SPACES Nepal SEPT-OCT 2011

ART - ARCHITECTURE - INTERIORS - ACCESSORIES

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2011

www.spacesnepal.com

ABOVE THE

Clouds

CONSERVING THE MONASTERY OF UPPER MUSTANG, NEPAL

SHELTER on the moving MOUNTAINS

Geometric

The

Orchid Facing the Facts of Conservation Price NRs. 100/-  IRs. 65/-

Niels Gutschow

Volume 7 Issue 3

24 INTERIOR The Geometric Orchid

by Shristi Shrestha Designed and implemented by Creative Design Architects (P) Ltd, the apartment’s interior at Orchid Tower at Ravi Bhawan is spacious with clean geometrical lines.

September - October 2011

30 ARCHITECTURE Why to Build

by Ar. Bansri Pandey The ‘Spirit of Place - Spirit of Design, Inc.(SPSD)’, is a quest to build a meaningful architecture that binds together nature, culture and future.

38 HIMALAYAN TRAILS Shelter on the Moving Mountains

by Ar. Kai Weise Starting with the Tectonic Plate Theory, this series of articles attempts to trace and analyse the evolution of shelter to its present form in the Himalayan belt.

48 HERITAGE

Above the Clouds – Conserving the Thubchen Gompa in Upper Mustang, Nepal

by John Sanday, OBE Under the American Himalayan Foundation and the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation, Project Director, John Sanday led a team of experts to restore and revive the dying practices of a fading tradition in Upper Mustang, Nepal.

56 INTERNATIONAL In Pursuit of Excellence

by Uday S. Shrestha with Archiplan.

ARCHIPLAN, from Kathmandu, Nepal, was adjudged the winner of the Master Plan & Urban Design Competition for the South Asian University Campus to be developed at New Delhi.

ON THE COVER

A view of the Interior of an apartment at Orchid Tower, Rabi Bhawan.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Ashesh Rajbansh www.spacesnepal.com

62 ART Re-enlightenment – Conserving the Temples of Upper Mustang

by Luigi Fieni Luigi Fieni and his team of restorers faced an uphill task to restore the magnificent mural wall paintings in the temples of Jampa and Thupchen in Upper Mustang.

IN FOCUS 44 FACING THE FACTS OF CONSERVATION - AN AFTERNOON WITH NIELS GUTSCHOW

by Ar. Swati Pujari Niels Gutschow’s first visit to Nepal was a two week stay in 1962 as he was travelling through Burma and Japan.

He returned as an architect in September 1970 to inspect the Pujahari Math in Bhaktapur, and made this city of gods his home.

SOLUTIONS

ACCESSORIES

7 ASPECTS OF HOME AUTOMATION SYSTEM 20

FOR THE UNORTHODOX – CASA 18

Volume 7 Issue 3

September - October 2011

INBOX

Regd. No 30657/061-62 CDO No. 41

Sustainability of “Kathmandu Sustainable Urban Transport Project” I hope to live to the day the plans are implemented!

Had public transport comprised 71% of the operational vehicles, and consumed only 1.4% of total energy and contributed to 53% travel demand, the city would have been relatively sustainable. Why not replace micro buses with bigger buses and start safer and more comfortable travel? Many will rethink if they are planning to purchase motorcycle or car, after all oil prices are increasing...

Divine Dip (on www.spacesnepal.com) No doubt capacity building is indeed the roots in order to grow into sustainable management of the whole system, but the question is who is feeding?? Unless and until the participation of pedestrian, commuters, drivers and moreover the people of the city are excluded from the project, the question can again be raised in its vision!!

Sacheen Maharjan (on www.spacesnepal.com)

Marketing & Sales Executive Nijima Shrestha

Contributing Art Editor Madan Chitrakar Kasthamandap Art Studio

Contributing Editors Ar. Sworup G. Koney (President - Society of Nepalese Architects) Ar. Debesh Raj Bhattarai (General Secretary - Society of Nepalese Architects) Ar. Jinisha Jain (Delhi) Ar. Chetan Raj Shrestha (Sikkim) Barun Roy (Darjeeling Hills)

Contributors John Sanday OBE, FSA Kai Weise Luigi Fieni Dikshya Poudyal Shristi Shrestha

Accounts / Admin Dipa Shrestha

Correspondents Ar. Bansri Pandey Ar. Swati Pujari

Design / Colour Separation Digiscan Pre-Press Naxal, Kathmandu. Phone: 4436817

Printed at Format Printing Press Hadigaon, Kathmandu. Phone: 4010160

Heaven Here on Earth - Lodge Thasang Village It’s pretty interesting to know such use of modern science and lifestyles have been incorporated into the rural areas of the country. There was a time, and I could be right that still today, you tend to see rural amenities and houses. But this changed my perspective completely. Now, next time i do not need to frown up when I plan a trip down there.

Awesome to read it.

Anita Shrestha (on www.spacesnepal.com)

A synopsis on Sustainable Architecture From the map it is clear that US because of its crazy consumerism, contributes to 1/3 of global warming.

While reading this article, I was questioning myself to how far I have been able to contribute in sustanability of my once beautiful Kathmandu Valley.Not at all ?

Prakash C Joshi (on www.spacesnepal.com)

7 Secrets to Sustainable Architecture A very good article to illustrate energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. But from what I have studied and learned, sustainability also incorporates inclusiveness (social sustainability) and economy (economic sustainability) in architecture/ planning.

May be this aspect has not been explored in the article.

Anyway keep up the good work.

Manish Joshi (on www.spacesnepal.com)

Published by

12

IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. Kupondole, Lalitpur Post Box No. 227, DPO Lalitpur Phone: 5544606, 5526040

DISTRIBUTION

Kathmandu

R.B. Newspaper Traders, Kathmandu Ph: 4232784 / 4215652 / 4216658

East Nepal

Parbati Shrestha Naya Bazar, Dharan - 05 Ph: 025-5-21164/025-525118, Cell: 9842054110

Mid & West Nepal Allied Newspaper Distributor Pvt. Ltd., Kathmandu Ph: 4261948 / 4419466

Darjeeling

Kalimpong, Gangtok

Sanjana Limbu The Digital Den Top Floor, New Super Market, Darjeeling - 734101 Cell: 99323 - 85772 eMail:subbaangel@yahoo.com

ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Kathmandu IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. Ph: 5544606 email: market@spacesnepal.com

Birgunj Kishore Shrestha, Hotel Kailash, Adarsha Nagar.

Ph: 522384, 529984. email: hotelkailash@wlink.com.np

Dharan Parbati Shrestha

Itahari Naya Bazar, Dharan - 05

Biratnagar Ph: 025-5-21164/025-525118, Cell: 9842054110

For SUBSCRIPTIONS Phone: 01-5544606 Email: market@spacesnepal.com Kupondole, Lalitpur spacesnepal.com

Managing Editor / Editor Uday Sunder Shrestha, B.E, B.Sc.

Photography / Production Control Ashesh Rajbansh

September - October 2011

SPACES is published six times a year at the address above. All rights are reserved in respect of articles, illustrations, photographs, etc. published in S P A C E S . 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 editor@spacesnepal.com or sent to the address mentioned above.

from the editor NOTHING IS PERMANENT IN THIS WORLD – Buddhist philosophy They say that in every person’s life, there are times when one is overwhelmed by unforeseen circumstances and events powerful enough to sweep everything in its destructive path. The fall in such unprepared situations can no doubt be devastating, unless one’s self confidence can be revived to rise up and move ahead once again.

On a similar set of circumstances these past few months, SPACES stood on a razor’s edge, with only a glimmer of hope, carried through on the support of well wishers. As we slowly worked to bring this issue out, it was karma that articles like ‘Above the Clouds’ by John Sanday touched on the Buddhist philosophy, elucidated further by Charlie Chaplin as, ‘Nothing is permanent in this wicked world - not even our troubles’. Yes, everything does come to a pass, and life must go on. ..

And life in SPACES, as before, will always be to inform and promote Art, Architecture & Design. The only difference now is that henceforth it will be with a stronger resolve and determination. Besides interacting in SPACES through a wider range of articles, we will be building on the strength of our established professional network to bring together through public events, professionals, academicians, researchers, and all those related to our field. Hence we will be holding interactions and presentations on a regular basis on issues and controversies which will work towards building a stronger future for our fraternity as well as the society.

Coming back to this issue- read about Niels Gutschow, a researcher, whose ‘experience of people and places in Nepal was more than interesting - it was life’. Read also about John Sanday’s and Luigi Fieni’s unrelenting dedication on the restoration works in Upper Mustang. Besides these, a special mention must be made here on Archiplan’s achievement as the winner of the Master Plan & Urban Design Competition for the South Asian University Campus to be constructed in New Delhi. Another important information, dear Readers, is that this issue carries the first of a series of articles by Kai Weise on Himalayan Architecture and its development.

Read on.....and until the next issue...

Editor's Note: If you are Looking For A Platform: • To publish your Architectural / Interior Design / Research Works.

• To explore your writing abilities on Architecture and Interior Design.

• To voice your opinion on Planning, Environment and Design Issues.

Write to editor@spacesnepal.com spacesnepal.com

14

September - October 2011

Contributors John Sanday OBE, FSA, a British architect specialising in historic monuments and sites in Asia, has spent 40 years working in Nepal, initially with UNESCO. Recently he set up John Sanday Associates, a Nepalese architectural practice and spent 12 years working on monasteries in Mustang. In 2004 John was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his contribution to heritage conservation in Nepal and Cambodia. John is also Global Heritage Fund’s Regional Director in Asia.

Kai Weise is a Nepali national of Swiss origin. He completed his Masters in Architecture from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich in 1992 and has been working as a Planner and Architect in the Himalayan Region. Weise has been working in various capacities as a UNESCO consultant and advisor to the UNESCO office in Kathmandu since 2004.

Luigi Fieni has been a scientific consultant for conservation and restoration at John Sanday Associates.

At present he holds the same position for the American Himalayan Foundation, whose most relevant restoration projects in which he has been involved, is the one carried out in Mustang at the Monastries of Thupcen and Jampa, directed by him since 2004.

Dikshya Poudyal received her B.Arch degree from IOE Pulchowk campus in 2010.

She carries a passion for writing and believes that architecture has always been something that carries with it the essence of time and culture.

Shristi Shrestha is a final year architecture student at Nepal Engineering College, Bhaktapur. She has worked as a trainee architect with John Sanday Associates in Kathmandu, and along with architecture journalism Shristi is also interested in interior design and energy efficient design. spacesnepal.com

16

from SONA SONA gets a new office Every small write-up may unknowingly get delayed at times with very important reasons, but this one may have an everlasting reason to cherish too. In my context the reason could have been an enlightenment of knowing an architect in the throne in a very difficult political quagmire. I on behalf of everyone in our fraternity of architects should take the pride to congratulate an architect Dr. Baburam Bhattarai for taking the responsibility of the chair as the prime minister of the country. We should all wish him a big success.

