SPACES Nepal MAR-APR 2019

100th ISSUE Vol 15 No. 7 March-April 2019

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Contents Volume 15 NO. 7 | MARCH-APRIL 2019

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22 NEGLECTED HERITAGE

28 ARCHITECTURE

32 THESIS

STONE ARCHITECTURE OF LOWER DOALKHA DISTRICT

DUDBC INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER

EARTHQUAKE MEMORIAL AT BARPAK, GORKHA

36 INTERIOR

42 ARCHITECTURE

48 ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS

COMPONENTS OF BATHROOM

SAMJHYA THE CROWN OF NEPALI CULTURE

56 INTERNATIONAL

62 PERSONALITY

UPM BIOFORE HOUSE

TALK WITH MARITTA HELINEVA

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INNOVATING THE VERNACULAR MADI

82 ART RAGA-MALAS A RARE PHENOMENON IN NEPALI PAINTING

Contributors

Volume 15 NO. 7 | MARCH-APRIL 2019 CEO

Ashesh Rajbansh Editor-in-Chief

Ar. Sarosh Pradhan Contributing Art Editor

Madan Chitrakar Kasthamandap Art Studio

Madan Chitrakar

Kai Weise

Asha Dangol

Anne Feenstra

Bansri Pandey

Prabal Dahal

Suyog Prajapati

Swastika Paudel

Shweta Shakya

Sumina Tha Shrestha

Alisha Adhikari

Consulting Editor

Prabina Shrestha Junior Editor

Shreya Amatya Pratap Jung Khadka Tejal Rayamajhi Contributing Editor

President of Society Of Nepalese Architects (SONA) Advisor

Prakash Bahadur Amatya Ar. Pawan Kumar Shrestha Ar. Pravita Shrestha Kirti Kusum Joshi Photographers

Pradip Ratna Tuladhar Director- Operation & Public Relation

Anu Rajbansh

SR. Business Development Officer

Debbie Rana Dangol

Business Development Officer

Siddhartha Jung Khadka Legal Advisor

Yogendra Bhattarai Financial Advisor

Kiran Rajbhandary Accountant

Pratima Sherpa Subscription and Distribution Officer

Rohit Khadgi Intern

Sudikshya Dongol Ikchha Pokharel Prithvi Jung Khadka Sajeet Rajbhandari Sandesh Shrestha Published by

IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. Kopundole, Lalitpur, GPO Box No. 7048, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Phone: 977-1-5181125, 977-1-5180132 info.spaces4@gmail.com Design/Layout & Processed at DigiScan Pre-press

Printed at Wordscape The Printer, 9851037750 Distribution

K & K Distributors, Ph: 977-1-4247241 Advertising and Subscriptions

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Madan Chitrakar is a senior artist and an art- writer based in Kathmandu. As a leading art writer of the country, on many occasions he has taken Nepali Art beyond the borders - through his writings in many prestigious publications abroad - notably in Japan, India and Bangladesh. Two well acclaimed books Tej Bahadur Chitrakar - Icon of a Transition’ 2004 and ‘Nepali Art: Issues Miscellany’ - 2012 remain to his credit, in addition to the numerous writings on Art and Culture in English and Nepali. Presently, he is associated with Tribhuvan University, Central Department of Fine Arts and Kathmandu University, Center for Art and Design as a member of the respective Subject Committee.

Bansri Pandey is an architect from India who is in love with stories. She has been writing about several issues on architecture since 2007. She came to Nepal in 2010. At the time, she established a training centre for teaching new technologies in the field of architecture/engineering in Nepal. After completing her masters in International Project Management from Germany in 2013, she worked in the field of construction technologies in Germany and in Qatar.

After coming back to Nepal, her love for storytelling got her to write and perform a play in Nepali at a theatre in Kathmandu.

Currently, she continues to write about architecture as well as work in the field of construction technologies in Nepal.

Kai Weise is a Nepali national of Swiss origin who has been working as a planner and architect in the Himalayan Region.

Kai Weise has been facilitating the establishment of management systems for World Heritage properties and was involved in earthquake response and rehabilitation for the culture sector in Nepal and Myanmar. He is president of ICOMOS Nepal and fellow of the Institute of Advanced Studies, Durham University.

Alisha Adhikari is an architect at Sustainable Mountain Architecture. For the past 5 years, she has worked in Western Australia and Nepal. She believes in architecture that is rooted in its culture and environment. TSince moving back to Nepal, she has been learning about and practicing design process and practices that lead to a sustainable built environment.

Asha Dangol is a contemporary Nepali visual artist. He is co-founder of the Kasthamandap Art Studio and E-Arts Nepal. He holds Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from Tribhuvan University, and has been creating and exhibiting his art since 1992. He has 10 solo art exhibitions to his credit. Dangol has participated in numerous group shows in Nepal and his work has been exhibited in different countries outside Nepal. The artist experiments with painting, mixed media, ceramics, installation, performance and video.

Prof. Anne Feenstra is the laureate of the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture 2012 (Paris) and former Dean at Architecture of CEPT University (Ahmedabad). He has set up Sustainable Mountain Architecture (SMA) in winter 2013/14. Team SMA has tried to create pro-ecology, pro-people, pro-local, frugal contemporary interventions in the built environment of the Himalayas.

Prabal Dahal is a recent graduate of Bachelors of Architecture from Kathmandu Engineering College, an enthusiastic writer- interested in buildings, urban design and conservation. Former President of Association of KEC Architecture (AKAR), he has been writing articles for various functions since high school. At the moment he is serving as an International Services Director at Rotaract Club of Budhanilkantha.

He also enjoys participating in various national Architectural events.

Swastika Paudel completed her bachelor’s in architecture from Kathmandu Engineering College. Her enthusiasm sparks when exploring different places and heritage. She believes all forms of art are in connection with each other and is seeking to understand and express them through various mediums.

Shweta Shakya is an aspiring architect with a passion for exploring traditions and cultures. Being a heritage enthusiast, she has been involved in projects concerning understanding and preservation of traditional architectural constructs within Kathmandu Valley.

During her spare time, she pursues writing as a hobby.

Ar. Sumina Tha Shrestha is a practicing architect who has recently joined the Masters program for Energy efficient Buildings at IOE, Pulchowk.

She received her undergraduate in architecture from Khwopa Engineering College, Bhaktapur. Having keen interest in traditional architecture, Sumina also enjoys singing and writing.

Besides this she loves to spend her spare time with friends and enjoys making new acquaintances. She is a strong believer in exploring architecture through traveling.

Suyog Prajapati is an author and scholar specializing in Nepalese art history and iconography. He has a master’s degree in Buddhist Studies from Tribhuvan University and has taught Buddhist art at Lotus Academic College, Patan. He has also been working at The Peacock Shop, Bhaktapur since 2007, documenting their renovation projects involving traditional Newārī houses and Buddhist narrative woodcarvings. He writes in order to raise awareness about the indigenous heritage of Kathmandu valley.

Regd. No 30657/061-62 CDO No. 41 SPACES is published twelve times a year at the address above. All rights are reserved in respect of articles, illustrations, photographs, etc. published in SPACES. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher and the publisher cannot accept responsiblility for any errors or omissions.

Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials to SPACES for consideration should not send originals unless specifically requested to do so by SPACES in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other submitted material must be accompanied by a self addressed return envelope, postage prepaid. However, SPACES is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. All editorial inquiries and submissions to SPACES must be addressed to spaces.editor@gmail.com or sent to the address mentioned above.

MARCH - APRIL 2019 SPACES / 7

Editorial Imagination does not occur solely in a vacuum, but a passive cognitive process permanently existing and residing solely within the confines of our brains. Imagination constantly is moulded by the external reality around us and then the very influenced mental imagery can be projected outwards influencing the external environment. Therefore, a cyclic cycle is formed allowing a pathway for evolution. Architecture is a one such example of the movement of mental imagery taking space outwards into our physical environment assisting different actors through drawings and models to present the design in order to align the towards the same idea to envision the specific building in front of them and to see its possibilities of existing in the future. Architecture as a whole is the constant process of bringing mental imagery together and creating that imagery into a physical reality going hand in hand to explore varied human possibilities. One of the articles in this issue is the competition held for DUDBC international convention centre highlighting the importance of design competitions to allow various designs to be created and emerge.

We at SPACES constantly try to encourage imagination to delve into different human possibilities to build a better Nepal from the depths of our consciousness soaked in values of social responsibility. We hope that through correct implementation and funding, the imaginations of the inspired young architects and engineers of today can become a tangible physical reality in the future.

Enjoy!

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Ashesh Rajbansh / CEO

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6TH EPISODE OF SONA ARCHITECT SPEAKS-

Ar. Charanjit Singh Shah

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he sixth episode of Architect Speaks was organised by Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA) which was held at Bouganvilla events, Teku on 29th January 2019.

creating a habitat but also has to carry a huge social responsibility to bring about change in the society.” He conveyed that a built form should not be treated as a mass of brick and concrete but as a living organism. He also exhibited that evolution of mankind is a continuous changing process and there have been multiple growths in terms of lifestyle, urbanization and transportation which have a direct effect on parameters of planning. Still, the basic elements and principles of design are constant. His approach towards planning is based on the natural phenomena of solar movement, orientation and envelope of the building, with respect to functionality and usages. He argued that the visualization of an architect/planner needs to complement the changed parameters, along with the use of latest advancement in technologies.

Charanjit Singh Shah, an Architect, educationist & academician, from India briefed about his projects based on his homeland. He is the co-founder of Creative Group, an architecture and construction company which was established in 1973. He also projected his beliefs on the responsibility of an architect towards the environment.

Shah has led numerous airport projects, hotels and housing projects based on a sustainable and green design approach.

He emphasized on respecting and learning from nature. His designs are symbolic, sustainable, iconic, economic, and draw inspiration from old cities of India like Rajasthan which resonates with his philosophies.

Creative Group’s approach towards Airport designs has always been The presentation focused mainly on his that “Airports should not only be successful design projects that exudes considered as Energy guzzlers.” The sustainability in every aspect. He architects’/planners’ intervention by expressed, “An architect's job is not just way of adopting passive strategies of

respecting solar movement, orientation, placement of building, envelope of building, insulations, selection of materials etc, can make the built form sustainable and eco friendly and help in reducing heat load and maximize daylight in the building. The principles of basic planning have helped to design the airports which are no longer energy guzzlers.

country of booming economy that has its unique identity and place in the world. However, the nonchalance of the people towards the environment and energy consumption was startling for him. He called for all the architects to believe in their power to bring substantial change in attitude of people and therefore learn to be considerate to our natural environment. He also expressed his admiration towards the unique traditional architecture of Nepal and the environment consciousness was prevalent in the ancient times but has somehow dissolved in the course of development. He believes that one should not forget their roots and should reflect traces of history and tradition while designing for the present. He convinced that we should always look

SPACES magazine had an opportunity to have a close discussion with Prof Shah. He expressed his concerns towards the energy consumption in Nepal and lack of awareness among people. He believes that Nepal is a

MITHILA COSMOS: Songs of Innocence and Experience n 23rd January 2019, H.E.Roland Schafer, German Ambassador to Nepal inaugurated an exhibition of paintings by S.C. Suman titled as “Mithila Cosmos: Songs of Innocence and Experience” at Siddartha Art Gallery, BaberMahal Revisited, Baber mahal. SC Suman is a self taught artist – known best for paintings based on Mithila tradition; and is lured to the art of painting by watching his grandmother make ritual paintings in Mithila tradition.

has also been facilitated with CBR Global Transport Engineering Lifetime Achievement Award 2014 in Mumbai.

More than 100 professionals and students of architecture turned out at the event. After the presentation, a short interaction with the audience took place. The Mega Event of sixth episode of Architect Speaks was a huge success with significant participation of experts, senior architects and students. n

Recently, Prof Shah’s Practice has been recognized by Architecture + Design Magazine March 2013, which illustrated the life coverage of Prof Shah in the field of sustainable practice. He

Prof. Shah has been in the front line of numerous iconic and sustainable projects in India like Swami Vivekananda Airport at Raipur, India and Kamraj Airport Terminal at Chennai, India.

Led by Prof. Shah, Creative Group has also designed the Multimodal hubs for Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar Metro, Chennai Airport Metro, Goa and Vodadara Airports, 50 Years conceptual Master plan for the city of Jamshedpur.

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upon the western world only with an eye for technological advancement but we should not imitate the West blindly.

The rich ethnic tested principle of Vastu Shastra based on solar movement, climatology and other such natural fundamentals should be adopted along with the high-tech advancements to be able to create world class global facilities. He is confident that a global intervention in respect of technology and local knowledge of ethnic principles shall lead to a built environment which breathes and is embedded with nature.

For more than 20 years, Suman has been actively engaged in various organizations for the development of art and artists. And also has organized the national level Art Workshops in Biratnagar. Currently he remains in research works on Mithila, Tharu, Santhal, Dhimal, Folk Art & Culture.

To his credit are 14 solo shows held in Nepal, France, Japan, Australia and Netherlands. And his works brought him many accolades including the Rastra Pratibha Puraskar. In addition, Suman has also served as a Council Member and Head of Department

of the Folk Arts (2071-2075 B.S.) at Nepal Academy of Fine Arts. He is also regarded as one of the leading and a finest painter in this genre. One of specialties he has is he prepares his own tools including colors. He began to paint in the Mithila tradition with a firm belief that creativity should not be confined to a particular gender.

Here, an artist pays tribute to nature through art like the trees, flowers and fruits which is deeply rooted in nature.

His paintings also reflect the images of myriad plants and life forms of Terai Region, village scenes and activities.

And to understand the Artist’s work it is important to conceptualize the cultural, artistic and literary tradition of the Mithila. He also pays attention to the jewelry of the women, the tattoos that Mithila women receive on their bodies; and in some instances, the embroidered motifs, fine needleworks like quilt-stitches are found in his works.

