2024 Sept

Editorial

Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, and wildfires have long posed a significant threat to human lives and property. Over millennia, societies have developed evolving strategies to mitigate these risks, leading to diverse architectural and structural styles, innovative construction techniques, and adaptive material choices. These advancements have collectively shaped the way humans design and shape their built environments. Moreover, how people build depends upon the context, ethnicity, culture, material availability, and environmental aspects. This special Nepal issue is envisioned to review the 2015 earthquake and assess its impact on heritage buildings and the overall reconstruction process. This volume of seven commissioned papers discusses issues related to response campaigns, heritage-related reconstructive conservation, urban revival, heritage ideology and technology, contentious rebuilding, historic settlements, and architectural guidelines for reconstructing private buildings. While post-earthquake heritage reconstruction occurs beyond the Kathmandu Valley, this issue focuses specifically on the rebuilding processes and discussions within the Valley. However, a reconstructive adaptive conservation project of the 18th-century Ghami Dzong Palace, Mustang, is featured to showcase a commendable project in the compatible use of the historic building as a high-end hospitality business.

A comprehensive portrayal of the prior learnings in the contemporary restoration of monuments in the Kathmandu valley, specifically post-disaster reconstruction after the 2015 earthquake, discussing seven varied examples by Sudarshan Raj Tiwari, makes the first representative article of this issue. He laments the abandonment of heritage structural principles and the performance of local materials and techniques, foreseeing the consequent loss of the characteristically salvageable quality of heritage architecture in reconstruction projects. He further adds the concept of cyclical renewal and discusses the authenticity, values, and Integrity of a living heritage site. Rohit Ranjitakar's article outlines Patan Palace Square’s earthquake response and reconstruction process, notably praising the local community's role in immediate rescue operations during the disaster and the subsequent protection of heritage artefacts. Drawing on the initiative's key findings, experiences, and learnings, Ranjitkar proposes regular maintenance and documentation as crucial preparatory measures for future resilience.Nistha Joshi and Jharna Joshi discuss the interconnections between environmental sustainability, social well-being, and economic prosperity relating to revitalizing the historic urban square of Pimbahal in Patan. The authors highlight the importance of a balanced approach to urban revival, which can serve as a powerful catalyst for urban revitalization. Gyanendra Shakya, Lata Shakya, and Manindra Shrestha collaboratively present the “Build Back Better (BBB)” dilemma, showcasing the post-Gorkha earthquake reconstruction of architectural heritage in Patan. The paper examines the influence of BBB policies, focusing on case studies of the rebuilding of ancient Buddhist monasteries of Patan and exploring the challenges of procurement, community participation, authenticity, and technological compatibility in heritage conservation, arguing for balancing modern reconstruction strategies with traditional heritage conservation in post-disaster contexts. Likewise, Manindra Shrestha presents reconstruction work of Kasthamandapa as a novel exercise in its own right, taking a different approach with an intent towards improving the state of conservation practice in Nepal. He portrays the project as a wider experimentation on approaches as well as on traditional materials and methods. The philosophical dimension of his experience is worth reading!

Bijaya Krishna Shrestha’s paper studies the unique features of private houses in Bungamati and proposes the architecture design guidelines to retain the traditional character of the private buildings with quantitative parameters, while Sabina Tandukar offers a contrasting viewpoint on heritage reconstruction, focusing on Kathmandu Valley settlements post-2015 earthquake. Her work provides a critical assessment of the grassroots TBI initiative for documenting private dwellings, juxtaposed with the rapid dismantling of historic houses and their negative consequences for the settlements' overall image. She showed some positive light towards the local government's willingness to recognize the need to preserve historic houses as the first step towards heritage preservation and a positive encouragement to house owners.

This issue presents four projects in heritage conservation works. The reconstruction works of Mahansnan Ghar, an 18th-century building at Pashupati, Kathmandu, by RICH Architectures exemplify the adaptive reuse of the building into a specialized museum in a World Heritage monument zone. The project shows minimal structural intervention and conversion of a heavily earthquake-ravaged structure into a commendable institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets, and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. The Patan Museum Tourist Toilet by Habitus Creations demonstrates the contextual design intended to merge into the built environment of the 17th-century Malla architecture. The 18th-century Ghami Dzong Palace project, by Sirish Bhatt and team, shows the new modern use of abandoned historic buildings in the high elevation of Upper Mustang. Interior design works by Geraldine Dohogne Design subtly invite the guests to immerse themselves in traditional Tibetan living while enjoying contemporary comforts, bridging the gap between history and modern luxury. The conservation of historical paintings, traditional floorings, and the interior of a 320-year-old palace building is well portrayed in the project. Lastly, the issue features an award-winning project of Sikami Chhen- "Woodcarver's House", for the special recognition for sustainable development at the 2023 Asia-Pacifc Award for cultural heritage conservation by UNESCO.

This special Nepal issue hopes not only to unveil contentious heritage conservation issues post-disaster but also to show some positive insights into reconstructive conservational practices in a specific Asian context. Through these reflections on heritage conservation as an evolving endeavor inherited from the past, one should build on architectural principles and ethical practices.