sevenby3

namal jayamanne's cartoon colection from uni days

2012-01-29T07:43:00.000-08:00

Via Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=o.108743515875222&type=1
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.301517926567177.81934.100001269154418&type=3

Design selected for Jaffna cultural centre

2012-01-19T18:48:00.000-08:00

The Indian High Commission on Tuesday announced the winner of the design competition for the Jaffna Cultural Centre. India will build the centre, costing about LKR 900 million (1 INR = 2.5 LKR).

In a ceremony here, S. M. Krishna, Indian Minister for External Affairs, and Basil Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan Minister for Economic Development, presented awards to the top three architects whose entries were selected by a jury after the completion of the National Design Competition.

The design submitted by Archt. Madura Premathileka was adjudged first; while that submitted by Cynthia & Athula Ranasinghe Chartered Architects was declared second and the one submitted by Design Consortium (Pvt) Ltd, was declared third. A total of 29 entries were received. From this eight were shortlisted. The winner was awarded a prize amount of US$3,500. The runner-up was awarded $3,000, and the second runner-up, $2,500. Madura also made a presentation to Mr. Krishna and his team on the design.

more on Daily Mirror
Images via Sri Lanka Mirror

frank lloyd wright was my teacher

2011-12-30T12:17:00.000-08:00

"When my daughter was 7 years old, she asked, 'Daddy, why do you always talk about Frank Lloyd Wright so much?'

"And I would tell her, 'Well, he was my teacher,' " recalls Phoenix architect and civic planner Vern Swaback.

" 'Really?' she said. 'What grade?' "

Read on

breakdown of blog hits

2011-12-28T12:01:00.000-08:00

After a bit of a hitus I am back. As I was away from the blog, I had a quick look at the hit counter and what struck me most was the disparity between the hits from Western Province and the rest of the country. Is this a case of less interest of architecture outside Colombo or just that we do not have enough Internet access to the other parts of the country? May be both.

And also look at the disparity between Southern Province and the provinces like Sabaragamuwa and North Western.

Western - 10,356
Central - 287
Sabaragamuwa - 124
North Western - 93
Southern - 85
Uva - 31
North Central - 21
Northern - 7

Designing for students by peter cook

2011-12-23T11:46:00.000-08:00

'
The Lunch Hour Lecture discusses two academic buildings by CRAB studio currently on site, demonstrating with many anecdotes and pertinent observations how forty five years’ teaching experience have been integral to their design process. A law school at Vienna Economics University with “a jolly plan” rallies against the convention of prioritising only spaces dedicated to parts of the curriculum, acknowledging the importance of interstitial spaces and improvised seminars.(Via UCL Events)

Read more

House at Madiwela (#49)

2011-12-18T11:43:00.000-08:00

Architect: Chinthaka Wickramage
Struct. Engineer: Prasantha Pieris
Quantity Surveyor: Sunanda Gnanasiri
Consultants: Chinthaka Wickramage Associates
Photos: C.V.

chinthaka wickramage is commended @ ar+d Emerging Architecture Awards

2011-12-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

ar+d Emerging Architecture Awards: Highly Commended
Community Centre by Chinthaka Wickramage, Thalalla, Sri Lanka

Rebuilding in Sri Lanka still has a long way to go after the catastrophic damage wrought by the 2004 tsunami. This new community centre designed by Chinthaka Wickramage on a budget of $55,000 (£34,000) works hard to restore essential services for the villagers of Thalalla. Set in the grounds of a Buddhist temple (as a debt of gratitude to the local chief monk who assisted with the tsumani recovery effort), the centre adopts the ancient Buddhist temple building tradition of tam pita viharas (building on pillars) so that it can withstand flooding.

A robust concrete frame holds infill panels of exposed red brick and supports a clay-tiled pitched roof. Despite noting its formal and material modesty, the jury found this a compelling project.

Read more at architectural-review.com

See more photos here

sri lankan wins RIBA president's award for outstanding PhD thesis

2011-12-18T11:19:00.000-08:00

Dr. Milinda Pathiraja, an alumni of the Department of Architecture of the Moratuwa University has won the 2011 RIBA President's Award for Outstanding PhD Thesis. He has carried our his doctoral thesis under the guidance of Prof. Paolo Tombesi at the University of Melbourne.

Link for RIBA President's Award for Outstanding PhD Thesis.
Milinda Pathiraja of the University of Melbourne: The function of robust technology in the construction of a 'third world' practice: architecture, design and labour training

the world's most expensive photo

2011-11-11T18:10:00.000-08:00

Last night, art history was made when an anonymous buyer paid a record-breaking $4.34 million for Andreas Gursky's photograph of the Rhine River, called Rhein II. The snapshot, which sold at Christie's impressionist and modern art auction in New York, became the most expensive photograph ever sold at auction.

