SLIA renovates old library building

The Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) renovated a hundred-year-old library building, which carries significant architectural value, at the Vivekananda Vidyasalai in Manipay, Jaffna.

The school library was re-opened by the Senior Vice President of SLIA, Archt. D H Wijewardene with Northern Provincial Council Minister of Education, Cultural Affairs, Sports and Youth Affairs, Thambyrajah Gurukularajah recently.

President of SLIA, Council Members, politicians and members' of SLIA were also present.

One of the main objectives of the project was to show the policymakers and the public in Jaffna in preserving valuable old buildings that are on the verge of being demolished. Second, we wanted to show the necessity of keeping the character of buildings that are now being built in the peninsula, which appear to be shifting away towards standard building types.

"We are pleased that this building was opened with great enthusiasm by the politicians of the Northern Provincial Council, officials of the Department of Education, the principal and students. This shows the level of achievement. We hope we were able to create a bridge of unity between different cultural and ethnic groups in the North and the South which will eventually accelerate the reconciliation process of the country," an SLIA official said.