1. Introduction

The Geoffrey Bawa Trust invites designers, architects and students to participate in the ‘Bench it’ Design Competition 2025, an open call to reimagine the bench—not just as an object, but as an experience.

This initiative honors the legacy of Geoffrey Bawa, whose work exemplified the integration of art, architecture, and ecology. His spaces invite contemplation, embrace nature, and respond to the cultural context. Whether wandering through the gardens of Lunuganga or waiting for your train at the Bentota Station, one understands that for Bawa, architecture was about belonging in that moment.

This competition invites participants to explore that same ethos—through the design of a bench.

2. Theme: “Designing for a Pause”

A bench is a place of pause. It encourages slowness, a place to rest, to watch, to listen. Through this theme, we invite you to design a bench that:

  • Creates a moment to pause

  • Exists in harmony with its environment.

  • Reflects Bawa’s fusion of art, architecture, and ecology.

  • Offers both function and meaning.


3. Eligibility

  • Open to individuals or teams (max. 3 members).

  • Open to Sri Lankan students and recent graduates (within the past 5 years) of interior design and architecture disciplines.

  • No entry fee is required.

4. Competition Objectives

Your bench design should aim to:

  • Reflect Bawa’s Philosophy: Sensitivity to context, light, climate, scale, and materiality.

  • Balance Function and Beauty: Offer ergonomic comfort with aesthetic value.

  • Explore Sustainability: Use environmentally conscious materials and methods.

  • Encourage Reflection: Be a sculptural, poetic pause within the architectural setting.


5. Design Requirements

  • Type: Freestanding outdoor bench without a backrest.

  • Size: Approx. 2.0 – 2.4 meters long, 0.75m depth and 0.45 height (seating 2–4 people). The seat must also incorporate a plant trough, with a suitable plant(s) that binds with the design. Proportions must support comfort.

  • Materials: Natural, durable, and preferably locally available (e.g. wood, stone, steel, concrete, terracotta).

  • Durability: Must be able to withstand tropical outdoor conditions.

  • Simplicity: Avoid over-complication; celebrate minimalism and integrity.

  • Cost: A total sum of Rs. 100,000 has been allocated for the fabrication of this bench.

6. Site Context

The bench will be located at the entrance of the new Geoffrey Bawa Space, 42/1 Horton Place, Colombo 07.
The drawings and photographs of the location can be found here


7. Submission Requirements

A. Design Board (1x A2 size, landscape PDF)

  • Design Title

  • Concept sketch and design story (max. 150 words)

  • Plans, elevations, sections (to scale)

  • At least two 3D visualizations or photomontages

  • Materials palette

  • Optional: joinery or assembly details


B. Supporting Document (PDF)

  • Name(s) of participant(s)

  • Contact info & brief bio(s)

  • Statement of intent / design rationale (max. 500 words)

  • To submit, please email info@geoffreybawa.org on or before June 18, 2025, 5 p.m. IST

8. Timeline

Competition Launch: June 4, 2025
Submission Deadline: June 18, 2025, 5 p.m. IST
Jury Review & Shortlist: June 23, 2025
Winners Announced: June 25, 2025
Prototype & Construction: July 16, 2025

9. Awards & Recognition

Selected designs will be exhibited and published by the Geoffrey Bawa Trust and featured on our digital platforms.
The winning design will be constructed at the above-mentioned location. 
The winning submission will also receive LKR 30,000 and a mini chair from the Geoffrey Bawa Design Store.

10. Jury Panel

Our jury will include architects, artists, curators, and landscape designers with deep ties to Bawa’s legacy and contemporary practice.
Judging criteria will include:

  • Conceptual clarity and poetic intent

  • Contextual relevance to Bawa’s philosophy

  • Buildability and material intelligence

  • Aesthetic and experiential quality

  • Ecological sensitivity and durability

11. Terms & Conditions

  • The designs must be original and unpublished.

  • The Geoffrey Bawa Trust reserves the right to exhibit and fabricate any winning design.

  • Intellectual property remains with the designer; the Trust receives non-exclusive usage rights.

  • Jury decisions are final and binding.