Online edition of Daily News

The President of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) Architect M. Lalith de Silva and the Chairman of the Archwatch Advisory Forum Architect Rehan Thilakaratna while thanking the public who participated at the August 7th Archwatch (Daily News/SLIA Building of Housing advisory Forums) Open Day discussions held at the SLIA auditorium wish to say that the SLIA considers them (the public) as honoured guests, and not just participants.

That was why the SLIA Council went to the extent of making it a luncheon meeting and got a panel of over twelve architects from the public, private, and the SLIA to be at the panel to provide solutions to the multinational problems relating to the housing and building sectors.

The SLIA and the Archwatch hope that the public who attended the forum would have greatly profited from the presentations made by the panellists, Architect Lalith de Silva (President SLIA), Architect Dr. H. Munasinghe (Co-Chairman, Archwatch), Architect L. G. Kiringoda (Deputy Director UDA) and also from the explanations, discussions that took place following questions raised by the participating public and also the occasional friendly and lively arguments that took place.

Most of the questions were related to unauthorised structures coming up in the city in business areas and also in some of the condominiums and government housing schemes. The complaint was that no one in the authority concerned seemed to be taking remedial action. The complaint seemed to be falling on deaf ears.

Management Executive of Albert Edirisinghe opticians Gamini Edirisinghe, among others spoke at length on a problem he has been facing for over a year in trying to get an unauthorised structure in Milagiriya close to his business establishment removed.

Following Mr. Edirisinghe's question another member from the audience said he was occupying a house in the Anderson Flats which has now come under the condominium authority. He had the same problem of an unauthorised addition being made by his immediate neighbour in his flat which is causing health problems to him.

He had reported the matter to the Condominium Management Committee there but to no effect.

He alleged that some of those in the committee themselves had done the same mistake. So what can we expect from such a committee, he asked?

SLIA President Architect Lalith M. de Silva said that some of these difficult problems would be taken up by the SLIA at council level and asked the public to write to the Archwatch with details.

It was also suggested to see the possibilities of selling up Citizen Committees at ward level in the Colombo city to take up the question of unauthorised structures and maintaining cleanliness of the MC wards.

Mr. Edirisinghe said he was ready to set up the first citizens Committee in Milagiriya provided the SLIA, Archwatch and the media specially Daily News were willing to offer them cooperation and support.

The time permitted only a few to raise their questions as the explanations, discussions and occasional friendly arguments that followed took up much of the time.

Architect Rehan Thillekaratna, Chairman Archwatch Housing Advisory Forum, Thank you very much for inviting me to participate at this inauguration of the first Archwatch Open Day Forum. I was looking forward to attend this event but owing to some urgent official matters I have to attend today, I regret to inform you that I am unable to participate in today's function.

Hence I am sending Managing Editor ANCL, Chamara Peiris to represent me at the inauguration. Let me take this opportunity to thank the SLIA, and the Board of Architectural Publications, Chairman Architect Rehan Thillekaratna for choosing our English publication Daily News to meet the English reading public with their housing and building construction problems through "Archwatch".

I also wish to appreciate the hard work being done by Senior Journalist Edward Arambewala as co-ordinator of the Archwatch, and others connected with the production.

	ANCL Managing Editor Sinhala Publications Chamara Peiris, representing Chairman ANCL, lighting the ceremonial oil lamp. Looking on are (on right) Architect Lalith de Silva (President SLIA) and (Centre) Lynn Ockersz (Associate Editor, Daily News)
	Gamini Edirisinghe (Managing Director Albert Edirisinghe Opticians) lighting the ceremonial oil lamp on behalf of the public at the inauguration.
	During the lunch break some members of the public in conversation with Architect Kiringoda (3rd from left)
A member of the public discussing a building problem he is faced with, with the Forum Panel

'Housing projects for less-privileged, a vital need'

Lynn Ockersz

"The Sri Lanka Institute of Architects which is performing a vital function in collaborating with the Daily News in disseminating information among the public in matters relating to their housing needs, should look into the possibility of launching housing projects for the less privileged, such as the lower middle class and the working class.

This was the principal thrust of the address by Associate Editor of the Daily News Lynn Ockersz, at the launching fo the "Open Day" by the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects, in collaboration with the Daily News at the SLIA auditorium. Describing the building of a house by an average middle income family as a "lifetime's mission", Ockersz said that an initiative by the SLIA to help in launching housing projects for the less privileged would be timely and relevant. For, housing was a most vital human need.

In fact in some constitutions it was recognized as a fundamental right.

