Sasakawa Centre opens, marking new architectural addition to Colombo skyline

The new Sasakawa Memorial Sri Lanka–Japan Cultural Centre at No. 85, Ward Place, Colombo 07, was inaugurated last Thursday adding a striking new architectural landmark to Colombo while further strengthening the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Japan.

The new Sasakawa Centre was ceremonially opened by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka Akio Isomata, Chairman of The Nippon Foundation Yohei Sasakawa, cabinet Ministers, Chairman of the Sasakawa Centre Trust Premalal Fernando, members of the diplomatic corps and other invitees.

Commissioned by the Sasakawa Memorial Sri Lanka–Japan Cultural Centre Trust, the new facility is a landmark development designed to promote cultural exchange, education, professional training and bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and Japan.

The Rs. 3 billion project was designed by Design Consortium International Limited, while Sanken Construction (Pvt) Ltd served as the main contractor.

Chairman of The Nippon Foundation, Yohei Sasakawa, said that the new Sasakawa Centre would stand as a lasting monument to the friendship between Sri Lanka and Japan.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, highlighting the longstanding contribution of the Sasakawa Centre, stated that it has played an invaluable role in promoting Japanese language education and strengthening mutual understanding between the peoples of Sri Lanka and Japan.

She expressed confidence that the new Centre would emerge as a dynamic platform for cultural exchange, educational cooperation and meaningful people-to-people engagement. Commenting on the building's design, she said the architectural character of the structure was phenomenal.

“The architectural language of this building is a complete paradigm shift from existing corporate office architecture. It will be recorded as a point of change,” she said.

“The architectural language demonstrates the discipline of parametric architecture while creating a distinctive corporate identity for the Sasakawa Trust Centre,” said Migara Alwis, Principal Architect of Design Consortium International.

Design Consortium International, one of Sri Lanka’s most respected architectural practices, was formerly led by the late Vidyajyothi Professor Lakshman Alwis. Today, the firm is headed by his son, Migara Alwis, who continues to advance the organisation’s legacy through innovative and internationally acclaimed architectural designs.