Thursday, April 14, 2016

The Kaule Prototype is ready!  -  12 April 2016

 

The Prototype has been designed to fit into the the local landscape of rural Nepal



 

The prototype is ready, barring minor touch-ups, and the drawings for the Kaule Prototype have been submitted to the DUDBC (Department of Urban Development and Building Construction), Govt.of Nepal for inclusion in their Design Catalogue Vol-2.

On my last trip to Kaule, from April 5 to April 12, the scene was jubilant and poignant both. It has been a long journey - trying to convince the authorities that there indeed are solutions for re-constructing Nepal that would not necessarily be dependent of Reinforced Cement Concrete and devoid of the local culture, aesthetics and traditional skills. 

Designed to fit into the rural landscape of Nepal and built entirely by the village community using stone, bamboo, and mud under our training and supervision, The Kaule Prototype uses strengthened stonework for the lower and lightweight bamboo construction for the upper floor for seismic resilience. The design of the prototype house has been submitted to the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, Govt. of Nepal, for its inclusion in their catalogue of Govt. approved designs for rural areas.  

 

This is what we observed on our numerous recce trips - the upper portions of most houses, built in stone, came crumbling down over its sleeping residents.

We strengthened the stone walls with corner and through stones, as well as horizontal timber bands, and restricted them to the ground floor only
A bamboo frame on the inside of the stone wall was added, along with multiple bamboo beams for supporting the floor...


....and bamboo posts extending to the first floor to bamboo trusses for supporting the lightweight roof above

A traditional verandah was added in front using timber posts and traditional carved brackets

Constructed entirely by the village community using local tools...


....skills...
 
.... and an all pervading tradition of bright, joyous colours...

....with the aim to keep local traditions in continuum and aesthetics intact
 
Each memory preserved, every moment cherished... Thank you people of Kaule and Bhangeri for sharing with us your unlimited capacity to smile in the face of uncertainty and adversity, along with some of the world's best 'Dahi' and... well, 'Rakhsi'... Will surely be back!







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