Amoda Rathnayake is the Managing Director and Lead Interior Architect of Amoda Rathnayake Associates. A proud alumnus of Mahamaya College, Kandy, she attributes her strong will to succeed, to her mother, who raised her as a single parent, following the untimely passing of her father when she was only 5 years old.
Recognizing her true calling, she pursued her Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design, and upon graduation, she embarked on her career at MICD Associates, under the guidance of Architect Mourad Ismail. Wanting to establish her brand and identity, she ventured out as a solopreneur and founded Amoda Rathnayake Associates in 2015, and Jaya Builders Pvt Ltd in 2018 – The construction arm of the design firm. Amoda Ratnayake Associates provides overall design solutions to a wide spectrum of clients, ranging from individuals to start-ups and world-renowned multinational organizations, and she is proud of the success she has had so far.
Design is an addiction, and as an Interior designer, Amoda is focused and committed to her work. She has the drive to succeed, and the will to ensure projects are delivered on time and exceed client expectations – which is evident by the success she has had in her career. Amoda is also proud to say that she is a wife and a mother of two and emphasized that spending quality time with her family is very important to her. She shared with us that while projects keep her away from her family at times, she is fortunate to have a family that understands and supports her passion – her work.
Aiming to please, Amoda knows that the success of every project hinge on understanding a client and their unique needs. The client is a cornerstone to the design journey, and Amoda strives to blend her creativity with the clients’ functional requirements. Amoda Ratnayake Associates provide the full range of services from design to building, and customers can enjoy peace of mind at every stage of the construction process. This allows Amoda and her team the freedom to explore creative solutions and has more control over finer details from an aesthetical and functional perspective. They are up-to-date on modern design trends, equipped to try something new with every project, and are agile enough to alter designs based on changes in the design world.
Most organizations realize that office designs are more than just creating an environment that provides all the furniture and equipment that enable day-to-day tasks. Brilliant office designs go beyond the physical and practical concerns and consider the psychological well-being of employees who will use the space. Amoda has been innovative in delighting many clients with breath taking office designs, setting a standard of innovative, classy offices that reflect their corporate identity, and the occupants’ identity.
Amoda and her team believe that an office is not just a place that a person works in — it should be a catalyst for inspiration and motivation for the people who spend a significant portion of their day occupying it. An office space should encourage and cultivate innovation, conversation, and collaboration, positive energy, a sense of calm and creativity.
What distinguishes Amoda and her team is their creativity. She has a young team, driven by the freedom they have to express their artistic ability, and empowered by the independence to pick their working hours – she believes this brings out the best in them. Although they are young, the team is mature enough to handle the freedom with great responsibility. They follow a family-like culture where they bond beyond work, which has created a lot of trust among the team, and that trust has converted into a passion and unconditional commitment. The team at ARA does not work for a salary but serves a higher purpose – a true collective passion. Finally, as an entrepreneur Amoda shared that it is vital to have a yes-attitude, never give up, and always differentiate yourself from the rest.
A CEO’s office design space is as important as their business card – it’s a reflection of who they are and where they stand in the corporate world, therefore it is paramount to have a workspace that suits his or her corporate title. Amoda Ratnayake Associates (ARA) design personalized office spaces bearing in mind the impact it has on overall business and company standard.
To achieve the perfect outlook for C-suite office space, it is important to understand the personality that occupies it, which is why ARA takes the time to conduct multiple rounds of discussion with their clients to full conceptualize their traits, attributes, type of work, type of industry and specific requirements – all the information that contribute to creating the perfect C-suite, designed for success.
ARA also factors in the client’s leadership and work style when designing, as space directly influences human psychology – mood, behaviour, activity, decision making, and productivity. ‘Private and Professional’, are keywords to bear in mind when creating an executive office. The Interior of executive offices must also reflect the image of the company, while simultaneously catering to the person who occupies that space. A C-Suite working space usually is more than an individual desk. It has various functions and can even include a meeting area, a corner with assorted electronic equipment, or even a corner to relax and take a break. These were the factors that led to the concept of this project: a bigger working space that also caters to other aspects of the client’s daily routine.
Personalized office spaces, even C-suite spaces in particular can follow many themes; they can be luxury, zen, modern, contemporary, minimal, classic, and many more. People often think that to make an impression, a space needs to be extravagant when that is not the case – a space needs to be well and sensibly designed – that is what ARA does best. Furthermore, space must be attractive, inviting, and impressionable to anyone that walks in as impressions last and they matter.