The paintings mostly depict imaginary space, lucid lines and a sense of dynamism. But the choice of colors also suggests gradual loss of glorious heritage that Mithila sages and pilgrims once carried to the valley. ”Song of Innocence and Experience” seems to narrate those earlier themes. For sure, such untold aspects of Mithila Paintings provide a different charm. Obviously, the artist is also seeking to persuade viewers to reflect on what we do in this life time and then beyond. n MARCH - APRIL 2019 SPACES / 13

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WEEPING BANYAN

SANKALPA 2018

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PRAKRITI KA AWAJ HARU: A solo Exhibition by Sarita Dangol

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Sarita Dongol, a holder of Masters Degree in Fine Arts from Tribhuvan University, here she is seeking to focus on the destruction of the nature: and its innate relationship with human society. She is the founder of Community Children Art School and Classic Art Gallery. She is also a lecturer at Himalayan College of Architecture.

merican visual artist, Maureen Drdak, showcased ten iconic pieces of artwork under the mantle, “Weeping Banyan.” Drdak presented her work -which had been inspired by the banyan tree whose aerial roots are often chopped away- at the Taragaon Museum from the 15th of February to the 24th of February in association with Siddhartha art gallery. In her works, Maureen attempts to create powerful and abstract evocations of how human development has in many ways strangulated natural progresses. Maureen, who travelled to Nepal for her Fulbright research fellowship, studied in close detail about classic Nepali art forms and techniques under Newar Master Rabindra Shakya.

Maureen has in fact given classic Nepali art styles her own creative rendition by incorporating material synthesis and intricate metalwork into her paintings.

According to the artist, since the year 1989, she has remained influenced by nature and began to paint landscapes: and continued to paint landscapes through various mediums. Later, she focused on trees, in particular. Presently, she’s found fascinated to painting “Immobile Objects. “ It includes chilly garlands - a part of our life. The feeling towards these objects has directly or indirectly has motivated my creative enthusiasm and thus has become my current subject matter for paintings.” She said. Where, she has made sought to tell the hidden interrelationship between various immobile and mobile life. This is done through the use of assorted colors, forms, texture and characters. In short, the exhibition remains a panorama of work since 1999.n

Out of the ten intimate pieces of artwork that Drdak had presented, seven of them were created by combining, in graceful harmony, precious lapis lazuli and palladium in order to replicate the gentle flowing of water in symphony with her exquisite graphite handwork. The remaining three artworks featured Drdak’s unique take on copper repousse metal-work which has been skillfully integrated into her canvas. Four of her works have already been purchased by Sophia Pande. Maureen Drdak, through her distinctive art style has managed to produce an almost meditative outcry towards the injustice the environment has seen for the sake of human development. Her use of the Banyan as a plaintive metaphor for environmental degradation is certainly evoking and iconic. n

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n 9th of March 2019, a Solo Art exhibition of Artist Sarita Dongol titled,"Prakriti ka Awajharu" was held in Classic Art Gallery. The Show was jointly inaugurated by Senior Poet Manjul and Ms. Ice Anna Maria Forgione, the owner of famous restaurant Fire and Ice. The exhibition was organized to coincide the Women’s Day – also, with a motive to redisplay Sarita’s earlier works to new viewers.

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much anticipated Annual Event organized by Department of Civil and Geomatics Engineering with Architecture of Kathmandu University; ‘Sankalpa’ was successfully organized on the 26th and 27th of December, 2018.

Sankalpa’18 was paved beforehand with many pre-events which comprised of a one-day introductory SAP workshop guided by Er. Vimesh Paudel, community work with informative booths regarding earthquake safety structures, RCC designs, estimation for construction of houses and so on. Similarly, art exhibition was held at heritage sites: Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Kathmandu Durbar Square.

On 26th December, 2nd volume of magazine ‘Civil Insight’ was officially inaugurated by honourable Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Ram Kantha Makaju, Registrar, Prof. Dr. Subodh Sharma, Dean of School of Engineering, Dr. Damber Bdr. Nepali, Director of Student Welfare, Prof. Dr. Ing. Ramesh Kumar Maskey and Head of Department of DCGE, Assoc.

Prof. Dr. Prachand Man Pradhan.

Likewise, ‘All Nepal Civil Engineering Football Tournament’ stood as one of the major highlights of the whole event as KU lifted the trophy on its home ground.

The second day of Sankalpa exhibited commercial business stalls,

Civil Engineering and Architecture projects that comprehended models, artwork, collage related to the field of their studies. An Inter-College Civil Engineering Project Competition was organized. Photography competition was also organized which held its winner through voting system.

Various attractions like games, flash mob and drone flight managed to grab the attention of all the event attendees.

Architectural ExpoRenovation on a bus was as well successfully remarked by everyone.

The venue for the event was KU central campus, fountain park and lotus garden. More than 10 thousands participants visited all in all throughout the event.

All in all, Sankalpa’18 marked an unprecedented success which wouldn’t have been possible without being sponsored by Sarbottam Cement, co-sponsored by Jagdamba Steels, supported by AeroLite Bricks and powered by Yamaha. n

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5TH NEPAL BUILDCON INTERNATIONAL EXPO 2019

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th Nepal Buildcon International Expo was held at Bhrikuti Mandap,Kathmandu from 8th - 10th Feb 2019 organised by Media Space Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in collaboration with Futurex Trade Fair and Events Pvt. Ltd. More than 150 multinational company showcased over 300 brands and products from across the globe. Nepal Buildcon International Expo is truly an international and Nepal’s largest expo on Architecture, Buildings, Construction, Design and Engineering.

Aarti Strips was the Title Sponsor of the expo. Along with 5th Nepal Buildcon International Expo, Nepal Construction Machinery and Heavy Equipment International Expo as the concurrent event showcased construction equipment and heavy equipment.

of Nepalese Architects (SONA), Society of Consulting Architectural & Engineering Firms (SCAEF) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The Theme of this expo was to promote shared responsibilities, reiterates industry role and responsibility in National Development. The highlight of the exhibition were construction materials, construction machinery, construction heavy equipment, prefab structures, uPVC windows machinery, uPVC profile, doors and windows, architectural hardware, bathroom fittings, pipes, tiles and sanitary ware, roofing, pre engineering building, power tools, windows, concrete block machinery manufacturers, earth moving equipment’s, material handling equipment’s, aluminium composite panels and many more.

The three days expo concluded with a good review. n

The expo was supported by Nepal Engineering Association (NEA), Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal (FCAN), Federation of Heavy Equipment Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (FHEAN), Society

STORIES

An Exhibition of etching Prints

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n 28th February 2019, Siddhartha Art Gallery presented an exhibition of etchings titled ‘Stories’- made by Saurganga Darshandhari – and she is well-known as a visual artist and a Print maker. The Show was inaugurated by the Brazilian Ambassador, H.E. Ms. Maria Teresa Mesquita Pessoa. The exhibits are from the collections of the Artist.

Saurganga Darshandhari holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Tribhuwan University and Master’s Degree in Printmaking from the University of Development of Alternative Arts in 2009 from Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has been frequently showing her works in various international countries. Also, she has participated in different Residency Programs and Triennials. Recently, her works were exhibited In Tokyo International Mini Print Triennial 2018. Likewise, she is the founder of Bindu Space of Artists: and she’s been teaching Printmaking at Fine Arts Campus, Tribhuwan University and Sirjana College of Fine Arts.

5TH NEPAL WOOD INTERNATIONAL EXPO 2019

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edia Space Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in collaboration with Futurex Trade Fair and Events Pvt. Ltd. had organized the 5th Nepal Wood International Expo from 15th – 17th Feb. 2019 at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu. Nepal Wood International Expo is truly an international and Nepal’s largest expo on woodworking machinery, furniture & wood related product manufacturing technologies, tools, fittings, accessories, raw materials and products. Along with 5th Nepal Wood International Expo, Nepal International Furniture & Home Décor Expo was also a concurrent event which showcased modern furniture, furnishing, materials, accessories & components and interior design & décor.

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NEPLY was the Title Sponsor of the expo. This expo was supported

by Nepal Engineering Association (NEA), Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA), Society of Consulting Architectural & Engineering Firms (SCAEF) and Nepal Plywood Manufacturers Association (NPMA).

The highlight of the exhibition were woodworking & furniture manufacturing machineries, power tools, plywood, doors & windows, fittings, wood accessories, raw materials, interior design, home décor and finished Products. This exhibition helped to provide an opportunity to the general public to know about the growing market in terms of wood

In her works, she has a concept that every object has different use and values along with the culture and social values. She has tried to share her memorable moments and the related stories through her works. On this series, she has sought to narrate her own stories that have revolved around her family attachments. Some of her works are focused on issues how we have become physically detached – although brought close by the social networks. Along with that, she has even highlighted the close kinship that we share with nature and its living beings. Her artworks show how she conceptualizes her art and engraves it on metal; then color it and then produced through printing machines.

The works exhibited are mostly based on her individual attachments, like the series of “Ammako Thaile”, worked based on the actual portrayal of her mother’s purse.” Here, she could visualize the moments of struggle; and recall the clinking coins. In other art works, she has visualized narratives of new generation of activists - like seeking to blend craft with a quest in a more just society. The series, ‘Stories’ thus, is a combination of ‘Thaile’ series and other recent works.

According to the artist, the works indeed represent her individual narratives of multiple stories: but it may also, contain fragments from the other stories as well. Thus, she concedes the stories are not exclusively hers. For her ability to show the link between nature and the agrarian past, she has been honored with various awards and felicitation. n

founder of Gallery MCube. The exhibition is a series of drawings – with different forms of human figures seen in day to day activities, movements, and gestures.

industry and wood products along with a variety of modern furniture, furnishing materials and home décor segment. Three days long expo had concluded successfully. n

‘500 NUDES’

drawings by Kapil Mani Dixit

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Artist Dixit was born and brought up in Kathmandu and went to USA for his further studies. He did his associate -degree in Fine Arts from the North Lake College Texas and Bachelors in Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Arlington, USA .He has even received several awards and honors during his studies. In addition to his solo shows, he has also participated in many group exhibitions – held in the US and Nepal.

In U.S., he has established ‘Kapil Dixit - Excellence Award’, at North Lake College, Dallas, Texas to promote students with outstanding artistic abilities and commitment to art.

rtist Kapil Mani Dixit showcased his ‘500 Nudes’ – an exhibition of After a decade long stay in USA, he Drawings, on 22nd February, 2019. The decided to move back to his home Show was curated by Manish Lal Shrestha, country, to promote the concept of

figurative art. Since the day of his first nude lesson in North Lake College, he fell in love with the figurative study and has never thought of doing any other than the human bodies. He has been making drawings naked human forms both male and female.

During a conversation, he shared that the naked state of the human body is beautiful. Throughout his 20 years of continuous works in nude studies, he has come to believe that the audience in Nepal on Nude studies is selective. On being asked on the use of red dots on sold paintings, his answer was simple – reminding that it’s been sold. To him, the red dot also meant some drawings were there.

He remains hopeful that the someday the perception of nude art will change.

It may take time but not impossible.

‘500 Nudes’- were in display till March 7, 2019 at Gallery MCube. n MARCH - APRIL 2019 SPACES / 17

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how the design was approached. She mentioned about the importance of being sensitive to clients’ needs and finding methods to convince clients to adapt innovation and explore implementing bold designs. About the business office space, she also told how the client’s adherence to Vastu caused the design to change at many instances but ultimately resulted in an open, modern and comfortable user experience.

DESIGNER’S MEET

As

she walked into the room with exuberance, the awaiting small crowd greeted her with smiles and welcoming nods. To break the ice before the projector was all set for her presentation, she handed out her business card to the audience and tested their knowledge of natural materials. She was impressed with the audience members identifying the material that made her card: corn husk. She shared an interesting story of how once freely available husk became expensive in a locality after its demand increased for making business cards. She also mentioned that this innovative use of material won her company an award for creativity.

Founder and director of Y-Walls Design, a space design studio based in New Delhi, Preskha Baid blends traditional craft for designing contemporary spaces and fulfilling the needs of clients with strong focus on tactile and sensory qualities of space. She was invited to judge a national level Architecture student design competition organized by Spaces magazine and on her stay in Kathmandu for the same, she was welcomed to the premises of A for Architecture for an experience sharing session to the eager audience comprising of practicing architects and students of architecture.

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Baid’s presentation can best in summarized in phases. The first phase was focused on showcasing her company’s product designs’ endeavors. Next, she presented about art in landscape and urban space, followed by interior of a business office.

During her display of product designs, she mentioned how interior is used as an art piece in her works. She emphasized on the use of natural textures and colors, incorporating local context in modern space. An example she used was the Ruby ceiling for Park Hotel in Hyderabad.

In the design, Kalamkari, a traditional Indian textile craft, was used for storytelling in a modern setting with hi-tech engineering and lighting. She shared how in a low resource situation, everything has to be hand sketched and did not shy away from expressing about a blunder made during design and execution. Forgetting that the design was to be put in the ceiling and therefore visualizing it from the floor towards the ceiling, the team designed simply visualizing it from top. While the strict deadline for installation was very near, the team were flabbergasted with the problem at hand. The solution to this crisis was provided by the mistry on site. Basically, the design had to be mirrored with fabrics arranged accordingly.

Her next important sharing on product design was the stainless steel Jeweled Peacock on the wall of Ministry of External Affairs, Delhi.

She talked about how the design not only had to be beautiful and fire-proof but also bird and monkey proof, for the building surrounding is full of them. Use of stubborn industrial material- stainless steel as an art was a fascinating experience for the team. 6 metres high and 4 tonnes in weight, this peacock is a unique integration of hand skills and engineering to produce a piece of welcoming art.

Baid loves to experiment with materials and is not afraid of challenges. She advocates designing using had sketches, and appreciates the value of getting inspired from experiences. She believes in the culture of craftsmen and understands their frustration in the modern world. She creatively fulfils a designers social responsibility towards the use of heritage and emphasizes on the designers owning up their cities, owning up their countries combining tradition and technology. n

In the second phase, Baid presented about Art in landscape and urban spaces. She used her team’s design of Aerocity parklet space as an example to explain about various features to be followed for an urban design. She shared how her team spent a lot of time researching about designing an outdoor environment, looking into various international case studies and understanding the key points of their designs. The Aerocity parklet space was designed in levels having various types of islands incorporating furnitures with plugin parts- a need of the world we live in today. The main points considered, according to her presentation slides, were: comfort, walkability, eatery space, interaction space, incorporation of nature, art, play spaces and promotion of well being of the users. These ingredients are essential for functioning of an effective urban space.

