Archt. Thisara Thanapathy wins Geoffrey Bawa Architectural Excellence 2010/2011 award

The Geoffrey Bawa Award 2010/2011 for Excellence in Architecture concluded successfully with Archt Thisara Thanapathy the proud recipient of the prestigious Geoffrey Bawa Award for Excellence in Architecture.

The award was made for Thanapathy’s work on the Sarath Abeyratne house, which the judges were unanimous in agreeing, was a model for suburban living in the new developments popular around the city, where plot sizes are small and privacy is an issue. The split level house is constructed on simple lines with several architectural innovations that create a soothing and calming effect in the midst of an urban jungle.

Archt Yudish Ganesan was adjudged first runner up, for his work on the Udayapuram School, Periyakallar, Kallar, Batticaloa.

Thisara also received a commendation for his work on the Holiday Bungalow in Ulpatha, Matale, as did Richard Murphy Architects of Scotland - UK for their design of the new British High Commission in Colombo.

This year, the Geoffrey Bawa Trust celebrated the life and work of designers Ena de Silva and Barbara Sansoni - Lewcock with a special Lifetime Achievement awards for their contribution to Arts and Architecture.

The trophy conferred on the winner and runner up is a replica of an obelisk on a gatepost at Geoffrey Bawa’s Lunuganga Estate. The design includes elements of the great gardens of Europe of which the architect was fond and the shape is influenced by Assyrian, Egyptian, Greeks and Roman architecture, right up to renaissance Europe.

Many submissions reflected original designs of world class standard. Submissions - which must be built in Sri Lanka - included architectural designs of houses, hotels, a hospital, factories, sales points, churches, a performance theater, housing complexes, a brewery, a foreign mission and a recreation centre, all buildings that create a city.