Oshanie Kumudika Rammuthupura, a final-year undergraduate at the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment and Spatial Sciences, proudly represented General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University at the Vernacular Architecture Forum (VAF) 2025 Conference held in Wilmington, DE, United States, from May 14 to 17, 2025.
Oshanie presented her research poster titled “Katu Mati Gewal: Weaving Sri Lankan Culture, Climate, and Nature into Timeless Homes” which explored how traditional wattle and daub houses of Sri Lanka embody centuries of indigenous knowledge, ecological sensitivity, and cultural continuity. Her research celebrated these earth-built homes as holistic responses to the island’s tropical climate, integrating natural materials, passive cooling techniques, and regionally rooted craftsmanship to create sustainable living environments.
This project was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Himalshi Tharanga Rupasinghe, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Architecture, whose guidance and expertise played a vital role in shaping the research direction and ensuring academic rigor.
Her participation was supported by the VAF Access Award, a highly competitive grant offered to emerging scholars and practitioners with a demonstrated commitment to the study and preservation of vernacular architecture.
Oshanie represented the university at an International conference for the second time, previously participating at the LEHM 2024 9th International Conference on Building with Earth held in Germany from 27-29 September 2024.
This milestone achievement reflects the university’s ongoing commitment to fostering global academic exchange and nurturing research that intersects sustainability, heritage, and innovation.
