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| Sunday, 20 February 2005 |
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PM tells architects: 'Build homes not houses' by Don Asoka Wijewardena The 22nd National Conference of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects and the Exhibition of Members Work and Trade Exhibition were inaugurated by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse at the BMICH on Wednesday. This year the theme of the conference was "the art of architecture". The Prime Minister said that soon after the tsunami struck the SLIA offered its services free and added that it was a great and noble act of social responsibility of the SLIA. He said that the architects were being called upon at this moment of crisis to build "homes' - not "houses" and living communities - not settlements or camps for the thousands of affected families. "The challenge of the architects is to use "space" to design houses appropriate for living, and to use space to design new community settlements for families to interact and live together in harmony," the Premier said. An internationally recognised architect Mario Botta delivering the keynote address said that during his tour to the South he witnessed the widespread devastation caused by tusnami to the coastal belt and added that it was the duty of the country's architects to utilise their talents in designing house construction. He also said as a science architecture should always reflect the formal expression of man with proper application of aesthetics. SLIA President Lalith de Silva said that the main objective of the exhibition was to create awareness on industrial development and technology transfer, boosting regional and national industry of providing a shop window for goods and stimulating foreign investments in industry and infrastructure, and exploring and entering new export markets. De Silva said that the SLIA had produced highly competent architects whose expertise could be better utilised in any kind of construction work and added that it was a pathetic situation as around 20% of their knowledge was absorbed into the construction work in the country. De Silva said that modern architecture had been playing a pivotal role in making buildings, spaces for human habitation that reflected the culture of the people and society. Referring to the "art of architecture" he said that the art of architecture constituted complex aesthetics and represented the nature of the architects, users and socio political contexts within which they operated. Presentation of Scrolls to the newly elected members of the SLIA also took place with presentation of design awards 2004,presentation of display awards to the trade and product. The best graduate architect of the year 2004 was Sumeda Ruwan Bandara Wijekoon of the SLIA and two design awards for designing Court Complex in Kandy were given to Dharshani Gamage of the State Engineering Corporation and Nishantha Rajapakse (SLIA). The Trade and Members Exhibition will end today. Around 360 trade stalls display their innovative products. World renowned architects Mario Botta of Switzerland, the principal
architect of the Studio Architatto of Switzerland, Architect Cin Kai, the
Chief Architect of the China Architecture Design and Research Group and
Architect Brinda Somayo, an Architect and Conservationist and Principal
Architect Somayo and Kalappa, Mumbai and several eminent Sri Lankan
architects participated in the conference and delivered lectures on
architecture. |
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