City School of Architecture celebrates 30th anniversary

City School of Architecture Director Archt. Chandana Ellepola, City School of Architecture CEO / Director Archt. Asoka Widanapathirana, City School of Architecture Director Archt. Jayantha Perera, City School of Architecture Head of School Prof. Archt. Lal Balasuriya, City School of Architecture Director Archt. Mihindu Keerthiratne and City School of Architecture Director Archt. Prasanna Silva at the head table – Pic by Upul Abayasekera 

By Shannine Daniel 

The City School of Architecture (CSA) located in Colombo, which is the only private architectural education provider in Sri Lanka, will be celebrating 30 years of being present in the education sector. 

The institute is recognised locally by Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) and internationally by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and has also entered into a strategic partnership with the University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol, UK. 

It is currently organising several initiatives to celebrate this occasion, including an Open Day Exhibition on 5 and 6 November and a special commemorative 30th year magazine publication which will be published in November as well. 

Speaking about the school’s history CSA Founder, Chairman and Director Architect Jayantha Perera stated that CSA, which was formerly known as the Colombo School of Architecture, was initiated in 1986 as a series of lectures done by the SLIA to offer an alternate route to University Admission for Architectural Studies. 

“30 years ago only the state university offered architecture as a stream or subject. Because of the Z score system that is a part of the Advanced Levels that determines university admission, many young people were unable to study architecture,” said Perera. 

“Some opted to go abroad to study. Therefore to solve this matter, we decided to start CSA to give these people an opportunity and prevent Sri Lanka from losing skilled individuals,” he emphasised. 

The school offers two courses of study that promise professional qualifications. Part I is a three year full time course that awards the students with a CSA Diploma in Architectural Studies and also gives them the option of a Bachelor of Architecture (Hons) Degree from UWE. Part II is a three year course that consists of a part time work and study module and leads to the CSA Higher Diploma in Architecture that also offers the Master of Architecture and Environmental Design Degree from UWE as an option. The students even have the option of attending the graduation ceremony at UWE as well. 

“Both the Part I and Part II courses were created surrounding the concept of ‘learning while you work’ allowing the students to gain practical knowledge and training under Chartered Architects while studying at CSA. Our final goal is to one day transform this institute into one of the best schools of architecture in South Asia,” Perera stated. 

He also revealed that since January 2011, CSA has been awarded full accreditation by the RIBA and was re-accredited in March this year for the next five years. 

As of now 248 architects have graduated from CSA, including several well-regarded professionals such as Philip Weeraratne, Nela De Zoysa, Rajiv Senanayake and Murad Ismail who are greatly established in the field, both within Sri Lanka and across several other countries.  

“We are proud to celebrate CSA’s 30th anniversary, whilst looking back on a glorious legacy. CSA has attracted some of the brightest talent in Sri Lanka, which it has developed further and equipped with specialist architectural education,” commented CSA Head of School Emeritus Professor Architect Lal Balasuriya.