AIA International Conference 2025 Sri Lanka
The Art within Architecture
9 - 11 October 2025
Program
PLEASE NOTE: This program is DRAFT and subject to change.
Day 0 Program | Day 1 Program | Day 2 Program | Day 3 Program
Day 0 - Wednesday 8 OCtober
Optional Extension tours are on offer via tour provider, Jetwing Travels.
To learn more and register, go to the Tours Page >>>
8:30 am - 5:30 pm - Tour 1A: Important Sights of Colombo
8:00 am - 4:30 pm - Tour 1B: Pettah Walk & Colombo Museum
Tours depart from Cinnamon Grand Hotel, 77 Sri Uttarananda Mawatha, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka.
7:30 pm - Informal Meetup at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel.
Day 1 - THURsday 9 OCtober
Oak Room, Cinnamon Grand Hotel, 77 Sri Uttarananda Mawatha, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka
7:30 - 9:00 am - Registration
8:10 am - Inauguration of the Conference
Assemble at main entrance of the Oak Room for Welcome Procession.
To feature Compere Savitri Rodrigo and Dance Ensemble.
Arrival of the Guest of Honour, Mayor of Colombo, Vrai Balthazaar
Arrival of the Guest of Honour, Former President H E Ranil Wickremersinghe
Arrival of the Guest of Honour, Former President H E Chandrika Kumaratunga
8:35 am - Lighting of the Traditional Oil Lamp
8:50 am - National Anthem, sung by Rohan & Ishan De Lanerolle, accompanied by Neranjan De Silva
9:00 am - Conference Welcome. Welcome speeches will be given by:
Yew Kee Cheong, AIA International President
Nela De Zoysa, AIA International Country Representative and Conference Chair
Evelyn Lee, AIA President.
9:30 am - Garden Typologies for the Mega City, Moshe Safdie
10:20 am - Refreshments and Networking in the Lobby
10:40 am - Essence, Elizabeth Chu Richter, FAIA & David Richter, FAIA
11:25 am - A Rock in the Water, Billie Tsien
12:10 pm - An Architecture Of Coexistence, Channa Daswatte
12:55 pm - Buddhika Hewawasam, Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourist Board
1:00 pm - Group Photograph
For Full Conference ticket holders –
1:15 pm - Lunch, followed by tours.
Day 1 Tours
2:45 - 6:00pm - Tour 1 - Works Of Geoffrey Bawa - visiting Druvi De Saram House, Kannangara House and Geoffrey Bawa’s Colombo House and office.
2:45 - 6:00pm - Tour 2 - Palinda Kannangara‘s Studio Dwelling
2:45 - 4:30pm - Tour 3 - American Embassy tour
4:30pm - late - Tour 4 - Sunset Photography & Galle Face Hotel tour
Day 2 - Friday 10 OCtober
Oak Room, Cinnamon Grand Hotel, 77 Sri Uttarananda Mawatha, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka
7:30 - 9:00 am - Registration available
8:00 am - Reimagining South Africa’s Parliament, Nadia Tromp
8:35 am - The Beauty of Doing Less, Palinda Kannangara
9:20 am - Art Within Architecture, Brinda Somaya
10:10 am - Refreshments and Networking in the Lobby
10:35 am - Session 4, Massimiliano Fuksas
11:25 am - Designing ecology-based architecture as biophilic design for our sustainable and resilient future, Dr. Ken Yeang
12:10 pm - Architecture as Art, Murad Ismail & Shayan Kumaradas
For Full Conference ticket holders –
1:15 pm - Lunch, followed by tours.
Day 2 Tours
2:45 - 6:00pm - Tour 1 - Works Of Geoffrey Bawa - visiting Druvi De Saram House, Kannangara House and Geoffrey Bawa’s Colombo House and office.
2:45 - 6:00pm - Tour 2 - Palinda Kannangara‘s Studio Dwelling
3:45 - 6:00pm - Tour 3 - British High Commission tour
4:30pm - late - Tour 4 - Sunset Photography & Galle Face Hotel tour
Day 3 - Saturday 11 OCtober
Oak Room, Cinnamon Grand Hotel, 77 Sri Uttarananda Mawatha, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka
8:30 am - Coming Back Home, Rafiq Azam
9:05 am - Session 2 Panel Discussion, Russel Dandeniya, Adrianta Aziz and Fawad Abbasi
10:05 am - Session 3, Neil Leach
10:40 am - Refreshments and Networking in the Lobby
11:00 am - Session 4, Simon Yu
11:50 pm - AIA International Sponsor - Roca Laufen
11:55 am - Session 5, Philip Weeraratne
12:30 pm - Session 6, Liren Hsiao
1:05 pm - Vote of Thanks
1:10 pm - Lunch
2:45 - 4:15 pm - AIA International Design Awards
7:30 pm - Gala Dinner in the Oak Room
Dress Code: Formal
From 12 October, further Optional Extension tours are on offer via tour provider, Jetwing Travels.
To learn more and register, go to the Tours Page >>>.
This event is organised by AIA International and we reserve the right based on reasonable assessment of the circumstances to exclude individuals who display unprofessional or disruptive behaviour. AIA International, its programmers and moderators can and will select those questions and comments they deem pertinent to the talk and program.
By registering for this event, you consent to the use of your name and image (in any format) for AIA International advertising, promotional, and public relations purposes (including newsletters, web pages, social media, brochures, and recordings). To waive your consent, you must inform AIA International in writing at administrativedirector@aiainternational.org no later than 5 days after the event.
