Accompanying the Vitra Design Museum’s retrospective Geoffrey Bawa: Architecture for the Senses, co-produced with the M+ and the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, this monograph contextualises Geoffrey Bawa’s practice within post-colonial Sri Lanka, and situates his work in relation to contemporary discourses around collaboration, social enterprise and ecology.The book features scholarly essays, a never-before published text by Geoffrey Bawa, fully illustrated descriptions of all exhibited projects, comprehensive listings of his entire oeuvre, and interviews with leading contemporary architects inspired by his work. Richly illustrated with archival photography, many taken by Geoffrey Bawa himself, and newly commissioned photography by Iwan Baan, the book is a visual treat for anyone interested in twentieth-century architecture and design.