Regarding the interior design of a business office space, Baid shared

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NEWS

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POWER TALK PROGRAM BY NEA & SONACELEBRATING 109TH INTERNATIONAL WOMAN DAY

O

n the occasion of the 109th International Woman Day on 8th March 2019, Nepal Engineers’ Association (NEA) and Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA) jointly organized the Woman Architects and Engineers’ “Power Talk Program” at Bougainvilla Events, Tripureshwor.

It was hosted by Ar.Chandmala Shrestha, treasurer of NEA and was chaired by Er. Prof. Dr. Triratna Bajracharya, President of NEA. The Chief Guest of the program was Ar. Hisila Yami and other guests included 1st lady engineer Er. Shanti Malla, 1st lady architects Ar. Chandra Lekha Kayastha/Ar. Jyoti Sherchan and Er. Pratima Shrestha Pradhan. The welcome speech was given by SONA Vice-President Ar. Baburam Bhattarai, Joint secretory Bishwodev Bhattarai, praising all the women in dais.

The program was followed by “Power talk” of the 1st lady architect, Ar. Jyoti Sherchan. She shared about her inspiring journey. She never felt any less than a man in her life. From 1975 to 1981, she taught at IOE, and was raised to the level of Head of Department. After, she jointly owned a private firm with her Architect Husband.

She worked for 35 years and now she is enjoying her retired life. Her end note, “If you work nobody is going to stop you”, got huge applause.

In another “Power talk” by Ar. Chandra Lekha Kayastha, she also shared about

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her similar journey. After graduation, she started teaching at IOE, jointlyowned a private consultancy and is still working for more than 40years.

She shared her bitter experience on the need of Master’s degree to lead a project despite of whole life experience. She inspired all the youth to graduate and then start a professional life.

1st lady engineer Er. Shanti Malla’s “Power talk” was also motivating.

She said, “For success in life both genders need to work together and simultaneously.” Her journey of being first lady in civil engineering was not easy. Initially everyone demoralized her to study the subject but after she got her degree, she set an example for all women. She started her career from Bhawan Bhibhag. Now, she is retired and has moved to spiritual practice.

Likewise, retired ex-officio of Nepal electricity authority, Electrical Engineer Pratima Shrestha Pradhan gave a very motivating and encouraging “Power Talk”. She got 30 years’ experience in technical field. On her speech she put forward some powerful points where she advised if women treat themselves with respect nobody could put them down.

The program was followed by “Power talk” speech by ex-minister and architect Hisila Yami where she spoke about gender sensitiveness. She

elaborated about the current context of Nepal and gave example of how women in the world are practicing engineering through many hardships.

The program concluded with end-note

by Er. Prof. Dr. Triratna Bajracharya, President of NEA, where he appreciated all the speakers who gave “Power Talk” during the program and addressed how women had influence in his life. The program was followed by interaction session.

This year’s international Women’s day is dedicated to championing women’s achievement and challenging gender bias. The day’s campaign this year is #balance for better. Together we can create a new balanced world that’s balanced for better. Remember, a woman in herself is full circle complete and she has potential within herself to fight for whatever is right. n

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ISSUE MARCH - APRIL 2019 SPACES / 21

NEGLECTED HERITAGE

NEGLECTED HERITAGE

Stone Architecture of

Lower Dolakha District

T

his is one of a series of articles on the architectural diversity of the Central Himalayas. The Central Himalayas, which is roughly defined by the political boundaries of Nepal, contains an extreme range of physical settings within a belt that is less than 200 km wide. Three case studies have been chosen to roughly depict the three climatic and ethnic zones of the Central Himalayas. Upper Mustang has a cold-dry climate at an altitude of about 3500 meters with the inhabitants being culturally linked to Tibet. Lower Dolakha represents the cool-wet climate of the foothills at an average altitude of 2000 meters with inhabitants originating from both North and South. Jhapa has a hot-wet climate and was originally inhabited by tribes closely related to those of the Gangetic plains in Northern India. These articles are derived from a paper presented at the ICOMOS conference “Seismic Performance of Traditional Buildings” in Istanbul in November 2000.

TEXT & photo: Kai Weise

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Lower Dolakha district lies in the foothills of the Himalayas 100 km east of Kathmandu. Charikot is a small town located at 2000 meters on a ridge. The terrain slopes steeply 1000 meters down on either side to the Bhote Kosi and Charnawati rivers that meet further down to form the Tamba Kosi. The winters are dry and cold, temperatures dropping below freezing point. Thunder storms and heavy winds hit Charikot during April and May, preceding the summer monsoon rains that last till September. Average annual rainfall is around 2000 mm. Summer temperatures may rise up to 25° C, with relative humidity in the 80’s.

The steep slopes that are exposed due to deforestation are prone to landslides.

The Charikot area is mainly inhabited by the Tamangs. The Tamangs are of Tibetan origin, though it is not certain when they migrated south and settled in the hills of central Nepal. They were organised into various clans and land belonged to the clan under the Kipat system. The chief of the clan, the Mulmi, led most social activities and controlled the logging of the forests. Specialised craftsmen constructed the buildings of stone with slate roofs. The Tamangs normally cultivated their own land and were self-sufficient with their crops and livestock. The Tamangs are Buddhists though the ancient religion of Bonpo is also practised with the Jhankiri priest of the clan making animal sacrifices to the Earth deity.

In Charikot the Tamang houses are found scattered across the slopes, built on the individual plots of terraced farmland. The stone buildings of Lower Dolakha are beautifully proportioned. The floor plan usually shows a rectangular building 3.5 to 4 meters wide and 5.5 to 7 meters long with 2 central wooden posts. The buildings are usually 2 storied, with an attic under the pitched roof. The attic floor is usually painted with dark red clay, giving the impression that the roof is separated from the main floors.

Most buildings in the central Himalayan foothills are of stone rubble masonry with earth mortar.

The walls are 45 to 50 cm thick and great care is taken with the preparation of the corner stones (sur ko dhunga) that are specially

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NEGLECTED HERITAGE

NEGLECTED HERITAGE

cut to shape. Only recently have dressed stone masonry buildings become fashionable for the rich. The walls are usually plastered with mud and then painted with white clay (kamero) or red clay (rato mato).

A central row of wooden posts supports the floors and roof. These posts are usually hardwoods (Cherry or Payale) of about 15 x 15 cm square section, supported on the ground by a large stone. Pinewood is used for all other construction, since at an altitude over 2000 meters, there is little risk of insect infestation. The main longitudinal beams (12/18 cm) rest on the posts and support the joists (7/10 cm). The joists penetrate the stone work and rest on wooden planks that function as wall plates. These wooden planks are laid all along the stone walls with half lapped joints on the corners. Another layer of wooden planks is laid over the joists and the stonework are continued on top of this layer. Wooden floor planks are then covered with a layer of earth. The earth floor is maintained daily with a mixture of red clay and cow dung.

The slate roofs are gabled. The roof projection is wound around the gabled end for protection. The rafters (7/10 cm) are connected with a half lapped joint, supported on a central ridge beam and on wooden wall plates. The struts that support the projecting rafters are fixed to wooden sections embedded horizontally into the stonework and held in place with wooden pegs. There are various types of slate used for roofing, depending on the quarry. The dark slate from Bigu is split to about 10 mm thickness or even less. The light slate from the Tamba Kosi area is at least 15 mm thick, making the roof much heavier. The general belief is

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that the thicker the slab, the better the roof. The slab width is standardised to about 45 cm, the length varying from 50 cm to over a meter. When laying the roof, the longer ones are fixed on the lower end and the shorter ones further up on the slope. The slate from one side overlaps on the ridge, facing away from the general wind direction.

All openings have 2 wooden frames, one on the inner face and one on the outer face of the wall. The openings

are kept narrow to reduce the load on the frames. The frames are secured by the top and the bottom members of the frame projecting into the stone masonry.

Variations of this building type are usually restricted to the different forms of balconies and verandas that are added to the main structure. The balconies that extend out from the first floor are usually not wider than 1.5

meters. The joists are supported by a beam on additional wooden posts.

These balconies are always covered with a separate roof.

The Lamusangu –Jiri road connects Charikot to the Arniko Highway between Kathmandu and the Tibetan border. Accessibility to modern construction materials has been made easier with the road connection, though outside the town area, local materials are still predominantly used.

Near roads, it is usually cheaper to

build 23 cm thick brick walls, than 45 cm thick stone walls. This is especially true when using dressed stone. Stone rubble masonry requires more mortar making the use of cement mortar expensive. Along most motorable roads, one observes a growing use of reinforced concrete frame structures with inadequate stability.

In the foothills, stone is the most easily available material. It is necessary to improve the workmanship to make sure that bond stones are used. The

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NEGLECTED HERITAGE

NEGLECTED HERITAGE

earth mortar should be of minimum thickness, guaranteeing the use of stones of appropriate shape. The workmanship of the wooden elements needs to be improved, especially the connections. The wooden wall plates need to be tied together properly. The heavy slate roofs require a strong wooden structure to support the weight. Due to the weight of the large slabs, measuring up to 45 x 120 cm, the slope cannot exceed 1:3.

During a storm, the rain is blown through the roof, falling onto the earthen flooring of the attic, which slowly dries out. Though beautiful, these roofs might be more efficient if thinner and smaller slate slabs of maybe 30 x 30 cm were used with a steeper roof, examples of which can be seen along the highway towards the west of Kathmandu.

The sheer weight of the stone walls and the slate roofs make these buildings susceptible to the seismic forces. Weight should be reduced as far as possible, especially of the roofing material. The roof structure needs to be securely anchored to the wall plate. The stability of the rubble masonry will depend on how well they are constructed and tied together with the wall plates and lintel bands. The corners need extra bracing.

Projections should be kept to a minimum. All parts that are added to the main rectangular core building should either be anchored properly or fully separated. It is important for buildings built on slopes to have stable foundations with a minimum depth of 75 cm. n

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ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE

DUDBC INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE Design Competition

SIDE ELEVATION EAST

objective of the design competition was to get conceptual design ideas for the convention centre including an assembly hall with 5000 people capacity and reflecting Nepalese architecture in the process. The design had to consider future expansion in terms of economic development, increased traffic and ancillary areas to the assembly hall viz seminar halls, banquet halls, gallery space, press meeting rooms, VIP rooms, admin areas, security and service blocks, et cetera A total of 11 participating architects and firms submitted their designs by Mangsir 29 and a panel of jury formed on Poush 5 delivered the judgement on Poush 17. The competitors were required to address the needs of the centre to be low maintenance, energy efficient, disabled friendly along with adherence to green design principles and aspects of disaster management.

The decision of jurors Prof. Dr. Sudarshan Raj Tiwari, Prof. Dr. Jib Raj Pokharel, Ar. Rajesh Thapa, and Er. Dwarika Shrestha was published on Poush 20.

TEXT: Prabal Dahal

A

fter the only international convention centre in the country has been adapted into the national parliament, the country has been facing a general lack of proper venue for international conventions. To address the need for a well-facilitated international level convention centre, a design competition was announced by the Department of Urban Design and Building

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Construction (DUDBC) of the ministry of urban development, Government of Nepal on Kartik 19, 2075.

189 ropanis of land in Sano Thimi, Bhaktapur, under the ownership of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) was allocated for the centre by the cabinet of ministers of Government of Nepal on Ashoj 28, 2075. The

Griha Designers Pvt Ltd bagged the first prize of five lakhs Nepalese rupees along with certification for their elaborate mandala based design approach.

Mandala, a symbol of peace and unity was used for the conceptualization of master plan. Decorated wooden doors, windows, slope roof with telia tiles, wooden lintel joints, patis, stone taps are some of the design features of the winning design. An amalgamation of square and circle was used to create a well-balanced design of the centre

by Griha Designers. Their design represents the harmony of materials and craftsmanship in traditional Nepalese architecture.

SIDE ELEVATION WEST

SELECTION Y-Y

SELECTION X-X

FRONT ELEVATION SOUTH

BACK ELEVATION NORTH

OI Architects bagged the second prize with their concept of representing topographies of Nepal: Himal, Pahad and Terai in building structure, landscape and parking respectively. Using symmetry based planning and courtyards, OI incorporated solar power, rain water harvesting, and natural

ventilation in their design to provide the solution to the green and sustainable needs of the competition. Innovative Design Concern and Studio Draft JV’s joint venture won the third place.

Their innovative use of the geometrical intricacy found in the traditional peacock window was well received. They

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ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE

decoded the geometrical pattern into an ellipse where all the pragmatic requirements of the design were accommodated. Their focus was on learning from the history, not repeating or copying it; therefore reinventing in a way that best fits aspirations and dynamisms of contemporary and future Nepal.

The fourth place was won by Ar. Simal Shrestha. Deriving the building form from Swayambhunath and Yasti, Shrestha conceptualized his design from the word Biroha: a point for the initiation of growth. His concept incorporated plan derived from Swayambhunath, Yasti releasing radial type plan via energy propagation and these two assimilating to a functional courtyard which represented a mandala with stupa at the centre. Each of the top 3 runner ups received two lakhs in cash prize along with certification.

The prize distribution ceremony was organized on Falgun 12 at Babarmahal. Apart from structurally feasible architectural drawings, the participants submitted 3D animations, preliminary cost estimates, and operation/management structures for the centre. Competition of this nature is very important to boost up interest of highly qualified architects, architectural and engineering firms to take part in matters of national pride and establish a culture of fairness.

Following is part of an interview taken with Er. Dwarika Shrestha, Deputy Director General at Building Division, DUDBC. Er. Shrestha was one of the judges of the competition and also part of the organizing team.

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WHO ARE TO BENEFIT FROM THE COMPETITION? The design of the project can be done primarily by architects and also civil engineers, artists. We required technical, buildable designs which require knowledge of effective planning, economics for a 5000 capacity hall, administrative areas and ancillary areas. Therefore, technically competent architects or engineers were called for the competition and these are the groups that have been primarily benefitted. Architects and engineers either individually or as a team participated in the competition. International consultants could also participate as partners of national firms. Of 11 participants, one team had Indian firm and other had Norwegian firm as international partners.

WHAT WAS THE PRIME MOTIVE OF THE COMPETITION?

WHY IS THIS TYPE OF COMPETITION NECESSARY?

