SPACES Nepal Sept-Oct 2019

art | architeture | interior spacesnepal.net

Vol. 16, No. 9 | September-October 2019

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Manakamana Reconstruction

NOTRE DAME DE PARIS The drama surrounding the great fire that engulfed the iconic monument

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what’s inside Vol. 16 No. 9 | September - October 2019 spacesnepal.net

Architecture

Review

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Retrospective Exhibition of Shankar Nath Rimal

44

Interview

25

Berger SPACES Interior Design Excellence Award 2018

Urban Issues

52

Art

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The Talks of The Artisans

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Harvesting Rainwater

Restoration

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Notre Dame De Paris

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Interior

Architecture The True Beauty of Patan Durbar Square

Manakamana Reconstruction

Mediciti Homes

Vol. 16, No. 9 | September-October 2019

Contributors

CEO Ashesh Rajbansh Editor-in-Chief Ar. Sarosh Pradhan Contributing Art Editor Madan Chitrakar Kasthamandap Art Studio Junior Editor Shreya Amatya Pratap Jung Khadka Tejal Rayamajhi

Kai Weise

Asha Dangol

Victor Guan

Prabal Dahal

Sushmita Kunwar

Riva Khatiwada

Sneha Agrawal

Shreesha Nankhwa

Richa Adhikari

Shweta Shakya

Swastika Paudel

Contributing Editor President of Society Of Nepalese Architects (SONA) Advisor Prakash Bahadur Amatya Ar. Pawan Kumar Shrestha Ar. Prajal Pradhan Kirti Kusum Joshi Photographers Pradip Ratna Tuladhar Director- Operation & Public Relation Anu Rajbansh SR. Business Development Officer Debbie Rana Dangol Legal Advisor Yogendra Bhattarai Financial Advisor Kiran Rajbhandary Subscription and Distribution Officer Rohit Khadgi Intern Sudikshya Dongol Sandesh Shrestha Published by IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. Kopundole, Lalitpur, GPO Box No. 7048, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Ph: 977-1-5181125, 977-1-5180132 info.spaces4@gmail.com Design/Layout & Pre-press The Courtyard Studio, 98690 28828 Distribution Kasthamandap Distributors Ph: 977-1-4247241 Advertising and Subscriptions IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. 977-1-5181125, 977-1-5180132 spacesnepalmarketing@gmail.com spacesnepal.net

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Kai Weise is a Nepali national of Swiss origin who has been working as a planner and architect in the Himalayan Region. Kai Weise has been facilitating the establishment of management systems for World Heritage properties and was involved in earthquake response and rehabilitation for the culture sector in Nepal and Myanmar. He is president of ICOMOS Nepal and fellow of the Institute of Advanced Studies, Durham University.

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

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

Shreesha Nankhwa is an aspiring environmentalist with a penchant for writing. She is interested in sustainable living, alternative energy and creating a better future for the planet. Her works have been published in a number of magazines and publications in Nepal. She currently writes and edits blogs for IT companies while dreaming of trekking across the Himalayas.

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

Richa Adhikari did her bachelor’s in Architecture from Kathmandu Engineering College. She is fascinated by art, culture, literature, music, food, lifestyle/ interior. Her affinity to writing developed due to her penchant for reading.

She is passionate about sustainable living and minimal aesthetics décor.

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

Victor Guan is currently a student from the United States attending Princeton University. He is about to start his third year in school, majoring in Architecture and minoring in Visual Arts for graphic design. Over the summer, he is interning under the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust, assisting various projects, redesigning print materials, and preparing a proposal for better road signage around Patan Durbar Square. Victor’s interests delve into the seemingly ambiguous, always questioning conventional aesthetics and experimenting with work to develop new visual perspectives.

Sushmita Kunwar is currently pursuing her postgraduate degree in Sociology. She considers writing as an escapism into the world of imagination. In her free time, she loves to read books and watch movies.

Riva Khatiwada is an architecture student in IOE, Thapathali Campus. She is an enthusiastic writer keeping a keen interest in urban design and architectural conservation. Since her school years she has been blogging for a few online journals and has been doing slam poetry at various events.

Sneha Agrawal, a graduate from IOE Pulchowk Campus, is an aspiring Architect/Interior Designer. With a passion to travel and explore different places, she is also interested in learning about their cultures and traditions.

She utilizes her time to research about varied factors that influences the experience of the user in architectural design. Apart from pursuing MSc in Urban Planning currently, she has been involved in various residential, hospitality and interior designing projects.