The other reasons for the delay could be the polite withdrawal of Steve Jobs from Apple as an active CEO, my small encounters with musicians and professors from Academia of Norway and Australia on a small tour for music education promotion in Nepal, my interaction with SPACES on bringing about resources for continuous professional development (CPD) for its fellow members and fraternity, or my brief encounter with enthusiast and Urban Planners at DUDBC. Or it may be because of my attendance at RUPSONS AGM and the interaction on the proposal for the future city byelaws and regulation of the Kathmandu Valley - a big mess with rampant mushroom growth of all the so called habitable spaces, or the participation in Arc-Asia 2011 in Danang, Veitnam by our President and International Committee Chairman and their efforts on getting Arc-Asia 2013 in Kathmandu. With the never ending list of attendance and assimilation of knowledge the big reason surely should unfold.

Which sometimes compel me to think if the world is only for Entrepreneurs in their small cocoon? Steve may have written codes running in miles in length, but always fitting smartly in his heavenly attire of Apple jigsaws with millions of followers. The musical academia and their disciples may always fit in their intangible attire of sonatas, notes and chords. A venue like Arcasia 2011 Vietnam or probable ArcAsia 2013 in Kathmandu can be a big platform for deliberation of yet another big intellectual episode!

In the end, the big dilemma gets even bigger for a city like Kathmandu with the history of more than 2000 years if we architects and planners stop giving a bit. Then I start wondering about the Malla Kingship who even used to peek through their Aankhi Jhya and terraces to confirm the smoke in the public chimneys to pacify their souls. After almost five centuries preceding Malla Dynasty we do have a very big moral responsibility to preserve the glory of the city that the world cherishes as a cultural heritage.

Lastly, I am pretty sure the Society of Nepalese architects is better equipped now to take a larger responsibility with its newly acquired premises and a permanent office space at Churchill Complex, Sundhara. We in the Executive committee and the fraternity are highly indebted for the generous support and contribution from the members and also from all the friends of architects. Definitely a big responsibility towards the destination ahead!

Debesh Raj Bhattarai, General Secretary, Society of Nepalese Architects

September - October 2011

A C C E S S O R I E S

FOR THE

UNORTHODOX– CASA

Text: Ar. Dikshya Poudyal

Every mind is a room packed with archaic furniture - Dee Hock Don’t know so much about the mind, but the Casa Home Accessories store in Anamnagar is packed with some unconventional and contemporary pieces which are definitely not day-to-day clichés.

Probably Casa wants to provide us with more than fashion because the accessories and furniture gives us a hint of that arduous passion for interiors along with a prepossessing appearance and function. If you are the kind of person who wants to furnish that flawless look to your interior spaces incorporating clean lines and elegance then Casa is certainly the place you should visit. The diversity of the store is such that it represents a small world within itself and fascinates you as to how the store could manage to glean those exclusive pieces which ranges from large elegant beds to smallest perfumed candles to cutting edge lighting equipments. Unquestionably, the pieces are personally handpicked from all over the world and they just reflect the hands of very meticulous designers.

You walk inside the satiny interior of the store and just a few glances will be enough to tempt you to take those contemporary chics home and if that does not do it, then I assure you that you cannot help falling for those fresh wooden tables made from Austrian pine.

The accessories offered range from rugs, sequined cushions, lamps, mirrors, vase, carpets and artistic bedspreads, sofas and dining sets. It even has a wooden kitchen sink in display that covers your spacesnepal.com

18

September - October 2011

A C C E S S O R I E S

entire kitchen need. From heavy purchases of over a lakh rupees master bed to inexpensive little baubles made from hay, each item will serve to give your interior an exquisite look. The store has its wings on two floors - the ground floor and the fourth floor – offering varieties of home furniture and accessories. The store would have definitely invited more customers if there were more varieties of office accessories as there are for homes.

Nonetheless, the store provides expert professional services for decorating the office interiors too according to the needs of the client.

Run by interior designer Rishi and his wife, Sunaina Saraf, they always ask themselves one question when choosing pieces from all over the world for Casa, “Would I buy this for my own home?” Well, my answer would certainly be a ‘Yes’, because they have succeeded in giving us that uniqueness through their preference which we search within ourselves. Casa is a must visit for those who are passionate about contemporary designs and functional aesthetics. For those who follow an orthodox path to decorate their interiors, I still recommend Casa before deciding on what to do because Casa might just be the place that changes your mind. n

September - October 2011

19

spacesnepal.com

S O L U T I O N S Internet Telephones

Environmental Outdoor Lighting

Pool & Spa

Motion Detection

Lighting Vehicle Detection Irrigation

Security

Audio / Video

Welcome

Home T 7 aspects of Home Automation System Text: Ar. Bansri Pandey

Will it not be surprising if your house says “Welcome Home” when you arrive at the gate?

While on vacation, how secure will you feel if your house gives you a call if there is a mishap?

How efficient will it be if your house switches off the desired lights when you say ‘good night’?

Thanks to home automation system that has made all this and more possible. As technology has become cheaper and more accessible than ever, home automation systems are no more the technology of the future. They are now readily available in Nepal.

1. REMOTE ACCESS Home automation design involves one centralized system to control the lights, temperature, music, security cameras, etc in a home. The system is also designed for remote internet-based operation through which you can access and control your system from anywhere in the world. It is easy to operate the entire installation with user-friendly interface. This means, that even when you are away from home, you can switch off lthe ights of your house and water your garden in one click! For those who live a hectic lifestyle and spend a lot of time away from their home, a smart home system is a major benefit. spacesnepal.com

20

For some, home automation may be something as simple as remote or automatic control of a few lights. For others, security may be the central application. Still others may choose to install advanced controllers. As a very basic definition, we tend to refer to home automation (popularly know as smart home system) as anything that gives you an automated control of things around your home.

Let us understand this new technology by analyzing its 7 aspects:

September - October 2011

S O L U T I O N S

2. ENERGY SAVING Smart home automation systems can allow you to control your home energy usage. By giving the system a responsibility of regulating the operation of lights, air conditioners, water heaters, appliances and irrigation systems so that these devices are ON only when needed, it saves you a lot of money on energy bills. These systems are gradually becoming synonyms of sustainability as much they are synonyms to convenience.

3. LIGHTING CONTROL – A TOOL FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS Lighting control is more than just mood-lighting. With home automation system, interior designers can explore lighting design in a smarter way. Now designers can propose lighting scene for one person to read a book or for the entire family to celebrate a party.

Safety at staircases and hallways can be strengthened by proposing lights at appropriate levels and controlling them with automated lighting control system.

6. MULTI ROOM AUDIO Music is another way to lighten up your mood. When combined with lighting, it gives your house a dramatic touch. Just like different lighting scenes, you may have different music combinations, being played for different purposes. For example, the system can be programmed to automatically play a soothing fusion track in the morning, while an instrumental track during dinner time and a pop song if you are having a party. Also you can play a maximum of six different songs in six different areas of the house at the same time. A change in the playlist of one area will not disturb the rest.

7. COST FOR INTELLIGENCE The big barrier to the acceptance of the home automation technology is its initial cost. It is also true that you do not have to install the entire system at the beginning. Gradually, as per your affordability and need, you can add more features to your system later. n

4. INSTALLATION IN EXISTING HOMES Home automation can be accomplished using various types of connectivity.

What’s great is that many of today’s home automation products are wireless and hence need no new wiring - so they are perfect to retrofit into an existing home.

Although, if you are building new or doing a major remodel, please consider adding networking, audio, video and control wiring while it is easy and relatively inexpensive. Later on you’ll be happy you did.

Home Automation also features a security system as a major aspect.

Security systems increase the chances of protection to your families from burglary, fire and gas leaks. Security alarm systems have for decades successfully saved valuable property and life. Many burglars are scared away just by the presence of a loud siren that can alert family, neighbors and friends. Generally, installation of this system involves running a large network of wires and cables. The latest technology also offer wireless security system that trigger alarm upon sensing motion in the house when the system is on. Window and door sensors will trigger the alarm when there is break-in. This makes the whole system easy to install and manage. spacesnepal.com

22

5. ONE-TOUCH LIGHTING CONTROL A lighting control system enables one-touch control of lights throughout the house.

Mood-based scenes can be created resulting in convenience and elegance. With the touch of a button, you can turn lights on or off, dim lights, control fans from anywhere in the house.

The lighting system can be programmed easily based on time of day, motion, security, mood and many other factors.

For example, you can program your lights to automatically turn on when you enter or turn off when you go off to sleep. You can set various lighting scenes for relaxing evening, a late night party, a holiday dinner ,etc and operate it with one-touch button.

Although the lighting control systems are automated, it doesn’t limit your ability to control individual lights the way you have always done.

ABOUT BIPASSANA INTERNATIONAL Bipassana International is a company founded with a vision of applying technology to make people’s lives better. In partnership with Eloka, it has introduced Home automation for the first time in Nepal. The company not only offers high quality products, it also offers design and support services. It is globally affiliated with organizations like Home automation inc., Creston, Epson, Commax, Bean, Yale, Somfy and Denon. It has an office and an experience center at in Kathmandu.

Contact person: Mr. Keyur Krishna Shrestha (keyur@eloka.net)

“You are not buying just the system, but also your peace of mind. It makes your life more convenient, safer and enjoyable. The customer should not only see the initial cost but should analyze the long term benefits too,” says Mr. Keyur Shrestha, MD of Bipassana International who has introduced home automation in Nepal.

With a broad selection of home automation products, our imagination is the limit as to how much digital we can be. While our obsession for technology has already converted a shake hand into a hello on chat; the day is not far when our homes welcome us smartly, saying ‘Welcome Home’.

September - October 2011

I N T E R I O R

The

Geometric

Orchid Text: Shristi Shrestha

spacesnepal.com

24

September - October 2011

I N T E R I O R

H

Home – a place where you belong, a place, you can call your own.

Cosy, spacious and definitely homely, these are some adjectives appropriate to describe the apartments in Orchid Tower at Ravi Bhawan.

September - October 2011

25

spacesnepal.com

I N T E R I O R

spacesnepal.com

26

September - October 2011

I N T E R I O R

The apartment’s interior, designed and executed by Creative Design Architects (P) Ltd, is spacious with clean geometrical lines and just the right amount of detailing on the walls. It houses 3 bedrooms- a master’s bedroom including attached bathroom with a balcony, a guest room and a cute kids room, a kitchen, a living cum dining area and a common toilet, a laundry room and a terrace garden.

