Archt. Chinthaka Wickramage’s IFRCS Community Centre for the Tsunami affected community at Thalalla was among the ten highly commended projects selected from entries submitted by architectural professionals globally for the AR + D Awards for Emerging Architecture 2011, and published in the Architectural Review December 2011 issue 1378 on Emerging Architecture. The Community Centre’s robust concrete frame holds infill panels of exposed redbrick and supports a clay tiled pitched roof. It is a donation by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), in gratitude for the assistance provided by the Chief Monk of the Sri Mandalaramaya Temple, to the Tsunami victims of Thalalla.

Eligible to enter Emerging Architecture Awards are architects, and design professionals whose qualifications are recognised by their local accreditation organisations, provided they are 45 years or younger. In 2011 there were two winners, four runners up and 10 highly commended entries.

The Awards partners Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) invited Archt. Wickramage to present the highly commended project in London at their ‘Architecture for All – Spring 2012 Talk Series’ on February 28, 2012.