The Daily News, Ockersz said, was ever-willing to offer its services to the SLIA in missions of this kind. He said the pages of the Daily News continued to be open to the SLIA for the purpose of disseminating among the public information on its housing initiatives.

While the general public perception, Ockersz explained, was that professional groups and organisations in Sri Lanka were self-centred and only interested in "raking in the shekels", the SLIA had broken this mould by disseminating information on housing among the public through the Daily News and had proved to be truly public-spirited. He wished the SLIA well in its pubic-spirited ventures.

Conservation of the Living City of Kandy :

Social Inclusion in development through conservation

by Dr. Harsha Munasinghe

There is currently a strong impetus to demonstrate the socially progressive potential of heritage cities, where there is a living community. This is particularly true in Kandy, which is also the 'Jewel in the Crown' in Sri Lanka's urban context. It is high time the conservationists propose and implement a proper social inclusion agenda that will also empower the true guardians to take over the role of curator.

Given this context the heritage sector is anxious to demonstrate its non-elitist, progressive nature. We do not argue against the desirability of the heritage sector, but emphasizing re-positioning itself in response to this agenda. However, it is our contention that this has been underpinned by confusion over direction and possible beneficiaries.

We see the strategic shifts that have taken place as part of a search for legitimacy that has been evident at least since the 1980s, along with the full-pledged activities of the UNESCO- Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle Project.

This has involved ascribing values and benefits particularly to the built heritage that derive from the specific qualities not only as historic places, but also as opportunity space within which achieving economic and social regeneration would be possible.

One may get offended by this as we speak of Kandy. We are compelled to emphasise that we do not discuss purely of tourist values or a physical quality to regeneration, but the intrinsic cultural values as they have been evolving.

A key distinction we explore here is between the benefits that may arise from an activated engagement of the living society with the historic environment per se and the other benefits that might stem from conservation activity as part of regenerative processes.

With the first the benefits might apply to all sorts of groups in society who find themselves marginalised from the mainstream heritage but who would not be considered socially excluded. Our emphasis is to note the diversity of the present-day Kandy society that includes all non-Sinhalese and non-Buddhists.

As much as we Sri Lankans claim Galle fort as an inheritance of ours, Kandy is of those communities. Built heritage can be socially regressive and distinctly "non-inclusionary" phenomenon. Conservationists do sought to legitimise their activity in a range of ways that link attitudes and policy to urban areas more generally.

In a country like Sri Lanka, where urban conservation is mostly handled by those who have received their education in architectural or building conservation, it is not surprising that the buildings and their elements such as roof forms, columns, detailing, etc., get precedence over the urban spaces that witness to the life evolved.

It is also not surprising these elements are emphasized through emotions without much of an intellectual basis. Kandy is certainly an opportunity space, which we could shape into the comfortable setting for the evolving society. We may sit down with the responsible members of the present day society and discuss the ways and means of a framework for shaping this opportunity, so that its strengths would be properly used.

This framework will have to be broadened than mere architectural or building oriented urban conservation to include progressive steps to empower the groups currently outside the mainstream. This will eventually protect the image of Kandy as the city of a diversified culture. This means Kandy would be conserved as a 'layered city' and shall not be a 're-created' an open-air museum. A versatile urban conservation approach, based on the morphology of the city, will respond to the particular evolution pattern of Kandy; its external as well as internal order.

At the same time, this responsive place-oriented approach, which is not aimed at turning Kandy into a tourist-raging art gallery but a living city, will explore the potential opportunities that loom in and around the city.

Unveiling the portrait of Prof. Emeritus Lakshman Alwis

At a simple but moving ceremony on August 5, students and staff of the Department of Architecture, witnessed the unveiling of the portrait of Professor Emeritus Lakshman Alwis in the Professor's room at the Department.

The unveiling was organised by the vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Dayantha Wijesekara.

At the meeting prior to the unveiling tokens of appreciation and esteem were presented to Professor Alwis by both the staff of the Department and students, who thanked the professor for his pioneering efforts in Architectural Education.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Professor Nimal de Silva traced the defining efforts of Professor Alwis in developing the School of Architecture at Moratuwa.

Archt. Vidura Sri Nammuni, Head, Department of Architecture, took those assembled on a journey back to the student days of the Professor describing him as a 'dispenser of wisdom' and a 'gardner of men' who 'were pruned so that they may flourish.' Archt. Sri Nammuni presented Professor Alwis with a bound copy of his citation 'An ode to a professional educator'.