Some 30% of Lankan architects overseas

Thirty percent of Sri Lanka’s 900 architects are currently serving abroad, enjoying high perks and other benefits.

The Middle East, China India and several other countries are experiencing a construction boom and some of the local architects have found lucrative employment there, said President of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) Jayantha Perera when he addressed a media conference convened to announce the annual sessions of the institute and the Architect 2008 exhibition to be held at the BMICH in Colombo from February 20-24.

He added that several members of the SLIA are working in Qatar and they are attached to the construction work of the US$ 5.5 billion New Doha International Airport. The new airport, which will be able to handle up to 60 million passengers a year by 2020, is scheduled to open in early 2009.

He revealed that the institution has been working on the professional practices of architecture in the country as well as education for the Sri Lankan architect to go global, building on the reputation of legendary architect Geoffrey Bawa. Perera said that Sri Lankan students are very keen to enter the field of architecture but only 50 out of 2,000 applicants are being selected for the Moratuwa University and 30 out of 250 applicants selected for the Colombo Institute of Architecture. He emphasized the need to increase these numbers.

Chairman National Conference Jayampathy Herath said the highlight of the annual sessions of the institute will be the national conference on architecture under the theme ‘Architect the Initiator.’