Signing of the MOU. From L to R: Alumni ExCo Member J. M. S. Bandara, Thilan Koththigoda, Prof. Chandrika Wijeyaratne, Vice Chancellor, Rajeev Amarasuriya, Mrs. Sunethra Peiris, Alumni Head of Administration and Asanka Ranhotty, Co-Chair, Swimming Pool Steering Committee.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed last week between the Alumni Association of the University of Colombo and KWA Architects for the Architectural and Structural Work for a new 50 Meter swimming pool for the University of Colombo.

The Alumni Association of the University of Colombo has undertaken to construct a professional standard swimming pool for the university meeting a long-felt need. Construction is due to commence by the middle of this year.

Once built,The proposed swimming pool complex the facility will benefit present and future generations of students of the University of Colombo for years to come, the Alumni Association said in a news release.

KWA Architects have agreed to provide all the design and structural work without charge. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Thilan Koththigoda, Precedent Partner of KWA Architects said that they and their partners, all of whom have benefited from the national u iversity system, consider this project as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. Many of the Architects at KWA, including himself are products of the local university system and they considered this a give-back opportunity..

KWA began in 2001 as an independent design studio mainly focusing on built space and interior design. Now, it is a registered Chartered Architectural Practice with portfolio covering a wide range of projects for private clients and developers, in Sri Lanka and the Middle East. Its special focus is on tourism, leisure, commercial/retail and residential architecture as well as master planning and urban design.

The project team will comprise Architects Thilan Koththigoda and Ms. Thushari Wijesundera as the lead architects, Chartered Engineer Nuwan Bandaranayake, Director Engineering of Edifice Consultants (Pvt.) Ltd as the Structural Engineer, Chartered Engineer Shiran Jayalath as the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Engineer and Hasitha Gunasekera, Managing Director of ARQS Consultants (Pvt) Ltd as the cost consultants

Rajeev Amarasuriya, President of the Alumni Association of the University of Colombo said that when the University requested the support of the Alumni Association to construct this Swimming Pool Complex, they undertook it although it was a very large project as it would benefit many generations of present and future students. They had undertaken many major projects for the university including a 400-bed Women’s Hostel Complex at Buller’s Lane and were now happy to take on a larger project for which he invited alumni support.