Features
Two Women Pioneers and ‘88 Acres’
Lorna Wright (1933-2008), wife of civil servant Raine Wright, was a compulsive innovator, activist, and social worker. In 1954 she initiated and founded the Kandy Housewives’ Welfare Association and four years later, the Ceylon Housewives’ Association. It was due to her vision that this pioneering housing scheme came into being, on a former estate on one bank of the Mahaweli River.
The Kandy Public Servants’ Building Society was established in 1954 with its Board of Directors headed by Additional District Judge N Sivagnasundaram and Lorna Wright as one of two secretaries. Sir John Kotelawala was Prime Minister at the time.
The society acquired these 88 acres of land and the scheme was completed under Minister of Housing and Social Services, T B Ilangaratne, in 1958. Each member bought a quarter acre of land for Rs 2,000/- and the house was built usually on a government loan to be repaid in 25 years. It ushered in a new form of social housing in Sri Lanka, master planned by Minnette de Silva and created with the participation of its house-builders/residents.
My oldest brother, a DRO, served under Government Agent Raine Wright and would give Lorna a ride when he came home to Kandy for weekends. He was one of the original members of the building society and built a house in Watapuluwa, which his widow later sold. Lorna became a very good friend of mine about 15 years ago and I got to know her genuine concerns about the poorer sections of society, more so around her home in Mutwal; and what she did to help alleviate their problems.
The second outstanding woman connected to this endeavour is Minnette de Silva (1918-1998), a trail-blazing architect, and the first Asian woman Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA). She was drawn into the scheme as master planner and designer. The exhibition catalogue – Second Volume: The Watapuluwa Housing Scheme edited by Sharmini Pereira and Kaumadi Jayaweera provides details of her involvement in this first-of-its-kind project.
“Her groundbreaking social housing scheme was created with the active participation of its users, heralding a new era in affordable accommodation for a diverse ethno-religious community of government servants.” One novel idea was giving each land owner a questionnaire which asked questions like: Do you prefer a carport or separate garage? Do you want a servant’s room?
A study corner? What is your religion and do you wish to have a space for a shrine? Ground floor type house or two storeyed? At meetings of potential house owners with Minnette and probably Lorna attending, matters and ideas were discussed and decisions taken. Some engaged Minnette as architect to design their homes while others diverged and went their own way.
The Exhibition
The exhibition is located on the ground floor of Crescat Boulevard opened on November 30, 2023 and runs till July 7, 2024. Curated by Sharmini Pereira and Ritchell Marcelline, assisted by Thinal Sajeewa and Nimaya Harris, it “explores how this sprawling hillside development was ahead of its time in providing affordable accommodation for a group of racially and religiously diverse government servants.”
As you enter the spacious galleries, you are met with a doll of about six inches depicting Lorna Wright; her contribution to the Watapuluwa Housing Scheme being first acknowledged. You then move into a space where a specially commissioned film is projected. Another gallery contains architectural models, drawings, books and magazines, with explanatory text displayed on walls.
The Book
Lorna Wright
Published to coincide with the exhibition, the book, Second Volume, aims to follow up on De Silva’s posthumously published autobiography The Life and Work of an Asian Woman Architect: Vol I (1998). It brings together primary research and previously unpublished archival materials. The soft covered book contains loads of photographs, architectural drawings, building plans, elevations, a transcript of the film and so much more. A reproduction of Minnette’s 1966 article ‘Experiments in Modern Regional Architecture in Ceylon 1950-1960’ is included. Almost 60 years later, her writings remain relevant and applicable.
The Film
The film is titled ‘Is this an architectural documentary?’ and is about 45 minutes screening time. Directed and produced and ‘voiced’ by three artists/architects – Irushi Tennekoon, Sumedha Kelegama, and Sumudu Athukorala – it is a pinnacle of ingenious cleverness and excellence. The film starts off by narrating the adventures of the three artists, calling themselves thus, who venture to Kandy to visit the Watapuluwa Housing Scheme now 66 years old.
Irushi is an architect, animator and creator of the models; Sumedha, her husband, is an architect; and Sumudu is architect and artist who created some of the line drawings. They proceed from place to place, house to house, evaluating De Silva’s influences and design approach. Characteristic poses and acts of Minnette are captured in cartoon strips beside the running of the film, such as her climbing a ladder or on inspection tour under her open Burmese parasol.
Equally important in the film are the interviews with various people. At the beginning there are snippets by persons who knew them on Lorna Wright and Minnette. Included are a wide cross section of people, academics, residents of Watapuluwa and even some site workers. A couple of original owners of houses in the scheme speak on how they came into the project and built their homes; a few new owners/tenants also express their thoughts. I mention some of the better known commentators who shared their views: Jayadeva Uyangoda, David Robson, Ulrik Plesner, Ashley de Vos, C Anjalendran, Channa Daswatte, Rajiv Wanasundera, Neloufer de Mel and Minnette’s niece, Helga de Silva (later Helga Blow and Helga Perera.)
The MMCA
The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka
“is a new education-led initiative that aims to establish a public museum dedicated to the display, research, collection and conservation of Sri Lankan modern and contemporary art. Our priority is to create a museum that is compelling, inclusive and relevant to the art histories that are unique to the context of Sri Lanka.”
A glance at the MMCA website shows many activities associated with the exhibition, including gallery tours in all three languages, workshops and reading groups. The exhibition is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm (except holidays); admission is free. It is heartening to see all the efforts the MMCA has taken to be accessible and inclusive. Hopefully over the next two months more people will avail themselves of this opportunity to get to know two remarkable Sri Lankan women and the legacy of this housing scheme, which today is very different from what was originally envisaged, but continues to thrive.
The organizers are thanked very sincerely.