Laki Senanayake

A sculptor, painter, and landscape designer, he helped shape the country’s cultural identity in the post-independence era.
Over five decades, Laki transformed humble farmland into a forest, water garden, and open-air gallery. In 2012, he built Diyabubula’s Art & Jungle Hideaway for the owners of Barberyn — five villas crafted mainly from century-old railway sleepers and hand-picked timber. He designed every detail himself.
Laki lived and worked here until his passing in 2021 — his art, architecture, and wild forest continue to invite new generations to experience the stillness and imagination he cherished.