Vitra Design Museum Opens Geoffrey Bawa Retrospective "Architecture for the Senses"
From 26 September 2026 until 28 February 2027, the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein will host "Geoffrey Bawa: Architecture for the Senses," which highlights five decades of the renowned Sri Lankan architect’s creations. Bawa, who was born in Ceylon in 1919, completed his studies at the Architectural Association in London in 1957. His notable works encompass Lunuganga (1948–2003), Bentota Beach Hotel (1966–1969), Kandalama Hotel (1991–1994), Polontalawa Estate Bungalow (1963–1967), and Jayewardene House (1997–1998). Awarded the Aga Khan Award in 2001, the exhibition will display 250 pieces designed by Lina Ghotmeh, featuring contributions from Kengo Kuma, Tatiana Bilbao, Marina Tabassum, and Iwan Baan, before moving to Hong Kong in June 2027.
Key facts
- "Geoffrey Bawa: Architecture for the Senses" runs at the Vitra Design Museum from 26 September 2026 to 28 February 2027
- Geoffrey Bawa was born in 1919 in Ceylon and graduated from London's Architectural Association in 1957
- The retrospective brings together 250 pieces, including drawings, models, furniture, audiovisual material, artworks and photographs
- Iwan Baan produced new photographs of Bawa's buildings specifically for the exhibition
- Lina Ghotmeh designed the immersive scenography
- Bawa received the Aga Khan Award for lifetime contributions to architecture in 2001
- The exhibition is a coproduction of the Vitra Design Museum, M+, the Wüstenrot Foundation and the Geoffrey Bawa Trust
- The show travels to Hong Kong from June 2027, with further venues still being planned
Entities
Artists
- Geoffrey Bawa
- Iwan Baan
- Lina Ghotmeh
- Ena de Silva
- Laki Senanayake
- Barbara Sansoni
- Sebastian Posingis
- Dominic Sansoni
- Kengo Kuma
- Tatiana Bilbao
- Marina Tabassum
- Andreas Sütterlin
- Mateo Kries
- Shayari de Silva
- Johan Deurell
- Ikko Yokoyama
- Frank Gehry
- Anil Gamini Jayasuriya
- Anura Ratnavibushana
- Rolf Fehlbaum
- Ellie Stathaki
- Tadao Ando
- Rem Koolhaas
- Shayari De Silva
- Kavindu Sivaraj
- Maxwell Fry
- Jane Drew
- Bernhard Strauss
- Vernon Nonis
- Pradeep Jayewardene
- Osmund de Silva
Institutions
- Vitra Design Museum
- Architectural Association
- St. Thomas' Preparatory School
- Aga Khan Foundation
- Geoffrey Bawa Trust
- Lunuganga Trusts
- M+
- Wüstenrot Foundation
- Museo ICO
- masdearte
- Architectural Association School of Architecture
- Teardrop hotel group
- Wallpaper*
- Thames & Hudson
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
- Bartlett School of Architecture
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Bauhaus
- designboom
- SolidNature
- Ceylon Steel Corporation
- Bentota Beach Hotel
- Kandalama Hotel
Locations
- Sri Lanka
- Ceylon
- London
- United Kingdom
- Bentota
- Dambulla
- Colombo
- Weil am Rhein
- Germany
- Madrid
- Spain
- Hong Kong
- Charles-Eames-Str. 2
- China
- Kotte
- Matara
- Oruwala
- Japan
- India
- Greece
- Thessaloniki
- Mirissa
- Nikaweratiya
- Italy
- Europe