AN OUTSTANDING PERSONAGE: Deshamanya, Vidya Jyothi  DR ROLAND SILVA

by K. Locana Gunaratna, PhD

Deshamanya Vidya Jyoythi Dr Roland Silva passed away on January 1, 2020 at the age of 87. There was a commemoration of his 88th birth anniversary organized by ICOMOS Sri Lanka and the Central Cultural Fund on June 5, 2021. ICOMOS Sri Lanka is the affiliated National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), which is a global organization.

This international body was created in 1965 with the mission to promote the conservation, protection, use and enhancement of monuments, building complexes and cultural heritage sites at both the national and international levels. ICOMOS is an Advisory Body of the World Heritage Committee for the implementation of the World HeritageConvention of UNESCO. As such, it reviews the nominations of cultural World Heritage properties and ensures their conservation.

It is a matter of great pride for us in Sri Lanka that Dr Roland Silva headed this important international body for nine years (1990-1999).ICOMOSSri Lanka was established in 1988 by Dr Roland Silva. It serves as forum where individuals and representatives of institutions concerned with heritage protection meet to exchange information and views affecting the conservation, restoration, rehabilitation and enhancement of monuments, groups of buildings, and sites. He alsocreated our Central Cultural Fund. There are others who have spoken and written on Dr Roland Silva’s substantial contributions to Archaeology and the Conservation of historic monuments. My intention here is to convey a few words about Dr Roland Silva the man as I knewhim, and do so particularly to voice his contribution to theprofession of Architecture.

Roland received his early education at St Joseph’s College in Colombo. While he did well in his studies, he was well-known during his school career as an athlete specializing in the 110m hurdles event. He was appointed Head Prefect of the school. A few years after leaving StJoseph’s he decided to follow a career in Architecture. There being no local opportunities for its study at that time, he went to the famous AA School of Architecture in London to follow theirfive-year full-time study program. Then, perhaps through new readings in Architectural history, he developed a very keen interest in Archaeology and the conservation of historic monuments. This led him to register with the Institute of Archaeology at the University College London, which was located quite close to the AA School. Bothinstitutions demanded concentrated efforts from their students. It is remarkable that he was able to do both courses of full-time studies simultaneously.I first met him in the Autumn of 1959 when he was finishing his studies in London and I was just starting mine at the same AA School. But, I got to know Roland well only after I returned home in 1966. Among his many involvements at that time, were the lectures he delivered on theHistory of Architecture in the then fledgling school of Architecture located at the Institute of Practical Technology (IPT) in Katubedda.Soon thereafter, he received a Fellowship to travel to Rome to pursuefurther studies in conservation of historic monuments. Before he left our shores, he entrusted me with taking over his history lectures to Architecture students at the IPT. Although history was not my main focus, I undertook the assignment.  I must say that Roland was a hard act to follow!

I knew Roland for more than five decades. I am well aware of the important work he did as an Archaeologist and as a Conservator of historic monuments. His well-deserved fame was not by any means confined to Sri Lanka. His and my interests in those early days overlapped in two areas: one was on helping to develop the then very new Institute of Architects (now the SLIA); and the other was onArchitectural education.  At that time the only professionalqualifications in Architecture recognized by the government were British, namely, membership of the RIBA and the Australian equivalent. The school at IPT was soon brought down into the Science Faculty in the University of Colombo. We were both teaching there – part-time – Roland on History and I on Design.  Also, we met regularly as we were both Council members of the Institute ofArchitects where I was at that time its youngest member.The office I worked in then, had several budding young Architects who had joined me, each with only the RIBA Part I Exam. They had no opportunities to complete Parts II & III of the RIBA Exams locally. They were not eligible for scholarships such as those offered through the Colombo Plan. Eligibility required an academic degree with an upper-second pass. I took this unfortunate matter upwith the Council of the Architects Institute. I recall I hadimmediate support from Roland and a committee was appointed at his suggestion, which included both him and me.We met the University’s Dean Science and also the Secretary of the Education Ministry and got a written agreement that the RIBA Part I examination would be treated for the purpose of eligibility for scholarships, as being equivalent to a Degree with an upper-second pass. 

Some young students working with me and also a few others were then able, in turn, to travel abroad on scholarships to complete their Architectural studies until further educational facilities were made available locally. Those who returned are now well known senior Architects here.  Roland, through his keen interest to help Architecture students was most important in this exercise.

Amidst his Archeological work, his important international commitments, and, his close involvement with conserving historic monuments and sites,Roland designed some buildings as well and had them built.  Most of these are described and discussed in an interesting book written recently by a young Architect and published by the SLIA last year.

It would be unnecessary for me to go through these buildings here in detail, except to mention the surprising range of his Architectural work. Roland had designed a dozen or more houses, half a dozen or so small but important museums strategically located over our historicheritage sites, an office building for the Archaeological Department and two large factories, one in Sri Lanka and one in Vietnam. He also designed several interiors including the one at the Bandaranaike Museum at the BMICH.

It is quite remarkable that he had the energyand also found time to do all this work with care, amidst his many other important commitments.Roland was elected President of the SLIA in 1972. He was awarded the SLIA’s Gold Medal in 1998 – the highest honor to be given by the Institute to a member.  He received the national honour of Vidya Jyothi and more recently the award of Desamanya. The Architectural profession will certainly miss his presence, his dedicated commitment to the profession, and, his wise counsel, for many years to come.

(The writer is Past President, Sri Lanka Institute of Architects;   Past President, Institute of Town Planners Sri Lanka;    Past General President, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science;  Past President, National Academy of Sciences Sri Lanka.)