Global Holcim Awards Silver 2015 winner Milinda Pathiraja from RAW (Robust Architecture Workshop), Sri Lanka is featured in “Reporting from the Front” at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition. His winning project Post-War Collective: Community library and social recuperation redeployed the skills and discipline of former troops in Sri Lanka into the building industry – and illustrates his belief in the power of architecture to integrate and contribute to the resolution of social, political and economic challenges.

The work of Milinda Pathiraja is an intelligent insertion into its context. A careful understanding of the topography, an articulation of the volumes so as to integrate the surrounding landscape, the use of strong materials to provide thermal mass and lighter ones to allow for cross-ventilation, and an elegant architectural language are all operations that should not be taken for granted when working under charged circumstances. So many times we have seen examples that try to tackle complex political and social challenges that fail to deliver quality architecture. Milinda Pathiraja is an exemplary case that demonstrates that the best way to good is to start by making a good building.

The library, completed in 2015, was the first Holcim Awards recipient to host its prize handover ceremony in the winning building, and was built by a regional army squadron with the assistance from local community. The approach focuses as much on the building process as on the building as physical artefact, to celebrate a specific understanding of sustainable architecture derived from the very structure of its making. Milinda Pathiraja is co-founder of RAW; Senior Lecturer in the Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa (Sri Lanka); and Honorary Senior Fellow in the Faculty of Architecture, Building & Planning, University of Melbourne (Australia). His PhD research examined the possible role of architects in developing world regions as facilitators of construction policy. The study originates from the belief that, when developed with an understanding of regional characteristics, idiosyncrasies and limitations, the strategic design of technological configurations can not only produce sound building artefacts but also increase technical capacity in the workforce.

“Reporting from the Front” is curated by Holcim Foundation Board member Alejandro Aravena, and includes 88 participants from 37 different countries. 50 of them are participating in the Biennale for the first time, and 33 architects are under the age of 40. The exhibition presents examples where different dimensions are synthesized, integrating the pragmatic with the existential, pertinence and boldness, creativity and common sense.