International Convention Centre, earlier known as Birendra International Convention Centre has become a venue for national parliamentary endeavors. While the national parliament has been proposed inside the premises of Singha Durbar, in order to meet the needs of future international conventions, an International Convention Centre is a must. We read in the newspapers that Zee Cinema award wanted to conduct its programme in Nepal but due to the lack of a well facilitated international centre, it could not organize the program in Nepal. Likewise, lack of proper venue for international delegates was also felt at the time of Asia Pacific Summit of Universal Peace Foundation last year.

The necessity of competition arises from the interest of the organizers to receive designs of national and international standards. If the competition was not announced, and call for proposals were made directly, ideas of one or two architects would only be used. The design competition was necessary to receive creative and innovative ideas from the Architects’ or designers’ community for buildings of national importance, and to adhere to the procurement standard of organizing design competition for large national projects. We have experiences of organizing design competition for Ganatantra Smarak, and Surkhet Clock Tower.

WILL THE WINNING DESIGN ACTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTED AND CONVERTED INTO CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS AND ULTIMATELY A PHYSICAL BUILDING? WHY/WHY NOT? It should be well understood that while DUDBC will give utmost emphasis for the implementation of the winning design, there is no binding rule to build the winning design because of prevailing procurement regulations. In case of large scale projects, a lot of resources and capital are necessary to prepare construction details (architectural, structural, electrical, sanitary, HVAC, et cetera). Also, the procurement law requires that any consulting service work with estimated amount of more than NRs 20 lakhs needs to go through open competition for construction drawings and further detailing of the conceptual design while consulting services within the estimated cost of NRs 20 lakhs can be done

through consulting firms enlisted in Standing List prepared by the office.

At present, we are exploring if the further detailing can be completed within NRs 20 lakhs.

Next, for construction details and drawings, we require experienced team. Experienced architects/firms in Nepal tend to not take part in competitions of this kind because of the winning prize which is quite insignificant to them. The young generation of designers win the competition but do not have the necessary experience to convert the design properly into construction documents.

All these things aside, our foremost priority would be promoting winning design and trying our best to implement it with the involvement of design party in the construction detailing phases. We have assured this to our jury as well.

WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL REVIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS AFTER THIS COMPETITION? In the recent days, we have been constructing large scale projects of national importance; for instance: Butwal International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Federal Parliament Building in Singha Durbar. Such massive constructions which could one day become landmarks are being envisioned. There is need for national and international standard design competitions for projects of these kinds to take proper shape. The expertise within our country may not be enough at certain instances. If we take the general process of directly selecting a consulting firm by calling technical & financial proposals without going for design competition, projects of national pride and importance will not possess the innovation and creativity that they should. n MARCH - APRIL 2019 SPACES / 31

THESIS

THESIS Hall of Resilience Hall of Chaos Gallery of Destruction

EARTHQUAKE MEMORIAL at Barpak, Gorkha

INTRODUCTION

T

he 7.6M Gorkha Earthquake, 2015 caused massive destruction of life and properties causing serious nation wide disruption of everyday life and a major setback in social and economic infrastructure development. With no proper structure or space dedicated to remember and honour the victims, the memorial would act as a social need of present as it not only revives the memory of misfortune but also provides hope for a better, strong and resilient future.

From an architectural perspective, Norden (2003: p1) defines memorials as “… the places that embrace meanings in their design to remind and foster understanding among

Descend of Realization

acts as a major element that evokes the memory of the earthquake. Inspired from the culture of Gurung community who use stone stacking as a memorial in the form of a grave, similar vocabulary has been used in the design of the memorial.

SPACE REQUIREMENTS

Library Cafeteria Souvenir Shops Administration

Information Center Hall of Remembrances Ascend of Enlightenment

members of a community they represent”. As such, the memorial should not just represent the memory of loss, it should provide us with a context for remembering the past, engaging the present and aspiration for the future.

Inferring literature review and case Community Plaza studies, a well-designed memorial Viewing Promenade integrates people (victims, survivors, rescuers, etc.), process (rescue process, restoration & reconstruction) and spirit (rescue process, restoration & reconstruction) to serve its purpose of commemoration. For that, Memorial facilities (memorial wall, monument, pathway, garden, square, public plaza), Educational facilities (Museum, Documentation centre, Information centre, Libraries, Preparedness centre), Recreational and supporting facilities (Administration, Cafeteria, Services) has been proposed.

SITE AND CONTEXT

CONCEPT AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

The site is located north-east of the Barpak settlement and lies slightly elevated; implying that it is visible from most part of the settlement and vice versa. With structurally inefficient stone structures, most of the settlement collapsed during the earthquake, causing the locals to avoid using stone for building construction. Locals recall stone as an attachment to the memory of the ill-fated event. Hence, stone

CONCEPT

TEXT: Pukar BhandarI

Reconstruction and Recovery Gallery Disaster Prevention hall

Multi-Purpose Hall Emergency Storage

The memorial complex has been designed to represent a scar in the landscape symbolizing wound of the unfortunate event and how it heals with time, yet the scar remains; to remind to be better prepared for the next time. The proposed site has a gentle slope down from east to west, overlooking the settlement. Three singlestoried blocks have been arranged along the site topography blending with the site as well as the existing vernacular architecture of Barpak and doesn’t look imposing to the existing scale of settlement. The blocks, thus, are only exposed towards the settlement. The exposed façade of grey and rough texture of concrete and stone symbolizing grief and suffering. These grey blocks stretching along the site looks like a crack on the ground caused by the earthquake tremor. At the same time, blocks merge with the site topography and green roof extends to the landscape representing regeneration and healing nature of time. In addition to that, a three-storey block in the middle of the complex consists of a stone wall with a crack-shaped opening aligned with the visual axis which subtly draws attention from across settlement.

Memorials in Nepalese context are built as chautaras, patis, dharas, inars, etc. which signifies the role of dynamic functioning of commemorative spaces. Such salient feature has been incorporated into the design with the inclusion of community plaza and porch of vernacular architecture.

Designed along a memorial path, the didactic and symbolic elements impart meaning making though sequences of storytelling. Didactic elements impart meanings directly to the observer while symbolic elements depend on the interpretation of the observer to impart the desired message. The meanings imparted by various spaces guide visitors and trigger the memory within.

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THESIS

The memorial also acts as a learning centre. The memorial offers simplicity to reflect on life, death, renewal, hopes for our fragile world. It offers a journey from the energetic jumble of daily life to the place of stillness, from our daily world to the transcending facts of life, death, continuity, hope and celebration. The design offers a quieter softer space for reflection. It offers the sustenance of nature, the endurance of stone, the calmness of water and the space of stillness.

MEMORIAL JOURNEY

granite wall with the names of all the victims etched on it symbolizes virtual realm of the dead, through which the observer reflects the memory of the deceased. A small crevice like skylight is provided which lightens just a required amount of the memorial wall to provide a divine effect on the interior of the hall. The alternately stacked stones on another side of the wall create shifting vistas encouraging movement across the hall. The ‘Ascend of Enlightenment’ consists of a staircase sky-lit to provide a feeling of hope and give a divine feeling of penetration of light ray into a darker world.

At the first level, ‘Hall of Remembrance’ has grey concrete interior finish creating a sombre interior environment to facilitate contemplation. A reflective

Moving on the second level, ‘Gallery of Destruction’ displays media elements that inform about the destruction caused by the earthquake. A

Pukar Bhandari, an architecture graduate from IOE Pulchowk Campus, has a keen interest in understanding how the articulation of space impacts users' experience within the built environment. Currently involved in institutional, hospitality, residential, and conservation projects; he believes in solving design problems through a contextual understanding of site and surroundings

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panoramic view of Barpak settlement showcases as a living example of the changes brought by the earthquake.

‘Hall of Chaos’ has been designed with zigzag walkways and uneven floors to induce slight discomfort which would evoke chaos and confusion as experienced during a disaster. The ‘Hall of Resilience’ where stories of rescue, cooperation and resilience of rescuers and survivors are shared through audio-visual displays.

The next level includes ‘Disaster Prevention Hall’ which educates visitors about disaster and vulnerability prevention methods. On the other hand, ‘Reconstruction and Recovery Hall’ provides details of reconstruction and recovery.

A single flight staircase facing the crack-shaped opening at ‘Descend of Realization’ guides visitors to the memorial plaza reminding the unfortunate incident once again so that the visitors are encouraged to contemplate upon returning to the plaza.

Through the memorial journey visitors will have observed the impact of positive and negative changes brought by the event as they are left with the question: Was the event just an unfortunate one or can it be a new beginning for a better future? n Norden, T. (2003). A Constructivist Model for Public War Memorial Design that Facilitates Dynamic Meaning Making.

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INTERIOR

INTERIOR

F COMPONENTS OF

BATHROOM

Text: Sumina Tha Shrestha

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or a bathroom to be stated as an ideal or successful, well performed bathroom, it needs certain requirement that is mandatory to get fulfilled. The performance of an ideal bathroom is always beneficial and it has a number of components abided with it. These components ultimately help to fulfill the function of the bathroom. As mentioned earlier in the previous article “Evolution of Bathroom, an ideal bathroom has to facilitate two basic functions – toilet facilities and bath. Depending upon the nature of uses i.e. bath or toilet, the components vary. Mainly, there are four components of any bathroom, namely bathtub, shower, basin, and commode or pan. The performance of thus designed bathroom depends on the function that needs to be

overcome, which may vary depending upon the type of the building where it has to be fitted into for example, is it a residence or school or hospitals or hotels, etc. However, one should also give importance to the interior space form wise also. One can add various components other than the above mentioned if the design has such function as its requirement.

Few are hand driers, bottle soaps, towel hangers, tissue paper holders, basin racks, etc. Modern bathrooms of today have invented much more luxurious features like preheated flooring system, exhaust of the foul air, movable mirrors, mirror heating system, dry toilet, etc.

In this article, we will discuss about the prime component of a bathroom;

Latrine. A latrine is a toilet or an even simpler facility which is used as a toilet within a sanitation system. For example, it can be a communal trench in the earth in a camp to be used as emergency sanitation, a hole in the ground (pit latrine), or more advanced designs, including pour-flush systems.

Basically, any in-housed bathroom has its unit installed inside and they are two types; Squatting Pans and Western Styled Commodes (Water Closet). Nepalese history of bathroom shows extensive use of Squatting Pans rather than the Commodes while after the invention of flushing system, commodes can be seen. However, use of pans with flushing system has also taken its height as it has been proved that pans are healthier to use than commodes. Even pans with flush

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INTERIOR

systems are being used in several commercial buildings nowadays due to health issues. Not only in Nepal, but also in China, Japan, South East Asian countries (known as Orient pan), Indian Sub Continents (known as Asian or Orissa Pan), Middle East countries and Southern European countries (known as Turkish pan) are the extensive use of squatting pans rather than commodes. As no part of the body touches the toilet seat while using squatting pans, there is less risk of infection, also makes elimination easier, fast and complete. This helps in preventing “fecal stagnation”, a prime factor in colon cancer, appendicitis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Clinical research shows the use of this pan is a highly effective, non-invasive treatment for hemorrhoids. For pregnant women, squatting avoids pressure on the uterus while using the toilet which also helps for a natural delivery than operation. However, for the old age, it may be difficult for the users to balance their body weight, thus commode is useful for this case.

INTERIOR

The material choice used for the manufacture of pans and commodes both depends upon the finishing required and expenses at the same time. Much earlier, stainless steel pans were used which have been replaced these days by ceramic and porcelain due to their varied color availability, easy maintenance and cleanliness.

Design and construction of latrine differ significantly with the environmental settings and the desirable people to use. As it directly affects the health of user, one should give a great care while designing and user should be aware about the better choice for good health. Good design contributes to improving

human health and breaking the cycle of disease through sanitation.

Design and construction of latrine according to “Technical guidelines for construction and management of rural health institution latrines” includes the design volume of a pit, depth of pit, lining of pit, squatting platform, superstructure design, vent pipe and options in terms of accessing of the pit or type of material of superstructure.

General considerations for the design of on-site sanitation are affordability, aesthetics, social customs and habits, soil conditions, contamination of ground water, water logging and availability of water.

special type of dry toilets that separate urine and feces.

and don’t need separate greywater management.

Dry composting toilets collect and treat only toilet waste (blackwater) to a primary standard (a similar standard as septic tanks). Greywater from the bathroom and laundry needs to be treated separately, either by a separate greywater treatment system or by a septic tank or aerated wastewater treatment system.

Pour flush latrine is one of its types which after using the latrine, refills the bucket immediately so that it is ready for the next user. This avoids using bulking material for cleansing to prevent the siphon from getting blocked. A latrine pit has to be put out of use when it fills up to about half a meter below ground level. Once this occurs the pit has to be filled up with soil and allowed to decompose. In the meantime the sewer pipe could be deviated to a new pit or if provided into the second pit (twin pit arrangement).

In about a year the decomposed matter from the old pit (by then will be rich harmless soil without any smell) could be removed and used as organic manure. Advantages of this type of latrine are the water seal effectively preventing odour, clean and hygienic, suitable for all types of users (sitter,

Wet composting systems can be used in conjunction with flushing toilets. Worms and bacteria work to break down the solids in a similar manner to biological filter systems.

Compost is removed from the base of the pile though a separate chute, and the wastewater that collects at the base of the tank is either pumped or flows by gravity to a land application area. Wet composting systems treat all the wastewater from the house

squatter, wipers and washers) and require low capital costs; operating cost depends on the price of water.

Common problems with composting toilets are odors from the compost pile caused by ineffective composting or not enough ventilation, clogging in compost chamber caused by not regularly removing humus, the wrong system in wrong location. Wet composting toilets are best located away from a dwelling, while dry composting toilets are more suitable under houses.

Effluent (treated wastewater) from dry composting systems and toilets may be released onto your property through absorption trenches and beds and also through evapotranspiration absorption beds. Along with the design and construction, maintenance of the latrine also plays vital role for effective and long facilitation of latrine. n

“Guideline for the selection of the type of latrine” focuses on the hygienic latrine, free from bad smell and their insects which also should not contaminate ground water. It should promote healthy sanitary behavior.

Simpler design and ease to operate and maintenance is preferred. Hand washing hygiene after the use of latrine is must. “Household latrine options for rural hills of Nepal” also encourages ensuring that there is adequate drainage around latrine along with hand washing facility, availability of water, protection of pit lining to omit possible soil erosion and collapse.