It beat out Cindy Sherman's Untitled #96, (see below) which sold for a whopping $3.89 million at a Christie's sale this May. Gursky's print, made in 1999, was expected to sell for between $2.5 million and $3.5 million. It depicts a stunning panorama of Germany's most famous river. The sale price includes the buyer's premium.

Here is a list of world's most expensive photographs

titus thotawatte 1929-2011

2011-10-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

Remember "handaya" and "Doctor Honda Hitha".

Titus Thotawatte was a great film maker and perhaps the best film editor Sri Lanka ever had. He made several popular and technically skilled Sri Lankan action movies in the 1960s and 1970s and later developed Sinhala children's pro grammes and perhaps made the most significant contribution by producing properly dubbed foreign language children's programs to Sinhala hence making these films accessible to a wider section of the Sri Lankan society. He passed away on October 15, 2011.

IFRC community centre (#48)

2011-10-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

IFRC Community Centre for Tsunami affected community @ Thalalla Mathara

Architect: Chinthaka Wickramage
Engineer: Keerthi Rathnayake
Quantity Surveyour: Sunanda Gnanasiri
IFRC Co-ordinators: Wardell Eastwood, John Wain
Photographer: Kesara Ratnavibhushana

look out loo

2011-10-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

Artist Monica Bonvicini has created a minimalist glass cube containing a usable loo to stand opposite the Tate Britain gallery in London (Photo 2). The work, called Don't Miss A Sec, is made out of one-way glass which means you can see out but not in.

The toilet was also exhibited at the Messeplatz in Basel, Switzerland (photos 1,3)

"stay hungry, stay foolish" - the whole earth catolog

2011-10-08T23:56:00.000-07:00

The Whole Earth Catalog was an American counterculture catalog published by Stewart Brand between 1968 and 1972, and occasionally thereafter, until 1998. Although the WECs listed all sorts of products for sale (clothing, books, tools, machines, seeds – things useful for a creative or self-sustainable lifestyle) the Whole Earth Catalogs themselves did not sell any of the products. Instead the vendors and their prices were listed right alongside with the items. This led to a need for the Catalogs to be frequently updated. (Wikipedia)

Steve Jobs compared The Whole Earth Catalog to Internet search engine Google in his June 2005 Stanford University commencement speech. "When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation.... It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along. It was idealistic and overflowing with neat tools and great notions." During the commencement speech, Jobs also quoted the farewell message placed on the back cover of the 1974 edition of the catalog: "Stay hungry, stay foolish." (See previous post)

Generally the catalog has been divided in to seven sections: Understanding Whole Systems, Shelter and Land Use, Industry and Craft, Communications, Community, Nomadics and Learning. The whole earth catalog (1972 edition) won the US National Book Award, the first time a catalog had ever won such an award.

visit WEC website
Read about Stewart Brand

steve jobs 1955-2011

2011-10-07T03:18:00.000-07:00

coming of age - a mid centuary architectural conversation on more than architecture

2011-09-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

Recently we has very interesting seminar under the theme "Coming of Age - A mid century architectural conversation on community, shared values and possible horizons" at Moratuwa university. Apart from seeing quite a few interesting projects from different parts of the world we had the opportunity (and time) have a lively discussion at the end and true to the title of the seminar actually the participants were able discuss thing beyond architecture and how these issues impinge on our architecture from time to time. Presenters went beyond their presentations were keen to see the Sri Lankan perspective on things.

Recurring themes at the discussion were;
- what have you guys been doing, in terms of architecture;with the wonderful climate you have in this country.
- What does post / neo colonialism means to you?

There were more direct questions like
- policy on affordable housing in Sri Lanka
- and finally the most in teresting, I think this came from Julie Eizenberg "we come and show all these things, what do you think of us"

The presenters at the seminar were
Julie Eizenberg - The children Museum at Pittsburgh
Ricardo Vanucci - Beyond the prototype: After the CBF in Ougadougou
Emanuela Valle - The student cafeteria at the Polytechnic of Turin
William Lenart - The relocatable classroom design program in Florid
Hank Koning - Low cost high value housing in California
Paolo Tombesi - On measure in architecture: The toilet of the Sydney Opera House
Ashley De Vos chaired the proceeding

vladimir putin

2011-09-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

Vladimir Putin, widely regarded as the man who guided the post communist Russia away from anarchy and economic disaster will be seeking a third term for the presidency of Russia.

