Development of Sinhala Typography (PhD thesis) by Sumanthri Samarawickarama — AKURU DEEP DIVE

This is an AI generated podcast—In this episode, we explore an exceptional thesis by Sumanthri Samarawickrama , submitted in October 2016 as part of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.

This research dives deep into the anatomy of the Sinhala script, tracing its historical evolution and examining its typographic implications. The author meticulously studies the script's journey across various media—from ancient stone inscriptions and palm leaf manuscripts to modern printed materials—while analyzing its visual properties and the terminology used to describe them.

A highlight of the thesis is the detailed visual analysis of Sinhala letterforms, introducing a new system of terminology and a grid-based framework to understand their structure. This groundbreaking work contributes significantly to Sinhala typography, offering valuable insights for design practice and education.