Palinda Kannangara (born 1970, Kolonnawa, Sri Lanka) has a background in mathematics and architecture. He majored in mathematics for his BSc (1996), however his primary calling was elsewhere. In 1994, he joined a study course conducted by the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects. As a student, he trained under Sri Lankan modernist architect Anura Rathnavibushana, who had worked with Geoffrey Bawa for 16 years. He established an independent practice in 2005, a year after receiving his Charter. His studio is now located in Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka.
Palinda Kannangara Architects is an award-winning Sri Lankan architecture firm known for its experiential architecture that hinges on simplicity and connection with the natural environment. The firm's work has been recognized for its contextual sensitivity, experimental use of materials and a minimalism that reflects the Sri Lankan ethos. The practice, now more than 15 years year old, has deliberately remained small and personalized. Its design and work process is always deeply connected to the site.
The firm has worked across the island of Sri Lanka on a wide range of projects, often small in scale. With its personalized approach, the studio imbues each project with a sense of connectedness to the context, region, climate and landscape using locally-available materials and technology to provide a rich spatial experience.
The studio’s architecture essentially focuses on capturing and expressing the spirit/magic of the place, whether it is a marsh, a cliff or an urbanscape. The site is the generator of all its ideas, and lies at the heart of the design process. Its architecture is always an intuitive reading of the site and aims to combine both the visceral and the pragmatic. The process is manual, employing a series of detailed drawings and sketches done on-site for working purposes and also physical models built in the office. Palinda Kannangara Architects’ designs are never frozen: they continue to evolve 'on site'.
