1B - Geoffrey Bawa

In order to obtain a fuller understanding of the architecture and thinking behind 33rd lane a brief history of the architect is needed to 'get inside the architects head' and identify with his methods and influences. Below is a slide show I have put together with pictures of Geoffrey Bawa and some of his other work.

IMAGES:
Roots Web. (www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/gbawa.htm)
(Date accessed: April 15, 2010)
Geoffrey Bawa Trust.(www.geoffreybawa.com/life/Practice.html)
(Date accessed: April 15, 2010)


Geoffrey Bawa was one of Sri Lanka's most prolific and influential architects. He was born in 1919 and died in 2003. His architectural career spanned forty years where he has become legendary in the region and influential around the world. "Few architects have achieved his harmonious fusion of local building traditions with modern forms and sensibility. Bawa's early works were houses that artfully married vernacular styles and responses to climate and site with a modern architectural vocabulary." Bawa was the principal force behind what is today known globally as ‘tropical modernism’ he demonstrated the notions of sustainable and modernist architecture well before they became established movements in architecture (Robson, D. 2002). "His architecture is a subtle blend of modernity and tradition, East and West, formal and picturesque; he has broken down the artificial segregation of inside and outside, building and landscape; he has drawn on tradition to create an architecture that is fitting to its place, and he has also used his vast knowledge of the modern world to create an architecture that is of its time". (ArchitectureWeek, 2003)His work is often referred to as vernacular, continuing the Sri Lankan tradition which has strong Indian, Arab,and European influences. Bawa had a uniquely sensitive approach to building and the landscape and successfully blended these to create a harmonious fusion of traditional and modern architecture. Bawa died on May 23 2003 in his home and office referred to as "33rd Lane" in Colombo. Towards the end of his life Bawa suffered a series of strokes and as he became less mobile, a lift was installed to carry him up to the roof terrace. When in 1998 he suffered his second stroke his bedroom was transformed into a care unit (Robson, D. 2002).

Geoffrey Bawa proclaimed a unique understanding of the relationship between building and the landscape. His efforts to create truly unique environments were both delightful and harmonious with nature. Long before the word 'sustainable' became a catchphrase, Geoffrey Bawa's buildings embraced sustainable practices and demonstrated an advanced understanding of the environment and the elements. "His work has had tremendous impact upon architecture throughout Asia and is unanimously acclaimed by connoisseurs of architecture worldwide" (Robson, D. 2002).

To learn more about Geoffrey Bawa's life, legacy and his house at 33rd Lane click here.


TEXT REFERENCES:

ArchitectureWeek, 2003. Remembering Geoffrey Bawa, 1919-2003. http://www.architectureweek.com/2003/0604/news_1-1.html (Date accessed: March 8, 2010)

Robson, David. 2002. Geoffrey Bawa: The Complete Works. London: Thames and Hudson