Basically there are two types of latrine dry and wet latrines. Most dry toilets used in developing countries are simple pit latrines or Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrines. They consist of holes in the ground that can be covered when full or emptied for re-use after a period of stabilization. Ecological toilets are a

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nagariknews.com 40 / SPACES MARCH - APRIL 2019

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NEW IN THE MARKET

NEW IN THE MARKET

Phomi MCM Imagine a cladding, flooring and paving material that looks like wood but there is no need to cut the forests and destroy the lungs of our planet, looks like an animal skin but no need to kill the animals, looks like stone but no need to exhaust various rare or expensive mineral deposits, looks like weaving but is more durable, cheap and still natural. Well, Phomi MCM is exactly what you would be looking at.

Phomi MCM is a new type of material made of natural inorganic raw materials such as soil, sand, stone powder & ash which undergo spray-mixing process converting it into modified inorganic materials encapsulated with active surface coating.

The resultant modified inorganic materials can then be shaped into various forms of composite materials such as thin sheet, board or block through manipulation of heating curves & photochemical isomerism technique. The amazing appearance and quality of MCM products is able to recreate the unique features and characteristics of natural stone, woods, bricks, metal & leather. The possibilities of MC (Modified Clay) is infinite : substituting concrete, tars & bitumen to built roads; replacing plastic, resin, cement and wood to produce flatted board, customized shapes, rolls or even art display - endless possibilities for countless industries.

There are countless advantages with the usage of Phomi MCM products. MCM is so thin (2-4 mm), light (3-6 kg /m2) and flexible that it is easy to install and can be applied on wall even on the double-layer adhesive tape while being able to withstand lateral pulls and cracking forces. It is mould resistant, damp resistant & moisture

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absorbing which allows to counter high humidity climates. It is water and fire proof allowing it to be used as cladding on the outer fireplace hot surfaces and around the swimming pool alike. It is so durable that it can withstand an outdoor life expectancy of 50-70 years. It is also able to help in achieving an ecological & healthier living environment by allowing the building to breathe freely. Due to its self-cleaning and

stain-resistant abilities, dust is prevented from clinging onto its surface and will be washed down whenever it rains. MCM products can also revert back as ordinary soil for cultivation, making it recyclable. It also has the ability to adjust humidity in the room to the optimal interval of 40%-70% which is comfortable for human beings and in which that infectious bacteria and viruses’ survival likelihood is the lowest according to the microbiological researches. All the while, it is also safe and healthy as it releases no odor or toxic substances and has no irradiation.

MCM is a type of substance which, due to nanotechnologies, is relatively inexpensive, ecological, technologically pioneering and modern in the same time, and carries sustainability for the society and Earth.

Bellacasa International is the authorized dealer of Phomi MCM in Nepal. n

ATUM-Solar Roof

An

Integrated Solar Roof from the House of Visaka Industries which acts as a roof replacing the traditional roofing material with even better facilities is ATUM. A sustainable product with clean and renewable source of energy leading us to healthy environment and help us to save money. This roofing system can be used for on grid/off grid/captive purposes. A good reason for replacing ATUM over traditional roof system is that it has facilities such as Leak proof, termite proof, fire resistant and shock proof where the traditional roofing doesn’t have. For ATUM, 1KW only requires 70sq.ft and a walkway is not required so full 100% utilization whereas for traditional solar, 1KW requires 100 sq.fts only utilizes 70% of roof area. Extra space is created beneath the solar roof that can be used for various activities which is not possible in our traditional solar panels.

Likewise, ATUM modules are very strong bearing up to 300 kg load per square meter and are easy for cleaning and maintenance and also give power for more than 25 years while the entire structure lasts for greater than 50 years. Buildsol is the authorized dealer of Nepal.n

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ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE

Samjhya

THE CROWN OF NEPĀLĪ CULTURE Text & photo: Suyog Prajapati

JHYA – THE WINDOW Indra Mālī in his ‘Practical Nepal Bhasa Dictionary’ has defined Jhya/ Jhyā as the framed entrance with a panel, on a wall that allows for the entry of air. The importance of the quintessential window seen here in a typical Newārī house can be traced back to the dawn of human civilization.

From the peephole of a caveman allowing him for a view of the outside whilst protecting him, to the first glass paned window of the Romans, the practicality and aesthetics of this building component is undeniable.

The diverse environment of Nepal has influenced the variety of window design, which in turn defines the cultural identity of the long on-going architectural tradition here. Among all the places to observe this, Dattātraya Square in the ancient city of Bhaktapur stands out as an exemplary site to closely witness and admire medieval woodcarving masterpieces. Of the nine or so priest-houses (maths), the Pujāri Math, now housing the Woodcarving museum, stands as an open exhibition to over a dozen windows in different styles.

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ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE

Here, we have picked Sāmjhya as a model to describe the salient features of any Newārī window along with its functional aspects, connecting the people and their environment.

SĀMJHYA, MEANING AND ITS ARCHITECTURAL COMPONENTS The foremost writer to elucidate the meaning of “Sāmjhya” is Chandra Bahādur Joshī. His small compendium published by the then Royal Academy begins with an essay about the symbolism of the word itself. “Sām” means “hair” or more specifically “the crown” or “the top”. “Jhya” denotes window. Thus, Sāmjhya along with its mundane task of bringing light to the house has this deeper significance of ultimately exhibiting the social status of the household bearing it.

As we stroll along the narrow alley to the left-hand corner of Pujāari Math, a series of exquisitely carved wooden windows, mostly dating to the late medieval period, can be seen. All of them have, in one way or another, been derived from the base features of Sāmjhya. Further down the road, just before reaching the famous peacock window, there is a little diversion to the left that leads to The Peacock Shop. Here, art lovers can see upclose a collection of various types of Jhyas salvaged from dilapidated and neglected sites.

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Upon request one can see before them windows that once stood on the outer façade of old houses. Our eyes caught the attention of one window in particular. It is actually a set of three composite windows lying prosaically above their main showroom. Based on the refined craftsmanship the window can be dated to the 17th century, the height of the Malla era, considered a golden age in Nepali art and craft.

This Sāmjhya is strewn with details that would be simply missed upon cursory observation. It is a conglomerate of at least thirty-five separate wooden pieces each with their own iconographic significance. Here is a description of the various components based on an interview with Mr Lakshmibhakta Shilpakar, a senior woodcarver specializing in building parts:

SĀMJHYA, IN CONTEXT The culture of Kathmandu valley (“the cradle of Nepalese civilization”, to quote Rishikesh Shah, a political historian) is the result of many centuries of socioeconomic intermingling. Setting aside the other factors, we can attribute such rich heritage to the manifold geography and environment of this country.

1. Kerā Pho (banana petal)

20. Kulām Go (cornered beam)

2. Pī Pho (four petals)

21. Kārnisa (stem)

3. Hāmchem Bām Thām (side pillar)

22. Gutimchā (bevel)

4. Hāmchem Pho (beehive clump)

23. Jhallara (embellishment)

5. Kalaśa (vase)

24. Gola (semicircle)

6. Nirgahchā

25. Murkā/Māka (head/monkey)

7. Gutimchā (edge)

*26. Thati (tie-beam)

8. Mūtha (main base)

27. Jhāmga (bird)

9. Nāga (snake)

28. Jhya Kotā (window panel)

10. Kulām (corner)

29. Koti (lining)

11. Simā Hah (tree leaves)

30. Lakāmsim Kulām (shoe wood corner)

12. Hāmchem Bām Thām (side pillar)

31. Cha Kulām (platform corner)

13. Jhyāpā Āsana (window-frame base)

32. Dandi (rod)

14. Torana Thām (lintel pillar)

33. Jhallara (lotus emblisshment)

15. Jhyāpā Kulām (window panel corner)

34. Hva (entrance)

16. Kalaśa (vase)

35. Hāmchem Bām Thām (side pillar)

17. Nina (tie-beam)

36. Dathu Thām (middle pillar)

18. Garua (Man-bird)

37. Bāga Thām (half pillar)

19. Jhya Kotā (window panel)

*38. Mū Thām (main pillar)

[Source: Lakshmibhakta Shilpakar, Bhaktapur] * Unseen part

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ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS

INNOVATING THE VERNACULAR

MADI

TEXT & Photo : Ar. Alisha Adhikari and Prof. Anne Feenstra

The above description shows the Sāmjhya to be a concentrated emblempointing towards a much broader context in which this model of artistic virtuosity developed. It alone gives us an indication of the people and their society, their sociological norms, their economic values and their inspirations.

Within fifty square feet of this woodwork we get a glimpse of the whole of Nepal. The waves and rows of marine creatures at the bottom, the avian motifs, the floral imagery and the supporting figurines of important deities topped up by the iconic representations of the ever so immovable Himālaya mountains all give us a kaleidoscopic vision of nature’s bounty that is Nepal.

The typology of all these symbolic motifs isn’t different than the imagery of any Hindū or Buddhist sanctum. Starting from the layer of lotus petals (padmāsana) at the bottom, to various birds as mounts (āsanas) above, gradually giving rise to four demigods (Garuda), it feels like a quadrangular shrine was unfolded to give the two dimensional window. Progressively, the Sāmjhya displays ornate pillars, similar to the pillars of a monument, and finally the topmost parts end with arches like the crowning tympanum (torana).

Probing deeper we uncover a much intimate association of the people with their windows. The Nepāla Bhāsā poet Durgalal Shrestha has given a very romantic account of the life of Newārī people putting Sāmjha in context. Soothing ballads from young Newārī women, their daily beautification rituals and local serenading tradition are seen and heard through this window that links the inner household world with the outer societal milieu. Not just this, Sāmjhya plays a role in almost every important Newārī tradition. Be it the showering of flowers and rice-grains during processions, lighting oil wicks to pay homage or the symbolic rebirth through the god-like entrance of the elderly at the age of 88 (Janko or Devarathārohana), all take place at this window.

Making a circuit around Bhaktapur one can tell by the majority of Sāmjhya bearing façades that the city bears within it a civilised culture of the highest level. Nepal at one point boasted some of the best traditions, not just in the context of South Asia but also the world. Were it not for the crowning nature of the Sāmjhya, Nepal and its wonderful tales of appraisal would have been long forgotten. Let us all be aware of this treasure and aspire to protect, preserve and promote the age-old art of window making in Nepal.

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING: o Joshi, CB, Kathmandau Upatyakākā Kalātmak Jhyālharu, Royal Nepal Academy, 2046 BS (Nepali) o Korn, Wolfgang, The Traditional Architecture of the Kathmandu Valley, Bibliotheca Himalayica, 1976 o Gutschow et. al, Newar Towns and Buildings, Sankt Augustin, 1987. o Scheibler, G, Bhaktapur – Building today in a Historical Context, Zürich, 1982 o Singh, AP, Concept of Environment in Ancient Art and Architecture, Delhi, 2003 n

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The rich palette of natural colors is stunning.

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ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS

ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS influences that promote different practices. Based on several other parameters like unique cultural expressions, food, architecture and accessibility, three other villages; Raitole, Bagauda, Dhobaha and were selected. The first is predominantly made up of Rai people, while the last two are typical Tharu villages.

Field Impression of Agriculture and Ecology in Prof. Anne Feenstra's Sketch Book

O

ur vehicle drives over a bumpy road through the Chitwan National Park. For us, Prof. Anne Feenstra and Alisha Adhikari, it is the first time we’re foraying into the most southern part of Nepal in the dusky afternoon sun. I am in the front seat looking out for wildlife, when I notice a huge animal through the front window. Our driver pulls the brake and we find ourselves staring at a one-horned rhinoceros standing in the middle of the road. He seems to be just as surprised to see us as we are him, so he hurriedly moves to the side and camouflages himself amongst the elephant grass. After some time the rhino disappears into the forest.

We count ourselves lucky and drive on, realizing that we just had the perfect introduction to Madi Valley.

Surrounded by Chitwan National Park on three sides and the Chure hills of Bihar on the South, Madi is a beautiful and pristine valley with a population of about 50,000. Most people rely on agriculture, fishing and foreign employment for their livelihood. The flat landscape is home to some unique ethnicities such as Bots and Tharus.

The soil here is fertile and rich and all year round the fields are like colorful abstract paintings. The deep green of rice saplings, the yellow and pink hue of canola and millet, the rusty brown of the corn fields, make up a visual and natural spectacle.

wildlife results in damage of crops, houses and in some cases, loss of lives of cattle and people. But the tigers, elephants, rhinos, crocodiles are very attractive for tourists who travel from far just to see these species. And over 500 bird species have been recorded in Madi, including the spectacular Giant Hornbill.

This paradox triggered the imagination of Guneshwor Mahato. Born and raised in Madi Valley, he now uses his keen interest in solar based selfsustainability models to generate drinking water and renewable energy. After initial conversations with representatives from local bufferzone committees, Madi municipality, he partnered up with Monika Schaffner, a Swiss national who was born in Nepal, with a background in geology and project management. Through brainstorming, they pondered on the question of how the communities of this unique valley, could be made

more resilience and self-sufficient.

They felt that ecological sensitive community based tourism would offer the best solution. And both felt that, to make it truly self-sustainable in the long run, the women’s groups in each village would be the best to be in charge.They kindly requested Sustainable Mountain Architecture to join their team and see if we could get the proposal for the Madi project going.

THE PROJECT When we joined, four villages had already been selected. Bankatta, the largest Bot village in the world, had been a natural choice as one of the villages for this project. In total, there are only 9,000 Botes, who still have their own culture and practices. They speak their own language, but their unique way of life is vulnerable,due to a greater connectivity and outside

THE METHODOLOGY Prof. Anne Feenstra is well known for working with communities and for communities. This requires an approach that is leaning perhaps more towards anthropology and sociology than hardcore architecture.

This pro-people approach is based on addressing a real need and a direct link to livelihood. It is also an inclusive method that looks at how to make local people a part of the process, how to create ownership. The fifty percent funding formula of REPIC ( the Swiss agency that is funding half of this project) only works if the other fifty percent is covered by municipality, buffer-zone committees, eco-tourism committee and the communities. This can be in the form of material and labor.

Still, at SMA we could not yet feel the place. We could not imagine the wind, the smells and the sounds that are so important in our design methodology.

