Bawa Award for architecture to announce finalists soon

The Geoffrey Bawa Award for Architecture 2007/2008, launched last year, took its next important step with judging that began in earnest last week. According to Sunethra Bandaranaiake, a Trustee of the Geoffrey Bawa Trust and Awards Judge, there has already been an overwhelming response in terms of submissions received for the inaugural cycle of the Geoffrey Bawa Award for Architecture. Further, the entries have proven to be interesting and well regarded architecture projects submitted for consideration during the Entries process, which ended late last year.

Encompassing current concepts such as contemporary design, restoration, re-use and area conservation, the Geoffrey Bawa Award for Architecture will adhere to principles similar to those of the world-renowned Aga Khan Awards for Architecture, organised by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in Geneva.

This award will recognise and reward only the most superior examples of contemporary architecture, with the end objective being excellence in architecture and a wider appreciation for the uniqueness of this field, the organizer said in a press release.

This successful completion of the entries process, which was opened during the latter half of 2007, is no doubt because of the inclusion of a number of stringent eligibility guidelines by the steering committee of the Geoffrey Bawa Award for Architecture. To be considered eligible to ultimately walk away with prize money of one million rupees, the winning project has to have been built within Sri Lanka between July 1997 and July 2007, and should also possess outstanding architectural merit along with the innate ability to make a positive contribution to the physical and visual environment of Sri Lanka.

The judging panel comprises well respected personalities: Sunethra Bandaranaiake – Trustee, Geoffrey Bawa Trust, and Chairperson, Sunera Foundation; Professor Senaka Bandaranayake – Archaeologist and Director, Sigiriya Cultural Triangle Project (1982 -1997); Professor David Robson – Architect and Author of “Bawa: The Complete Works”, 2002; and Ashley de Vos – Fellow, Sri Lanka Institute of Architects.