The entry to the apartment opens up to a warm and beautifully lit up living cum dining area. The eye catching cream coloured sofa with floral patterned cushions blends harmoniously with the warm ambience of the room. The colours used are like the sprinkle of just the right amount of spices- neither too loud and nor too bland. Off white on the walls are spiced up with an occasional use of orange and caramel on wood that is harmonious with the parquet on the floor and accessorized with beautiful oil paintings. The lighting done through the false ceiling adds a dimension and sense of drama in the living room.

September - October 2011

27

spacesnepal.com

I N T E R I O R

spacesnepal.com

28

September - October 2011

I N T E R I O R

A spacious kitchen with ample storage room is provided to the left of the dining area. Planned in a triangular manner, it provides plenty of space for free movement while working.

A small laundry room is adjacent to the main living area with three openings one leading to entry area, one to the kitchen and the other to terrace garden, which could also be used as a side entry.

Three bedrooms are provided in the apartment - two with attached bathrooms, and one pretty in pink kid’s room. The kid’s room is right next to the dining area with a single bed, a study table and book storing cabinet. It consists of really “cute” eye catchers like the teddy bear and sun shaped lighting fixtures.

The dining area for six is close to the kitchen, separated from the living area by few caramel coloured false wooden columns, creating a visual obstruction, yet providing ample space for circulation and giving an open feeling. The use off-white tone used on tiles for flooring brightens up the space and draws an undefined territory of the dining area from the living area.

All the furniture used in the room are of uniform colour, awakening a feeling of unity and harmony in the room and stacking of the furniture along the recess of the walls gives the place an uncluttered feeling. The monotony of the wall has been broken by the use of contrasting orange colour and providing space for storage and to display artefacts. The contemporary designed bathrooms with modern accessories, have bathing space provided and storage beneath the sinks.

The designers have successfully created a space, that is perfect for a family realizing the needs of a modern Nepali family. Made in Nepal, and yet of an international feel and sophistication, this is a place that you will definitely like to go home to. n September - October 2011

29

spacesnepal.com

A R C H I T E C T U R E

WHY TO

Build?

‘Nature doesn’t care whether we live or die.’ Do we?

© Uday S. Shrestha

Text: Ar. Bansri Pandey Images: Spirit of Place - Spirit of Design

spacesnepal.com

30

September - October 2011

A R C H I T E C T U R E

Led by Travis Price, the design process of Spirit of Place - Spirit of Design takes over a period of a semester at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C.

DO WE CARE WHETHER A PART OF NATURE DIES AS LONG AS WE LIVE ON IN COMFORT? While the forests on our hills are being wiped out, the oceans are being swept clean of fish, our vehicles spread more pollution in one day than one green building can save in a year; we live peacefully in our comforts holding onto our ignorance and our selfishness. Culturally, we know that out of 6000 languages spoken today, half are not taught to the next generation. And to our disgrace, in the race of modernity, we build on the sacred land of our country, these worthless structures that do nothing to inspire the future.

CULTURE

FUTURE

Why? Is architecture only about how to and how much to build? Have we stopped asking ourselves the question, ‘why to build’?

Thus, today along with ‘Spirit of Place - Spirit of Design, Inc.(SPSD)’, we take you on a quest to build a meaningful architecture that binds together nature, culture and future.

‘Spirit of Place’ is a design-build expedition program for undergraduate and graduate architecture students of the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. Under the leadership of Travis Price - an American architect, author, teacher, philosopher, SPSD has designed and built creative architectural symbols at Nepal, Italy, Ireland, Amazon and in many other places where traditional values and modernity are at conflict. The design process of the program takes place over the period of a semester, while the team of students, faculty, local artisans and non-profit sponsors come together on the site to construct the design within 9 days. To find the answers to our quest, let’s walk on some of the expeditions with SPSD today.

NATURE View of Namje & Thumki Village, Bhedetar VDC, Nepal.

The ‘Memorial to the Ancestors’ Expedition is sited on the top of the wooded hill (foreground right), originally a burial ground and now turned into an organic agriculture demonstration area through Learning Grounds.

September - October 2011

31

spacesnepal.com

A R C H I T E C T U R E

Expedition 1999: ‘FLOATING IN TEN THOUSAND SENSES’

Location: Yacumama Eco Lodge, Amazon River, Peru A home for 2.5 million insect species, tens of thousands of plants and 2000 birds and mammals is the mightiest river on earth – Amazon. Analyzing the biodiversity around the river, experts estimate that one square kilometer of Amazon rainforest may contain over 75,000 types of trees, 150,000 species of plants and about 90,000 tons of living plants.

Located 120km north of Iquitos in Peru, is an eco-tourist retreat named ‘Yacumama Lodge’ built on the Amazon River with the intention of lodging travelers and researchers while preserving thousands of acres of ecologically rich land. The lodge had built a full array of photovoltaic collectors and the world’s first ecofriendly septic system. The Lodge invited Spirit of Place team to build a floating eco-friendly houseboat as a part of their retreat.

After a semester of research, the team of students and faculties came down to the site to build for 9 days inside a distant landscape with an unknown culture. The floating base of the structure made of 4-feet diameter Balsa tree, was made ready before their arrival.

The indigenous Yarapa people live a primitive life along the river edges and live in family huts – bohias, with strong vertically spacesnepal.com

32

September - October 2011

A R C H I T E C T U R E

pitched roofs covered with woven palm branches called Thachos. Thus, the design of the structure not only reflects local architecture, but intentionally uses various thacho techniques which were taught by the Yarapa people to the students on site.

The design of the roof also had to make sure that the heat could rise and escape but at the same time should shed the heavy rains. Thus, the peak of the roof was separated at the ridge to let the air out. To cover the open gap, cascading metal curved roof pieces were installed. This helped the light to come in and the heat to go out without rain pouring in.

The local people were observed to copy this technique later in their homes. Smallest of the details were designed and constructed on site specially to protect the inhabitants from deadly Amazon mosquitoes. The project was completed having no detail undone right down to the benches, tables and even a wonderful swinging hammock bed.

With this project, SPSD succeeded in developing a unique solution to bring the essence of the place into a built form.

Expedition 2001: ‘THE NAGA SHRINE’

Location: Nagarjun Mountain, KTM, Nepal “‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by the Spirit’. To create the sacred temples of worship in every culture is as essential as feeding the masses.” - Travis Price While discussing the proposal for an Ayurvedic Yoga retreat to be built in Nepal, Travis Price and his team wanted to rise above the Nepali architecture and introduce a style which keeps an authentic spirit alive while introducing high tech advantages of the modern world. As an experiment to this idea, in 2001, he summoned his Spirit of Place team to build a shrine at the base of Nagarjun Mountain. After a semester of research about Nepal’s history, culture and spiritual ideologies, the team came on site for 9 days to build their vision.

The structure is a cantilevered platform over a 100-foot drop, where one could sit on a glass Mandala elated with spirit. The undulating cantilevered walkway which is covered by rippling bamboo pattern representing the snake walk, shoots off the cliff on a steel beam and

ends with a built platform. The platform is a steel cube having a glass floor shaped into a geometric mandala.

As one sits on this platform, its gentle shaking slowly settles down and so does one’s nerves to hopefully settle the inner self. Sitting in this modernist snake temple, you suddenly catch sight of Nagarjun Mountain. Being afloat, unafraid and meditating with Buddha, the shrine dedicated to Sukhavati (the place of bliss) and Nagamani (the snake of knowledge) awe-inspires the visitor.

September - October 2011

33

spacesnepal.com

A R C H I T E C T U R E

Expedition 2002: ‘THIN PLACES’

Location: Anagh Head, County Mayo, Ireland

“What is a Thin Place?”asked architect Travis Price to Seamus Caulfield, Ireland’s premier archeologist, in his search to understand Irish culture. With a mystified and mischievous smile, Caulfield answered, “In Irish life, Thin Places are the places where time past, future and present merge. They are real places in the landscape, a matrix of moment, where people find themselves falling into timelessness or eternity…the world where things outlive the physical.”

With curiosity, Price went around County Mayo to find a place that felt like that. It seemed impossible to find such a place till he went to Anagh Head, an exotic rock peninsula. He explored a thing called ‘Tir saile’ – where the earth (Tir) meets salted air (Saile). Salty air kills organic matter such as coastal moss; the moss then dies and new moss grows on top of the dead, on and on for centuries, thus creating a bouncy covering of 2 to 10 feet thick. Anagh Head is a huge landmass right at the line where storms can’t reach, right where the rocks ends and the moss begins. This was a place where one would expereince a very thin divide between past, present and future times.

For a semester, Price and his team of faculties and 25 students explored what a thin place is and how could it be expressed in architectural form; finally constructing it on site within 9 days.

The structure was built as a semi-beehive, as if a wave of stones is rising from the sea. The pathway to the structure has accelerating steel arches merging the open sky with the sharp edge of the sea. The structure has a thin divide between an expression of solid as well as void, joy as well as sadness, freedom as well as confinement.

The success of this project was measured when people came from all over to experience this ‘Thin Place’. They came to pray, celebrate, remember the lost loved ones and feel the eternal escape of time in this mysterious landscape. The architectural built form became part of the nature as a symbol of their culture to inspire the future.

spacesnepal.com

34

September - October 2011

A R C H I T E C T U R E

2003

1992

2004

1998

SOME OF THE OTHER EXPEDITIONS 1992 – ‘A Sacred Cache and the Crow’ – A temple.

2005

Location: Yukon Border, British Columbia.

1998 – ‘The Fullness of the Void’ – A Bridge.

Location: Vargas Island, British Columbia.

2003 – ‘Where the Daughter Winds of Islam Caress the Mirror of Venus’ – A Temple to Venus.

Location: Pantelleria, Italy.

2004 – ‘Vault of Heaven’ – A Shrine Processional dedicated to the children of Erris.

Location: Scotts Port, County Mayo, Ireland.

2005 - ‘The Children of Lir’ - A tale of 900 years told in sculpted land.

Location: Caraigh Taigh, Ireland.

2007 - ‘Temple of the Tides’ - Small reflection chapel dedicated to the “Emerging Irish”.

Location: Bellmullet, Ireland.

2008 -

‘National Memorial to James Hoban - Architect of the White House’ -A memorial

Location: Desart , Ireland.