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

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

Editorial The article “the talks of the artisans� highlights the crucial need to create co-operatives and a system of networks to sustain and conserve art and architecture. The article focuses more specifically upon the struggles of keeping wood carving alive, with artisans describing their journey of maintaining personal relationships and familial bonds to learn and to share the craft, yet simultaneously merging this family heritance and tradition with new technologies catering to newer markets and demands to maintain financial sustainability. The article showcases the importance of networks, the imperative of creating and maintaining them for conservation and growth.

These networks can be both personal (within the family and community) and formal (within local authorities and international organizations). Formal networks are needed to create programs, co-operatives and incentives for educating and motivating the younger generation as well as protecting the rights and giving recognition to seasoned artisans. Collaboration between personal networks and formal networks builds a bottom-up project that is inclusive. Hence, this issue more broadly looks at networks and programs being created within art and architecture. The women in architecture forum, created to bring gender visibility confronts the lack of women in authoritative positions in the industry as well as promotes insights solely women architects can give to create inclusive and safe open spaces for women. The Berger SPACES Interior Design Excellence Award is also an example of a program which motivates the younger generation and promotes their talent. SPACES also regularly feature exhibitions and competitions held by colleges, to celebrate the achievements of young artists and architects and nurture their growth.

On the other hand, this issue also focuses on boundaries of art and architecture how two works complement one another, with the article on Patan Durbar. Similarly, Shankar Nath Rimal himself is a personification of the art and architecture boundary, a renowned Engineer, however, through his art, the physical limitations of architecture on creativity evaporate creating abstract paintings that lure and mesmerize the viewer.

Ashesh Rajbansh | CEO

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Belonging

BFA Graduation Show 2019, KU Art and Design

The 2019 batch of undergraduate Fine Arts students at Kathmandu University, Department of Art and Design held their graduation show at Nepal Art Council, Babermahal from 19th to 24th of July 2019.

The 16 graduating students comprised of 7 Studio Art practitioners and 9 Graphic designers. The exhibition was titled Belonging.

The students presented a wide variety of works including paintings, installations, photography, illustrated books, furniture design, board games, and card games among others. The exhibition was inaugurated by Vice Chancellor of Kathmandu University Prof. Dr. Ram Kantha Makaju Shrestha.

The show showcased a sense of diversity as individual spaces were allocated to exhibiting students. While some sections featured extensive murals as backdrops, some were shrouded in darkness or made partly visible through neon lights. Some of the paintings demanded a viewer to immerse before the massive sizes; while some invited a closer look onto works painted in small boxes of various shapes. But a commonality that remained was a quest for identity.

The spectrum of diversity of works spanned from an illustrated book on Gurung culture to a photobook as an experience from a travel to France; as also painting as an installation to remind the great quake of 2015. To cite individually, Tashi Lama who paints in traditional Thangka style, sought to merge it with motifs used in carpets and at the same time paid homage to his mother and her works of carpet weaving.

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Likewise, Allen Tuladhar – a student of Graphic Design, presented a minimal and balanced presentation of his work. He exhibited a working space designed to solve the problem of bulky and stationary desks and tables available for schoolwork or office work indoors.

Moreover, the graphic design students also featured a process book that illustrated the stages of development - their ideas in initial sketches, various trials, mock up designs, etc. They also displayed poster designs for the displayed product along with their brand identity and mission and vision statements.

Similarly, some students also are found making creative inquiries on or about different subjects. For instance, studio artist Rupesh Man Singh used the medium of analog photography as a chosen subject.

As an interesting example, he created a corner of a space with a typewriter with a paper text stuck on it: and a wall next to it with small Polaroid images, digital photos of young children and photo cut-outs.

Another student of Graphic Design Shubha Joshi's space featured a large mural of a crowd of people with a text "Yes" and on its sidewall, a small character with her finger raised and a text bearing "No". This according to her was a visual travelogue on her visit to Paris. In it she recounts her experiences as a Nepali student in Paris, as part of an exchange program. Her book seeks to narrate the experiences of being in a foreign place and trying slowly to adapt.

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The other exhibiting Studio Artists included Amir Mahat, Anjila Manandhar, Hitesh Vaidhya, Jagdish Moktan, Pooja Duwal, Rupesh Man Singh and Tashi Lama while Graphic designers included Allen Tulaldhar, Amogh Parajuli, Diwas Maharjan, Kemesh Maharjan, Manika Manandhar, Riya Dhungel, Shubha Joshi, Sudiim Bajracharya, and Suviicha Gurung. They also explored their diverse ideas through various materials and techniques.

