Habitat Chartered Architects & Engineers is a highly awarded, globally leading, multi-disciplinary architectural firm headed by Archt. Prof. Lalith De Silva.

Founded 1985 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Habitat has provided Architectural and Project Management services across a full suite of services. Habitat can manage the design process from project inception to completion. That is the ability to work with the client from brief development, elementary and detailed project feasibility studies, design, project management, and contract administration. We are the benchmark for quality Architectural design in Sri Lanka and our interdisciplinary team is capable of working across all built environments in architecture, interior, urban design and planning services that encompass the multi-residential, cultural, hospitality, commercial and masterplanning fields.

Principal architect, Prof. Lalith De Silva holds over 30 years experience managing large and complex design projects.

He leads a highly capable team of in-house technical professionals who have been specifically selected. Knowledge and skills are enhanced through inter-disciplinary workspaces and shared throughout the design process making for systematically better design. Our collaboration projects with other local and international design practices and consultants is a driving factor for our ability to develop new innovations and different ways of thinking within a global competitive market.

This collaborative design process has always driven our firm to extend our expertise far beyond the expected.  We always bring value to our clients by linking our creativity and the way it is transformed into built reality.

ARCHT. PROF. M. LALITH DE SILVA

PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT

(B. Sc. (BE), M. Sc. Arch., M. Eng. Science (Australia)., FIA (SL), RIBA, and Chartered Architect)

Prof. Lalith De Silva completed Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Built Environment and Master of Science in Architecture degrees at the University of Moratuwa graduating in 1983. In 1998, Lalith embarked on a sabbatical to complete a post graduate degree in construction management from James Cook University, to continue to expand his skillset and gain international experience working in Australia.

After 10 years experience working as an architect with Development Consultants  Lalith, while continuing to work as chief architect, graciously took a position at the  University of Moratuwa. With over 25 years of experience as an academic and a total of 39 years of experience as a professional, Prof. Lalith De Silva remains a renowned personality in both Academia and the Architectural profession in Sri Lanka and internationally. His ability to produce high quality projects from small scale dwellings to skyscrapers are a outcome of his diverse past project experience. Lalith has worked with many distinguished international and local design practices and consultants during his career.

During the four decades Lalith spent as a well rounded professional and an academic, his contribution to the public architecture realm has been untiring to the profession and the wider community. Prof. Lalith De Silva has served numerous positions in various professional bodies. His professional involvement includes: Principal Architect / Proprietor of Habitat Chartered Architects & Engineers (Sri Lanka), Vice President of Organization of Professional Associations (OPA) Sri Lanka from 2007 - 2008, and the President Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) from March 2003 – February 2005.

Prof. Lalith De Silva is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture of University of Moratuwa, and Professor of Architecture attached to the Department of Building Economics. He was also a Head of the Department of Building Economics University of Moratuwa (1999-2005). Appointed by H.E the President, Prof. Lalith De Silva was also a member of the Board of Management of Central Environment Authority (2010-2014), a member of the Board of Management of Urban Development Authority (2006-2009), and was the Chairman of Architects Registration Board (ARB) from 2007 - 2009. He holds Corporate Membership of the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) and Fellow Membership of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA).

His richly diverse background and work ethics has made him one of the most sought after Architects in Sri Lanka. Prof. Lalith De Silva is a luminous visionary in academia, planning, designing and construction who has contributed vastly to leading design and research in architecture.

1. 2017

2. K.G.A.S. Waidyasekara, Lalith De Silva, Raufdeen Rameezdeen, (2017) "Application of “R” principles to enhance the efficiency of water usage in construction sites", Built Environment Project and Asset Management, Vol. 7 Issue: 4, pp.400-412.

3. 2013

4. Waidyasekara K.G.A.S, De Silva M.L and Rameezdeen, R (2013), Comparative study of green building rating systems: In terms of water efficiency and conservation, 2nd International Conference on Socio-economic sustainability in construction: practice, policy and research, p. 108-117, 14th -15th  June, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

5. 2012

6. Waidyasekara K.G.A.S, De Silva M.L and Rameezdeen, R. (2012), Value of sustainable use of water in construction industry, 2nd International conference on Sustainable Built environment, 14th -16th December 2012 at Kandy, Sri Lanka .
7. Waidyasekara K.G.A.S, De Silva M.L and Rameezdeen, R. (2012), Importance of water as a construction commodity, Young water professional symposium, 22nd and 23rd November 2013 at Galadari Hotel, Colombo.