Asked at a press conference on 14 February 2008 whether he was the richest person in Europe, as some newspapers claimed; and if so, to state the source of his wealth, Putin said "This is true. I am the richest person not only in Europe, but also in the world. I collect emotions. And I am rich in that respect that the people of Russia have twice entrusted me with leadership of such a great country as Russia. I consider this to be my biggest fortune. As for the rumors concerning my financial wealth, I have seen some pieces of paper regarding this. This is plain chatter, not worthy discussion, plain bosh. They have picked this in their noses and have smeared this across their pieces of paper. This is how I view this."

Read more

top architecture prize jury gets a real judge

2011-09-17T21:35:00.000-07:00

Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer and the architect Zaha Hadid will join the jury that selects the Pritzker Prize, architecture's highest award, Thomas J. Pritzker, chairman of the Hyatt Foundation, the prize's sponsor, announced on Wednesday.

Justice Breyer has long been interested in art and architecture and wrote the foreword to the 2006 book, “Celebrating the Courthouse: A Guide for Architects, Their Clients, and the Public.” Ms. Hadid, who received the Pritzker Prize in 2004, has projects in numerous countries including the United States, China, Germany, Spain and Italy.

With these two additions, the Pritzker jury will now consist of eight people, including its chairman, Lord Palumbo of the United Kingdom.

“The members of the Pritzker jury are now, and always have been thoughtful, outstanding individuals from diverse backgrounds providing sometimes surprising insight to architectural achievement in our time,” Mr. Pritzker said in a statement. “Our family is constantly proud and honored that these individuals are willing to give of their time in choosing architects to be singled out for excellence.”

By ROBIN POGREBIN
from here

southern highway

2011-09-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

Some photos of the completed sections of the southern highway.

privat house in colombo (#47)

2011-09-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Privat house in Colombo

Architect - Palinda Kannangara

Photos by - WG

habarana lodge (#46)

2011-08-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

Still growing 30 after 30 years................

Architects: Pheroze Choksy and Ismeth Rahim Architects

Photos: Waruna Gomis (Yes, he is back after a long hiatus!)

so you want to be an architect

2011-08-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

one way all the way

2011-07-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

A timely article on "one way roads".......

What you should know about one-way traffic systems: Traffic and road management
By Prof. Amal S. Kumarage

"So we have heard of yet another experiment (extending the one-way flow from Vajira Road-Visaka) junction on Duplication Road to Dickmans Road (Lester James Peiris Mawatha) in traffic re-arrangement in Colombo? We have learnt to accept such ‘experiments’ to be successful since they are always implemented without debate or discussion. What we may not know is that there is no ‘before and after’ study, no survey on public perception, no consultation with other stakeholders and no cost benefit analysis. But who cares when there are no public complaints! Or so it seems!"

Read on

What you should know when stuck in traffic (Part I)
By Prof. Amal S. Kumarage

Is getting to work for you more tiresome than work itself? Is the most stressful part of your job the daily commute to work and not the boss or deadlines? But when you are stuck in traffic, tired and stressed out think of the good side of the commute. The good side? Yes, the good side is that you just may wish to enjoy your commute as all signs are that it will steadily worsen in days to come.

Read on

thisara thanapathy wins geoffrey bawa award, 2010/2011

2011-07-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

Thisara Thanapathy has won the Geoffrey Bawa award for Architecture, this year for his urban house design ‘The Sarath Abeyrathne House'. Archt Yudish Ganeshan was adjudged the first runner-up receiving Commendation for his post-tsunami Udayapuram school in Periyakallar. Richard Murphy Associates was the other among the eight shortlisted nominees to be chosen for Honourable Mention for the British High Commission building in Colombo.

Read more @ Sunday Times

Photo via sundaytimes.lk

London's Strata tower wins Carbuncle Cup as Britain's ugliest new building

2011-07-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

The Carbuncle Cup is an architecture prize, given annually by the magazine Building Design to "the ugliest building in the United Kingdom". This year it has been awarded to London's Strata Tower.

"It was hailed a breakthrough in urban wind power: a 42-storey tower with built-in turbines to deliver 8% of its electricity needs. But today the Strata tower in south London found itself becalmed when it was named Britain's ugliest new building, pipping a rival that the judges said resembled a giant pair of buttocks and a bus station that looked like a jelly mould." - guardian.co.uk

Read more about Carbuncle cup @ Wikipedia
Read more about Carbuncle cup @ Building Design Online
Read more about this year winner of Carbuncle cup, Strata Tower of London
Photo - guardian.co.uk

TED TALK: 17 words of architectural inspiration from libeskind

2011-07-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

Daniel Libeskind's 17 words of architectural inspiration