GEOFFREY BAWA

INTRODUCTION

Geoffrey Manning Bawa was born on 23 July 1919 in Srilanka

Educated at Royal College and Middle Temple, London and became a Lawyer

Studied architecture in Architectural Association, London in 1956

In 1957, at the age of 38 , returned to Sri Lanka qualified as an architect to take over Reid's practice.

 His international standing was confirmed in 2001 when he received the special chairman’s award in the eighth cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, becoming only the third architect in India

DESIGN STYLE

Bawa was one of the original proponents of Tropical Modernism Explored modernism and its cultural implications, and created a unique, recognizable style

of design TROPICAL MODERNISM: A design movement in which sensitivity for local context combines with the form-making principles of modernism.

ARCHITECT’S CONCEPTS

“A building can only be understood by moving around and through it and by experiencing the modulation and feel the spaces one moves through- from the outside into verandah, than rooms, passages, courtyards” “Architecture cannot be totally explained but must be experienced.”

PHILOSOPHY

1.RESPECTED THE SITE AND CONTEXT

2.BUILDINGS HAD A PLAY OF LIGHT AND SHADE.

3.FLOW OF SPACES

4.FUSED VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE WITH THE MODERN CONCEPTS TO SATIATE THE NEEDS OF THE URBAN POPULATION

5.USED SALVAGED ARTIFACTS

6. ROOF FORMS AS ELEMENTS

7. WATERBODY –AN ESSENTIAL PART OF BAWA’S ARCHITECTURE

BEFORE

In 1948, Bawa purchased the Lunganga rubber plantation, and developed an interest in gardening and architectural design.

This garden was transformed into an Italian inspired garden with spectacular views over lakes and tropical jungle

AT PRESENT

THE GARDEN LUNUGANGA

WORKS

After the social and governmental changes of the 60s and 70s that ultimately led Ceylon to become Sri Lanka, Bawa received commissions for even larger projects.

Bawa’s design for the Sri Lanka Parliament Building (1982) using pitched roofs and other elements from local architecture embodied the Government’s lineage

Bawa designed several new buildings for the University of Ruhuna (1988).

His use of traditional building materials and architectural elements adapted to the local climate proved to be useful, it kept the costs down in addition to supporting the local context.

GEOFFREY BAWA- WORKS

SRI LANKAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING

THE NEW SRI LANKAN PARLIAMENT IS AN ASYMMETRIC GROUP OF COLONNADED PAVILIONS WITH STRIKING COPPER ROOFS, BUILT ON AN ISLAND THE ‘FLOATING’ ON A MAN-MADE LAKE

BUILDING IS DESIGNED IN A STYLE OF REGIONAL MODERNISM ; WHILE THE BUILDING IS AN EXAMPLE OF MODERNISM, IT STILL RESPECTS SRI LANKAN VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE.

THE PARLIAMENT COMPLEX HAS THE ILLUSION OF SYMMETRY, WHICH CONTRASTS SHARPLY WITH THE ORGANIC FORM OF THE LAKE IT IS LOCATED IN.

THE CHAMBER, THE FOCUS OF POWER, LIES WITHIN THE MAIN PAVILION WITH BALCONIES AND GALLERIES RISING THREE STOREYS

TRADITIONAL WOOD AND STONE COLUMNS, REMINISCENT OF ANCIENT PALACES AND TEMPLES, SUPPORTS THE COPPER ROOFS

 THE LAKE ITSELF CAN BE READ AS A TRIBUTE TO SRI LANKA’S TWO MILLENNIA OF TANK BUILDING, RECALLING THE SEA OF PARAKRAMABAHU AND THE TREE-LINED LAKE AT KANDY

REGIONAL ELEMENTS IN BUILDING

IN THEIR FINAL FORM THE PARLIAMENT ROOFS ARE AN ABSTRACTION OF THE TRADITIONAL KANDYAN ROOF.

THE USE OF COPPER IN PLACE OF TILE GIVES THEM THE THINNESS AND TENT-LIKE QUALITY OF A STRETCHED SKIN, TRANSPORTING THEM FAR FROM THE REALMS OF HISTORICAL ARTWORK WHILE RECALLING THE FABLED 'BRAZEN ROOFS' OF ANURADHAPURA

FIRST SKETCH OF MAIN CHAMBERS

MAIN CHAMBERSELEVATION

MEMBER’S GARDEN

UNIVERSITY OF RUHANA

DESIGN OF THE UNIVERSITY

THE 30-HECTARE SITE STRADDLED THREE STEEP HILLS, THE WESTERNMOST OVERLOOKING THE SEA AND SEPARATED FROM THE OTHER TWO

BAWA’S DESIGN DEPLOYED OVER FIFTY SEPARATE PAVILIONS LINKED BY A SYSTEM OF COVERED LOGGIAS ON A PREDOMINANTLY ORTHOGONAL GRID

USED A LIMITED VOCABULARY OF FORMS AND MATERIALS BORROWED FROM THE BUILDING TRADITIONS

BUT IT MADE FULL USE OF THE CHANGING TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SITE TO CREATE AN EVER VARYING SEQUENCE OF COURTS AND VERANDAHS, VISTAS AND CLOSURES. THE RESULT WAS A MODERN CAMPUS, VAST IN SIZE BUT HUMAN IN SCALE.

PLAN

BUILDINGS WERE PLANNED ORTHOGONALLY ON A NORTH-SOUTH GRID BUT WERE ALLOWED TO 'RUN WITH SITE'.

NATURAL FEATURES SUCH AS ROCKY OUTCROPS WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE BASES OF BUILDINGS OR BECAME FOCAL FEATURES OF THE OPEN SPACES.

Exterior view showing terraces and juxtaposition of buildings with each other and landscape

PAVILIONS, VARYING IN SCALE AND EXTENT, ARE CONNECTED BY COVERED LINKS AND SEPARATED BY AN EVER-CHANGING SUCCESSION OF GARDEN COURTS.

EVERYWHERE THERE ARE PLACES TO PAUSE AND CONSIDER, TO SIT AND CONTEMPLATE, TO GATHER AND DISCUSS.

EXTERIOR VIEW FROM STREET LEVEL SHOWING USE OF STONE AND CONCRETE IN FAÇADE

BUILDINGS ARE ALIGNED CAREFULLY TO MINIMIZE SOLAR INTRUSION AND MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF THE SOUTH-WEST MONSOON.

FEW OF THE SPACES ARE AIR-CONDITIONED AND THE BUILDINGS RELY FOR THE MOST PART ON NATURAL VENTILATION.

VIEWS ARE CAREFULLY ARRANGED IN A SCENOGRAPHIC SEQUENCE THAT CONCEALS AND REVEALS IN TURN, PLAYING THE NORTHERN VIEWS OF JUNGLE AND DISTANT HILLS AGAINST THE SOUTHERN VIEWS OF THE LAKE AND THE OCEAN BEYOND