Monday Nov 25, 2024
Monday Nov 25, 2024
Monday, 16 February 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The annual sessions will begin with the Inauguration Ceremony and continue on to the National Conference, Architects 2015 Exhibition, a Student Awareness Program, an Awards Ceremony to present the awards to the winners of the best stalls as well as the winners of the Architects T20 cricket match, and the Annual General Meeting and round up with a Fellowship Night.
The conference this year is expected to draw crowds of students and architecture enthusiasts exceeding 120,000 to witness this grand showcase of national talent since the inauguration ceremony on 17 February which will be graced by the Minister of Urban Development, Water Supply and Drainage Rauff Hakeem as Chief Guest and, Minister of Housing and Samurdhi Sajith Premadasa, Minister of Tourism and Sports Navin Dissanayake and Minister of Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka as Guests of Honour. The Ambassador of Japan is also expected to attend the conference.
Conversations with the sky
The most notable event, the National Convention themed ‘Conversations with the sky’ to be held on 18 February at 8 a.m., features an impressive panel of international guest speakers such as Keynote Speaker Pritzker Architecture Prize winner of 2002 and AIA Gold Medallist of 2009 Glenn Mercutt, award-winning Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, Bernard Khoury from Lebanon and Kevin Low from Malaysia.
A special video documentary featuring wo
rk by notable local talent such as Vinod Jayasinghe, Palinda Kannangara, Philip Weeraratne and Hirante Weandawe will also be showcased at this event. Japanese architect and Professor George Junihiro as well as local architects and academics such as Milinda Pathiraja and Prasad Boteju will moderate the various conference sessions while Mahura Prematilleke is expected to be the convergence convenor.
National Conference 2015 Chairman Architect Madura Prematilake spoke of how this event presents a rare opportunity for participants to see such a number of distinguished guests sharing a stage. For instance, according to him, Glenn Mercutt has turned down numerous invitations to visit a number of invitations due to his busy schedule, but his keenness to visit Sri Lanka and examine her beautiful architecture in a post war era will make this his first visit to the region.
A statement released to the media also stated the following regarding the selection of the theme: “Architecture has always held conversations with the sky, the horizon, and all it represents, in all its physical, spiritual, visual and environmental attributes. In times of change and challenge, architects working under different skies still find wisdom and resolution in this eternal dialogue.”
Showcasing Sri Lankan architecture
The exhibition will be inaugurated on 19 February under the patronage of Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Rajitha Senaratne and proceed until 22 February from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the BMICH. It will feature over 290 exhibitions and 170 panels that will display the best of the products and services offered by talented local architects.
As an improvement to last year’s judging of the stalls which took place as the conference drew to a close, this year the SLIA announced that they hope to announce the winners in advance so that this accomplishment can be displayed in the stalls as the exhibition progresses.
SLIA Vice President and Exhibition Committee Chairman Architect D.H. Wijeywardena announced this change saying, “Stalls will the judged on 19 February from 9 a.m. and winners will be announced at 12 noon so you can display in your stalls that you are the winners.”
A separate award ceremony has also been organised on 20 February at 6 p.m. at BMICH and the awards for the best display panel, best stall display, best design and best product as well as the winners of the T20 cricket match will be handed out at this event.
The cricket tournament will be held between the Pakistan Institute of Architects (PIA) and the SLIA and the High Commissioner for Pakistan in Sri Lanka, Major General Quasim Qureshi will attend the event as Guest of Honoor and hand out the awards for the accomplishments in both industry and sport which will be celebrated on this day.
The Annual General Meeting of the SLIA will be held on 21 February at 10 a.m. at the BMICH where the new council for the institute is expected to take office. The annual sessions will draw to a close with a fellowship night to be held at Waters Edge.
SLIA plans for the future
Annual Awards Senior Vice President Architect Harsha Fernando also discussed some of the work the SLIA has been engaged in and plans continue into the future, apart from the annual sessions, in the form of developing the industry and carrying out CSR projects. The SLIA will be working on improving students and training practicing architects to engage in a more client oriented practice and reach global standards in their work.
He said: “The main thing that we have here is for young architects to be groomed up to face the future challenges of the practice which is the client-oriented practice and to be internationally on par with all architects in delivery and in performance. Not only the young architects, we are looking at developing CPD (Continuing Professional Development) programs in the future for the architects in all aspects of new performance based analytics so that it’s taken into our practices and it’s a service to the client.”
In addition to this the SLIA has also been working closely with the Government to garner wider recognition for the practice of architects in the recent period of accelerated development.
CSR work
In terms of CSR work, the SLIA has been working on a Spinal Cord Injury Welfare Centre in Avissawella, rebuilding a school in Jaffna and is hoping to get involved in building houses for military personnel.
Speaking of the spinal cord welfare centre which is expected to be completed soon, Fernando said: “The Avissawella Spinal Cord Injury Welfare Centre is a is a rehabilitation centre for when they leave the hospital, where they learn to live the balance of their life without troubling their kith and kin and where they are being trained to do things on their own.”
He indicated the plans to build houses for the military personnel saying, “We have been discussing with the Defence Ministry to build a few houses for the personnel in the forces but unfortunately we didn’t get through. However we have not given up hope, and we will be doing a few other things. We have also started a new plan for doing up a school in Jaffna.”
The school rebuilding project in Jaffna will include renovating a 100-year-old building with architectural significance that was almost torn down and transforming it into a new library for the school.
Pix by Lasantha Kumara
