The Geoffrey Bawa Moonamal Award has opened the call for applications for its inaugural Award cycle. Presented in partnership with the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, the Award invites individuals and organisations across the country to submit implemented projects that demonstrate how human needs can be met while enabling nature and ecosystems to thrive.

Applications will be considered under two categories. he Built Environment category covers architecture, infrastructure, urban design and landscape design, while the Public Policy categorypolicies that enable or incentivise ecological design. The Award is not restricted to a single profession or discipline. Individuals, organisations, government agencies, community groups, NGOs, researchers and multidisciplinary teams may apply for projects designed and implemented in Sri Lanka.

Qualifying entries must have been implemented within the past ten years and completed for at least one year, enabling applicants to demonstrate results over time. Projects will be assessed on whether they consider the needs of plants, animals and ecosystems alongside those of people; reverse or mitigate environmental damage; support ecological recovery and regeneration; and bring together communities and expertise from different fields.

Potential projects could include those which restore degraded landscapes or waterways through design, biodiversity-sensitive buildings and infrastructure, public spaces designed around existing ecological systems, community-led responses to habitat loss or erosion, and policies that guide the design and construction of built environments towards greater harmony with other species and ecosystems. Strong applications should be grounded in the geography, hydrology, flora, fauna and social context of their site, and should provide evidence that the intervention has improved conditions beyond the pre-project baseline.

Commenting on the opening of applications, Environmentalist and Preserving Land and Nature (PLANT) Chairperson, and member of the Moonamal Award Steering Committee, Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne said, “The Moonamal Award is looking for projects that move ecological coexistence from an aspiration into practice. We want to see work that listens to the landscape, responds to local realities and brings different communities and disciplines together. The scale of a project is less important than the clarity of its thinking, the evidence of positive change and its potential to guide how Sri Lanka designs for the future.”

The Sri Lanka Institute of Landscape Architects (SLILA) and the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) are partnering with the Moonamal Award as Supporting Institutions, lending their expertise, credibility and professional networks to the initiative. The support of these two leading professional bodies will help amplify the Award’s messaging, encourage applications and broaden engagement with its programmes, connecting the Moonamal Award with a wider audience of professionals, practitioners and the public.

“The Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka is proud to partner with the Geoffrey Bawa Moonamal Award because it reflects a shared commitment to rethinking how engineering and design can respond to the needs of both people and nature. Engineering has a vital role in creating resilient infrastructure while safeguarding ecosystems and supporting ecological regeneration. Through this partnership, IESL hopes to encourage greater interdisciplinary collaboration among engineers, architects, environmental professionals, policymakers and communities. We expect the Award to inspire innovative, sustainable and context-sensitive solutions, while creating greater awareness within the engineering profession that development and environmental stewardship must go hand in hand for a resilient Sri Lanka”, said Kosala Kamburadeniya, President - The Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka

Applications may be submitted online in Sinhala, Tamil or English from 31st August 2026 until 15th January 2027. The winning project and public policy solution will receive a fellowship and opportunities supporting further learning, exchange and public engagement. The shortlist and winner are expected to be announced in mid-2027.

For application guidelines and submissions, visit www.geoffreybawa.com/moonamal-award. Inquiries may be directed to awards@geoffreybawa.org