From the air, the Yoyogi National Gymnasium – built for the Tokyo Olympics of 1964 – resembles nothing so much as a leaf that has just fluttered to the ground. Designed by Kenzo Tange, its long elegant curves and ribs seem almost organic and yet its material is concrete. His first encounter with it, when … Continue reading
July 29, 1999. Vasuki Nesiah was on her way to meet Neelan Tiruchelvam when she heard he would not be able to keep their appointment. As his course assistant, Vasuki had been working with Neelan, helping him to prepare for a constitutional law class that considered how the Tamil epic Silapadikaram and the Greek tragedy Antigone could be ‘sources’ … Continue reading
Every week, Krishna Jagadeesan spends a day with memories of Geoffrey Bawa. He dusts and mops but does not rearrange anything in Bawa’s room at the garden estate of Lunuganga. It is Krishna’s duty to keep everything inside as it was. Having joined the staff at Lunuganga in 1999, one of Krishna’s earliest tasks was … Continue reading
Sunethra Bandaranaike remembers turning down the driveway to Lunuganga with the world’s first-ever female prime minister in the seat beside her. They had been invited by Geoffrey Bawa to visit his garden estate, and her mother’s first impression was guarded to say the least. “It looks like we are driving through a forest. What is this?” Sunethra remembers Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias … Continue reading
When Dr. Asha Abeyasekera spoke to a woman named Rojani in 2018, she heard that Rojani’s family had lived in 219 Watte since the 1950s. Rojani’s father had even been given a house-ownership card, issued by then President Premadasa’s government. “She had this whole file, though she was illiterate, she had kept these documents and … Continue reading
Marie Gnanaraj is 69 years old, and Marisa Gnanaraj is 38 years old. Officially, they’ve been collaborators for six years. Unofficially? It’s more like Marisa’s whole life. “Mum has been making fabric for the longest time, I have literally grown up with it,” says Marisa remembering the loom in their home, and how she and … Continue reading
All Amila de Mel had was one photograph and Sharmini de Saram’s memories to help her recreate a certain shade of pink. The complex colour, layered with rich undertones of mango yellow, dominates an external wall in the newly renovated De Saram House in Colombo 7. It was inspired by Druvi de Saram’s love … Continue reading
J.K. Methma Jayawardhana runs a business in which she might never meet her customer, even though her products are customised, intricate and deeply personal. The young entrepreneur is a graduate of the University of Moratuwa and founder of the brand Loha. “The main intention of ‘Loha’ is to reach passionate jewellery wearers through bespoke jewellery … Continue reading
10 PET bottles. That’s how many are required to create one of the new official jerseys that the Sri Lankan cricket team will wear during the much anticipated ICC World Cup that begins at the end of this month. Designed and created by MAS Holdings, the innovative fabric is called Ocean Plastic – a nod … Continue reading
Nadeesha* has worn a burqa for 15 years, and the abaya for twice as long. Last week, when she heard that a ban on face-covering was in place, she knew there was a difficult time ahead. “This is a lovely country, it is my country. It has been a paradise on earth, and we have … Continue reading
