Taking Geoffrey Bawa’s approach that the architectural response to a place was specific to its particular topography and climate but also its larger environmental, social, and political context, we explore the interplay between architecture and the environment with a conversation on the making of the Kandalama Hotel with Project Architect Dilshan Ferdinando, engineer Deepal Wickremasinghe and former Chairman of Aitken Spence PLC, Prema Cooray.

A Very Particular Response: A Conversation on the Making of the Kandalama Hotel

In celebration of the Lunuganga gardens 75th anniversary, Tree Talks podcast explores the lives of flora and ecosystems within the gardens. Bought on the eve of independence in 1948, Lunuganga is Geoffrey Bawa’s first and longest running architectural endeavour, join us as we unravel the intricacies of this living archive.

This episode is a walk through Lunuganga on a cool January day with Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, naturalist, photographer and author of 'A Naturalist Guide to the Trees of Sri Lanka'. Gehan uncovers the intricacies of Lunuganga's flora and the fauna that flourish in its embrace as he reflects on the histories and migrations of select trees along the path and the influence of humans on globalised horticulture.

This episode follows a path from the Reading Room to the Field of Jars passing by the Jackfruit, Bilin, Mahogany, Mango, Araliya, Na, Fishtail Palm and Hora trees. A map with the sites and sounds of this episode along with other resources are available on our websites.

To Lunuganga: https://lunuganga.garden/Tree-Talks-EP01-Rooted-Histories
Geoffrey Bawa Trust: geoffreybawa.com/tree-talks

Special thanks to Mr Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne for his expertise and animated exploration of Lunuganga and Shamin de Silva for editing and sound design in this episode.

Tree Talks: Rooted Histories

The Sri Lankan Architect Geoffrey Bawa is one of the most important and influential Asian architects of the 20th century. The podcast of the Geoffrey Bawa Trust builds on the repository of information available on Bawa and his practice, as well as the discourse on art and architecture in the island, through oral histories, lectures and discussions.

A Very Particular Response: A Conversation on the Making of the Kandalama Hotel

Geoffrey Bawa Trust

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