As an example, an awareness campaign on sexual violence is found in a room full of colorful abstract installations of paper.

PRASHANTA SCHOLARSHIP AWARD 2019 On 7th of July 2019, amidst a special event, Prashant Memorial Society awarded and felicitated the three recipients of this year’s Prashanta Scholarship Awards at Nepal Art Council, Kathmandu. The recipients of this year are: Krishna Munikar (Lalit Kala Campus), Chiranjivi Shrestha (Sirjana College of Fine Arts) and Shreeti Prajapati (KU Center for Fine Arts and Design). Mr. KK Karmacharya, Chancellor of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, has had attended the program as the chief guest.

Prashanta Scholarship Awards are awarded to the best art graduates of the year – representing three different art institutions every year so as to promote and encourage young and up-coming new generation of artists in Nepal. The award is being instituted by Prashanta Memorial Society, in memory of late artist Prashant Shrestha and is awarded annually since 2003 AD.

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NEC Ingenium 2019

Nepal Engineering College has always stood

for student-centric activities with consideration to their academic and career development. In line with this, the NEC Ingenium 2019 held on the 21st of July did not fall short. An event organized annually where the main objective is to encourage students to showcase the earnings they have learnt in academia. Hence, students from across the departments have participated in this event enthusiastically. Various categories of activities inclusive of competitions, games, demonstrations and exhibitions related to science, technology and engineering were in place.

The Architecture department also made a bold presence into this event as did other departments. Architecture as usual is the limelight and an adornment of the whole event.

The cause for the overall success of the event is the applausive dedication from the 1st year, 2nd year and 3rd year architecture students from Nepal Engineering College. No wonder that the architecture students of NEC have always been remarkable in any exhibitions of spaces 14

architecture that happens elsewhere in the nation. They leave no efforts in demonstrating their utmost caliber and have made respective teachers and the department proud. Similarly, motivations from every faculty members to show student’s courage in the eleventh hour were very substantial.

In NEC Ingenium, 2019 the students of architecture were able to bring in a tribute paying section for I. M. Pei this year. In it, they brought over a proportionate thread work for his famous buildings like Bank of China and the Louvre. Additionally, they were also liable to bring in creative art works into different unused corners in the college premises and buildings.

Thus the dark corridors dazzled, gloomy lobbies glittered and leftover landscapes flattered due to the delicate hands of these young kids.

The students enjoyed taking part in this yearwise competition for architecture. In a very short notice of a few days, they have shown up with a great cheer to which was absolutely overwhelmed.

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Nepal’s First BIM Conference for the Construction Industry

Global

construction technology leader Trimble and Nepal BIM Forum hosted Nepal’s first-ever Building Information Modeling (BIM) conference for the country’s fast-growing construction industry on 2nd August, 2019 with the support of Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUBDC). ‘Nepal BIM Conference 2019’ focused on necessary digital BIM tools and processes to drive the digital transformation of the Nepalese construction industry. Senior representatives from different governmental organizations, contractors and consulting firms as well as architects, engineers and designers attended the event.

The discussions at the conference highlighted how BIM could benefit the local construction industry and enhance the country’s built environment. With the theme: “How to build an improved, efficient and cost-effective construction process”, the participants had a chance to learn and exchange ideas with top digital construction thinkers and gathered pragmatic, real-world insights to enhance their own construction processes.

BIM Forum, Mr. Rajan Suwal, Professor, Institute of Engineering, Mr. Surya Raj Acharya, IOE, Infrastructure Expert, Mr. Birendra Raj Pandey, President,YCNC and Ms. Anju Malla Pradhan, President, SONA. Trimble is an international company focusing on positioning-related technology for different industries.

Tekla software solutions for advanced building information modeling and structural engineering are part of Trimble offering. Nepal Building Information Modeling Forum (NBIMF) is a non-profit organization officially registered in Finland, which mainly focuses on the four areas of BIM as Research, Implementation, Standardization, and Education of Building Information Modeling (BIM).

The hosts for the conference believed to have raised the awareness and encouraged government bodies, engineers, contractors and construction companies to explore the various benefits of BIM implementation in their projects.