So, in the sweltering April 2018 heat, we decided to pack our bags for Madi Valley and its people. We could listen to the locals, observed the daily rhythms, documented habitat patterns and minute details of the vernacular architecture. Once back in Kathmandu, we shared this and were able to give the proposal a last positive boost. A few months later we received good news from Monika in Switzerland. Our proposal had been accepted!

THE CHALLENGE

WOMEN OF MADI

Since the establishment of the National Park in 1973, the locals have been cut-off from the resources inside the national park. The indigenous people’s culture and livelihood, completely interwoven with the forests and the rivers, shifted towards a more agricultural society. But the thriving

To make the project truly self-sustainable in the long run, the women’s groups in each village would be the best to be in charge as it’s an established fact that in the context of Nepal, projects that directly collaborate with the women in their communities have a better chance at succeeding.

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Madi Valley map with the four villages of the project.

Site Visit: People-centric questions in Prof. Anne Feenstra’s sketch book.

The Raitole women committee members in dialogue with Alisha Adhikari Last November, on the site visit to kick off the project we met with the women’s groups in each village to discuss the idea behind this project and to hear their feedback, concerns and priorities.

After several conversations with the women in each village, many saw this project as an opportunity to find an alternate source of income. In Bankatta the women were already prepared and motivated to go all-in to the project.

They felt that cooking authentic Bote food, looking after guests and being hospitable was something they could take up.

In other villages through discussions, the women understood that a home stay project like this could make them more self-reliant and that it could provide jobs in the future for their kids so that they wouldn’t have to leave the country like the generation before them. The fact that this project also has a capacity building and training component to it meant that their worries about not having any idea how to run a home stay or talk to guests weren’t obstacles for them anymore.

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ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS

ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS

CREATION OF ARCHITECTURAL LIBRARY

The most important part of the project; empower the local people.

THE PROPOSAL The proposal was to make for each village, one community hall, two home stay cottages and one watch tower.

All of the three typologies are a result of the dialogues with the local people, who expressed their willingness and needs. To be able to run the home stay cottages, it will take a lot of effort for the Women Committee members. The capacity to be able to run two –rather than building a lot—would offer a period of testing out how the occupancy is and the Women Committee would be able to handle more home stays. Another reason to choose these three typologies to be embedded in the village fabric is that they would all enforce each other thus creating a more holistic, spirit-lifting experience for the visitors. SMA would design all buildings and structures. With site supervision visits we would be able to ensure the built quality during implementation.

Existing local building practices and materials.

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SMA studied the incubated wisdom of centuries offered by the vernacular architecture in Madi. In the making of their homes, people have responded to their culture and their way of life, the local climate and geography. In our first visit we had started to document and photograph the built fabric of the four different villages. In our November visit we also started to sketch out how typologies and details had been developed over a long period of time dealing with flood, sun, wind, rain, livestock, etc. We decided to go through the hundreds of photographs and use the measurements to ultimately come to an architectural library of the existing. This painstaking work became the base for our design work as architects.

Impressions of the Architectural Library by Kusum Lama.

Matrix of the building typologies in four villages proposed for Madi Eco-Tourism

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ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS

ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS

Second conceptual model for the community hall by SMA

ONGOING

Long section for the community hall by SMA

INNOVATING THE VERNACULAR Our design task is not to repeat what is there, but to see where can we improve and/or innovate. Design innovation is key for example in daylight that would need to enter the home stay cottages as the users will also use the spaces in the daytime. This is different than the usage of a traditional farming community who would spend most time outside in the fields and with the livestock. Another key component that we improved compared to the vernacular, are the roofs; better detailing and waterproofing. And to have good quality facilities for water and sanitation, the latest technologies are used.

Other buildings we would design are the observation towers. In this horizontal landscape the views that one would get at six meter above the earth would be spectacular. These new towers, with a floor at 6 m. high, would dramatically increase the experience of wildlife species observations and flight patterns of birds. In case of an emergency, it would help the communities

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to keep an overview of a situation. We have zoomed in on steel as the primary structure for the watch towers.

Once this is well preserved by anti-rust and two coatings of metal paint, these structures would stand for half a century.

Arguably, the most important buildings we will design and built, will be the community halls. With its broad spectrum of multiple functions, we envisage these buildings to be open for everybody during the night and day.

The climate demands high ceilings and natural cross ventilation in order to create a comfortable space. The quality of the floor will be critical as this is where everything one can think of will take place; cultural performances, drying agricultural produce, village meeting, women committee meals, capacity building workshops and informal chit chats.

We have chosen for bamboo arches and a bamboo roof structure. The three main arches are built up from curved bamboos. Under this larger

canopy (6 x 15 m)there will be two building blocks for kitchen,office, storage and toilets.

Martin Lehman, project Manager at MyClimate had accurate observations and questions regarding waste management added another layer to the project. And he will also be looking at important but often forgotten information on the sourcing and durability of a material. Through punching in numbers and information regarding where a material comes from and how long it is expected to last and how much maintenance is needed, we will be able to do a Life Cycle Assessment for this project which will help us evaluate

There are various endeavors by various organizations scattered around Madi that for us serve as a reminder what not to do. The haphazard and linear model of development only brings with it long term problems. We do not want to add clutter to the existing beautiful landscape; we want to build something that lasts, something that is useful for the community in the long run. One of the keys to preserving the beauty of Madi lies in high-quality eco-tourism, rather than high-quantity mass tourism. We hopefully will be able to demonstrate that design and architecture can play an important role in the process.

The most important lesson so far is that truly working with people and designing for the future users is more challenging and requires time and hard work. But then, at SMA we never shy away from a challenge!

First conceptual model for the community hall by SMA

Women’s group: Bishnu Maya Rai (Raitole), Dhanrupa Mahato (Dhobaha), Rajpatiya Chaudhary (Bagauda), Sarita Bot (Bankatta)

Solar drinking water & electricity: Guneshwor Mahato (Elite Enterprises Nepal)

Project Manager: Monika Schaffner (Connecting Spaces)

Waste management & LCA: Martin Lehman (MyClimate)

SMA team: Prof. Anne Feenstra, Alisha Adhikari, Himanshu Lal, Laxman Khanal ,Krishna Ram Bhandari ,Shuvashna Pradhan, Francesca Dalla Mora, Kusum Lama.n

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INTERNATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL

UPM Biofore

House

Firm: Helin & Co Architects Type: Office Building YEAR: 2013 SIZE: 100,000 sqft - 300,000 sqft

“The more dynamic an organisation is, the more unprejudiced people’s attitudes are towards the reconciliation of space and work process. They do not announce at once that they need this many separate rooms and meeting spaces. We have devised a design method of our own. It is iterative: we start with very small things and begin to produce sketches, which the client organisation then comments on. We do not need any precise programme. It is enough to have stories about how the organisation works.

It is delightful, creative work, and when you feel that you succeed, it is a very pleasant experience.”

-Pekka Helin, Chairman and Founder, Architect Helin & Co Architects

U

PM is the world’s second biggest forest company, it leads the integration of bio and forest industries into an innovationdriven, resource-efficient future. For their new headquarter UPM’s intention was to build a building that reflected their principles of innovation, collaboration, sharing ideas and open communication. After conducting an international architecture competition; the present Biofore house is the result of the winning entry by Finnish architectural firm Helin & Co Architects.

It is located in the heart of Helsinki in close vicinity of architectural masterpieces designed by the likes of Alvar Aalto, Eliel Saarinen and Stephen Holl. Biofore House was designed to include sustainability features that align with UPM’s dedication to environmental responsibility and energy efficiency. These were the important guidelines that were followed during the design and planning process.

For design process heavy input from the people who were supposed to work in the building was taken into consideration.

The extraordinarily close and intensive collaboration between the design team and the UPM’s management team which included people from all functions; from in IT to Human Resources resulted into heavy design influences which can be seen in many aspects of the building. The integration of modern IT-systems into the building’s “nervous system” even the office furniture used in the workstations are results of these influences.

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INTERNATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL AJS-1

SOUTH FACADE

1:200

NORTH FACADE

1:200

WEST FACADE

1:200

EAST FACADE

1:200

AJS-1

”Dryad and griffin”

”Dryad and griffin”

The client’s objective was top-quality architecture in terms of both functionality and aesthetics, yet within reasonable costs. The city plan did not allow for maximum use of wood; so the building is a combination of plan provisions and wooden surfaces. The formal motifs of the exterior are abstracted references to wood. However, UPM’s own wood-based products and biomaterials have been used extensively both on the interior and on the exterior.

The Bioforum Gallery is a piece of stump and the bridge crossing Alvar Aallon Katu Street a bevelled polyhedron.

Both are clad with timber.

Ecology and advanced energy saving prompted the helical sunshades made of refined steel mesh, the material of the machine clothing used in paper processing. The characteristics of the site are utilized by means of several west-facing terraces. The floors of these outdoor terraces are made of UPM ProFi boards.

URBAN FRAMEWORK ILLUSTRATION

An essential element in the facade system is 60-mm thick UPM plywood that forms the structure of the exposed wooden window frames. Visitor meeting rooms and the corridor zones of office floors have curved ceilings made of ash-veneered UPM Grada boards. The walls of the visitor meeting rooms are clad with sound-absorbing Wisa-Phon panels with veneer finish.The interiors surprise with their lightness. Daylight floods even to the basement restaurant.

The main interior element, essential in creating the identity of the building, is its free-form atrium, which allows for communication and gives the building an integral part of its identity. Adjacent to the entrance is a high cone-shaped gallery which enables product and art exhibitions and other small-scale events. Conference centre on the ground floor swirls around the atrium – guests are received in the bright café area in the lofty atrium. The Lusintesis light installation was designed in collaboration with Tapio Rosenius/LCD. Adjacent to the entrance is a projecting conical structure, the Bioforum, which is a high space for product and art exhibitions as well as diverse small events.

1st FLOOR

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1:1000

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1:200

INTERNATIONAL

The offices, designed for 450 employees, are all open spaces, including those for the management. What is new here are the unusual teamwork and brainstorming spaces.

The lifts of the office floors open to a light, multiform shared space, which enables informal encounters as well as space for team and individual tasks. The teamwork spaces, phone booths and meeting rooms of the office floors provide alternative work areas for the varied situations during a working day.

SECTION A-A

1:200

Biofore House is a timeless icon and a symbol of innovation. It is a perfect example of collaboration between the client and the designers that has produced a product which encompasses the values of both the parties. The building has earned the LEEDŽ Certified Platinum building certification. The operating costs of the new building are as much as one third lesser than UPM’s former head office. n

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SECTION C-C

1:200

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PERSONALITY

PERSONALITY PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS PRACTICED IN YOUR FIRM? HOW DO YOU SEE THE PROCESS OF DESIGN CONCEPTUALIZATION TO IMPLEMENTATION?

Talk with

Our work is highly organized design process, which is followed by the architect, engineers as well as the construction team and the client. Roles for each team member are very clear and the whole team is fully committed to same schedule.

MARIITTA HELINEVA

Architect will work on the conceptual stage strongly with the client. When clients' needs are fulfilled the engineers join the Schematic design stage.

text: PRABINA SHRESTHA Photo : SANDESH SHRESTHA

Working drawing stage starts when open issues have been solved and everybody is committed for the same solution.

Mariitta helineva is the lead architect from the finnish architectural firm helin & co architects.

Working from more than three decades she has designed numerous projects in various parts of the world and now she is working in nepal as well. Her firm helin & co has been working for kvda along with the local engineer company jk associates for designing a new town master plan for a large area of 5000 hectares, east of kathmandu. She is leading the finnish team and coordinating the design work with the local team. They aim to propose a new city with sustainable solutions, creating a safe, livable city for people of all age, at the same time protecting their culture and heritage.

HOW IS ARCHITECTURE PERCEIVED IN YOUR COUNTRY? HOW INSTRUMENTAL DO YOU THINK IS AN ARCHITECT’S ROLE IN SHAPING A SOCIETY AND CULTURE?

Art Nouveu movement became very strong in Europe in 1890-1910. This could be seen in architecture and all form of art. This was a time that Finnish architects, such as Eliel Saarinen and Lars Sonck created architecture with true Finnish identity.

Little over 100 years ago, when modern movement overruled traditional thinking in Europe and United States, Finland was also affected by it. It was viewed as 62 / SPACES MARCH - APRIL 2019

We are very closely involved throughout the construction process. We also like to be involved with possible cost cut decisions as well, because we have an understanding which kinds of cost cuts would have least effect to the whole project.

Nepal has great history in architecture and city planning.

This heritage has beautiful sense of use of materials, such as brick, natural stone and wood as well as sensitive understanding of scale, inside - outside spaces.

Also the beautiful landscape and rich culture, gives many possibilities to create unique architecture.

Architects have great possibilities: there is much to do, big problems to solve, but I see this as an opportunity.

This should be solved without too much of 'wrong type' of international influence of large global commercial buildings and huge developments. The solutions could continue the similar smaller scale, active living environment, which you have now enhanced with respect for beautiful natural landscape where living, working and cultural events are well integrated.

There is also an opportunity to use some of the modern high-technology sustainable solution to make better environment efficiently. n

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST VALUABLE SKILL AN ARCHITECT SHOULD POSSESS? ADVICE YOU’D GIVE TO ASPIRING ARCHITECTS

Here’s a q&a session with the dynamic lady.

About 150 years ago, in Finland buildings were mainly constructed of wood. They were authentic and simple.

Any major construction in the country required the most skillful workers for the construction. Finland has stone churches from 16th century, wooden churches from 18th century and larger housing building from 19th century. At this time St. Petersburg (Russia) was growing and its architecture had major effects to Finnish architecture.

Working drawing stage requires lots of workforce, so updating the design in this stage will take the economy out of the process. Of course, changes for the design occur, but it is not something to aim for.

HOW DID YOU FIND THE CURRENT NEPALESE ARCHITECTURAL SCENARIO? WHAT ARE OUR (NEPALESE) MAJOR CHALLENGES AND ALSO BEST ASSETS IN CONCERN TO ARCHITECTURE?

new and positive creating hope for the future. Finland had no strong historic tradition or 'baggage' of the traditional thinking, as many other European countries, and the modern movement was accepted easily.

From this background Finnish architects gained a respected place in society and it created an understanding for quality design and good city planning.

In the 1950's, when the architects work had found a strong place in Finnish society, architects and developers worked together to make innovative solutions for buildings and construction business.

