Moonamal Award
Excellence in Design for Ecological Coexistence
The Geoffrey Bawa Moonamal Award seeks to catalyse a new movement in Sri Lankan design by recognizing projects that decentre the human, reverse anthropogenic degradation of the environment, and foster ecological regeneration through interdisciplinary collaboration for the coexistence of all lifeforms and landscapes.
The award takes its name from the Moonamal tree at Lunuganga, Geoffrey Bawa’s garden in Bentota. A legacy of the site’s original forest landscape, the Moonamal is an indigenous species that embodies the need for ecologically sensitive designs balancing human requirements with those of nature.
After five cycles of the Geoffrey Bawa Award for outstanding contemporary Sri Lankan architecture, the Trust and its partners are pivoting to a new award that will address the growing gap between design, ecology and the environment. The Trust is partnering with the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, and is in conversation with other institutional partners who will support the interdisciplinary vision of this new award.
Vision
“Recognising design that decentres the human, reverses anthropogenic degradation of the environment, and fosters ecological regeneration through interdisciplinary collaboration for the coexistence of all lifeforms and landscapes.”
…decentres the human…
Design has historically prioritised human needs and comfort, exploiting the environment in service of human-centric ideals. The Moonamal Award will be granted to a project that recognizes the natural landscape of the site, using considerations such as geography, hydrology, flora, and fauna as guiding principles for planning and implementation.
…reverses anthropogenic degradation…
Envisioning spaces that allow for coexistence between humans and nature requires not only a shift away from human-centredness, but also a reversal of the damage done by this anthropocentric approach to design. The Award will recognize a project that both mitigates degradation and improves the site above a pre-intervention baseline.
…fosters ecological regeneration…
Design can stimulate an ecosystem’s ability to recover from disturbance by minimising further damage and incorporating regenerative interventions. The Moonamal will be awarded to a project that is guided by an in-depth ecological knowledge of the site to minimise further damage, stimulate ecosystem recovery, and incorporate regenerative interventions.
…interdisciplinary collaboration…
Interdisciplinary design thinking is critical for stable, resilient and equitable growth. The Award will recognize a project that involves stakeholder communities around the site, and works with experts across different field of practice, from architecture and design to ecology, environmental science and public policy.
The Moonamal tree in Geoffrey Bawa’s Lunuganga garden is a legacy of the site’s original forest landscape. Vulnerable to decline, the Moonamal is an indigenous species that embodies the need for ecologically sensitive designs balancing human requirements with those of nature.
Steering Committee
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Anushka Wijesinha is an economist with experience in the public and private sectors. He is the Co-founder and Director of The Centre for a Smart Future—an interdisciplinary think tank—and currently serves on the Governing Board and Monetary Policy Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. He has worked in over 12 countries and sat on several corporate boards in the financial services industry.
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Channa Daswatte is a leading architect working across architectural, conservation and curatorial projects in Sri Lanka and abroad. The Chair of the Geoffrey Bawa and Lunuganga Trusts, Channa joined Geoffrey Bawa’s architecture practice in 1991 and was the last partner of the firm. He is a former Chair of the Galle Heritage Foundation and has written for and edited several architectural publications.
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Sunela Jayewardene is an environmental conservationist, activist, and one of Sri Lanka’s leading environmental architects. Inspired by pre-colonial cultural traditions, ecological sustainability is a core concern in all her designs. Sunela co-founded Sri Lanka’s Federation of Environmental Organizations in 2012, serving as their first Chairperson.
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Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne is a business transformation practitioner, conservationist, and social catalyst. He has held several leadership roles throughout his multi-faceted career, including as the former President of the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka. Sriyan is currently working on wildlife conservation solutions and consulting with limited business entities.
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Soham Kacker is an ecologist, conservationist, and the current Curator of Living Collections at the Geoffrey Bawa and Lunuganga Trusts. Soham has extensive experience in horticulture, ecology, and landscape management. He has worked in botanical gardens in India and the UK and holds a Masters in Biodiversity and Conservation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Moonamal will be awarded to a design project that meets the needs of both humans and nature. The winning project will help people and the planet by working across disciplines and with stakeholder communities to reverse environmental damage and foster ecological regeneration.
The Moonamal Award will recognise applications under two streams: Built Environment and Public Policy.
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The Moonamal will be awarded under two streams:
Built Environment: architecture, infrastructure, urban and landscape design
Public Policy: policies that enable or incentivise ecological design
Please note that the Moonamal Award is not restricted to a specific discipline and the ideal project will work across sectors to equally consider human and environmental needs.
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Organizations or individuals who can demonstrate design and implementation of a project in Sri Lanka that fosters coexistence between people and nature. This could be through architecture, infrastructure, urban and landscape design, or policy.
The Award will only consider projects implemented within the past ten years.
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Applications are set to open in August 2026, along with further details about the application process and award fellowship. The Award shortlist and winner is expected to be announced mid-2027.
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The award takes its name from the Moonamal tree at Lunuganga, Geoffrey Bawa’s garden in Bentota. A legacy of the site’s original forest landscape, the Moonamal is an indigenous species that embodies the need for ecologically sensitive designs balancing human requirements with those of nature.
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There is a growing gap between design and nature. When we design, we often do so to meet human rather than environmental needs. Designing for ecological coexistence means valuing the needs of plants, animals, and ecosystems, as equal to those of people and economies.
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After five cycles of the Geoffrey Bawa Award for outstanding contemporary Sri Lankan architecture, the Trust and its partners are pivoting to a new award that will address the growing gap between design, ecology and the environment.