Oshanie Kumudika Rammuthupura, a fourth-year Bachelor of Architecture student in the Faculty of Built Environment and Spatial Sciences, is emerging as a prominent voice in the field of vernacular architecture and sustainable design. As a member of the Vernacular Architecture Forum (VAF) in the USA and a recipient of the prestigious VAF Access Award for 2024, Oshanie is recognized for her commitment to the study and preservation of vernacular architecture.
In September, Oshanie presented her research at LEHM 2024, the 9th International Conference on Building with Earth, held from September 27–29 in Weimar, Germany. Her presentation focused on the thermal comfort of traditional wattle and daub residences in Sri Lanka. Her research, supervised by Dr. Himalshi Rupasinghe, entitled “Variation of Thermal Comfort with the Availability of Climate-Responsive Design Strategies in Wattle and Daub Residences” examines how traditional materials influence indoor thermal comfort, underscoring the value of climate-responsive architecture.
