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A new take on contemporary tropical modernism-by Ellie Stathaki Source:Dailynews A love for modernist Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa and the team’s admiration for the rich, welcoming landscape of Sri Lanka led to the design of this hotel architecture project in Ahangama, Galle. Harding Boutique Hotel was created by Dubai-based studio Anarchitect, which is led by Jonathan and Militza Ashmore, a couple in work and life. The result is a thoroughly contemporary design that pays homage to its natural context and Sri Lanka’s 20th-century architecture. “My great uncle was one of the first hoteliers and great pioneers of tourism in the country, opening what was then the Blue Lagoon – the country’s first hotel designed by Geoffrey Bawa – the father of Sri-Lankan modernist architecture,” says the client, Sri Lankan-Australian hotelier Paul Harding. Architect Jonathan Ashmore was captivated by this piece of history and sought to connect with it, exploring ...