Considered the most important Asian architect of the 20th century,
Geoffrey Bawa is credited with creating the new Tropical Modern
aesthetic that is now common throughout the world. This style of
architecture seamlessly combines the indoor with the outdoor, being
minimalist in composition and creating semi-enclosed spaces. His
buildings are constructed of indigenous local materials and crafts,
borrowing from the native forms with an emphasis on efficiency. Bawa’s
buildings are contemporary in design but rooted in local tradition. Bawa
is considered the most influential architect from the Asian region.
Sri Lankan Parliament designed by Geoffrey Bawa
Geoffrey Bawa
Born in 1919, Geoffrey Bawa studied at Cambridge University
before moving on to study law in London. After serving in the war, Bawa
returned to his native Sri Lanka, purchased an abandoned rubber estate,
and converted it into one of the country's most iconic gardens and
estates. He then returned to London to study architecture, qualifying in
1957.
Between 1957 and 1989, Geoffrey Bawa took charge of the
established Sri Lankan architectural firm Edwards Reid and Begg. He left
in 1990 to create his own firm, Geoffrey Bawa Associates. Throughout,
Bawa developed and refined a new style of modernist architecture
suitable to the tropical climates.
Bawa began by designing and supervising the construction of
residential properties, office buildings, churches, and schools. He is
noted for deconstructing the traditional layout of constituent rooms by
creating semi-enclosed spaces which include terraces, garden rooms,
garden roofs, and courtyards. His office buildings addressed the
particular needs of the workplace in a tropical environment, including
cantilevered floors and breathing walls.
Bawa's most iconic building was the new Sri Lankan parliamentary
buildings constructed in 1979. It was designed as an island capital
surrounded by parkland and a new lake. The building itself is a main
pavilion surrounded and connected by five satellite pavilions. This is
one of Bawa's most revered and praised buildings today.
A significant number of international awards and honors have been
bestowed on Bawa. He is an honorary fellow of the American Institute of
Architects, received the Architect of the Year in London (1996), the
Aga Khan Award For Architecture for lifetime achievement (2001), and
many more. His work has often been the subject of retrospectives around
the world. Unfortunately, he was felled by a stroke in 1998 that ended
his productive career, and he passed away in 2003.
His influence on global architecture is undeniable. Firstly, he
tutored and mentor subsequent generations of prominent modernist
architects. His work is highly regarded in many countries, including
Singapore, Japan, Thailand, and India. Today, the Geoffrey Bawa Trust
administers his estate, provides scholarships and lectures, and presents
architecture awards.
Geoffrey Bawa was considered eccentric because of his homosexual
lifestyle. Elements of this easily transferred to his design,
particularly in the garden elements – they are very decorative and
eclectic, incorporating an English aspect into the traditional tropical
landscape. These included the creation of vistas and walkways that were
sensual, but also which are filled with wonder and gay in-jokes along
the way (including male nudes and sculpture, or a sleeping naked man
etched into a concrete bench).
His brother, Bevis Bawa, was also gay and
served as Aide de Campe for four successive Sri Lankan Governor
Generals.
Geoffrey Bawa had a notable relationship with gay Australian
artist Donald Friend. They joined forces in advancing this new LGBTQ
influenced aesthetic into tropical architecture.
Original Link
http://queerbio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Geoffrey_Bawa
link 1
link 2
Brief Garden near Aluthgama and Bentota
Peek and breathe in the hedonistic life of self-declared and self-taught
artist Bevis Bawa and enjoy his former fairy tale garden and mansion.
Bevis, whose brother Geoffrey was one of the most important Sri Lankan
architect, did not have a regular Sri Lankan life-style; first, he never
had to care about money, he had a rich papa who bought for example the
estate under discussion. Second, he was gay, a hardcore crime according
to (former) Ceylonese culture. Third, he smoked 50 cigarettes a day,
drank whiskey excessively and organised his own sex orgies in his
beautifully designed garden. During his life time dozens of artists
stayed at his estate and benefited from the inspiring atmosphere on this
former rubber plantation. The Australian artist Donald Friend
supposedly stayed five years even though he wanted to stay one week
only. Not only shared these two men the passion for art, but also their
beds or at least there passion for adolescent boys. All the above life
information about Bevis Bawa will help you to interpret and understand
the kind of statues placed in the different corners of the garden and
the villa.
Link
http://briefgarden.blogspot.com/
