The Bawa Space

The Bawa Space is housed in a restored residential property at the end of a small cul-de-sac off Horton Place. Designed and built between 1951–69 for lawyer Aelian Kannangara, Bawa’s design creates a building that is light and expansive within this small urban plot.

The open-plan gallery space and design store—originally the dining and living areas —feature floor-to-ceiling glass doors and twin atriums that once overlooked an indoor pond and courtyard.  Upstairs, the original library remains intact, and now houses the Trust’s growing reference library, with books on art, architecture, design, and environmental studies. Bedrooms have been converted to office spaces for Trust employees, and the living area and terrace are now spaces to host talks and events.  

Although the building’s footprint almost entirely consumes the tight property dimensions, the back garden, coupled with the plant-filled second-floor terraces, enfold the house in peaceful seclusion—creating the ideal space for gallery viewings and creative conversations. 

Following a restoration in 2023 steered by architect Amila de Mel, who previously worked in Geoffrey Bawa’s practise, the Trust took up tenancy in 2024, consolidating its public-facing and scholarly work by establishing the Bawa Space. The Geoffrey Bawa Archives, Library, Research Spaces, Design Store, Event Space and Conservation Facilities are consolidated at this new location along with its curatorial and administrative offices.