A brief on the works and life history of....

Full

name : Geoffrey Manning Bawa :July 23,1919

Born

Died :May

27, 2003 (aged 83)

:Sri Lankan

Nationality Awards

: he won 14 awards amongst one isAga Khan Special Chairmans Award

He

is the principal force behind what is today known globally as tropical modernism . Tropical Modernism favoured white abstract forms and horizontal rooflines, though Bawa was soon forced to admit that overhanging pitched roofs offered the best protection against tropical sun and rain.

* In 1938 Geoffrey went to Cambridge to read English and later studied Law in London. worked for some time in a Colombo law firm. After the death of his mother he left the profession and soon left to travel for two years in 1946 influenced by renaissance gardens, he plans to buy an Italian villa and settle down did not happen, and in 1948 returned to Sri Lanka. 1948 returned to Sri Lanka, where he bought Lunuganga , planning to creating an Italian garden. However he soon found that his ideas were compromised by his lack of technical knowledge. So he hired architect reid for his dream house.

 In 1952 Reid suddenly died and Bawa returned to England and, after spending a year at Cambridge, enrolled as a student at the Architectural Association in London, where he is remembered as the tallest, oldest and most outspoken student of his generation. In 1957 at the age of 38 he returned to Sri Lanka qualified as an architect to take over what was left of Reid's practice. Geoffrey Bawa started his practice as an architect in the firm of Edwards Reid and Begg. After 1967 Bawas sole partner was Dr. K. Poologasundram who acted as engineer and office manager until the partnership was dissolved in 1989.

In 1990 Bawa founded his own firm Geoffrey Bawa Associates.

 Roof-protective , and governs aesthetic. A building is only a roof , columns and floors. Roof dominant , shields ,and gives contentment of shelter . Its shape ,texture and proportions are strongest visual factor.

The idea that "the ultimate test of a buildings design was to put it to use - if other people understood and enjoyed this building then nothing more needed to be said" is Geoffrey Bawas philosophy.

 Worked with a sensitivity to site and context.

His designs breaks down the barriers between inside and outside, between interior design and landscape architecture. He reduced buildings to a series of scenographically conceived spaces separated by courtyards and gardens.

His ideas are providing a bridge between the past and the future, a mirror in which ordinary people can obtain a clearer image of their own evolving culture

1)

The lunuganga, bentota, srilanka

2)
3)

Parliament house of srilanka , srilanka

Triton hotel , srilanka

Lunuganga Estate was the country home of the renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. Location Architect/Planner Date Building Type Usage : Bentota, Sri Lanka : Geoffrey Bawa : 1949-1998 : landscape, residentialBuilding : garden, private residence

A garden is not a static object, it is a moving spectacle, a series of scenographic images that change with the season, the point of view, the time of day, the mood. So Lunuganga has been conceived as a series of separatly contained spaces, to be moved through at leisure or to be occupied at certain times of the day.

LUNUGANGA(Before): A small rubber plantation consisting of a house and 25 acres of land A low hill planted with rubber and fruit trees and coconut palms with rice fields. Surrounded by the Dedduwa lake. LUNUGANGA(Now) The Italian inspired garden with spectacular views over lakes and tropical jungle together with a simply designed plantation house. The creation of one mans vision which, over 40 years, was nurtured into a reality. Its a legacy of a great architect.

Its

a house where architecture and garden merge

Bawa

added verandas, courtyards, galleries, and loggias to the original house, and reshaped the land, hills, and terraces. In many ways Lunuganga is essentially a tropical Romantic garden, and is all about a changing sequence of vistas: Cinnamon Hill, the lake, terraces, pavilions, lily ponds, a sculpture court ....

Section of lunuganga house

Bawa kept on doing additions in his garden at lunuganga. One of the major addition was in 1960 1970 when he was really busy with his projects in and around bentota and found it convenient to bring down his office to lunuganga A covered bridge was thrown over the ha-ha river and a small house next to it was built to accommodate the staff who used to come over for work.

Some times in 1970s he added a small pavilion with pitched hipped roof and used it as a guest house.

In 1983 a garden room or sandella was added on the southern edge of the eastern terrace.

