The architecture of Geoffrey Bawa (1919-2003) was revolutionary. The Sri Lankan architect succeeded in fusing sensitivity for local context with the technological discoveries and design principles of modernism in his work. A pioneer of bioclimatic architecture, Bawa incorporated materials and layouts specific to Sri Lanka’s monsoon climate and storied architectural history into his modernist designs. Although he never built outside Asia, his work and way of thinking resonate far beyond the region.

Gathering essays by scholars and writers across a multitude of disciplines, this volume spotlights the beautiful architectural drawings of Bawa’s practice. Illustrated with more than 200 drawings and photographs, many of which published for the first time, the book delves into the central, multipronged role of the medium in Bawa’s work. It also explores the identity of post-independence Sri Lanka, which Bawa helped to shape aesthetically and ideologically.