Speakers at the conference included acclaimed industry professionals and academicians, including Mr. Sunil Suwal, Founder & Chairperson, Nepal

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13TH NATIONAL ASA ARCHITECTURAL EXHIBITION

The 13th National ASA Architecture Exhibition

was conducted from 21st -23rd June 2019, at the premises of Department of Architecture, Pulchowk Campus by the 073 batch under the sun-committee of ASA. The three-day mega event was a perfect exhibit that provided direct experience to the not only the students of Pulchowk campus but also to the student from Himalaya College of Engineering, Nepal Engineering College and Khwopa Engineering College who exhibited their works and projects.

The main theme of the 13th National ASA Architectural Exhibition was cfFug: “Upholding Togetherness”. “cfFug” (Aangan), suggests a multipurpose space with homely aroma.

The main aim of using the metaphor “cfFug”, is to encircle the idea to collaborate different forms of art in architecture and to discuss how architecture determines the societal norms and aspects. It encourages upholding the thought of togetherness between architecture, art and the society.

The students from B.Arch. presented some fantastic models that can be implemented to realize the concept of proper urban planning in Nepal. Various sponsors and other companies dealing with the art of living had their stalls during the event, showcasing different techniques of proper building designing, modern methods of qualitative house designs

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and various tools, materials that add up to the strength, convenience and beauty of building designs. Attractive lotteries, photography and art contests also added up to the hype of this event.

The 13th National Architecture Exhibition arrived after the series of pre-events which were conducted with the theme of the exhibition having intact with them. The pre-events organized by 13TH National ASA Architectural Exhibition were Archi-course- 2076, Model Making Workshop-2076, Public Speaking and Presentation Workshop, Photography Workshop, Live- Art Competition, Photography Competition, Green Walk: Plantation at Dhapakhel, Design Competitions and “cfzf: A Talk of Hope”- Discussion Series.

news signed a MOU regarding consultancy service which shall advice on various legal matters related to day to day functioning of IDEA Nepal as well as its member on its professional issue.

Likewise, IDEA Nepal is also in process of forming various committees on phase wise basis.

Newly Reformed Interior Designers Association (IDEA) Nepal

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nterior Designers Association (IDEA) Nepal was established in the year 2060 BS with the objective to unite the interior designers of the whole country, promote the industry of interior designing and organize various development programs for the interior designers. After a long inactive period, IDEA Nepal re-established itself and held its 1st Annual General Meeting on 1st June 2019 where they formed a new committee.

The newly formed board members include Ms. Bindra Kachhapati Pradhan (President), Ms. Usha Rayamajhi (Vice-President), Mr. Shyam Bahadur Shrestha (General Secretary), Ms. Kalpana Bhattachan(Treasurer) and Ms. Prathana Bhattarai (Secretary), Ms. Biva Joshi, Mr. Ram Gopal Tandukar, Ms. Rashmi Chitrakar and Mr. Sushil Siwakoti as executive members.

IDEA Nepal also conducted a program & presentation titled "Sahakarya" on 20th July 2019 at Hotel Annapurna, Durbarmarg, Kathmandu. The program was sponsored by Heritage Nepal – the distributer in Nepal for legero brand lights. The presentation focused on cooperation and collaboration among interior designers across the country. Besides, the objective of the program was also to unite the interior designers and to flow public message that IDEA Nepal is being revamped and is ready to mark its presence and participation in the national platform. Mr Kanchha Kumar Karmacharya, Chancellor, Nepal Academy of Fine Arts was the Chief Guest of the program and other distinguish personalities from different field such as Er.Shankar Nath Rimal, Senior Artist Madan Chitrakar(Principal of Sirjana College of Fine Arts), Dr. Madhura Karki (1st President of IDEA Nepal) and Mr. Sanu Raja Shilpakar (Immediate Past President of IDEA Nepal) were also present during the program.

About 200 interior designers attended the event. IDEA Nepal has planned to organize various types of events for the benefit of interior designers and the industry of interior designing in the near future.

Currently, there are over 3000 interior designers in Nepal which will only increase annually as there are 2 colleges providing Bachelors degree in interior designing. As designers have begun to work together to protect their professional rights, IDEA Nepal and M/S Prabhat Law Firm spaces 17

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DRISTI: A vision beyond imagination

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risti 2.0, most awaited day by the students of Kathmandu Engineering College (KEC) was held in the premises of Kathmandu Engineering College; Kalimati from 5th to 8th July 2019 which was organized by KEC and Free Student Council of KEC in collaboration with different clubs of KEC, such as AKAR, CESA, KEC ELECTRICAL CLUB, EPC, IT Club and Robotics Club. The exhibition was inaugurated on 5th July 2019 by the Chief Guest Prof. Hiranya Man Pradhan, Chairman and Principle of Kathmandu Engineering College.

