Lifestyle & Culture

Geoffrey Bawa Trust to support restoration of Colombo’s iconic temple

The Geoffrey Bawa Trust is pleased to support the restoration of the Seema Malaka of the Gangarama Temple. Built between 1976 - 78, the current Seema Malaka was designed by Geoffrey Bawa on the site of a previous temple structure.

The Seema Malaka—also known as a sīmāmālaka—is a terraced chapel found in Buddhist temples or monasteries. Located in Beira Lake, the Gangaramaya Temple’s Seema Malaka is an important meditation space and venue for religious ceremonies.

Bawa’s design blended classical Sinhalese and Buddhist architecture with contemporary elements, featuring a central plinth with the main preaching hall, connected to the land and two smaller plinths by an elevated walkway. An extension to the southern side of the temple was added at a later date. The three pavilions float on large cross-beams and were originally capped by pyramidal clay tiled roofs, later replaced with blue glazed tiles. The elevated walkways and pitched tiled roofs are reminiscent of the first sīmāmālaka of Gangarama Temple, constructed in the mid 19th century. The original building was supported above the lake by wooden poles and required regular renovations, before finally collapsing into the water—along with a group of monks—in August 1954.

“Seema Malaka is significant for its serene, water‑based design,” says Dr Gamini Wijesuriya, architect, archaeologist, and cultural heritage management specialist. “Its integration of architecture, landscape, and urban context symbolises harmony between culture, nature, and contemporary life.”

Funding and support for the reconstruction of the Seema Malaka in 1976 came from a wide and diverse community, with principal donations from the Moosajee family. Working across religions and ethnicities is reflective of much of Geoffrey Bawa’s work, and many of his projects involved a diverse range of clients, including designs for the Nazareth Chapel at the Good Shepherd Convent in Bandarawela, which he also undertook on a pro bono basis.

The Geoffrey Bawa Trust is working closely with Venerable Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thero, of the Gangaramaya Temple, to restore the building to reflect Bawa’s original designs. The Seema Malaka is an iconic building in the cityscape of Colombo and a point of high visitation for residents and visitors. In supporting the restoration and preservation of Bawa’s original design, the Trust aims to not only protect an architectural landmark and piece of Geoffrey Bawa’s legacy, but also advocate for the preservation of Colombo’s architectural history and heritage buildings.

“Conserving pieces of Colombo’s modern architecture, such as Seema Malaka, requires preserving the original design while allowing for sensitive interventions that support continued use without compromising the aspects of the building that communities use and cherish,” says Wijesuriya.

Heritage buildings serve as a source of inspiration and education, celebrated not just for their age and construction, but also for their social significance and continued use over time. They reflect the fabric of a place and its people, a relevance that spans from ancient structures to modernist architecture. As such, heritage conservation and management must adopt a people-centred approach, placing communities at the heart of decision-making.

"The Seema Malaka is one of Geoffrey Bawa’s most publicly accessed buildings. Its conservation and restoration to its original intent, to provide a peaceful and calm retreat amidst the whirl of city life, is extremely important,” says Channa Daswatte, chartered architect and Chair of the Geoffrey Bawa Trust. Renovation of the extension added after Bawa’s contributions to the temple will be undertaken by Channa Daswatte.