This is the recently completed extension/ addition to the office building of the Institute of Engineers Sir Lanka (IESL). Yes that is right, Institute of Engineers, not architects.It certainly is breath of fresh air to the dreary old brick and mortar tombs that muddle the block of land along the Vidya Mawatha (Science Lane?), which front both the IESL and of course the SLIA (Sri Lanka Institute of Architects) buildings.
I have already heard a few comments of the usual variety of ‘too much glass’ or ‘totally unsuitable for this context’, mostly from my (jealous?) architect colleagues. No wonder they are jealous as SLIA building, even though only a few meter away from this new addition to the IESL building, looks about a millennia behind in time.
But I think it is a fantastic solution, both architecturally and technically. The architect has superimposed this new addition to IESL complex with minimum disturbances to the existing courtyard on which it stands and at the same time made a structural statement worthy of the institute it represents.
Photos - Author
Architect - Mano Ponniah
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ReplyDeleteIt would have looked better in place at a more open context. after all is it possible to build arbitrarily anything anywhere? if so at the schools they shouldn't even talk about context. Though it might be a great leap for engineers (considering the boring old basted's they are, who seldom refuse to even take a simple artistic risk) Architecturally can any one even consider this a good product? I wish this was built in a very open space where people could actually see the very objective building.
ReplyDeleteBTW good job with the pix!
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