The Tsunami Mongers of Ceylon [Part 2]

To discuss about the first post in detail first one must get an idea as to how this sub culture of vultures exist. Architects are said to be an endangered species due to the fact that only about 20 architects pass out from university each year. Architects are better extinct than among the existing. Within this subculture of preposterous animosities there are yet divisions.

1.) The upper strata - who are the top notch/high class/pure bread/ nose in the air type etc. & etc. they are the manipulators and the ones who try to show that they know absolutely anything and everything about architecture but don’t actually know didly squat. In most instances these types are barfed into the society through either the private architecture schools or who go abroad to study and then come back to become hot shots over hear. It must be noted that in most instances most of these people don’t even bear any valid architectural qualifications.

2.) The middle strata - they are not from the top notch but are trying to be there. In most cases they have been educated through the university but actually not that much. In order to cover up their deficiencies they tend to compete against the 1st group.

3.) The worms- these are the guys who actually know something about architecture but are always tread upon by the above two categories. They aren’t concerned much about what goes in around the subculture but stay away from the lime light following their true passion: creating meaningful architecture.

This simple analogy amply concludes as to how the architectural subculture and the psyche behind it work.

Architectural tsunami aftermath

We were students when the tsunami tragedy occurred. When the initial calamity subsided we as a body of students contacted the head of the department in order to inquire what as architects we can do in this situation. He told us that as this stage we would not be able to do anything. I felt distraught, disembodied, dismayed and utterly utterly frustrated. Here was I, studying for 7 years, using up the money collected by the tax payers, and unable to help them when they did need our help. Is this what we have been studying for?? Words cannot even begin to express what I felt at that particular moment. while some of our comrades were organizing a so called "rescue trip" to go looking for the students who had been in the south, rather than doing something we are totally unaware of we resorted to collect donations amongst our self in order to collect rations to be sent via the government. We managed to collect a decent amount and then with that we bought the stuff that had been listed by the government. We handed that over to a place near independence square which had been recently set up to collect rations. We worked there for about 2-3 days organizing the collected items.

The first attempt of organizing some sort of architectural initiative was done by Architect Ranjith Alahakoon who I respect very much. He had organized a meeting with Dr. Deheragoda who was a leading authority at TAFREN. Unfortunately this turned out to be just a meeting without any valuable out come.

The second attempt was by the government. Here again Archt. Alahakoon was the key person in charge. SLIA had organized a competition in order to fulfill the government’s needs. Few architects were selected for their various proposals. Archt. Upendra Rajapakse with his eco houses, Archt. prasanna with his Colombo 7 tsunami version houses and Archt. mohotti with his shanty village midhi gama was amongst the proposing architects. Hon. mangla samaraweera was the person that was going to decide which ones were going to be implemented. Though initially approved every project except one got ditched. the project that got the approval was the midhi gama project by archt. mohotti. this project has been declared a failure at numerous occasion thought the architect can not be held responsible for its fate.

For this project hunting campaign the architects were offered money as well. Thought most of them left empty handed. Isn’t it our duty as professionals to lend a helping hand when the country needs us? Can’t we neglect overheads for the sake of the country. Are we that monstrous? its like asking money for giving your parents something to eat when they are old. Its just disgusting. I mourn for my soul and hope that these sins will not affect my next birth.

After this the competition began among the architects for NGO sponsored tsunami projects. The whole profession except for a few became tsunami mongers. This is the sad truth about architects.

The days of the poetic profession, sons of vishwakarma, have all but faded into the folds of time. Now existing merely as a dog-eat-dog profession.