Geoffrey Bawa, 83; Sri Lankan Architect Used Buddhist Motifs
Geoffrey Bawa, 83, an architect who gained a worldwide reputation by blending traditional Buddhist motifs from his native Sri Lanka with a more contemporary international style, died Tuesday at his home in Colombo.
He had been in failing health since a stroke in 1998 left him paralyzed.
Born in Sri Lanka when it was the British colony of Ceylon, Bawa didn’t take up the formal study of architecture until the age of 32 after first training for -- and then deciding against -- a career as a lawyer.
He was 37 when he finished his requirements for qualification as an architect and returned to his homeland from London.
Over several decades, Bawa worked on numerous projects in Sri Lanka, including religious, social, cultural, educational, government, commercial and residential buildings.
He became widely known for his hotel designs as the country became an international tourist location.
In designs for hotels such as the Hotel Lighthouse, a resort on the beach at Galle, and the Kandalama Hotel in central Sri Lanka, the architecture never seems to intrude on the surrounding landscape.
He later designed the country’s new parliament building at Kotte and the University of Ruhuna near Matara.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
