Artists' Retreat in Pittugala - Palinda Kannangara

Located on the fringe of paddy fields in Pittugala, a suburb of Colombo, and in close proximity to the southern expressway, this is the recently completed home of contemporary Sri Lankan artist J.C. Ratnayake and his printmaker wife Thanuja, both in their thirties. J.C. Ratnayake’s work is renowned for its layered compositions with a spiritual and reflective quality. J.C. Ratnayake is from the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, and grew up amidst the ruins of the ancient city.

The 13.6 perch (344 m2) site slopes towards the paddy. The design was a response to the clients’ lifestyle as an artist and to the low construction budget of SLR 10 million (€55,000 ), which was gathered incrementally over 3 years. This retreat is the residence, work space and gallery space of the artist couple.