2007

2010 – ‘Kalevalakehto’

- Shaman’s Haven of the Kalevala

– A Meeting Place

Location: Helsinki, Finland

2010

2008 September - October 2011

35

spacesnepal.com

A R C H I T E C T U R E

Expedition 2011: ‘MEMORIAL TO THE ANCESTORS’

Location: Namje & Thumki Village, Bhedetar VDC, Nepal Front Row from left: Kathleen Lane, Travis Price, Karna Magar (the local chief mason) and Rajeev Goyal with the author (blue jacket) and the SPSD team.

“When I looked inside the glass tomb, I was reminded of my friends and loved ones whom I have lost. It was a powerful feeling of honour that a built form can generate in one’s mind. This is truly a structure of this village community, for this village community and by this village community,” says Rajeev Goyal, founder of Learning Grounds.

Thumki which means ‘hill’ in nepali and Namje which seems to have come from the name ‘mamja’ meaning cloth bag; are two villages largely dominated by Magar community in Bhedetar VDC at Dhankuta district of Eastern Nepal.

Even though a majority of Magars accepted Hindusm, some still worship Buddhist gods and their dead ancestors. They believe in Shamanism and their Dhami. They have adopted their own practice of worship. They bury their dead and they have their own belief system regarding life after death.

In 2009, a plot of land was purchased for the high school to build an organic agriculture demonstration area. At the center of the plot was a burial ground which later was put to agriculture use after removing some of its tombstones. Located on the highest hill of the Thumki village, and visible from miles around, today this ancient burial ground is surrounded by the organic farm fields of Learning Grounds’ (an organization established by Ar. Priyanka Bista and Rajeev Goyal, volunteers who have worked in Namje and Thumki over the last several years) agricultural education center. In 2011, this site was chosen by Learning Grounds to build an architectural icon which may inspire and impart cultural spirit in the community. SPSD decided to involve its team of graduate and undergraduate students of the Catholic

spacesnepal.com

36

September - October 2011

A R C H I T E C T U R E

University at Washington DC, to explore the culture, history and ecology of the site for developing the design of a monument which was called the ‘Memorial to the Ancestors’.

based on its sacred past. Villagers have worked side by side with an emerging generation of American architects. Both groups learnt from each other during the experience. n

After a semester of research, the team came up with a design which was constructed within 9 days at site by SPSD students, faculties, local artisans and villagers with the help of Learning Grounds and Spaces. There are 8 exterior walls surrounding the 9m x 9m plinth base and 8 interior walls surrounding the grave in the center. The visitor walks over the path of black slate tiles bordered by 7 feet tall stone walls. The slit openings in the wall allow breathtaking views of the natural surroundings as well as surprising views of the glass grave inside.

Walking around this pathway increases the feeling of a mysterious prayer that moves around till you get to the center.

At the center, a rocky bed protects a grave made of glass with the intent that you can look inside to see a dark pit to remember the ancestors who have been buried there, yet also reflect into the sky to look forward to the future. The glass tomb reminds of the sacred metaphor amongst Magars that ancestors symbolically watch over the community.

The project at its core has been about developing an innovative modern architectural language for Nepal September - October 2011

37

spacesnepal.com

H I M A L AYA N

T RA I L S

SHELTER on the moving MOUNTAINS

Š Ashesh Rajbansh

Text & Images: Ar. Kai Weise

The Himalayan region is characterized by a mosaic of diverse landscapes, climates, ethnicities and cultures. The story of the creation of this fascinating landscape began some 90 million years ago. A thin piece of the ancient Gondwana continent broke away and sped north travelling a couple of thousand kilometres over the next 50 million years or so and collided with the Eurasian plate. There are still many aspects of the

Plate Tectonic theory that are contested, however it provides a graphic picture of the events that have led to the spectacular geological formations along the Himalayas.

spacesnepal.com

38

September - October 2011

H I M A L AYA N

T RA I L S

As the mountains were formed, a climatic barrier was created. Thus, the high precipitation towards the south resulted in deep valleys and mighty rivers cutting through the mountain range.

THE CREATION OF A NEW LANDSCAPE

create the present massifs with peaks over 8000 meter high.

The effect of the collision is a rather complex study on the behaviour of the two plates as they rammed into each other. The Indian Plate was shorted by about 2500 km with most of this crust being subducted under the Tibetan plateau, deforming and raising the Tibetan block. The floor of the Tethys Ocean was lifted and folded upwards creating the first range of relatively low mountains. In the next phase the edge of the Indo-Australian Plate was further thrust up and folded backwards to the south. The final thrust which might have taken place as late as 600,000 years ago, squeezed up great masses of rock to

As the mountains were formed, a climatic barrier was created and the northern areas dried up. During the summer months the great landmass of the Tibetan plateau heated up and the warmer air rose, sucking in air from the south. The resulting strong winds, the Monsoons, carried warm humid air towards the mountains and as it was forced to rise, there was condensation.

The gradient and high precipitation towards the south led to greater erosion, deep valleys being cut into the soft layers of the newly formed landscape.

The effect of the collision of the Indian with the Tibetan Plate is a rather complex study, further developing finally into the creation of the present 8000 meter high massifs.

September - October 2011

39

spacesnepal.com

H I M A L AYA N

T RA I L S

The river systems developed with the area behind the main mountain range being drained by the two mighty rivers: the Brahmaputra to the east and the Indus to the west.

The precipitation on the southern flanks drained into the Ganges.

Interesting to note is that some major rivers actually cut through the main mountain range which would have only been possible if they were able to erode away the valleys faster than the final uplift.

While structures in the cold and dry climate of the Tibetan plateau (below) are responsive with thick rammed earth walls and flat roofs covered with earth, buildings in the foothills (top) with cool, wet climate are built with sloping roofs, shingles and thatch. Those in the hot, wet climate of the plains are light constructions.

spacesnepal.com

40

Then again, when the great mass of rocks was piled up, the weight was so great that it settled and tilted back to regain equilibrium, shearing from the surrounding landmass. This blocked the rivers and created lakes along the whole range. The mighty rivers flowed perpendicular to the mountain range, converging and at some point breaking through the hills, spilling out into the plains of the Terai. For example the Koshi river system breaks through at Chatra near Dharan and the Gandaki flows out near Narayanghat. Some lakes

September - October 2011

continued existing in the valleys such as Srinagar and Kathmandu. The lake of the Kathmandu Valley is believed to have drained out over the past thirty thousand years and possibly for the last time around eighteen thousand years ago. Sediments were gradually deposited at the bottom of the lake providing fluvio-lacustrine clay and sand. The black clay contained decayed organic matter from the lake which made it extremely fertile.

Bands of peat and coal were also present which show that the valley was swampy and dry alternatively.

MIGRATING INTO THE NEW LANDSCAPE Neolithic tools have been found along the Himalayas and in the Kathmandu Valley indicating that people lived here at least since the past nine thousand years. People came and interpreted their surroundings, bestowing their landscape with divine significance. The mountains were given titles such as “Mother Goddess of the Land” (Chomolongma) and “Dispenser of Food” (Annapurna).

H I M A L AYA N

The Kathmandu Valley was strategically located between the seven holy rivers of the Kosi to the west and the seven holy rivers of the Gandaki to the east. The Swayambhu Purana describes the geological formation of the legendary lake Nagavasahrada. Legend has it that after Manjushri cut through the hills to drain the valley, the infuriated water serpents whose habitat had been destroyed brought about alternate periods of floods and droughts.

This shows how closely the people understood their environment and geological processes were attributed to the creative energy of the gods.

Over centuries people migrated to this fringe area between the ancient cultural spheres of South Asia and East Asia. They came either to flee from persecution or in search of new prospects. They brought with them their religion, their language, their craftsmanship and enterprise. They came to graze their livestock, to farm,

to hunt and to gather. They settled in a landscape with the highest mountains and the deepest gorges as well as the highest rate of uplift and the highest rate of erosion. The Continental Plates are still moving and the Himalayas are rising at an approximately rate of 5 mm per year, causing energy to build up along the fault lines which is then released through earthquakes.

RESPONDING TO THE LANDSCAPE Shelters were built in the diverse contexts of this relatively new landscape. Although no extensive study has been done of all the various forms of shelter along the Himalayas, there is however clear evidence that where there is limited economic resource, the forms are primarily based on the availability of materials that are most appropriate for the given climate.

The extreme topographic gradient in the north-south direction has an obvious impact on the form of

T RA I L S

the shelters. The cold, dry climate towards the Tibetan plateau allows for structures with thick rammed earth walls and flat roofs covered with earth.

The buildings in the cool, wet climate along the foothills are most often built of stone with sloping roofs of slate, shingles or thatch. In the hot, wet climate of the plains the structures are usually light constructions of wood or bamboo with sloping thatch or shingle roofs.

There is a more subtle gradient in the climate and topography when observed along the 2,400 km length of the Himalayas. This subtle difference allows for variations based on cultural parameters. Structurally the houses of the Limbus, the Tamangs and the Gurungs who all live along the foothills are very similar. However the craftsmanship, the finishes, the ornamentation and the symbolic value given to the various parts of the house would be different based on their individual ethnic cultures.

September - October 2011

41

spacesnepal.com

H I M A L AYA N

T RA I L S

Where economy allowed, highly evolved forms of architecture became the identity of the community. spacesnepal.com

42

September - October 2011

H I M A L AYA N

T RA I L S

For those constantly on the move, like the pastoral tribes along the Tibetan Plateau, a different set of rules apply – yak hair tents and carved out cave dwellings.

ARCHAIC SHELTERS

CULTURAL EVOLUTION Where the economy allowed, the forms of settlement and shelter developed to express the more complex character of a civilization.

This development generally consisted of elaborate religious and community structures and intricate settlement patterns. The ornamentation, workmanship and an elaborate choice of materials used for the more significant buildings began to be employed in the construction of the dwellings.

This process can be observed in the Kathmandu Valley where economic surplus was achieved through intensive farming of the fertile land and the trans-Himalayan trade.

The compact urban structure was defined by the trade routes and the courtyard units which originated from the Buddhist Viharas. As little as possible of the fertile agricultural land was occupied. In contrast to the predominantly stone structures along the foothills, the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley used the readily available clay to burn bricks. A highly developed form of architecture developed using elaborate decorative bricks and tiles

with carved wooden posts, struts and windows. In addition to the highly developed ornamentation, the Newari craftsmen also engaged themselves with ingenious methods of seismic design, a highly complex task which modern engineering is still struggling with.

Such highly evolved forms of architecture became the identity of the community. Though developed in a particular place under specific conditions, the community used this form of architecture even when establishing settlements in a different environment. This can be observed in the Newari settlements that are located outside the Kathmandu Valley. In a place like Bandipur, where one would have expected stone structures, the Newari tradesmen built brick houses - a symbolic value of identity becoming predominant. This is even more pronounced with religious structures.

