# Chief architect (Sri Lanka)

The Chief Architect was a position created in 1865 by Governor Hercules Robinson and the Executive Council of Ceylon to design and oversee the construction of public buildings across Ceylon.
Previously the Public Works Department, which was established in 1849 was managed by British engineers.
The chief architect worked within the Public Works Department and the first chief architect was James George Smither. The position was retained following the country's independence in 1948 however it was not until the appointment of Homi Billimoria in 1953, that a Ceylonese architect assumed the role. In 1969 the Public Works Department was abolished and replaced with the Department of Buildings. The department was established as the sole authority and consultancy institution in the construction of government buildings. In 1977 the position of Chief Architect was re-instated, with the appointment of Panini Tennekoon. He was the last recognised Chief Architect, following which the position reverted to Director - Architecture within the department, reporting to the Director General of Buildings.
List of Chief Architects :
| Name | Tenure | Birth date | Birthplace | Death date | Death place | Notable works |
| James George Smither OBE | 1865-1883 | January–March 1833 | Ireland | 1910 | Camberwell, England | All Saints' Church, Galle (1868) Old Colombo Town Hall & Edinburgh Market (1870) Grand Oriental Hotel (1873) Colombo National Museum (1875) Colombo General Hospital Custom House Jaffna Clock Tower (1880) |
| There are no records of a Chief Architect being appointed until 1925 |||||||
| Austin Woodeson OBE | 1925 - 1932 | 3 May 1873 | Reading, Berkshire, England | 24 November 1935 | Bournemouth, England | Ceylon University College (1921-27) Old Parliament Building, Colombo (1929) General Treasury Building (1930) |
| Tom Neville Wynne-Jones CBE, CMG | 1932-1953 | 19 November 1893 | Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales | 21 June 1979 | Frinton-on-Sea, Essex | Independence Memorial Hall (1949) Panagoda Cantonment (1953) Survey Department building, Colombo Radio Ceylon studios (1950) Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour (1967) |
| Homi Billimoria OBE | 1953-1956 | 23 May 1901 | Colombo, Ceylon | June 1956 | Colombo | Mumtaz Mahal, Colombo (1928) Tintagel Colombo (1929) Independence Memorial Hall, Colombo (1948) Kandy Masonic Temple (1951) Young Men's Buddhist Association building, Colombo (1955) Navroz Baug (Fire Temple), Colombo |
| Justin Samarasekera | 1956-1962 | 21 May 1916 | Colombo, Ceylon | 3 November 2003 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | Independence Memorial Hall, Colombo (1948) Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, Colombo (1959) Institute of Practical Technology, Katubedde, Moratuwa (1959) Kalutara Chaitya, Kalutara (1965) Indian Pavilion and Ceylon Paper Corporation Pavilion, International Industrial Exhibition, Colombo (1965) Atchchuveli Industrial Estate, Jaffna (1970) SLFP Party Headquarters, Colombo (1970) University of Kelaniya Library, Kelaniya (1973) Kollupitiya Market, Colombo (1976) Yala Safari (1976) Wornel's Reef Hotel, Beruwala (1974) University of Ceylon Physics and Chemistry buildings (1979) Co-operative Wholesale Establishment, Colombo (1981) Sripada National College of Education, Kotagala (1982-89) |
| Velayuthampillai Kandavel (acting) | -1969 | | | | | Ceylon Pavilion - World Expo, Montreal (1967) School of Architecture building, University of Ceylon (1968) |
| In 1969 the Public Works Department was abolished and replaced with the Department of Buildings. |||||||
| Panini Tennekoon | 1977-1979 | 5 February 1922 | | 17 July 2007 | Colombo, Sri Lanka | Colombo Library (1975) National Archives building (1975) Teaching Hospital complex at Colombo South General Hospital, Kalubowila Bandaranaike Samadhi, Horagolla Siyane Teachers Training College, Nittambuwa - assembly hall, female teacher trainees hostel and library Kalubowila Hospital Kollupitiya police station Wadduwa police station Peradenyia post office Ministry of Buddha Sasana Complex, Colombo Clock tower, New Town Anuradhapura Zoological Gardens, Dehiwala - aquarium, entrance feature, reptilium, restaurant, and management office complex Central Supermarket, Pettah (1979) Supreme Court Complex, Hulftsdorp (1978) Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Borella Sepala Wimaladharma Molligoda ~1981 |
| Upali Iddawala | 1997-1999 | 1940 | Ambepussa, Sri Lanka | | | |
| Tamara Nandani Welikala Dayaratne | | | | | | |
| Menaka Mangalanantha (acting) | 2017 - 2019 | | | | | |
| Ranathunga Arachchige Thushari Sajeewanee Ranathunga | 2019–present | | | | |