Abstract

The advent of the Benedictine monks of Sylvestrine congregation in Sri Lanka is a historically significant event since it is their first mission extension outside Europe in the mid-19th century. The influx of these Italian monks set the beginning of a new architectural tradition in the country. Therefore, the Sylvestro-Benedictine churches in Sri Lanka can be considered as the original Italian influenced masterpieces. It is observed that these churches mainly follow the unique Italian precedents which were later intermingled with the preceding ecclesiastic architectural traditions of the country. Literature survey on colonial influenced architecture in Sri Lanka reveals that this trajectory of church architecture is scarce; and that no systematic study has yet been done on the subject. Thus, this paper explores the development of Sylvestro-Benedictines church models and its variations, created as a substitute to the tropical Sri Lankan church which shaped Catholic church architecture of the country till the reforms of second Vatican Council.

Abstract

The last region in Sri Lanka to come under the influence of the Portuguese was the Northern Kingdom of Jaffna i.e. the Island of Mannar in 1560 and subsequently, the Peninsula of Jaffna in 1619. It is reported that during this period missionaries of the Portuguese Padroado built a great number of churches in the region. Following the expulsion of the Portuguese by the Dutch in the middle of the 17th century, almost every Portuguese influenced religious construction was either destroyed or modified to accommodate their newly established Reformed Faith. However, there was one decisive factor which enabled Portuguese-influenced ecclesiastical art and architecture to thrive during this period of anti-Catholic persecution. This was the insidious help received from the influx of Goan - Oratorian missionaries, who arrived in Sri Lanka at the end of the 17th century. With the advent of the British rule religious freedom was granted. Thus, during the second half of the 19th century, the influx of new European missionaries of Propaganda Fide to the island marked a symbolic end to the 300-year span of Portuguese influence on ecclesiastical construction in Sri Lanka. It can be said that the 30-year war played a decisive role in the elimination of the remains of Portuguese ecclesiastical art and architecture in the northern region. It is against this background that this paper intends to explore both the origins and the current status of Portuguese-influenced ecclesiastical art and architecture within the surviving churches of the old Portuguese mission stations in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.

Abstract

Sri Lanka has been ruled by three consecutive Euro-Christian nations for nearly 450 years from 1505 to 1948. During their conquests they attempted to introduce their own denomination of Christianity to the country, i.e., Portuguese – Catholic, Dutch – Reformed and British – Anglican. Thus, the architectural typologies of the churches built by the colonials differed. The most notable typology of the Portuguese churches was the typically longitudinal plan with three naves and a plain front façade. The principal typology of the Dutch churches was the Greek cross plan with high gable façades. The preferred architectural style of the British churches may best be described as the Victorian Gothic. With the advent of the British in the beginning of the19th century the persecution of Roman Catholicism imposed by the Dutch came to an end. This triggered off a revival that gave rise to a new architectural programme reflecting more indigenous and tropical characteristics in church architecture. The ultimate form generated in this programme, was articulated mostly by the integration of two side verandahs. It is particularly noteworthy that the retrofitting of these new elements resulted in the evolution of the preceding Portuguese typology. This paper intends exploring the origin and the development of this particular model of church architecture, created as an alternative to the tropical church. The spatial progression and building techniques in selected three architectural examples of 19th Century Catholic churches are systematically observed and analyzed in the light of their adaptations to the oriental religious practices and environmental conditions.

Abstract

With the Colonization of Asia, the Christian Church introduced a new form of religious architecture which was much in contrast to the prevailing religious architecture of the era. But during the period of post-independence, ‘the post-colonial church architecture’ is seen as becoming resistant to the colonial identity. Within Asia, Sri Lanka is a country which has been colonized by three European powers, hence a good example for the study of the de-colonization process of religious architecture. The objective of this paper is to examine the typologies that were re-invented as alternative means of ‘indigenous Christian identity’ and also to analyze such architectural examples which illustrate the ‘native form of church’ during the decolonizing process of religious architecture in Sri Lanka.

Abstract

Designs in the past were created to fulfil human wants and needs. Sri Lanka has inherited product design practices which developed from generation to generation. Tools and equipment with their experience and considering practicality were designed and made in the past by locals. Therefore, utensils are one of the avenues of the product design knowledge that express indigenous expertise and food-based cultural development.

In Sri Lanka, the food-based culture consists of many food preparation practices inherited by our ancestors. Some such practices have also been influenced and integrated with foreign cultures during historic incidents as colonialization and Indian invasions. Food preparation is the process of combining ingredients, technologies and practices into preparing a meal to be consumed. This process varies from culture to culture, and therefore the food preparation equipment and devices are based necessities of the respective users. One such special equipment that can be found in the Sri Lankan traditional kitchen is the ‘pittu steamer’, specially prepared to make the Sri Lankan food ‘pittu’.

Objectives of the research is to identify the relationship between food preparation methodology, the structure of the preparation device and how it relates to the food quality, consumer convenience & preference. Although the major considerations when designing a food preparation device and attentiveness of its outcome were identified, the efficiency of villagers to create suitable functional devices and indigenous knowledge was also considered. The steam based ‘pittu’ preparation device in Sri Lanka was analysed and the need of the product as future replacement was further studied. This history-based qualitative and quantitative approach aims at understanding why the traditional 'pittu' steamer evolved with minimal changes to its structural components since ancient times. The facts were collected mainly by conducting interviews, discussions and observing users. Primary and secondary data and experimental observations were analysed based on selected case studies, and selected samples were compared to identify structure based efficiencies of several domestic ‘pittu’ steamers.

‘Pittu’ based steaming devices get a special place in the society, because of the relationship between ‘pittu’ based food quality and the human mind-set inherited from our past. These inherited attitudes, visions, practices, acceptances and cooking processes have affected retain the structure of ‘pittu’ and the ‘pittu’ steamer.

Consumer convenience was found to depend mainly on structural composition and usability. Advancements and developments with timely needs in product were also among research findings. However, the traditional domestic ‘Pittu’ steamer was found to have retained most of these factors, since it was believed to maintain the preferred food qualities such as shape, taste, odor, nutrition than other ‘pittu’ steamers. By the end of this research a thorough understanding about the structure, system, function and customer preference based analysis of Sri Lankan ‘pittu’ steamers were achieved. The findings will help identify hidden indigenous technological and design knowledge and usage analysis will help when innovating new products suitable for the present.

Abstract

Everyday human generates waste and municipal solid waste is supposed to be increased with urbanization. 3 billion urban residents generate 1.2 Kg of waste per person per day. This study was carried in Soysapura Flats which is located 17 Km away from the financial capital of Sri Lanka. The main objective was to study the impact of the volume of urban domestic solid waste on collection and storing methods in Soysapura Flats. The literature reveals that the volume of waste generated in developing countries continues to increase and the contribution by the urban domestic waste is effective but there is a lacuna of studies related to the residential waste collection and storing in the aspect of volume. The study used a combination of both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. 80 families were selected and interviewed to identify their methods of waste disposal, devices, practices and attitudes. And necessary measuring tools were used in order to carry out the volume measurements. The findings revealed that 8.062 litres of degradable waste and 5.828 litres of non-degradable waste generated per day by a family of Soysapura Flats. The degradable volume of waste was easily managed with the present collection method and system but not the non-degradable waste category. Further detailed investigation is needed to identify the impact of waste volume on collection methods, especially in the aspect of waste and waste types.