ExqMagJul18

TravelSri Lanka
Valley with rice plots
Main verandah
Roof terrace with Anura Ratnavibushana chairs
The Garden Room
Water garden
First floor sitting room
Architecture and Geoffrey Bawa
The late Geoffrey Bawa (1919-2003) of Burgher descent not
only nurtured his country with breathtaking buildings and
landscapes, but also inspired the world with unique elements
of modernist architecture drawn upon the surrounding beauty
of Sri Lanka. He is famous for 'inventing' Tropical Modernism
– using vernacular concepts and recycled, salvaged local
materials to cool a space and capture sunlight, to harness wind
currents. He shunned swathes of glass and airconditioning and
used open verandahs, courtyards, ha has, pillars, pavilions,
wall-ess roofless rooms, loggia, green spaces and waterbodies.
Lunuganga Country Estate, Bentota
1948-1998
Nestling near the Indian Ocean and Dedduwa Lake, Lunuganga
Country Estate seamlessly fuses architecture, interior design,
landscaping and environment into a single holistic entity.
Frangipani trees line the walkway and frame views of the
shimmering lake and Katakuliya temple. There are lily ponds
and rice plots, statues and huge earthern pots. Bats, birds,
toads and other wildlife share your sanctuary. Lunuganga is
today a functioning commercial hotel owned by the Bawa Trust.
No. 11, 33rd Lane, Bagatelle Road, Colombo
Townhouse and Home Office
1962–1968
In 1959, Bawa rented the third bungalow in a row of four and
converted it into a little pied a terre with sitting room, kitchen,
bedroom and servant's room. When the neighbouring units
became available Bawa, acquired them. He hacked walls to
join the four units in a major remodelling exercise with his
ever-expanding composition that used salvaged items from
old buildings throughout the country. There are elements of
European and Asian architecture; classical and modernist.
Everything connects to a matrix of axes and geometric lines
linking pavilions, courtyards, corridors, pavilions, tower,
outdoor rooms.
Wildlife and Beaches
If you have kids in tow they'll be restless for something else.
Beach life includes the deserted beaches of Jaffna and the
golden sands of the south, and the water sports spots and
spectacular coves of the east coast. You can surf at Arugam
Bay, jet-ski in Bentota or kite surf in Kalpitiya. Snorkel at Pigeon
Island in Trincomalee, scuba dive at The Basses in the south or
head out to sea on a luxury catamaran for a morning of whale
and dolphin watching in Mirissa. Passikudah is home to one of
the longest stretches of shallow coastline in the world where
you can walk far out sea with the water just lapping your legs.
For contrast explore the wildlife of Sri Lanka and you may spot
wild cats, elephants and deer. Deep South and Yala National
Park have the highest density of leopards of anywhere in the
world.
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