A glimpse at the Bawa Awards

Architect Thisara Thanapathy won the Geoffrey Bawa Awards 2016/2017 for Excellence in Architecture at the ceremony held this Sunday, July 23, at the Park Street Mews. The prestigious award, granted by the Geoffrey Bawa Trust is in its fourth cycle. The renowned Australian artist Fiona Hall was theGuest Speaker at this year’s event.

By Shakya Wickramanayake

Of the eleven shortlisted designs, Thanapathy was selected as the winner of this year’s award for Excellence in Architecture, for his design of the Spa at the Santani Resort. This is the second time Thanapathy has won the award, having won it previously in 2010/2011.

This year’s award saw the introduction of six categories, with winners being selected from the eleven shortlisted designs for each category. The categories are namely Residential, Institutional, Leisure and Entertainment, Industrial, Heritage and Conservation, and Commercial. However, the award in the Heritage and Conservation category was not awarded as there were no entries made in this category.

Professor David Robson was honoured with the Geoffrey Bawa Award for a lifetime contribution to architecture -for his contribution to architectural education in Sri Lanka as a lecturer at the University of Ceylon, as well as to Sri Lanka’s social fabric through his work on the One Hundred Thousand houses programme and his efforts towards researching and disseminating the work of Bawa,.

The judging panel consisted of Singaporean Architect Mok Wei Wei (Professor at the National University of Singapore), Dr D. H. Wijewardena (President of Sri Lanka Institute of Architects), and Sharmini Pereira (Founder and Director of Raking Leaves). 

Winner of the Excellence in Architecture Award
*   Architect Thisara Thanapathy ( Spa at Santani)

Award Winners in Each Category
*    Residential:
Winner - Architect Palinda Kannangara (Studio Dwelling)
Honourary Mention - Architect Michael Daane Bolier ( Olu Beach Villa)

*    Institutional:
Winner - Architects Chinthaka Wickramage and Nileeka Senerath ( Kaithady District Vocational Training Centre)
Honourary Mention - Architect Yudish Ganesen (Auditorium & Accommodation Chinmaya Mission)

*    Leisure and Entertainment:
Winner - Architect Thisara Thanapathy ( Spa at Santani)

*    Industrial:
Winner - Architect Thusara Waidyasekara (Sterling Aftercare Centre)

*    Commercial:
Winner - Architect Shayan Kumaradasa ( Corporate Office of the Citizens Development Business Finance Bank )