Day 81 – Colombo, Sri Lanka

After our overnight in Sri Lanka, we woke up to a hazy day with more air pollution than I had expected.

Even though I hesitate to think about the number of days that have passed since we boarded Viking Sky last December, I couldn’t help but notice that we are already halfway through our World Cruise. Today marks the first day of the second half of this amazing adventure.

While Tim left early for his optional tour, “Ceylon Tea Experience at Ingiriya,“ I set out for my own optional excursion, “The Architecture of Geoffrey Bawa,” to see Modernist art and architecture. This was the description:

Learn about the inspiring work of one of the most influential Asian architects of the 20th century. Geoffrey Bawa was the main proponent of “tropical modernism,” an architectural style based on the availability of materials and reflecting the needs and traditions of a local population. Visit Bawa’s former residence in Colombo; built during the 1960s through the artful addition of different units, it reflects Bawa’s principles. Wander through the labyrinth of rooms and gardens, which give the illusion of unlimited space. Travel by motor coach to Kotte, where you will view the Parliament building—possibly Bawa’s crowning achievement. Built on an artificial island, the elegant complex of copper-roofed pavilions is a masterpiece of modern regional architecture. Next, drive to The Gallery Cafe for lunch. Located in Bawa’s old offices, the building was converted into a cafe-restaurant and art gallery. Conclude your tour with a visit to Barefoot, a local business that designs, hand-weaves and exports textiles.

This was the first architecture themed excursion offered by Viking, at least on the cruises we’ve taken, and I was looking forward to learning about the work of an architect with whom I was totally unfamiliar.

Geoffrey Bawa is widely regarded as the father of Sri Lankan architecture. He came to be known as the leader of the “tropical modernist” movement and was the driving force behind its spread in Sri Lanka and throughout Southeast Asia.

Bawa adapted the International Style to the climate and culture of his native country, combining clean lines with classical Sri Lankan building forms and techniques. He developed innovative ways to use light, space, and materials to create designs that worked with, not against, challenging environments. These included overhanging roofs and deep, open verandas that connected to outdoor courtyards.

Our first stop was Bawa’s own residence, simply known as Number 11, which stands as a living testament to his life and legacy. Here, Bawa combined four row houses over a period of ten years into the property that we visited today. The unassuming exterior, which is quite difficult to see on its narrow lane, gave no hint about what we would find on the interior.

Entering Number 11, Geoffrey Bawa's Residence

We entered the house through the beautiful wooden garage doors and immediately encountered Bawa’s two vintage automobiles. Our guide introduced us to Bawa’s design philosophy and described the features in the reception area, including items from his closest friends. The acid-etched front door was just one example.

The Final Design of Number 11

We walked down the home’s main corridor, a long entryway punctuated by lightwells filled with trees. The corridor led to a shallow pool enclosed by columns, with a small sitting area on the opposite wall.

The Main Corridor

The Pool Court

Bawa’s private living areas were next, and they remain just as he left them. Photos were not permitted in these areas, where he spent most of his time.

On the upper level is a guest suite that is not part of the tour. However, the previous guests had checked out early, so we were able to climb the circular stairway and view this beautiful space. Bawa hosted friends here, and it is now a two-bedroom hotel suite, which anyone can rent for $400. Unfortunately, the waiting list is one year.

The Guest Suite

One flight up is a roof terrace that included a gathering space with a kitchenette and an immense potted bonsai tree. The terrace was enveloped by the canopy of the massive trees on neighboring properties.

The Roof Terrace

Throughout the house, we saw examples of the furnishings that Bawa designed or reinterpreted. He believed that architecture and interiors were inseparable, maintaining an approach to furniture design that was deeply integrated with his architectural vision. We also learned that Bawa’s favorite colors were black and white, which I can relate to.

Furnishing Designed or Reinterpreted by Bawa

Number 11 is owned and managed by the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, which preserves the property as a house museum, event venue, and boutique hotel. Our Trust guide was excellent and provided a thorough presentation on this amazing architect.

It is said that Geoffrey Bawa’s most enduring landmarks are two political and ideological symbols, the New Parliament building at Kotte, which we drove past next, and the Seema Malaka Buddhist Temple on Beira Lake, which we would see later in the day.

The New Parliament Building of Sri Lanka was designed by Bawa in 1982. Bawa had envisioned a building surrounded by water on all sides, and his design features an asymmetric group of colonnaded pavilions with copper-clad pyramid roofs, floating on a manmade lake.

Because of the high security surrounding the parliament, we were only able to view the building from across the water and through a row of trees, as our bus slowed down. Sadly, these factors and the haze and air pollution did not lend themselves to clear photos.

The New Parliament Building

Adjacent to the Parliament complex is the National War Memorial, dedicated to all military personnel killed since World War I.  In a manner similar to our Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC, the names are etched on long black walls.

The National War Memorial

By now, it was time for our lunch at the Gallery Café, Geoffrey Bawa’s former office. The adaptive reuse of this space into an upscale restaurant was approved by Bawa, and the restaurant retains the original character of this property. Not only was the space beautiful, but the food was outstanding.

The Gallery Cafe

A Fabulous Lunch, One of the Best Ever

After a delicious lunch, we drove the short distance to Barefoot, a local shop that features brightly colored, handwoven textiles and products designed and made in Sri Lanka. Although this was most definitely a shopping opportunity, there was a connection to Bawa. Barbara Sansoni, the owner, was a good friend of Bawa and designed the “Jak and Ebony” fabric that covered Bawa’s reinterpretation of the Barcelona chair.

Barefoot

After a short city tour, we drove past the final project designed by Bawa that we would see today, Seema Malaka. This complex is a floating Buddhist temple on Beira Lake in the middle of Colombo. The temple was originally constructed in the nineteenth century but was redesigned by Bawa after the original structure slowly sank. 

 This temple, which is so unlike other Buddhist temples, is mainly for meditation and rest, rather than for worshipping. The entire structure has a coral white base and signature blue pyramid roofs. We were able to see only a glimpse of the temple today, but I found a photo from yesterday that provides a much better view of the building. 

Seema Malaka Buddhist Temple

While I was doing a bit of research on Geoffrey Bawa before writing this post, I discovered that he was responsible for the redesign of the Grand Oriental Hotel in downtown Colombo in 1966. I searched through my photos and realized that we had driven right past the hotel, both today and yesterday. It’s a shame that our local guide, who admitted that he was no expert on Geoffrey Bawa, did not know that the hotel was one of Bawa’s projects.

Grand Oriental Hotel

I thoroughly enjoyed this excursion and am so happy that Viking offered a tour that focused on this amazing architect.

Back at the ship, we continued our immersion into all things Sri Lankan with A Taste of Sri Lanka. Food is an important component of every culture, and Executive Chef Alastair and his culinary team make every effort to acquaint us with this aspect of the countries we visit.

A Taste of Sri Lanka

As we were eating, I noticed that the Lotus Tower’s nightly light show was underway. The Lotus Tower is a symbolic landmark in Colombo and Sri Lanka's tallest skyscraper, and the lighting was lovely.

The Lotus Tower - During the Day and At Night

Because I had become so interested in Sri Lanka, Tim and I watched Nitza Lowenstein’s lecture from several days ago about “Sri Lanka: Unique Rich Culture and Traditions.” Her talk was a good way to end the evening, and it helped to wrap up a few loose ends that I had been curious about.

Sri Lanka, Unique Rich Culture and Traditions