Different pre events and on spot events were organized which were not only for engineering student but for everyone. From art to photography and poetry to quiz, people were invited to showcase their creativity and talent.

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Events such as Hackathon, robodrift, circuit etching and model making were organized for engineering and architecture students. Different talk shows along with flash mob were held prior to exhibition.

The entrance to the exhibition was from the back gate where mural arts were done. The pathway from the gate was enclosed by bamboo structures. A sculpture of a man was kept at the entrance of the building showing what was inside the head of a student as wires were drawn from the head of the sculpture towards the ceiling which were filled with different props.

With staircase enhanced with paintings and sculpture on wall. The first and second floor was reserved for gaming and electrical department respectively where their projects were displayed.

The 3rd and 4th floor was architecture department which was flooded with light and color with a Newari door at the entrance.

On the left was a classroom that displayed the semester projects which was beautifully decorated by different creative minds. Newari

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windows were placed immediately below the ceiling and the rest of the part was used for the display of paintings and light sculptures. On the right to the very end was a room reserved for the display of works from the prevents of Art, Photography and model making competition.

The light sculptures on the corridor made the corridor bright and beautiful.

On the 4th floor paintings of different kinds were painted. Out of 5, 3 classrooms were reserved for the display of semester project, one was to display time lapse, which showed story of every human with paintings done on net clothes showing different phases of life. Other was a darkroom which had a night sky painted on the main wall, infront of which lied sculpture of IM Pei Louvre Museum, that part of the room was dedicated to IM Pei as a tribute for his works.

A part of classroom showed antigravity through suspended balls and the other was a model made up from scraps whose shadow casted on the wall showed a beautiful city.

competition took place and on the landing of fourth floor was a box of painted balls used by the visitors to rate the event and pass it through the pipes which were tied along the staircase railings. Basketball Court held different stalls and a stage that housed different events like poetry, bingo, kurukshetra, etc. Civil block was where different models from model making competition were displayed which included earthquake resistant buildings to paper bridges and hydropower. Hackanthon also took place on that block.

DRISTI was an exhibition which showcased the works of student of KEC and gave an insight to the world of engineering and architecture.

Every part of the building, from staircase to corridors and classrooms were creatively designed. 5th floor was where the robotics spaces 19

review

women in architecture

Yalamaya Center in Patan witnessed a historic

event on June 15, 2019 – the birth of the Women in Architecture (WIA) Forum. The forum was established under the Professional Practice Committee of the Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA), which has at its helm its first female President, Ar. Anju Malla Pradhan.

The event started with a heritage walk of Patan guided by Ar. Shirish Bhatt and Ar. Jharna Joshi.

The walk started from Patan Durbar Square and went through different types of open traditional public spaces such as chowks and bahals before concluding at Yalamaya Center. There the forum took place, taking on the theme of Women in public spaces: designing open spaces for all. Introducing the theme of the forum,

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keynote speaker Ar. Poonam Shah, Director of Shah Consult International (P.) Ltd., elaborated on the factors leading to the need for the forum, its objectives and means of attaining them. The three other panelists presented the different aspects of designing open spaces in Nepal. Ar. Sarita Maskey, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, gave an overview of the role and policies of the government. Ar. Shailata Manadhar Joshi, Vice Principal of Kathmandu Engineering College, presented the advances in architectural education with regard to open spaces. Ar. Pallavi Singh, Managing Director of Shapes Infrastructure Solutions Pvt. Ltd, discussed the role of women in designing inclusive open spaces. The discussions that ensued was participated by all members, including some eminent members of

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the architectural fraternity and the society, Ar. Bibhuti Man Singh, Ar. Rajesh Thapa, Er. Timila Yami and Mr. Kanak Mani Dixit.

The idea of the WIA forum took seed during informal discussions between a few women architects on a topic that is relevant for the entire society especially architects and planners – diminishing open spaces in the valley. The discussions focused around launching a women architects’ initiative to revive these deteriorating open spaces in the city in general and in particular designing women friendly open spaces. These discussions led to further deliberations on the role, status, reach and influence of practicing women architects in the country.

Although women architects have contributed to Nepali architecture for almost four decades, they occupy minimal key managerial and policy-making positions in Nepal. This situation exists, despite the fact that women architects almost equal their male counterparts in number and the number of graduating women architects will soon comprise nearly 90% of the total architects. Under the evolving scenario, women architects will play a pivotal role in shaping the built environment, and the development of architectural profession will largely be synonymous with their contribution. Thus, the Women in Architecture Forum was formed to help, empower and promote women architects in coming forward and making a significant contribution in nation building.

