LANKATILES and Geoffrey Bawa Trust Partner to Advance Sri Lankan Design Through Memorial Lecture Series

LANKATILES has joined forces with the Geoffrey Bawa Trust to support the 23rd Annual Geoffrey Bawa Memorial Lecture, featuring Japanese architect Junya Ishigami, as part of a broader effort to elevate design discourse in Sri Lanka.

The Geoffrey Bawa Trust and LANKATILES have established a collaborative partnership aimed at strengthening Sri Lanka's architectural and design community. The partnership was highlighted through the recent 23rd Annual Geoffrey Bawa Memorial Lecture held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, where renowned Japanese architect Junya Ishigami delivered the keynote address. Ishigami, founder of junya.ishigami+associates, is known for challenging conventional architectural thinking and examining how built environments interact with nature and human experience.

According to LANKATILES Managing Director Priyantha Talwatte, the company views design as central to its mission and sees the partnership as an opportunity to create platforms where architecture and creativity flourish. The collaboration extends beyond the annual lecture to include DesignTalk, a year-round knowledge-sharing initiative. Talwatte stated that LANKATILES aims to contribute to the broader creative ecosystem by facilitating conversations and connecting Sri Lankan audiences with global design perspectives.

The Geoffrey Bawa Trust, led by Chairperson Channa Daswatte, plays a significant role in fostering Sri Lanka's architectural landscape through educational and collaborative programs. Daswatte emphasized that bringing international ideas to Sri Lanka through the memorial lecture series honors Geoffrey Bawa's legacy of encouraging creative thinking and innovation. Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director of Hong Kong's M+ and a trustee, added that preserving architectural heritage provides important lessons for shaping the future while maintaining environmental responsibility.

Through this partnership, both organizations aim to sustain platforms that celebrate design excellence and inspire the next generation of Sri Lankan architects and designers.