Pioneers of Architecture: Minnette De Silva (1918 – 1998).

„Expressive, fearless, and ahead of her time when it comes to ecological and participatory design“ – with these words, The Architectural Review describes Minnette De Silva, who is widely regarded as the first female architect of Sri Lanka and as one of the most important figures in modern South Asian architecture.

Minnette De Silva was born in 1918 – thirty years before the country gained independence from the British Empire – in Kandy, Sri Lanka. As the daughter of a reform-oriented politician and a suffragette, who were friends with the architectural legend Le Corbusier, De Silva grew up in a culturally privileged environment.

Although her father did not support her wish to become an architect, she moved to Mumbai and then to London, where she attended the Architectural Association School of Architecture.

During her stay in postwar Europe, De Silva mingled with the intelligentsia and some of the most significant artists of the 20th century, including Picasso, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Laurence Olivier. She was the first Asian woman to become a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Nevertheless, according to The Guardian, she found it difficult to be taken seriously as an architect in Europe and was often seen as an „exotic it-girl“.

Her Work as Founder of the „Tropical Modern“

When Sri Lanka became independent in 1948, De Silva returned to her homeland and opened her own architectural office to support the reconstruction of the postcolonial nation.

De Silva quickly established herself as a pioneer in introducing modernist architectural principles to Sri Lanka in the 1950s and 1960s. She believed that architecture should be adapted to local needs and conditions, rather than simply imitating Western styles. She designed a number of important buildings in Sri Lanka, including private homes, public buildings, and hotels.

De Silva's style is now referred to as „tropical modernism“, and she is considered one of the most important architects of this style, which responds to the unique environmental and climatic conditions of tropical regions.

Shaping the Identity of a Postcolonial Nation

Among her most famous designs are the Independence Memorial Hall, the Kandalama Hotel, the Buddhist temple Shanthi Viharaya, the Crescat Boulevard, and the Turret House.

These designs are characterized by a combination of traditional Sri Lankan elements, such as courtyards and verandas, with modernist elements in the form of clean lines, flat roofs, and large windows.

De Silva's buildings often convey a sense of openness and fluidity, as the spaces flow seamlessly into one another. They are generally designed to be open and airy, with large windows and natural ventilation systems that help cool the interiors.

Decades before climate change and the negative environmental impacts of building materials became a topic, De Silva designed environmentally friendly buildings using local materials and traditional building techniques.

In addition to her architectural work, De Silva also advocated for the preservation of Sri Lanka's architectural heritage, in which 300 years of colonialism had left deep marks. She was a founding member of the National Trust of Sri Lanka and worked tirelessly to preserve historic buildings and monuments throughout Sri Lanka.

Groundbreaking Concept for Participatory Architecture

Although De Silva came from a privileged background, her approach to participatory architecture was ahead of its time. In the 1950s, she worked on a project to develop housing for civil servants in her hometown of Kandy, the second largest city in Sri Lanka.

This project was remarkable in that De Silva involved the future residents in the design process by consulting with them to understand their specific needs and wishes. Based on this information, she designed different types of housing units, and some of the residents even participated in building their own homes. This was a groundbreaking development in the field of architecture.

Tragic Final Years and Posthumous Recognition

Although De Silva redefined the postcolonial era in Sri Lanka and contributed to the creation of a modern Sri Lankan identity, her career was marked by financial difficulties and discrimination. She was excluded from professional networks and opportunities and was often marginalized and overlooked by her male colleagues.

At a time when the profession of architect in Sri Lanka was still in its infancy, De Silva's work was also considered unconventional for her time, and her designs were sometimes criticized as too avant-garde.

When De Silva died at the age of 80, alone in a hospital in her hometown of Kandy, she was penniless and isolated, and many of her buildings had fallen into disrepair.

In recent years, however, De Silva's contributions to architecture and design have been increasingly recognized, and today she is widely regarded as a pioneer of modernist architecture in Sri Lanka and as one of the first female architects from Asia to gain international recognition.