First ever landscaping institute opens

Anuradha Kodagoda

The first ever institute of landscape architecture in Sri Lanka was opened on Thursday. The event was held under the patronage of Urban Development and Sacred Areas Development Minister Dinesh Gunewardena at Waters Edge, Battaramulla.

The aim of the institute is to improve the educational standards of landscape architects. The Sri Lanka Institute of Landscape Architects (SLILA) was incorporated by Parliamentary Act No. 33 of 2009.

“The Urban Development Ministry has recognized the need for specialized expertise in the planning and development efforts in the country and was hoping there will be an exchange of ideas between landscape architectural professionals and all related professionals in the future.

The SLILA is not under any Ministry or government authority but it is operating as an independent institute to serve the students who would like to develop their career in landscaping and architecture,” Minister Gunawardena noted.

As I believe, it is a national need to create higher educational opportunities since students are going abroad for higher education once they completed their primary education.

“The reason for that is the lack of opportunities available. Therefore, the involvement of professionals and academics is essential and they have a major role to play in future,” said Minister Gunawardena.

He said there was a necessity of building residential universities specially in urban areas. Due to the lack of universities in the urban areas, the career development of the youth is limited.

“This is one area professionals and academics should look at to expand the capacity in higher education in urban areas to serve the community,” he said.

“The IFLA education report highlights the need for comprehensive training in postgraduate and undergraduate levels. The need to take students through a series of design projects, involving real sites of varying size and complexity, is met in effective courses throughout the world, leading to a process of selection of those who are truly suited to design the outdoor environment, besides giving the training required.

Exercises in landscape planning should, no less, be a crucial part of the training. It is thus incumbent on those in the field of education to take steps to ensure that courses are of a sufficient high standard,” said SLILA President, Hester Basnayake.