Geoffrey Bawa

With a career spanning half a century and over 200 projects, Geoffrey Bawa (1919–2003) defined architecture in postcolonial Sri Lanka. His résumé includes hotels, houses, schools and universities, factories, offices, numerous public buildings, and the new parliament building. During his lifetime, Bawa became recognized as one of the most influential architects of the twentieth century in Asia. Today, at a time of growing social inequality and environmental crisis, his work continues to inspire architects and designers across the globe. In 2026, the Vitra Design Museum and the M+, in collaboration with the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, will present the first major retrospective exhibition of Geoffrey Bawa’s work, available for international tour.

Featuring drawings, sketches, furniture, personal objects, and photographs, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to better understand Bawa’s work and its context in Sri Lanka. Highlights include never-before-exhibited sketches and drawings, a rare recording of Bawa talking about his work, artworks by his collaborators, and newly commissioned videos and photographs offering a spatial experience of Bawa’s fascinating buildings.

An exhibition by the Vitra Design Museum, M+, and the Wüstenrot Foundation, in collaboration with the Geoffrey Bawa Trust

Space
600 – 1,000 m² / 6,000 – 10,000 sq ft

Curatorial Team 
Johan Deurell, Irina Selzer (Vitra Design Museum)
Ikko Yokoyama, Iris Ng (M+)
Shayari de Silva, Aneesha Mustachi (Geoffrey Bawa Trust)

Exhibition Design
Lina Ghotmeh Architects

Graphic Design
Judith Brugger

Detailed information
Illustrated Concept

Exhibition Tour
26.09.2026 – 28.02.2027, Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany
26.06.2027 – Oct 2027, M+, Hong-Kong

For further information please contact Cora.Harris@design-museum.de.

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