BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER
SETS BILATERAL RELATIONS IN CONCRETE
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE
New High Commission building to be complete by 60th Independence
celebration
On 27 March the British High Commissioner, Dominick Chilcott, hosted
the "topping out" ceremony for the new British High Commission
building on Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. Local dignitaries including
officials from the Municipal Council and representatives of the Institute
of Architects attended the ceremony, which marks the completion of
the building's structure. Work to complete the fitting out of the
building will now commence, and the High Commission will be open in
early 2008.
Topping out" celebrations are an important tradition in new construction
projects, and can be traced back to ancient European customs. They
normally involve a dignitary undertaking the final piece of work on
a building's structure, in this case the High Commissioner laid the
final piece of concrete to complete the floor. The celebrations are
a way to mark the creation of a new building, to thank workers for
their efforts, and to wish safety for those continuing to work on
the buildings completion.
The new High Commission was designed by British architect Richard
Murphy, produced with the collaboration of leading Sri Lankan architects,
Milroy Perera, and is inspired by the greatest Sri Lankan architect
of the modern era, Geoffrey Bawa.
The design will minimise impact on the environment, encouraging the
use of natural cooling rather than air conditioning.
At the ceremony the High Commissioner said:
"….this new High Commission is a statement of intent. Our
intent to remain committed to Sri Lanka's future and to the work of
the British Government in Sri Lanka.
It is very exciting that the project has progressed this far. The
end is almost in sight. I am confident that by the time of Sri Lanka's
60th anniversary of independence, we shall have a beautiful, energy-saving
new building of which Britain and Sri Lanka can feel proud."
28 March 2007
