Bawa: The Sri Lanka Gardens traces the intertwined lives of brothers Geoffrey and Bevis Bawa through the two extraordinary gardens they created — Lunuganga and Brief — reading the tropical landscape of Sri Lanka as both medium and muse.
About This Book
At its core, this book is a portrait of two gardens and the sensibilities that shaped them. Geoffrey Bawa, one of the most significant architects of the twentieth century, and his brother Bevis each cultivated a garden of exceptional character in the Sri Lankan countryside — and this volume documents both with intimacy and precision. Moving from the island's broader natural landscape inward to the particular details of Lunuganga and Brief, the book situates tropical garden design within a specific cultural and geographic context. More than a survey of landscape architecture, it is a meditation on place, personality, and the making of beauty in a lush and varied terrain.
Key Features
- 176 pages of predominantly photographic documentation of Lunuganga, Brief, and the Sri Lankan landscape
- Authors: David Robson and Dominic Sansoni
- Published by Thames & Hudson, ISBN: 9780500292921
What You'll Discover
- How the varied natural landscape of Sri Lanka — its palette of terrain, light, and vegetation — directly informed Geoffrey Bawa's architectural sensibility
- The distinct personalities behind Lunuganga and Brief, and how each garden reflects its maker's character and vision
- The relationship between tropical garden design and the broader architectural principles Bawa developed throughout his career
- Sri Lanka itself as a subject: the island's natural beauty documented as both context and inspiration, not merely backdrop
About the Author
David Robson is a writer and architect with deep expertise in the work of Geoffrey Bawa, having authored and contributed to several major publications on the subject. Dominic Sansoni is a Sri Lankan photographer whose work has extensively documented the architecture, landscapes, and culture of the island.
Specifications
- Format: Softcover
- Pages: 176
- Dimensions: 268 x 240 mm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9780500292921
- Publisher: Thames & Hudson
- Publication Date: [Details available upon request]
Perfect For: Architects and landscape designers drawn to Geoffrey Bawa's work, tropical garden enthusiasts, and readers with a specific interest in Sri Lankan landscape and culture.