His last substantial addition was in 1992

PLANTATION HOUSE: A collection of courtyards, verandahs and loggias create a haven of peace and inspiration. Suites are individual and beautifully decorated to provide a relaxing and memorable environment. STUDIO: Set at the edge of a cinnamon plantation high on the hill overlooking the lake to the south thus giving the privacy.
Aerial view showing lawns to river

Landscaping:

This is not a garden of colourful flowers, neat borders and gurgling fountains.
an assemblage of tropical plants of different scale and texture. a composition of green on green.

an ever changing play of light and shade

a succession of hidden surprises and sudden vistas

a landscape of memories and ideas.

Exterior view from the bottom of the hill to plantings

Aerial view showing retaining wall's scalloped layout design

Image showing amulagamation of lawns and lake

The entry steps up to the south terrace

Exterior detail of staircase

Exterior detail showing lattice windows

Exterior detail of stepped walkway

Interior of the Pavilion on the Eastern Terrace

Interior view showing linear forms of window casings and furniture

*2 substantial tree growing within house "houses are inseparable from trees

* Open-to-sky bathroom with a tree we have traditionally lived outdoors

*Furnished in natural timber, simple white fabric, sturdy wrougt iron lighting fittings. A HOUSE IS A GARDEN

Town or city Country Client Design and construction Architect

- Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte - Sri Lanka - Government of Sri Lanka - Geoffrey Bawa

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, is the administrative capital. It is built on an island

One idea carried forward was the main debating chamber would be a symmetrical hall with government and opposite benches facing each other across the axis of the speakers chair. Another idea was each chambers are to be flanked by glazed lobbies on the upper floor level so that the members can see and can be seen.
While the building is an example of Modernism, it still respects Sri Lankan vernacular architecture.

Arriving in the ceremonial pliazza, the first satellite to the east takes the form of a large open colonnaded audience hall for public meetings and spontaneous gatherings To the west second pavilion contains the public entrance and security checkpoint. On the west side of the island a less public square defined by a third pavilion which contains staff facilities. On the south side a fourth pavilion contains the service court .

A fifth pavilion at the south east corner contains car park and defines a large garden court facing east across the

Main pavilion is symmetrical about the debating chamber

Tent like roof. His last substantial addition was in 1992 Lake connected to the members terraces by a monumental open staircase.

ground floorfirst floor

general offices offices for ministers and vips

second floormembers lobbies on the east, west and suits for the prime minister and president to the north overlooking the piazza. Third floorjournalists. Fourth flooraccommodates translators and public gallery

Ceiling- is of square tiles of aluminium , which , for safety reason has been hung individually from the supporting roof structure.

Traditional kandyanroofs were made from flat clay tiles laid to a shallow pitch at the eaves and a steeper Pitch at the edge.

Section through the Parliament Chamber

Conceptual sketches of bawa

Bawa concieved parliament as an island capital surrounded by a new garden city of parks and public buildings.
It would form the end point on a long promenade, beginning 8 km to the west. Bawa controlled the sequence of happening.
Its cascade of copper roof would first be seen from the north at a distance of 2 km, floating above the new lake. final approach would be over a tree-lined causeway to a public piazza puncutered by pools and water cascades with steps and ramps rising to the entrance loggia, from which a formal entrance and staircase would link directly on the axis to the main chamber towards the speakers chair.

The main chamber contains walls of dark rich timber panellings lit from hidden lights .

Location- west coast at Ahungalla between bentota and galle. Year of construction 1979 Architect- geoffrey bawa Purpose- hotel Design 125 bedroom hotel

Starting point for the design- a line of rooms facing the sea with reception and restaurant in the centre. The site has a long beach frontage and was connected to the main road . Rooms where divided into small clucters which some where turned at 90 degree. Central garden court containing swimming pool would lie opposite to the main reception.
Two results of this planning- internal courtyard where set which lit the interior corridors -And three large garden courts where formed along the beach frontage.

Moving to the reception loggia, visitors would discover a verandahs at different levels and finally to the room. There was a magical sequence of vistas and spaces. Roof- cladded in half round clay tiles

cross-axis leading outward and covered

Bawas designs are simple , uncluttered spaces filled with air and sound of waves. In 1990s bawa added an extra wing of rooms and a new pool just apt to match the earlier building design.

Triton hotel at night