About Us

The Sri Lanka Institute of Architects is one of the foremost professional organisations in Sri Lanka as well as the Asian region. The institute has been working on the professional practices of architecture in the country as well as education, which have been the primary focuses over the years. we are proud to note that we have seen a lot of improvements in the industry and have played a great role in contributing to the development of architecture as well as the raising of the standards in the country.

History

The Ceylon Institute of Architects (CIA) was established in 1956 by a small group of foreign qualified Architects following several meetings to work out a constitution. This original group also had membership of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).The Inaugural meeting of the institute was held on 11th September 1957 at the Tea Propaganda Board on Prince Street in the Colombo Fort with the - participation of twelve Architects.

Having adopted a constitution, which followed that of the British Institute of Architects, the intention of the CIA was to obtain the status of an allied society of the RIBA. They achieved this in 1960, by which time the membership of The Ceylon Institute of Architects had risen to 30. The CIA received the encouragement of the then President of the RIBA, Sir Basil Spence and the considerable assistance of C.D.Spragg the then Secretary of the RIBA. In recognition of this assistance Mr. Spragg was later elected by the CIA as its first Honorary Fellow. Due to the hard work of these founder members of the Institute, a School of Architecture attached to the Institute of Practical Technology, Katubedda was established in 1961.

In 1976, through a private member's motion by the then Minister of Housing and Construction, the Hon. Pieter Keuneman, the Ceylon Institute of Architects was incorporated as the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) by an Act of Parliament, called the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects Law No.1 of 1976.

Objectves of the Institute

The general objectives for which the Institute is constituted have been declared in this

,

Promote and advance the study, practice and application on research in architecture and its kindred subjects and the arts and sciences connected therewith;

To organize, supervise and control the admission and professional education and training of persons desiring to qualify as Architects, to prescribe or approve courses of study for the qualifying examinations for membership of the Institute, and to conduct or provide for the conduct of such courses and examinations;

To Prescribe the qualifications and disqualifications for members of the Institute and for Architects and Architectural licentiates who are not members of the Institute, the standards of professional conduct for members of the Institute and to secure the maintenance thereof;

To protect and promote the interest, status, welfare, rights and privileges of the profession of architecture in Sri Lanka, and the interests of the public in relation to the profession, and of persons desiring to qualify as Architects;

To establish, regulate and maintain libraries, pension and provident funds and benefit schemes for the members, officers and servants of the Institute and their dependents, and to grant assistance financial or otherwise to societies, students;