The “Nepali� temple on the ghats of Benares was built in the form of a Newari tiered temple. Similarly, Buddhist Monasteries retained their architecture language whether built in the mountainous, foothills or the plains.

A totally different set of rules applied for those people who were constantly on the move. The pastoral tribes along the Tibetan Plateau followed a seasonal migration pattern and lived in yak-hair tents which could be easily dismantled and transported. In Mizoram, Jhum or shifting cultivation was traditionally practiced and every few years the shelter needed to be moved to a newly cleared plot of land. This did not require for any permanent houses to be built and therefore simple light bamboo structures on stilts were constructed.

The earliest form of shelter used by humans was the cave. Over the centuries elaborate cave dwellings were developed, carving out specialized rooms with interlinking passages and steps such as the ones discovered in Upper Mustang. These have been abandoned, but certain tribes in eastern Arunachal Pradesh are even today found to be living in caves.

SHELTERS AS FORMS OF EXPRESSION By constructing shelters people have been able to settle in extreme conditions and protect themselves from their surroundings. The response to the environment is the basic condition that is addressed through the form of the traditional houses. This can however not be the only factor that defines these buildings, for there are too many variations in the forms, materials and finishes within similar environments. It is the genius of human creativity and the importance of symbols and the divine that allow communities to express their unique identity in their form of shelter. n

EDITORIAL NOTE The Himalayan Trail will be a series of articles by Ar. Kai Weise, tracing and analysing the evolution of shelter to its present form in the Himalayan belt of this part of Asia touching India, China and Pakistan.

September - October 2011

43

spacesnepal.com

I N F O C U S

Facing the Facts of Conservation

an afternoon with Niels Gutschow Text: Ar. Swati Pujari Images: Niels Gutschow

Areal view of PujahariMath c. 1970

M

Most people define their lives in two aspects - their work and their passion. But if you are lucky, there is just a fine line between your work and your passion. And if you are luckier, your work is your passion. It is perhaps not entirely possible to define whether Niels Gutschow is a lucky man or if he is luckier still, but rest assured, he has definitely found his passion in his work.

spacesnepal.com

44

September - October 2011

I N F O C U S

In July 1962, Niels first entered Nepal as he was travelling through Burma and Japan, and in his two weeks of stay, he witnessed the Jatra of Bungadyah.

Within these two weeks he vowed to return to Nepal.

He kept his promise, when in September 1970, after graduating architecture from Germany, he came back to inspect the PujariMath in Bhaktapur.

The restoration of the Pujahari Math, the first bilateral restoration project in Nepal, was a unique approach

by Heinrich Seemann from the German Embassy.

The restoration was gifted to the then crown prince Birendra Shah, and a few young enthusiastic architects from Germany, including Gutschow, volunteered to work in the project. Gutschow remembers how he and his friends were all “young people who were willing to go anyplace and do something, without any formal remuneration, we simply came because we liked to be here.”

The times and places from 40 years back are fresh in the mind of Gutschow. Talking about Bhaktapur, his words turn from admiration to passion. The place was more than a home to him; it was a dreamland, where he was living together with all the gods. The lives of the people here captured his mind, and the fact that their lives were outside in the squares and the streets was more than just interesting to him. He compares this to the life in the western part of the world where “first of all you don’t see anybody, and then you don’t see anything. Except for driving a car and shopping, there is no human life.” But that was not the same here.

Here his experience of people and places was more than interesting, it was life.

Niels Gutschow is primarily a researcher. He has been traveling around Asia for decades and has published multiple books on spaces, rituals and architecture of different places including India, Nepal and Japan both in English and German. And research is what brought him to Nepal. He remembers how, although he was one of the initial people to have ‘invented’ the Bhaktapur Development Project, by persuading the organizations in Germany and by preparing the first basic outlines for the project in 1973, he was never formally involved in the project as

he was doing his own research, and while doing his research he could be his own ‘hakim’ (boss).

The Bhaktapur Development Project, in itself was a good project since, according to Gutschow, Bhaktapur has emerged with a strong identity.

At a time when Kathmandu is a ruin and Patan is on the verge of becoming a ruin, especially due to the lack of implementation of restrictions, Bhaktapur, incidentally has a strong political control, resulting in the enforcement of byelaws by the municipalities.

Although conservation is not his primary occupation, Gutschow has been involved in preservation throughout his stay in Nepal. One of the most challenging as well as interesting aspects of conservation that he discusses is the conservation of private houses. The Bhaktapur Development Project was dreaming of preserving private houses, and he calls it a dream as you cannot force people to preserve an old house, especially in a context where people enjoy living in a new house. When asked about the challenges and guidelines of preserving a private house, Gutschow answers that “you cannot guide the preservation of a private house”; people need to be persuaded and convinced and the best way to convince people is monetarily. Unfortunately in Nepal, these practices have not been entirely applicable as firstly there is no record or list of privately owned monuments and secondly the government has neither the interest nor the ability to finance the maintenance of these private monuments. Even more unfortunate is the fact that a tax rebate, which is a common practice elsewhere, is also not such a lucrative option here. So how do you preserve a house? “The best way to preserve a house is to buy a house.” Many organizations in Europe, buy old houses, preserve them and then rent them out. It is a good practice, and it can be applied in Nepal too, especially in core areas like Patan, a place where forming foundations and running them would not be a problem as “Patan is full of money,” but it currently lacks the interest of the people.

September - October 2011

45

spacesnepal.com

I N F O C U S

Detailed sketch of Bhagirath at the Sundhara at Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Niels believes that making drawings recording what is there is also an act of conservation.

Illustration by: Bijay Basukala spacesnepal.com

46

September - October 2011

I N F O C U S Work in Progress in the renovation of PujahariMath, Bhaktapur

Gutschow also stresses that talking about laws and norms is not good enough. When asked about the conservation practices in many of his works where missing details are reproduced, Gutschow replies that he is very proud of not following the allegedly internationally valid norms and charters but rather asks to respond to the local situation.

“These norms were made in Europe, they are imported so what do they mean here? Not much, why should we import these norms instead of answering to the local situation and listening to the carpenters?” As Niels puts forward these questions, he also has his own answers to them. For him, propagating these international norms is not the answer; for him, understanding the monument and answering to the prevalent problems does not come from preconceived norms, it comes from living with the monument, knowing it and loving it. “It comes out of love, and the love for the monument is the key point, and it is this love that gets one through all the criticism. Conservation is criticized, that is just the way it is, and there is nothing one can do about it – “you have to bear it” - but if you have loved your monument and, along with the living society, if you have answered to its needs, then the criticism from the objective visitor is not a problem, in fact it is quite expected.”

When asked if he agrees with the decided definition of conservation, he replies that conservation cannot be defined - it should not be defined. Sure there are declarations and charters and norms, but what good are they if they are not invented in the place where they are practiced? “I once, in 1993, advised to withdraw the entire Ancient Monument Preservation Act and put it in the rubbish, and then think of a new law.” Nobody in Nepal has tried to find any definitions for conservational practices in Nepal, and Gutschow does not want to come up with any definitions, “because it should come from our Nepali friends - people like Sudharshan Raj Tiwari, Surya Bhakta Sangachee, Deepak Pant, Biresh Shah, Mohan Pant - they should come together regularly and engage in active discussions and maybe come up with a philosophy of conservation in Nepal.” And the philosophy does not necessarily have to concur with the international norms, because more than norms, quality is important.

Gutschow recalls his involvement in preparing the measured drawings of Swayambhu, initially for his own research, but he also worked on the Swayambhu Conservation Masterplan, financed by GTZ, where they wanted to preserve the entire hill as a natural site.

Unfortunately later there were fences built around the hill and the huge images at the Buddha Park were established.

“There were two different approaches, and the idea of conservation is never on the winning side, perhaps much like the idea of quality. There are different parties involved - tourists, common people, politics, but these are not the

parties who can stress on conservation or who can define quality, we professionals should do that.”

Conservation in Nepal is also tricky since the involved organization is the Department of Archaeology. What does archaeology have to do with conserving a living monument?

Archaeology and architecture are two entirely different things and there should clearly be a different department for this purpose.

Also the laws in Nepal talk about a monument defined as a building more than a hundred years old, which firstly is too long a time, and do these organizations even have trained eyes that can identify buildings that are more than a hundred years old?

A discussion with Dr. Niels Gutschow ends with many questions questions regarding the interest of people to conserve, regarding the philosophies, norms and practices, questions regarding quality, and the crucial question about where you can find these answers. Perhaps you can find it in the pages of a book, in the words of a conservationist, in the discussions of wise and experienced men, or maybe, just maybe you can find the answers right in front of you, in the monument, in the people living with the monument, in the life that the monument feeds on, and perhaps you just have to look closely. n

Born in 1941 in Hamburg as the son of an architect, Gutschow stdudied architecture at the University of Darmstadt, where he also completed his PhD on the Japanese Castle Towns in 1973. In the late 1970s he established the department of conservation at the municipality at Münster and for two decades he was a member of the National Kommittee for Conservation of the Federal Republic of Germany. Besides doing carrying out research in Nepal he specializes in 20th century history of architecture and planning of Europe. Gutschow is honorary professor of the Heidelberg University, South-Asia Institute. At present he works on an extensive documentation (three volumes with almost 2000 illustrations), titled “Architecture of the Newars”.

September - October 2011

47

spacesnepal.com

H E R I T A G E

ABOVE THE

Clouds

CONSERVING THE MONASTERY OF UPPER MUSTANG, NEPAL Text & Images: John Sanday Editing: Bansri Pandey

‘‘

“The day we crested the last pass before reaching Lomanthang, was a moment of great fulfilment – we were close to our destination, and there in the distance we could see the unique walled city and knowingly pick out the red smudge in the middle of the town which was the Thubchen Gompa,”

John Sanday.

spacesnepal.com

48

September - October 2011

H E R I T A G E

T

The roof structure over the main altar inside Thubchen Lhakhang (the prayer hall), where 3 meter high seated Buddhist divinities were placed, was about to fall. Two principal rafters had fractured under duress and any unskilled interference would likely cause the immense 1 metre thick earthen flat roof to crash down causing severe damage to the divinities beneath. Thanks to the American Himalayan Foundation (AHF) from San Francisco and the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC), a project was initiated to conserve this Buddhist Monastery in Upper Mustang.

As the Project Director, John Sanday carefully selected his team and led a group of his three most trusted carpenters from Kirtipur, Dr. Corneille Jest, a Tibetan specialist from France and staff from John Sanday Associates to check out the structural failures in Thubchen. Walking up through the Kali Gandaki, passing through the deepest canyons in the world, experiencing the altitude and never ending hill-trails, the team made their first trip in 1996 to what was then known as ‘the Forbidden Kingdom’.

