Domus Srilanka Magazine - October 2014

In this issue

A classical modernist, Barbara Sansoni Lewcock has redefined the concept
of colour in Sri Lanka. Her geometric interpretation of the three dimensional subjects that inspire her into simple lines and colour—where the woven cloth is her canvas—reflects a sense of aesthetics that is timeless. However, Barbara Sansoni Lewcock’s contribution has not only been in the spheres of colour
and design, she has painstakingly captured in the form of line drawings the traditional buildings in Sri Lanka, some no longer in existence, but preserved for posterity in her drawings. Her influence is extensive and transcends boundaries, her efforts and way of thinking has enhanced the inclusiveness of architecture, creating a Sri Lankan identity.

Occasionally being like a pupil is this Neapolitan maestro’s special way of reconciling his dual profession as an architect and a teacher, in the awareness that one can only teach what one knows.

Hans Kollhoff has developed an innovative façade construction technique that, while using traditional materials such as brick and stone, makes it possible to minimise or conceal the joints, conveying the impression of great solidity in the finished building. Two members of the German architect’s team describe the details of this construction process.

In the urban landscape of Colombo Sri Lanka, Cinnamon Red is the latest of a trend that is steadily transforming the city to a high-rise metropolis. Introduced as the country’s first lean luxury development, the 243-room property is positioned as a city business hotel stylized with youthful vibrance. For its architects, the practical sequence of vertical development upon a limited plot of land represents ‘smart luxury’.

The one-family house sits naturally on a rocky and topographically uneven site, reflecting the roughness of its ground by means of an irregularly pitched and daring roof, and by opening towards the lake in front of it.