This developed further in the 1970’s; the construction industry manufactured these solutions as tested solutions and products for architects to use. Nowadays we design in global market with global products, so we have the technological solutions, if needed.

I think, some of the characteristics to becoming a good architect are to be committed and have enthusiasm toward architecture. It requires many years or decades to truly learn this profession. There are many ways to advance and learn. One good way is to find specialties within architecture and develop those skills. We have people in the office, who are architect, but are specialized in structural issues, interiors, lighting, sustainability, etc.

Architect should follow the changes and phenomenon in society. They have a role to develop and make the living environment better in many ways. Also, it is very important, that an architect's is able to have the empathy to understand to whom you are designing for..

ANY PLACE/BUILDING YOU FOUND IN NEPAL PARTICULARLY FASCINATING? Of course, the royal palace cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur are one of a kind and very fascinating. There are numerous Newari buildings which are beautiful in scale and use of materials and maybe, their value has not been recognized enough. Some of them are badly damaged in need of repair.

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INTERIOR

A DELVE INTO A SOARING

Penthouse in Kupondole text: Swastika Paudel Photo : A. Rajbansh

In the city that has become a jungle of RCC where a glimpse of the sky is a luxury, and only a few landmarks reflect our old heritage, the penthouse on the top floor of the City View Apartments with a million dollar view is grandeur.

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INTERIOR

INTERIOR

Highlighted with the spot lights mounted on the ceiling, the grey stone sculptures stand out in the dark background created by the dark wood paneling and shelves.

C

oconut Groove Interiors has undertaken the ideas of the owners and has transformed it into their beautiful home. Chic and classic with a glint of traditional blending with the modern lifestyle of the family, taking a minimalist approach, the interior designer has worked around with three basic elements; wood, brass and copper to create a modern-day depiction of the olden stories of the traditional.

As you enter the apartment you are greeted with the miniature sculptures of lions that are inspired from the Tibetan

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culture. Highlighted with the spot lights mounted on the ceiling, the grey stone sculptures stand out in the dark background created by the dark wood paneling and shelves. The wooden panels are burnt black to attain slightly withering texture which gives the house a rustic feel. They ignite a sense of warmth and security through the color and the acute smell of the wood.

The brass installation mounted on the wall which is beautifully illuminated with yellow spot light speaks volumes about the traditional times the house is inspired from. The hallway opens up to the beautiful setup of the Living and

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INTERIOR

INTERIOR

The custom made wooden framed sofa is a place to sit down with a drink and take in the view of the valley.

Although not physically separated from the living room, the study is given its privacy as it is visually obstructed from the entry way with elaborately carved columns. Fresh flowers are used to scent the house with authentic perfumes of the flower blending with the smell of the wood.

Dining area. The whole setup is separated by the change in flooring, from white tiles of the hallway into the parquet living area.

The living area commands the most attention with its fulllength windows that offer a view of the city stretching to the surrounding hills. The dark paneling subdues the light infiltrating on the inside, avoiding glare and enables us to behold the view on the outside. The custom made wooden dark furniture is complimented with the pastel shades of fabric. The light infiltrating through the translucent curtains creates a warm and comfortable zone for interactions.

Lighting is used to create proper ambiance in different spaces. Luminous yellow lights are used to amplify the feeling of warmth. Different spaces are illuminated with different types of lighting. Use of LED lighting, the spot light, custom made brass pendent light, scones and chandeliers cater to different functions of the spaces. In the living room,

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yellow custom made lights are hanging in beautiful iron chandeliers that take the shape of blooming flowers. The light is reflected from the wooden ceiling with a glossy finish, making the space more ambient.

The use of wooden beams (dalins) on the ceiling of the dining area distinguishes it from the living area. The dining table with brass base and caramel brown wood sits over braided carpet made by the locale craftsmen. Custom made, hammered brass pendant light illuminates the area.

The dining area is connected with the adjacent enclosed kitchen by the rich intricately carved door. The richness of the craftsmanship is certain to make anyone feel like they have been transported back in time. The built in wooden cabinets provide storage for when the family entertains their guests.

The vibrant space opens up to a balcony that provides a slice of outdoor with stone cladded walls and potted plants.

The two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms have been designed using the scheme of dark panels, white walls and brown parquet. The output is a sanctuary that is neither too bright nor too dark. The automated curtains provided the user with a choice to tuck in or open up to see the outside world through the extending balcony. The massive decorative brass headboard highlights the bed as the center figure of the room with matching duvet cover and pillow cases. The velvet sofa with a brass frame, the copper utensils as decorative and a walk-in closet with ample storage for two provide with the luxurious comfort that the family seeks.

The touch sensitive switches, automated blinds, fire detectors and the air

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INTERIOR

conditioning system are the modern-day technologies incorporated to make the life of the family more comfortable with accordance to the time.

DESIGNED BY MAPLE coconutgrooveinteriors@gmail.com

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In times where almost everything is imported from outside the country, the interior designer has tried and succeeded in infusing Nepal’s own soul with this house by integrating the native design, materials and the craftsmanship to achieve a balance of the modern-day luxury with traditional richness with crafts that are not too heavy on the eyes. n

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INTERIOR

INTERIOR

The YELLOW

Brick Road TEXT & Photo : bansri pandey

The Coldplay band’s one of the most popular songs of the millennium year 2000, Yellow, referred to the mood of the band. The yellow being the symbol of brightness, hope, and devotion.

Be it the Sun, the Hindu sadhus, the sunflowers, the glittering gold, the lemons or the turmeric; we have known Yellow ever since the first ray of light broke the daylight for us. Vincent Van Gogh, once described his love for yellow in a letter he wrote to his sister in 1888 as, “Now we are having beautiful warm, windless weather that is very beneficial to me. The sun, a light that for lack of a better word I can only call yellow, bright sulphur yellow, pale lemon gold. How beau-tiful yellow is!”

“I CAME ALONG I WROTE A SONG FOR YOU… AND ALL THE THINGS YOU DO, AND IT WAS CALLED, YELLOW”

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Yellow Ochre, a pigment made from clay, was one of the first colors used in the prehistoric era for cave paintings.

The Lascaux cave in France, has a painting of a yellow horse that dates back to 17,300 years. Van Gogh

was one of the first artists to use commercially manufactured paints in his paintings such as chrome yellow, first made in 1809, and cadmium yellow, first made in 1820. To achieve maximum contrast and harmony, he used yellow with purple in several of his paintings. Over the period, with the evolution of different color wheels and color theories, painters now consider the best complement color for Yellow as Indigo or blue-violet.

In architecture, various woods that are popularly used in construction add yellow to the design such as Teak (yellow to dark brown hardwood), Pine (pale yellow softwood), and Birch (Yellow hardwood).

In traditional Indian architecture, one of the best examples of Yellow, is Jaisalmer, the city built on the foundation of yellow sandstone in the desert of Rajasthan. The yellow stone monuments glitter-ing in the sunlight gives the city, its popular name as ‘the Golden City’.

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INTERIOR

INTERIOR Eskenazi Hospital Parking in Indianapolis, USA

IN MODERN TIMES, WITH LIMITLESS WAYS OF USING COLORS IN ARCHITECTURE, CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE CREATIVELY EXPERIMENTED WITH YELLOW IN THEIR PROJECTS USING IT ON A VARIETY OF MATERIALS AND FORMS.

Cube Houses in Rotterdam, Netherlands Architect: Piet Blom Purpose: High density housing Project Year: 1977 Cube houses, designed by architect Piet Blom, are a set of innovative, high density housing based on the concept of ‘living as an urban roof’. The main purpose is to leave sufficient space on the ground as well as optimize the interior spaces of the house. Blom’s cubes are set up at 45 degrees on a hexagon shaped pylons, symbolically representing an abstract forest. The triangular top of each house represents a tree, which when connected with the house next to it, becomes a sea of trees in a yellow urban fores

Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari in Modena, Italy Architect: Future Systems Purpose: Automobile Museum Project Year: 2012

Architect: Rob Ley Studio Purpose: Parking Building Project Year: 2014 Why should a parking structure be mundane? Rob ley studio, wanting to change this notion, creat-ed a dynamic facade using 7000 metal panels. The East side panels received golden yellow panels and the West received deep blue color panels. For observers, it is a unique visual experience de-pending on where they are looking at the facade from and at which pace they are moving through the site. Slow moving vehicles or pedestrians experience a noticeable shift in color and transpar-ency as they move across the hospital grounds. While, someone driving in a car experiences a faster gradient color shift which changes depending on the direction of travel.

Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture, New York Architect: Rafael Viñoly Architects Purpose: Educational Building Project Year: 2009 Giving a makeover to a 1950s structure, Rafael Viñoly Architects designed a 135,000 - square - foot Architecture, Urban Design, and Landscape Architecture school at the City College of New York. Going a step beyond their scope, adding contrast to the white exterior of the building, they creat-ed a luminous yellow amphitheater on the roof.

Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari in Modena, inspired from the striking yellow bonnet of a yellow Ferrari car, the architects have designed the museum’s roof that stands out against the city’s skyline. The muse-um not only tells the story of Ferrari’s founding father, but also showcases some of the most beautiful Ferrari automobiles. The museum complex includes two separate buildings, a former house and workshop that belonged to Enzo Ferrari’s father, and a new contemporary building with 6,000 square meter designed

by Future systems.

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INTERIOR

DIY

MATERIALS REQUIRED 1. Bottle 2.Jute Thread 3.Glue and Scissor 4.Cork lights

The bright frame of the amphitheater turns the sky-line into an inspiring backdrop and welcoming space for gatherings, making it one of the most popular features of the building among students.

he largest optically per-fect glass globe in the world.

Originally visualized by Mirra Alfassa (The Mother), the founder of Au-roville in 1970, Matrimandir (that took 37 years to build) symbolizes a tribute to a universal mother and does not represent any particular religion of the world.

Matrimandir, Auroville, India Architect: Roger Anger Purpose: Spiritual Space Project Year: 2008 The Matrimandir (Mother’s shrine), a spiritual space designed for practitioners of Yoga, is situated at the experimental township Auroville in south of India. The Geodesic dome of Matrimandir, is covered by golden discs and reflects sunlight, which gives the structure its characteristic radiance. Inside this central dome is a meditation hall known as the inner chamber - this contains

Yellow, the color of happiness, is considered to induce this emotion in the inhabitants when used in a building judiciously. It is also a color of Gold, carrying its burden to be eternal and represent a con-nection to the divine.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom in heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be lost in heaven.”

Bottle

Lights

These metaphorical keys of heaven handed over by Jesus to Saint Peter in the New Testament, are symbolized as Gold and Silver keys in the flag of Vatican, giving Golden Yellow the symbol for spir-itual power bestowed upon the Church and the Pope.

For most of us, Yellow is the comfort color. Be it the singing around a fireplace, waking up with the warmth of the Sun, offering marigolds to the Gods, smelling the tempering of turmeric, or even send-ing messages with happy smileys; Yellow is our cocoon to go to for comfort. So, let’s follow the path of yellow as the Jamaican-American singer and songwriter Grace Jones once said,

“I JUST GO WITH THE FLOW, I FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. I DON’T KNOW WHERE IT’S GOING TO LEAD ME, BUT I FOLLOW IT.” n

STEP 1

The brand sticker of any bottle is removed by pouring hot water on it and scrubbed away using a scrub brush.

STEP 2

The capsule on the neck of the bottle is removed using a scissor.

PHOTO CREDITS: Above used images were downloaded from wikimedia and flicker

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FROM THE SHELF

DIY

essentialism – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less IT’S A RARE PERSON THESE DAYS THAT DOES NOT FEEL OVERWHELMED WITH THE NUMBER OF THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR LIFE. GREG MCKEOWN HAS

STEP 3

EXPERIENCED THIS AFFLICTION FIRST HAND AND MAKES IT THE TOPIC OF

The neck of the bottle is then decorated by Jute thread attached in circular way sticking glue on it.

and MUST be done.

•

Sleep – Recognizing that without appropriate rest we are not prepared to do our best work.

•

Select – Applying the rule that if it’ snot a “HELL YES!” than it is a no.

•

Eliminate – In the third part of the book he asks the reader to turn their attention to getting rid of the non-essential. This step in the process is where the real challenge begins. The first two parts of the book are easy to agree with; however, in part three, the reader is asked to take action and transform their life.

Part three’s overarching theme is “you need to say no”. Many folks stumble with this as they hate to disappoint. However, failing to say no (eliminate) is one of the biggest enemies of accomplishing your purpose.

He includes five chapters in this section of the book:

•

Clarify – Probably the most challenging step in the entire book. Here he challenges the reader to clearly identify their purpose/intent. He points out that once we have clarity on this one topic, it serves as a litmus test on almost all of our decisions.

•

Dare – He introduces the reader to the concept of the “graceful no”. Between “graceful” and “no”, the “no” is where the emphasis needs to lie. If it’s not aligned with your purpose or intent, it’s a no.

ESSENTIALISM. HIS PREMISE IS QUITE SIMPLE:

Choose – Recognizing that you control the choice to be overwhelmed or to focus on what is important.

Discern – Recognizing what is and is not important (noise).

•

•

•

STEP 4

The cork light, approximately 2 meters, is placed inside the bottle and finally, the switch on the top of the cork is to shift ‘on’ which makes the LED cork light glow vividly inside the bottle.

Courtesy: Tyre Treasures is a green enterprise that aims to address the ever-increasing pollution caused by non-biodegradable inorganic waste, primarily TYRES. They follow the principles of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” and; upcycle tyres into refined products to promote a culture of conservancy and judicious use of resources.

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STEP 5

Now, you can enjoy your beautiful new Bottle Lights by decorating it anywhere around your house.