September - October 2011

49

spacesnepal.com

H E R I T A G E

“Thubchen Gompa - over to you John!” John Sanday, nostalgically remembers these words announced, addressing his team, as a transfer of responsibilities to conserve Thubchen Gompa of Lomanthang in 1998.

The 3 metre tall Sakyamuni Buddha in the monastery with its roof sagging precariously.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS Thubchen Gompa with its burnt umber colour welcomes the visitor with the large entrance of double wooden doors.

Further inside, passing through the red painted doors leading to the main Lhakhang (the prayer hall), you are enveloped by a deep and spiritual world.

Lofty 22 feet high columns rise to support the skylights as shafts of sunlight pierce the darkened prayer hall. The eyes of the three metre tall beaten copper image of the Sakyamuni Buddha surveys all who enter and the accompanying divinities are there to receive all visitors.

The walls of the Lhakhang, covered in layers of centuries old soot, reveal paintings of divinities having the odd glint of gold and a sense of brilliant but restrained decoration. Alas, the lower two metres of these 15th Century masterpieces have long disappeared due to dampness and salt action. In several instances, rain and snow-melt has cut 5cm deep channels into the wall, severely disfiguring this priceless artwork.

The roof above the front altar was sagging precariously. It was indeed impossible to give sound support to the fragile roof as it was located immediately above the heads of the divinities. However, by building a structural bridge over one of the divinity’s laps, the team could provide sound

spacesnepal.com

50

temporary support which would hold the fractured beams in place and, should the structure fail, the temporary structure would act as a supporting pillar until the team returned two years later.

CONSERVATION WORK BEGINS In 1998 with the bureaucracy complete, the first of nine annual working missions set off on the long trail to Lomanthang.

Transporting the AHF team, all its food, materials and equipment from Kathmandu to Lomanthang was in itself a daunting prospect, and as the years went by, the team perfected the task. Before starting the conservation work, the team needed the consent of Lo Manthang’s community for this unique and spectacular building.

In the presence of the Raja (King) of Mustang – Jigme Palbar Bista and the religious leader of the Sakyapa – His Holiness Khenpo Tashi Tenzin Rinpoche, a Gompa Restoration Committee was formed and the community agreed to assist with this unique conservation programme.

Soon, under the direction of conservation architect John Sanday and his team of Nepali apprentices, the skilled Newari carpenters from Kirtipur, the maestros in wall paintings conservation from Italy and with support from the local craftsmen and labour, the repair and conservation work began in Thubchen Gompa.

September - October 2011

H E R I T A G E

In order to protect the 500 years old clay divinities in the Gompa, the repair of the damaged roof was the first task of the structural repair team.

September - October 2011

51

spacesnepal.com

H E R I T A G E

1

8

2

1. One of the carpenters / wood carver from Kirtipur repairing the snarling snow lion heads in the skylight over the prayer hall. Following original examples, they replaced few lost teeth, missing ears and in some cases complete heads of the lions.

2. About 3 hours walk from Thubchen lived a remarkable 70 year old craftsman – a specialist in mud plastering. He joined the project and worked diligently with a team of students teaching them about the different clays to be found in the mountains around Lomanthang – the special mixes for the base layers and the perfect finishes of honed white clay on which the wall paintings would be created. He died during the last year of the project, having completed his wish to pay homage to the Sakyamuni Buddha by working in Thubchen.

THE CHALLENGES More than the technique of conservation, the real challenge was to train up this local team in the technology and philosophy of conservation of these unique structures and works of art.

The first task of the structural repair team was to protect the 500 years old divinities beneath the damaged roof of the altar from weather, falling debris and all the likely mishaps of a construction program. These divinities are sculpted in clay and should they get wet, they would just melt away.

The skills of the carpenters from Kirtipur were essential to achieve the complicated repairs required in the roof structure and to train the carpenters of Mustang in the techniques of structural repair and conservation. It was an uphill task, as the local carpenters had hardly used measuring tapes or right angle squares to set out their work. They worked on human dimensions - a hand span, a forearm … or a calculated guess!

A bigger challenge for the local community was to find timber. There was a large pile of timber collected for use in the temples but they were too short to span the roof space.

The Raja and the senior members of the community accepted the responsibility and

spacesnepal.com

52

September - October 2011

rode to the Tibetan border to negotiate for the required lengths of timber. Three months later timber appeared on the horizon as four teams of eight Lhobas struggled over the mountainous terrain carrying the required timber.

Four timber pieces a day were carried from the border – a six hour walk away. They appeared like centipedes struggling through large sand dunes on the side of the mountain and when the first timbers, 6 metre in length arrived on the backs of the four teams of Lhobas, the entire community was out to cheer them on as they struggled up the path from the river and passed through the gate into Lomanthang. The delay in bringing the timber on site enabled the carpenters to prepare the massive composite timber beams in time to receive the rafters. The composite beams were made up of eleven sections of timber, which were held together with iron stirrups to form a hollow beam, about 75cms wide and 75cms deep. Over the centuries, these beams had twisted and racked as a result of seismic movement. Rather than trying to put them in straight lines, it was decided to repair them and to leave them in their twisted state retaining their patina of age. The beams were cleaned to expose their original colours and the lacunae were an authentic match.

8

8

As the available timber was too short to span the roof, the Raja negotiated them to be carried from the Tibetan border, a six hours walk away - four pieces a day.

8

H E R I T A G E

John Sanday realised it was essential to seek the skills of an Italian team of conservators with knowledge and experience in consolidating, cleaning, restoring and even temporarily removing such priceless works of art from the walls. During the twelve years working in Lomanthang, six different specialists joined the team and imparted their knowledge and different talents to a group of over 30 trainees. Two young women of the group enabled the team to break the taboo of allowing women to work in the temple as trainees and, by the end of the project the women, outnumbered the men! This group excelled themselves as conservators and were classed as some of the best trainees to have worked with the Italian specialists.

8

Due to centuries of neglect, lack of maintenance and excessive dampness, the paintings became damaged, disintegrated and peeled from the wall surfaces. spacesnepal.com

54

September - October 2011

H E R I T A G E 8 FORMING THE DEFORMED DIVINITIES The wall paintings in Thubchen for the most part are the original 15th Century paintings and are attributed to the Newari craftsmen from the Kathmandu Valley. Locally, however, the paintings are thought to be the work of Tibetan artists.

The paintings are dominated by magnificent Sakyamuni Buddhas who in their seated, posture are approximately 3.75 metres high and 2 metres wide. The Italians describe the painting technique as “Secco” or the “Dry” method; that is to say the high quality mineral paints are painted onto a dry backing plaster which is made of very fine white clay, burnished to an almost glossy finish. The original colours are made from minerals such as cinnabar and ground semi-precious stones such as malachite and turquoise.

intrinsic value diminished by a well meaning artist wishing to gain merit by repainting the missing sections of the wall paintings.

In Lomanthang the debate has raged over time and, as foreign conservators were undertaking the project, it was strongly recommended that repainting was not an option as there is NO evidence of what was originally there. The task that faced the conservators was therefore to undertake a true and faithful `state of the art’ conservation and restoration programme of this priceless artwork.

During the twelve years of working in several Gompas in Mustang, it became clear that the decision not to repaint the missing lower sections of the paintings was the correct one as the intensive cleaning of the painted surfaces and the retouching “How can we worship deformed Divinities?” was a of the lacunae magnified the exceptional artistry statement that set John Sanday and his team thinking and technique that had gone into the creation of as they stood marvelling at the priceless and unique these masterpieces, the likes of which could never be matched. paintings that adorned the walls of the Thubchen Gompa. This was a very pertinent question from a devout Buddhist in the team assisting the Italian In answer to the question of worshipping specialists whom had been asked to join the handicapped divinities, noted scholars, of Tibetan conservation team to work on and train members of art and the Italian conservators themselves agreed the local community in conserving and repairing the that it was best to outline the missing parts of unique wall paintings in Thubchen. Due to centuries the figures, depicting this new work by using a of neglect, lack of maintenance and the effects of single colour and that a lacuna or “divide” should excessive dampness caused by a build-up of earth separate the new from the old. around the base of the rammed earth walls where cattle were bedded down for the winter, up to two After an eclectic combination of various traditional metres of the interior plaster work and the paintings and modern conservation techniques during themselves became damaged, disintegrated and the 12 years long conservation programme, the over the years peeled from the wall surfaces. monks returned the spirits of the gods back to their statues and paintings and the first religious zeal, a Herein lies a dilemma that haunts any true fast disappearing art form and a scorned building conservator facing a crumbling and age distorted tradition was rekindled in the religious and local painting whose history could be changed and community. n

AUTHOR’S END NOTES At the time of writing this article (4th August, 2011), information received from visitors to Lomanthang and the local community reveal that, contrary to the previous conservation ethics, a combination of local politics and misguided enthusiasm has resulted in a change of philosophy. Whereas other great masterpieces of Tibetan art and architecture in the region are languishing through lack of funds and expertise, the wall paintings of Thubchen are being “Restored” replacing the missing sections using mineral colours and the guess work of an artist with little experience in the art form that is being replaced.

Recent heavy and continuous monsoon rains have played havoc to the structures of Lomanthang, especially the Palace, which is the oldest inhabited structure of its kind and a significant landmark in the history of Mustang. During the Mustang Gompa Project and after, proposals were tabled to develop a repair and rehabilitation project for the palace to not only provide accommodation for the former Raja and his family, but also to put the extensive historic accommodation to its full use for both the local religious body and community activities The Palace could also provide space for vocational training as well as spaces which could be used to provide a revenue thus ensuring the proper maintenance of this significant historic monument. The Palace’s present precarious condition could have been averted if again politics and proprietary attitudes had not interfered with a wish to save this important structure.

Emergency repairs and structural stabilisation was proposed prior to developing a detailed conservation management plan. Today a state of emergency is being called to save the Palace and now there is no time for discussion. In contrast we are proud to hear that Thubchen and Champa Gompas have reportedly weathered the storms without damage or leakage, which goes to show that sound conservation and repair techniques pay dividends by ensuring the structures can withstand the severest of weather conditions.

September - October 2011

55

spacesnepal.com

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

IN PURSUIT OF

Excellence

“I think we won the competition mainly because we had a clear central idea for the project and all our components of the project remained consistent with and faithful with this idea. We also were able to demonstrate our capability to handle scale and complexity by completing successfully the full submission requirement of the competition,” Biresh Shah, seen here with Sanjay Bahadur Thapa, principal architects of Archiplan.