8. 2010

9. Chandani. H, De Silva. L, Pathirage, C. P., "Corruption in Sri Lankan Construction Industry" building the better world CIB conference, May 10th to 13th 2010, Salford Quays, UK.

10. 2009

11. M. Lalith De Silva (2009) "Informal Construction Sector and its Effect on the Construction Industry of Sri Lanka" 65th Annual Sessions of, Sri Lanka Advancement of Science Dec 2009.  Colombo.
12. M. Lalith De Silva (2009) "Scarcity of River Sand and common alternatives in Sri Lanka context with reference to Cost Justification" 65th Annual Sessions of, Sri Lanka Advancement of Science, Dec 2009.  Colombo.

• Lalith De Silva (2009), “Buisness Rehabilitation of Tsunami Affected Enterpreneurs", The FARU Symposium of Faculty of Architecture, University Of Moratuwa, Colombo,  Dec 2009.
• Silva, L. D. (2009), “Forecasting of Cost Escalations in Post Desaster Construction with Special Reference to Tsunami Reconstruction in Sri Lanka”,  'Built Environment Sri Lanka', Sri Lanka Institute of Architect journal.

• 2008

• Karunasena, G., Perera, S. and De Silva, L. (2008), “Decision Support Model for Best Value IT Procurement for Construction Organisations”, CIB International Conference in Building Education and Research, 10 — 15th February,   Sri Lanka.

• 2006

• Lalith De Silva (2006) 'Private Sector The Frontier in Tsunami Rehousing' International conference 'Humantarian Commitment of Architects' UNESCO - Emergency Architects France - Australia, Paris, 2006. (published in abstract form)
• Karunasena, G.I., Perera, S. and  Silva, L. De. (2006), “A Decision Support Model for IT Procurement for Construction Organisations”, Built Environment Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Institute of Architects, 6(2), pp.37—50.

• 2005

• Lalith de Silva (2005), "Another Idea of World", UNESCO, Paris 2005. (published in abstract form)
• Lalith De Silva (2005) "Housing The Tsunami Victims in Sri Lanka- Our Profeessional Responsibility" UNESCO - Emergency Architects International Conference "State of Emergency".
• M Lalith De Silva (2005), 'Re-Housing The Tsunami Victims',   The Sri Lanka Architect, The  Journal of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects, Feb 2005 Vol:106 No. 01 pp 32-35.

• 2004

• Lalith De Silva (2004) "Beyond Formal Architecture - Can Architects be responsive" International Conference  on 'Regional Partnerships in Architecture' SAARCH 04 hosted by the Iap, Karachchi, Pakistan (unpublished).

1. Perera, R.S., Karunasena G.I. and De Silva L. (2004), “Development of Value Management Based IT Procurement Model for Construction Organizations”, Proceeding of International Conference on Construction information Technology, 17th —21st February 2004, Langkawi, Malaysia.

2. 2003

3. Perera, R.S., De Silva L. and Karunasena G.I. (2003), “Application of Value Management Concepts for Successful IT Procurement for Construction Organisations”, Proceeding of ARCASIAConference and Assembly meeting  Colombo, Sri Lanka.
4. 3rd International Postgraduate Research conference in the’ Built & Human Environment, 3rd _4th April 2003, Salford.

5. 2000

6. Lalith De Silva (2000), "Sustaining Hikkaduwa with Tourism" proceedings of CIB Conference on Strategies for a Sustainable Built Environment, 23- 25 Aug 2000, Pretoria , South Africa. pp 23-1 to 23-13.
7. ‘Cities and Sustainability –Millennium Conference 2000’- CIB International conference held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Paper presented on ‘ Sustainable Tourism in Hikkaduwa, SL’.

8. 1997

9. Lalith De Silva (1997) 'A phylosophy for Land Mangement in Southern Sri Lanka'  "VASTHU" Sinhala Journal of Sri Lanka Institute of Architects Vol 13  Sept- Nov 1997 , pp 16-18.

10. 1983

11. De Silva M L(1983) "A Study of Some Economic Aspecs of the Building Boom In 1978 in Sri Lanka" SLIA journal.
12. Towards 21st Century ~’Land Management for Integrated Development of Sri Lanka’ ~Regional workshops in Colombo, Galle & Anuradapura. SLIA. Paper presented (Note: Underlined Italic denotes special contribution during the office held).