Their products run on waste, and they incorporate local and natural themes into creating useful as well as aesthetic products. They create green products out of tyres in order to reduce carbon footprint and to advocate for environmental sustainability. They also make sure that they work with socially responsible entities, diligent local producers, and organizations that promote economic welfare of Nepali women to create a green eco-system where they reduce, reuse, and recycle. n

•

W

e need to focus on those few things that have the most impact on our lives While a simple concept – and one almost everyone would agree with – it is easier said than done. However, as he points out either you will prioritize your life or someone else will. McKeown breaks the book down in to four sections

Essence – In the first part of the book he addresses the change in mindset that is necessary if you wish to become an “essentialist”. The key idea here is that we need to commit to those things that are important to us and put everything else aside. He includes four chapters in this section of the book:

Trade- Off – Recognizing that you are not capable of doing everything well. Pick your “thing” and do it Explore – In the second part of the book he challenges the reader to step back, consider ALL of the options available to them, and choose those that are most important to the reader. An important point is that the essentialist actually considers MORE alternatives than others. However, he/she then consciously chooses the most important focus areas. He includes five chapters in this section of the book:

•

Escape – Recognizing the importance of putting time aside to reflect and learn.

•

Look – Taking the time to actually consider the value associated with alternatives.

•

Play – Recognizing that taking time away from work is critical

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FROM THE SHELF •

•

•

•

ART

Uncommit – Here the reader is asked to stop doing things. The key question to ask is “If I were not already doing this, would I start doing it?” This concept is incredibly powerful AND extremely difficult for many to apply.

Edit – The focus of this chapter is eliminating the distractions in your life. Again, if it is not aligned with your purpose or intent it needs to go.

Limit – By introducing limits you are able to focus more clearly.

Conversely, if you have no limits your efforts will not be focused and you will not achieve the results you desire.

Execute – In the final part of the book, McKeown challenges the reader to get off the couch and get in to the game. There’s a

great quote from Nick Murray that states “You can learn from doing.

You can’t do from learning” that is appropriate in this case. The first three parts had you figuring out what to do. Part four gets down to the act of doing it. He includes six chapters in this section of the book: •

Buffer – Recognizing that things will never go as planned is only smart. Accordingly, you need to build in a “buffer” to your plans.

•

Subtract–Recognize that there are things that are getting in your way/holdingyou back (e.g. the TV, the video game, etc.). Get rid of them ASAP.

•

Progress – Recognizing that “big wins” RARELY happen. Instead, you make progress through simple, small, steady steps. You make progress by “doing the

work” each day. Do the work and quit procrastinating.

•

Flow – Recognizing the power of routine. Whether our habits are good or bad, they are OUR HABITS and they possess incredible power. An essentialist has processes that are aligned with his/her purpose that he/she does every day (i.e. progress).

•

Focus – Understanding that the key to success is focusing on being “present and aware”. There is no reason to focus on the past or the future. The essentialist focuses on the moment and getting the next thing done.

•

Be – McKeown closes by challenging the reader to think about essentialism as something you ARE versus something you DO. The difference in these two perspectives is massive. n

S

ome years back, when late Narottam Das Shrestha a respected name in Nepali art and artcollection, presented a full-color copy of an unusual book (to this writer) a combination of Newar style miniature paintings and with some lyrics-like texts, it looked almost an enigma.

Shrestha also, had scribbled a note urging to unravel the exact nature of the book (and the art in the book).

Although vaguely familiar that it’s indeed the celebrated ‘Raga-Malas,’ a popular art of Rajput Painting tradition, but bit puzzled at the Newar-style imageries found in the book in a very unusual context. More so, was the date and timing of creation, so late in the history of Nepali Art? A common wisdom always had had it that RagaMala as a theme or a subject had never been an important part in the mainstream of Newar Art.

Lord Krishna with his lady-companions – celebrating Spring’- early 19th century (Note how the accompanying animals are seemed lost-immersed in the music)

Raga-Malas

A RARE PHENOMENON IN NEPALI PAINTING TEXT: Madan Chitrakar Photo: Pradip Tuladhar

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Presence of strong and heavy influences from Rajput and Mogul art has never been new in the painting tradition here. Yet ‘Raga-Mala’ is a term rarely found in the annals of Nepali Art history. It’s because, historically Art here, essentially, has had been always revolved around the twin thoughts of Hinduism and the phases of Buddhism. And secondly, as a theme it has its primary roots laid not in Nepal, and thus remained rare throughout its long popularity elsewhere. Also because, as the art forms are essentially associated with the classical musical traditions of the South, it could never receive a wider patronage in the popular level enabling it to make a continual growth.

However as it reveals now, some exquisite paintings based on RagaMalas, created at two different intervals of time, and in two different contexts, did appear in Nepali Art.

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ART

ART

And the Newar artists are found to have added own ingenuity in forms, style and in presentations distinct from the Rajput tradition. Thus it has given us some good reasons to see the untold aspects of this rare phenomenon, here. But before that, let’s have a quick look on what after all is Raga-Malas about, first.

RAGA-MALAS IN NEPALI ART An earliest instance of Raga-Mala art in Nepal, discovered so far, is dated early seventeenth century. Apparently, ‘Raga-Malas’ seemed to have entered the state of Bhatgaon or Bhaktapur, during the reign of King Jagajjyotir Malla (1614 – 37). The chance discovery of this wonderful findings are made by two scholars Gert-Matthias Wegner and Richard Widdess in 1994 – while making research studies on the relationship between earlier Indian music tradition with Nepali music.

RAGA-MALA: THE ROOTS Raga-Mala painting is a collection of miniature paintings always presented as a composite series. And as stated in earlier lines, it had had essentially been a part of Rajput painting tradition created by the Pahari artists of Northern hills of India, during as early as fifteenth century. But it was made highly popular in the later times as well, in the courts of Mogul emperors especially during the rule of great Akbar.

An earlier treatment of same melody – with Lord Krishna and Radha, early 17th century

Subject wise, it’s an exotic example of a strange mix secular thoughts personified with the divine imageries.

It’s a rare form of art, also because Raga-Malas is a combination art of music with the art of painting. Highly inspired by Vaishanava thoughts, the visuals, in fact, is the pictorial depiction of divinities from usually Lord Krishna and Radha along with other divinities, primarily to celebrate various moods of nature, like spring or a rainy season.

And each visual is created or associated with a melody or Raga attributing to a particular season.

A visual or an image thus, is to represent a chosen melody or a Raga. That is, in essence, each picture is a visual interpretation of a chosen melody or a Raga. As for example, if there’s a figure walking in a rain, it represents ‘Mallaar’ – a melody for a rainy season.

Put together, the entire collection is then, described as a Raga-Mala or a garland of melodies. In Indian tradition, it’s believed there are forty-two allied melodies.

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A depiction of Raga-Mallara: the rainy season – an ascetic walking in a stormy day, early 17th century

From an art-observer’s perspective, the most interesting part of the series is the choice of figures to depict a particular mood of Nature. In many of the chosen melodies or the Ragas, the imageries of Lord Krishna and Radha are chosen to represent a mood as per the Rajput tradition. As for example, to illustrate a season of spring, the lord is found in a joyous merry-making mood, playing flute and dancing with his favorite companion women companion in particular Radha. And to represent the music for rainy season or thunderstorms a Raga or melody described as Mallaar, the artist has sought to depict an ascetic walking in the rains, his bare feet on the rocky surface. Maybe, to represent Mallaar, Rajput tradition has had always an ascetic walking in the rains. But here in both the cases, the Newar-style presentation of the entire ambience including cloud, the surface rocks and the anthropomorphic forms of the deities betray the Newar origins.

Raga-Bhairav, early 17th century

Goddess Saraswati – with Sitar (an Indian musical instrument) – to illustrate Raga Bhairavi, early 19th century

The musical court of Lord Indra – note the presence of Apsaras dancing to the musical tunes

Regarding the circumstances on how and when the tradition first may have had appeared in Nepal, the scholars stated above, have provided very interesting details in an essay titled ‘Musical Miniatures From Nepal: Two

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ART

ART

Goddess Saraswati singing in the Royal court – during Rana Bahadur Shah’s rule (Note the artist’s efforts to depict and imagine the ambience inside the famed Hanuman Dhoka Palace courtyard)

Newar Raga-Malas’. According to the scholars, among others, the primary reason behind this surprise new beginning is due to a fact that King Jagajjyottir himself was a great lover of music and dance: and his known fascination for the classical forms coming from the south. And it explains the primary reasons. The ascribed period is not far behind since the tradition first appeared in Rajput school. And in Nepal, even after the passing away of King Jagajjyotir, for a long time to come, it is believed many new Raga-Malas were created: and are believed to be in the collections of National Archives. Yet it rarely appeared in the mainstream narratives.

For our purpose however, the next most important instance of ‘Raga-Mala’ is the book – in the collections of late Narottam Das Shrestha’s collections: and it has also led us to these lines. As stated in the earlier lines, this book albeit a continuation from the earlier practice, this Raga-Malas remained unique for many reasons. For it offers many new insights so different from the earlier. First and foremost, is the choice of figures to illustrate the Ragas. Unlike the earlier practice, the patron has made sure he and his near family members have visible presence amongst the deities, like goddess Saraswoti. Strange compositions by every angle, in many of the paintings, anthropomorphic More amazing is the patron’s wish to portray the scenario of Mogul court including Emperor Akbar and his favorite musicians like legendary Tansen and Baiju-vawara. This is long after the demise of Mogul empire in India. The reasons may be simply to admire and appreciate the grandeur and their love for classical music tradition then.

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King Rana Bahadur Shah listening attentively the music – presented by the musicians from Akbar’s court

Stylistically for sure, the works were created by local Newar painters. The attire of the Royalty and other human forms, and the portrayal of the Palace complex in many of the works betray Newar origins. However, there’s no denying the visible and heavy influences prevalent in the then Rajput tradition. And as per the colophon, apparently, this exquisite set of works is commissioned during the reign of King Ranabahadur Shah, by Prince Rana-udyot B. Shah.

Lastly, one reason why this form of art-form could not gain wider popularity is the very nature of the art. The art had had remained confined to the elite palace courts, during both King Jagajjottir Malla and King Rana Bahadur Shah. And a strange commonality that bonds both is the accompanying text-script in Devnagari.

FOR FURTHER READING: Pratapaditya Pal: The Classical

Tradition in Rajput Painting The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York 1978 Gert-Matthias Wegner and Richard Widdess: Musical Miniatures From Nepal: Two Newar Ragamalas Marg Publications, Mumbai 2004 PICTURE COURTESY: Narottam Das and Indira Shrestha Guthi, Kathmandu Nepal - Old Images, New Insights Edited by P. Pal, 2004 n

Baiju-bawara – one of the favorite musicians from the court of Emperor Akbar

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ARTSCAPE

CHHWASAKAMINI AJIMA Chhwasakamini Ajima is a goddess – believed to be a protector goddess of Buddha Dharma. Here, she is seen furiously riding on a mule wearing human skin, snakes and garland of severed heads. She is holding emblems such as flaming sword, human skull cup, Vajra Danda, Pasukaa (tantric energized thread), Tri Pasa (a kind of game). n

ASHA DANGOL

Pratham Raj Bajracharya Pratham Raj Bajracharya (b. 1980), has been a recipient of National Fine Art Award 2011 and 2013. He learnt the art of woodcarving from his father Punya Raj Bajracharya. Presently, he has been working with his brother at Woodcraft Gallery at Thamel. This is where they work and exhibit wood carvings and other artworks.

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Connects 20. Asian Concreto Pvt. Ltd. House No. 301, Lalupate Marg, Hattisar, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4442430 / 4443229, 9802711156/76 Website: www.asianconcreto.com 64. Asian Paints Nepal Balkumari, Lalitpur Ph: 977-1-5203045 E-mail: ccm@asianpaints.com.np Website: www.asianpaintsnepal.com.np 20. Bella Casa International Jawalakhel, Lalitpur Ph: 977-1-5523050 E-mail: enterprise.support@worldlink.com.np Website: www.worldlink.com.np 84. Berger Jenson & Nicholson (Nepal) Berger House - 492, Tinkune, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4466038 E-mail: info@bergernepal.com 83. Bharti Trade Centre Kathmandu-33 Ph: 9801179313 Email: raulzain555@gmail.com 80. Communication Corner Pvt. Ltd. (Ujyaalo 90 Network) Ujyaaloghar (Behind Central Zoo) Jawlakhel, Lalitpur Ph: 977-1-5000171 79. Foto Hollywood Civil Bank Building, Kamaladi Ph: 977-1-4169060 Website: www.fotohollywood.com.np

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5. Furniture Land Store P. Ltd. Blue Star Complex, Tripureshwor Ph: 977-1-4224797 www.furnitureland.com.np 3. Homesaaz- A House of Flooring and Furnishing Ratopool, Kathmandu, Nepal Ph: 977-1-4420661, 4420647 E-mail: homesaaznepal@gmail.com 84. Marvel Technoplast Pvt. Ltd. Heritage Plaza-II, Kamaladi, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4169122/123 E-mail: info@marvel.com.np Website: www.marvel.com.np 61. Murarka Organisation (Pashupati TMT) Rudramati Marg, Thapathali Ph: 01-4260910 34. Nagarik - Nepal Republic Media Pvt. Ltd. JDA Complex, Bagh Durbar Ph: 977-1-4265100, 4261808 E-mail: circulation@nagariknews.com 81. Nepa Top Organization Samakushi, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4354117, 4363548, 4387901 E-mail: info@nepa.com Website: www.nepatop.com.np 9. Parth International Pvt. Ltd.(Featherlite) Central Business Park, 4th Floor Thapathali, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1- 424 5342 E-mail: info@parthinternational.org Website: www.parthinternational.org

10. Prewin uPVC Doors & Windows 8th Floor, SLN Terminus, Survey No. 133 Gadhibowli, Hyderabad - 500032 India Ph: +91 - 6303510563, +91 - 40-67933629 29. Skylight Pvt. Ltd. Naxal (Opp to Police HQ), Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4423851 E-mail: info@skylight.com.np Website: www.skylight.com.np 13. Technical Associates Services P. Ltd. 1st Floor,Sharda Group Building Thapathali, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4219999, 9802030479 E-mail: sktulshyan@gmail.com www.theheatingexpert.com.np 29. Vie Tec Pvt. Ltd. Teku Road, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4262220 Mob: 9860564400 E-mail: info@atc.com.np Web: www.solahart.com.au 20. Worldlink Communication Pvt. Ltd. Jawalakhel, Lalitpur Ph: 977-1-5523050 E-mail: enterprise.support@worldlink.com.np Website: www.worldlink.com.np 49. MSP Trading Pvt.Ltd Bhatbhateni,Naxal Ph: 01-4413454 Email:kupundole@eurohome.com.np

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