The Master Plan & Urban Design

Text: Uday S. Shrestha with Biresh Shah Images: Archiplan

During the SAARC Summit held in Dhaka in 2005, the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, stated that, “The people of our subcontinent are at the cutting edge of scientific and technological research and in the front ranks of the knowledge society across the world. Wherever an enabling environment and worldclass facilities are made available to our talented people, they excel. ” Dr. Singh further concluded that to boost cooperation and understanding among the SAARC citizens, a South Asian University (SAU) be established, “Let this become a forum where our academicians, scholars, researchers and gifted students can work together in the service of human advancement.”

The idea was promptly endorsed by the SAARC Member States and an Inter-governmental Agreement towards its establishment was signed by the Foreign Ministers of all the SAARC countries on 4 April 2007. spacesnepal.com

56

For the South Asian University Campus As a result, the SAU commenced its academic programmes in August 2010, operating out of rented premises.

At the same time, the development of a largely residential campus was envisaged and consequently, to meet the objectives set by the University, an invitation for those interested to participate in this international design competition for the proposed campus was called for in 2009.

ARCHIPLAN, Architecture and Planning consultants, from Kathmandu, Nepal, was among the 15 architecture firms shortlisted and was notified in October 2010 to participate in the competition for which, the Proposal for the competition, was submitted on February 15. The final requirement for the submission for the competition was quite large consisting of a master plan for the Campus, its urban design scheme, and the concept design of five different building types - to be submitted within a time span of only

September - October 2011

four months. The ARCHIPLAN team consisting of architects Biresh Shah, Sanjay Bahadur Thapa, Anupam Bansal and Rajesh Dongre, submitted a design proposal which was adjudged the winner of the first prize by an international jury comprising of eminent architects, urban designers, and academicicans. No other prizes were awarded by the Jury.

What follows are a set of responses

by ARCHIPLAN to queries posed

by SPACES regarding the design competition of the South Asian University: SPACES: The design competition was at a SAARC level, and Nepal being a small country, we always tend to think small. Nevertheless, what were your initial thoughts and what made you make up your mind to compete in the design competition?

ARCHIPLAN: At ARCHIPLAN we have always worked with the premise that

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

MASTER PLAN

LEGEND PHASE-I ACADEMIC BUILDING

SAARC PROMENADE

STUDENTS HOSTEL

SAARC HAAT

TEACHERS RESIDENCE

SAARC VANYA

OTHER BUILDINGS

PHASE-II ACADEMIC BUILDING

STUDENTS HOSTEL

pursuit of excellence in architectural design is always relative to a place and its possibilities/limitations. Working in Nepal has its own set of limitations and challenges but also offers opportunities and potential to explore design issues very specifically, which we felt could add value to the design.

Since the competition was mainly about preparing a master plan of the campus and an urban design scheme, the training and experience of the principal architects at ARCHIPLAN in these fields and our long-term familiarity with the city of New Delhi enabled us to approach the design of the project confidently.

TEACHERS RESIDENCE

SPACES: The submission was done with a partner company from Delhi.

How did you implement the design according to the requirement of the competition and what were the responsibilities of each firm?

ARCHIPLAN: In October 2010, the South Asian University shortlisted ARCHIPLAN to participate in a limited competition . However, it was decided that ARCHIPLAN will participate in this competition with Anupam Bansal and Rajesh Dongre of ABRD architects of New Delhi.

It was also a requirement of the competition that if a non-Indian firm won the competition they would need

to tie up with a firm in New Delhi and set up a local office.

The initial programming for the competition proposal and developing the preliminary scheme was developed in Kathmandu.

These schemes were subsequently discussed in Delhi with our Partners, who brought in more specific local inputs into the Design and also the inputs of specialist consultants. The final drawings and models were prepared in New Delhi, since the requirement of the final submission was quite large from general competition standards.

September - October 2011

57

spacesnepal.com

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

1. FACULTY BUILDINGS The main faculty buildings are conceived as dense urban blocks set on floor high podium deck facing either the main road and the main internal loop. The blocks are closely placed on the podium, interconnected, and face a common urban space consisting of a covered street and amphitheater. The general facilities of each faculty building like classrooms, cafes, seminar rooms etc. are located around this urban space. The main intent is to facilitate and encourage cross-disciplinary learning, possibilities for informal meetings, exchanges, sharing of facilities, and 24-hour functioning.

SPACES: As each design has a background and needs a germination seed, who or what was the inspiration behind the project?

ARCHIPLAN: The initial design idea emerged in the background of our experiences of having studied, worked and lived in New Delhi, our observations regarding campus planning in Delhi in the past two decades, and our experiences of major universities in the west. The seats of higher learning in India in the recent past (like JNU, IIT Delhi) were planned on the site planning principles that of arranging building blocks on a large site, with the building blocks and infrastructure being the focus. In our scheme, we consciously developed an urban campus, where the buildings form and engage with distinctive open spaces, and urban elements to deliver spacesnepal.com

58

an urban form where a strong modern South Asian student community could flourish and which would connect effectively with the surrounding areas as well as the larger city. The buildings and the resulting opens spaces form a continuum, thereby establishing a variety of situations, scale and connectivity. The aim was to develop an urban campus of higher learning.

SPACES: What was the main concept of the design and why do you think you won the competition?

ARCHIPLAN: Our Urban design scheme for the South Asian University campus principally aimed at inserting a defined City fabric into the Site, which responds to the existing Structure of metropolitan New Delhi.

The three Principal strategies to achieve this were:

September - October 2011

(i) The three principal zones of the site - the Academic Zone, the Faculty Housing and the Student’s Housing were organized around a Central green area, which connects these three zones and also links with the Asola Wildlife Sanctuary on the North-east. The Academic buildings are zoned along the edge of the site parallel to the main city road, thus offering a strong architectural edge to the main city street. (ii) A vehicular loop connecting the two principal entrances to the Campus and the main city street forms the main interface of the city with the Campus.

This vehicular loop also organises several key elements of the scheme around it (iii) The master plan, which sought to develop a matrix of integrations and

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

4.TEACHER RESIDENCE The Teachers housing blocks are planned for 100 families each. Each blocks has courtyard configuration formed by two sub blocks.

The sub-blocks comprise of a mix of walk up flats, duplex apartments and multistored flats topped by a two level penthouse.

While this typology offers a range of choices of residences types and it also creates a visually balanced form while allowing for views and sun peneteration in the courtyard.

5. STUDENTS HOSTEL The student hostels are designed as interconnected parallel linear multistoried slabs along the east-west axis, which allows for north and south frontages for the living areas. The hostel blocks are connected / structured along a pedestrian spine opening onto a variety of open spaces. These spaces are created in between the blocks which interface with the common areas of the hostel blocks. The large requirement for student housing within the limitations of

BUILT FORM

3. SAARC HAAT The SAARC Haat and the South Asian Nodes (landscaped platforms along the edge of the central Green) establish two essential characteristics of south asian lifestyle on Campus, the liner bazzar as a meeting/leisure space and the points/nodes of repose for casual encounters.

2. ADMINISTRATION AND LIBRARY The block consisting of the Administrative building and the Library are typological specific to their programs and their focal location in the Master Plan. The forms of the two buildings while being different are designed to engage in an interesting dialogue to offer a geographical and social center of the Campus.

spatial interfaces to build a 24X7 South Asian knowledge community, has been conceived to allow for a variety of design moves at various scales to be incorporated within the main scheme, as it evolves into its final shape.

Prof. A. G. Krishna Menon, Architect / Urban Planner, New Delhi; Prof. AGK Menon, architect/planner, New Delhi; Prof. G. K. Chaddha, President, South Asian University, Prof. M. Shaheer, Landscape Architect, New Delhi.

SPACES: Who were in the Jury and what were their main reasons for awarding this design to your firm?

ARCHIPLAN: The International Jury to review the competition entries consisted of: Mr. J. R. Bhalla – Chairman of the Jury, Architect, New Delhi; Prof. Syed Imtiaz Gilani - Vice Chancellor, NWFP University of Engg. & Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan; Prof.

S. B. S. Abahyakoon - Vice Chancellor, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka; Mr. Charles Correa - Architect / Urban Planner, Mumbai; Prof. B. V. Doshi Architect / Urban Planner, Ahmedabad,

The Jury in its comments commended the Proposal for its well articulated zoning and Land-use plan of the Campus. It also appreciated the linkages that the Proposal establishes with the surrounding topography. The proposal also envisaged setting up a large pavilion, called the SAARC Haat to house stores, exhibits, and food from the member SAARC countries. It also proposed designing specific nodes in the landscape as representational space for each SAARC nation. This too was especially appreciated by the Jury.

SPACES: Who were your other competitors?

ARCHIPLAN: The South Asian University had invited fifteen architectural firms to submit proposals. Among those who submitted were Raj Rewal associates, Sumit Ghosh Associates, and Venkatraman Associates from India, Canon-design of the USA, and a few entries from Sri Lanka and Pakistan, apart from ARCHIPLAN. SPACES: What was your feeling initially, and then your reaction when you heard about your win?

ARCHIPLAN: We were initially quite pleased to have been short-listed to participate in this prestigious competition and saw it as a big opportunity to explore design and planning ideas at a larger scale.

September - October 2011

59

spacesnepal.com

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

The experience during the competition stage was itself quite special, to start from the beginning , develop and present a proposal of this size satisfactorily was itself a special feeling. When we were informed in mid-March that we had won the competition by the President of the University, the initial reaction was one of a big surprise and delight .

That our concept based on our own experiences and understanding had been recognized by a renowned Jury was a vindication of our belief about architecture and urban design issues.

SPACES: What is the size of the project in terms of cost and when is the construction due to start?

ARCHIPLAN: The university is to be built on a 96 acre site in Maidangarhi near the Qutub Minar in South Delhi area. It is envisaged as a primarily research post-graduate university for the SAARC region. The University plans to have 12 different Faculties, a convention centre, a central library, a central administration buildings, student hostels for 5000 students, and Teacher’s Housing for 400 faculty members, besides a variety of other support facilities like a guest house, faculty club, sports centre, health centre etc. Eventually the total built up area will be about 500,000 sq. m.

As the Campus is envisaged to be constructed progressively in a prioritized manner, Construction is due to start in 2012 for the first group spacesnepal.com

60

That our concept based on our own experiences and understanding had been recognized by a renowned Jury was a vindication of our belief about architecture and urban design issues.

of buildings which will be completed by 2014 for the University to move in from its temporary premises .

ARCHIPLAN and ABRD Architects have formed a formal association known as ARCHIPLAN ABRD JV and entered into a contract with South Asian University to develop the detailed design of the campus further and its implementation.

SPACES: The size and scope of the project probably demands an array of experts from multiple fields.

What share of the design, or specific fields, will be handled by Nepalese professionals?

ARCHIPLAN: Various Nepalese professionals associated with our office have contributed to the

September - October 2011

project, who worked in the initial development of the concept for the design competition. Apart from the two principals of Archiplan, Sanjay Thapa and Biresh Shah, two other architects from our office are working full time on the project in New Delhi. At this stage of the project, when preliminary design stage has to be coordinated with services and structural design and the submission for approval from a multitude of regulatory authorities in New Delhi, most of the work is being undertaken in New Delhi. However, we hope to shift a part of the work to our Kathmandu office, once the detailed drawings are being made.

This part of the project we hope will be undertaken by professionals in Kathmandu. n

A R T

Re-enlightenment

ctheotemples n s ofe Urpperv Miustang ng Text & Images: Luigi Fieni

spacesnepal.com

62

September - October 2011

A R T

View of Lomanthang from Amapel fort.

INTRODUCTION

13 years have passed since the American Himalayan Foundation (AHF) first decided, together with restoration architects, John Sanday & Associates, to undertake a massive restoration project in Lomanthang, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Mustang, Nepal.

Before any work started, a thorough study of the technique of execution of the wall paintings and the structures of the monasteries was carried out, as proper understanding helps in the development of a better restoration plan. It should be emphasized that the majority of the wall paintings on the Asian continent are not fresco paintings for they are executed not on a wet lime based render but on a dry render and painted using a binder that is not lime. The mural paintings present in the temples of Jampa and Thupchen are among the most

fascinating examples of fifteen century secco painting in Asia. These two buildings were completed, according to R. Vitali, in 1448 and 1472 respectively.

A very important ceremony had to be performed by the abbot before any work could take place on the wall paintings and the statues. This ceremony, known as arga, involved the collection of all the spirits of the divinities that were present in the images, be they in the form of wall paintings or statues, in a mirror-like metal disc.

The ritual mirror was subsequently wrapped in a ritual scarf so that the spirits could not run away, and hung to a pillar of the temple that no one was allowed to touch.

This ceremony was very important from a religious point of view in order to avoid the chemicals and syringes harming or disturbing the divinities.

September - October 2011

63

spacesnepal.com

A R T

ABOUT THUPCHEN AND JAMPA The red building of the Jampa Lhakhang is a construction of three floors with a large courtyard at its entrance. Protective deities about 4 meters in height, surround the ground-floor of the Jampa Lhakhang, while its two upper floors host 100 detailed mandalas, 54 on the first floor and 46 on the second floor, on whose northern wall more mandalas, perhaps to reach the sacred figure of 108, may have been painted.

The ground floor shows evidence that it was not completed, as the main shrine that houses the base of the gigantic clay image of Maitreya which dominates the hall of the first floor, had not been painted. On the walls, traces of construction lines snapped with a cord soaked in red color and few sketch-lines found randomly prove that, for unknown reasons, the pictorial

cycle in the ground floor had not been concluded. Furthermore, around the circumambulation corridor surrounding the main shrine, parts of the wall paintings such as the sky, some figures and some gilded refinements are missing, and few areas show just the priming layer without any trace of color.

The corridor was meant to be painted on both sides but there are only paintings on the inner walls and few remains on the outer south and west walls. Thanks to these clues, it is possible to surmise that the wall paintings on the first floor were completed before those on the ground floor. The shrine of a Tibetan temple must be painted before any other storey because it has to contain the main image to which the religious building is devoted to: just like in Christian tradition, the apse is the first section to be painted.

Consolidation of preparatory layers using venous drip bottles.

Turning to the technique of execution, it is to be said that mural paintings are generally never painted directly on the wall surface but on a sequence of overlapping layers, the number of which varies according to the period of execution and the geographical location.

Retouching of stucco work in the main entrance of Jampa Lhakhang.

spacesnepal.com

64

September - October 2011

The pigments used by the artists were the traditional ones: cinnabar for red, orpiment for yellow, malachite for green and azurite or indigo for blue. White was obtained from a mixture of calcite and gypsum and kaolin. Gold was applied as powder together with a binder to create intricate jewelry and delicate patterns on the garments of the deities as well as the ornaments in the mandalas. An impressive use of glossy black outlining in varying thicknesses enhances the outline of mandalas, deities and flowers, thus giving the paintings extraordinary elegance.

A R T

Trainees cleaning the wall paintings in the first floor of Jampa Lhakhang.

The monastery of Thupchen consists, at present, of only a vestibule and one vast assembly hall made out of rammed mud walls. Gigantic images of the Buddha and of the main bodhisattvas dominate the pictorial cycle of the temple of Thupchen. During the restoration, evidence was found of a second storey, which probably collapsed due to an earthquake. It is probable that the first floor collapsed together with the north wall of the ground floor in one of the two earthquakes and that the vestibule was added during this repair work - an assumption, as there are no written documents available for proof. The original paintings present in the vestibule were heavily over-painted because of the damage and it is difficult to attempt any dating.

Examination performed with infrared handycam showed details about the way the drawings were executed. Presence of dotted

traces along the outlines of the figures showed that the technique of stencil had been used only in the upper sections of the wall paintings while in the lower areas there are just a few lines illustrating the positions of the parts of the body to be drawn. It is possible to suggest that the masters would employ their more skilled students in the lower areas and the less skilled in the upper areas, because the quality of the painting is inferior as it goes upwards. The lower side of the paintings would have been executed best as they can be seen more readily. The drawing was followed by the application of relief work, a technique with which all the outlines of the jewels and the decorations on the robes of the Buddha were embossed with a mixture of animal glue and very refined clay or flour.

The colors were subsequently applied according to the indicators, letters and September - October 2011

numbers left by the masters, using a palette that was very rich and unusual as the blue consisted of azurite and lapis lazuli, in some cases mixed together, so as to have different hues. For the red and orange, hematite and vermillion were used alternatively or mixed together. The green consisted of the typical malachite pigments while the brown was a mixture of malachite, azurite and vermillion. The refining touch was given by the application of lacquer in order to give the appearance of glazing and shading to the figures and to their Chinese-style brocade draperies and garments. The gold was used either in gold leaf or in powder form, thus creating very elegant aesthetical results. The finishing touch of the work in both temples was achieved by the application of a thick coating of varnish, which became in the course of time, one of the major problems for the paint layer.

65

spacesnepal.com

A R T

Trainees while retouching the wall paintings in the second floor of Jampa Lhakhang.

condition of flaking of the paint layer was producing an unsystematic and widespread loss of paintings in both the temples.

Cleaning of wall paintings through the use of Japanese tissue paper and cotton swabs soaked in organic chemicals.

THE CONSERVATION WORK The first time we stepped into the buildings we realized how shocking the conditions of the paintings were and how difficult the task of restoring them was going to be. The original varnish was completely darkened through centuries of ageing, and smoke deposits from butter lamps had turned many areas of the pictorial layer entirely black. Over a period of six centuries, earthquakes had caused several cracks and a random separation of the preparatory layers of the wall paintings, which in many cases provoked the falling of the pictorial layer. spacesnepal.com

66

Serious rain infiltrations from the ceiling had washed away several sections of the paint layer, as its binder was watersensitive and its renders water-soluble.

Another situation was found on the ground floor of Jampa where heavy water and clay leakage from the ceiling had covered most of the pictorial cycle with a thick muddy coating. In a particular case in the Thupchen, rising damp to a height of nearly three meters running all around the temple, caused the lower part of the wall paintings to be gradually destroyed. An unusual September - October 2011

The first big issue faced was the formation of a group of skilled trainees among the villagers, the main task being to turn people who were previously farmers, into proper restorers who could safely and carefully fix all the problems and the damage present in the temples.

The teaching of the main techniques of restoration was carried out describing and showing, step by step, all the procedures that needed to be done. The training started on some more recent paintings in Thupchen so that the trainees could develop enough ability and skills to work on the 15th century paintings in all safety.

The first operations to be carried out were the fixing of the flaking to the paint layer and the fixation of the detached preparatory layers. The flakes of painting had to be thoroughly dusted off and subsequently unrolled back in position using specific spatulas and organic binders purposely studied and tested for restoration.

A R T On the left, a deity after the intervention of conservation.

The next challenging step consisted in the cleaning of the wall paintings, a risky operation, since the use of wrong chemicals or their misuse would have damaged the pictorial layer irreversibly. Tests were carried out in situ and with the aid of laboratory analysis we managed to find the proper way to remove the altered varnish and the alien deposits from the surface of the wall paintings.

In the Thupchen different chemicals were employed to clean different colors since the nature of the pigments would react differently with the same solvent. So azurite, lapis lazuli and malachite were cleaned with a basic solution while organic chemicals were employed to remove the varnish from the other colors. As for the Maitreya temple, the cleaning was more complex because the binder of the paint layer was as water-soluble as the varnish. All the cleaning operations were carried out with the aid of a special tissue paper applied in-between the paint layer and the chemical, so as to prevent possible damage.

In the case of the ground floor of the Maitreya temple, the thick coating of mud had to be removed using surgical scalpels and glass-fiber pencils, a really difficult task for it had to be performed without harming or abrading the paint layer. But by then the wall painting conservation team had already enough experience, which they increased with the plastering of the lacunĂŚ, with the retouching of the wall paintings and with the reconstruction of few areas of missing paint layer.

An appropriate set of lightproof watercolors were used to tone down or balance the surface and the abrasions of the wall paintings, while natural pigments were chosen for the reconstructions that took place in the few areas where it was possible to attempt a reconstruction. All the rest of the large lacunĂŚ where reconstruction would have risked to be the product of imagination were left with a plaster imitating the original one, but slightly under the level of the paint layer.

colors slowly coming back to life. I still remember the reaction of the King of Mustang coming inside Thupchen in 1999 and watching our first cleaning sample: we were congratulated on our painting skills. The king stood with his mouth gaping after we told him that we had not painted anything, but had just removed the dirt from the original paintings.

Something more interesting and important was to realize, with the passing of the years, that local people started coming into the temples more and more often. It was very moving to see a color powder mandala being slowly and carefully created by the patient work of specialized monks, in one of the many rituals that have been performed in Thupchen in the past years, after many centuries of neglect. I was very pleased not only with the results achieved by the wall painting conservation team, but more so with the fact that the community saw their deities back in place, as if they were reborn. n

Among all the difficulties encountered during the restoration process it was breathtaking to see the bright original September - October 2011

67

spacesnepal.com

A R C H I T E C T U R E

spacesnepal.com

68

September - October 2011

I NET R E RI IOO R R I N T

Panchakanya