The WIA forum is a forum for female inclusion and acceptance in architectural practice. It is not about “Fight for our Rights” issues – instead it is for gender visibility. It is also not for securing office or position and authority. It is a platform to create space for women architects through their contributions to the society and country in what we can do best – design buildings, spaces, and settlements that are not only true to their

requirements but also take into consideration the role of women in such spaces. In doing so, the aim is to increase the visibility of the contribution of women architects in order to overcome the mental barrier persistent in society which exemplifies construction as a man’s world with women in supporting roles. The forum also aims at ensuring that the younger generations of woman architects come forward instead of hiding in oblivion behind the drawing boards and computer screens.

WIA aims at launching several initiatives that would help women architects come forward and make visible contributions to the society.

Quite naturally, its first initiative is revival of open spaces, keeping in mind women and women-friendly spaces, so that Kathmandu’s rapidly dilapidating indigenous community spaces (patis, chowks, chaurs, dungedharas, stupas, temples and temple grounds) big and small, is restored. Kathmandu’s greenery is regenerated to allow its people to breathe again, and Kathmandu’s open spaces are reinstated and developed as inclusive recreational spaces, community spaces and playgrounds for all its residents.

This first event of the forum, therefore, focused on open public spaces and the role of women in designing such spaces for the community, and women in particular. WIA proposed to setup a task force to identify such spaces take design ownership of these spaces and facilitate implementation of these designs with interested partners or organizations. It is hoped that this important initiative will be a vital step in promoting women in architecture and gaining acceptance of the society for larger roles in nation development. The event concluded with an appeal to all female and male participants for help and support.

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review

Retrospective Exhibition of

Shankar Nath Rimal Towards the west of Nandikeshwor park (popularly known as Narayan Chaur), beside

the 1905 restaurant, a gateway led to the residence of Engineer, Architect and Artist Shankar Nath Rimal. The visitors were welcomed by the text “Welcome to Retrospect Exhibition of Shankar Nath Rimal” at the main gate. Upon entry, on the right hand side, a board with blue border and red texts featured the conceptual meaning and proportioning of the national flag, which was done by Rimal around 2019 BS. Moving forward, one passed along a series of standing display boards featuring various architectural designs and projects of Rimal. A dais ornate with flowers on the side of the building gave an impression of some important event that happened there or happening soon. On the left, mango, peach and litchi trees bear fruits and made one wonder how it would be like to introduce these organic fruits to one’s taste-buds. A small series of steps took one to the main entrance of the Sashy-Shankar Gallery, which was recently inaugurated.

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review

Retrospective Exhibition of Shankar Nath Rimal was a celebration of architectural, engineering, sculptural and artistic creations produced by Engineer, Architect and Artist Shankar Nath Rimal throughout his lifetime. The exhibition featured artworks and sculptural works created

by Rimal, along with display of his architectural designs for various projects of socio-political, religious, economic, historical and national significance. According to Ramesh Khanal, an artist and academician, use of balanced colors and composition is the key feature of his works.

Artist Lain Singh Bangdel (1919-2002) has been his teacher and inspiration for artwork. His use of subtle colors, portraits, and emotional paintings portray his unique talent and mastery in the art.

Starting from June 20, 2019, the exhibition lasted for 8 days and ended on June 27. Around five hundred visitors, including some distinguished guests from different political parties Mr. Narayan Kazi Shrestha, Mr. Keshav Prasad Baral, Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal, Mr. Baburam Bhattarai, Ms. Hisila Yami, and Honorable Minster Mr. Yogesh Bhattarai, minister of

culture, tourism and civil aviation graced the exhibition space with their presence. The inauguration of the exhibition along with inauguration of the Sashy-Shankar Gallery was done by Nepal’s cultural expert- SatapdiYug Purush Satya Mohan Joshi. The inauguration programme welcomed various artists, architects, engineers, sculptors and art enthusiasts.

During the exhibition hours, Rimal welcomed guests and visitors, answering their queries regarding his creations. The abstract nature of many of Rimal’s creations made the visitors imagine and think beyond their ordinary senses. Showcasing of decades of artworks and sculptures in a well-planned and well-lit space evoked a sense of awe in visitors, leaving long term impression on their mental faculties.

The closing ceremony of the exhibition on June 27 invited various people from various fields. Prof. Bharat Sharma (PhD, Landscape Architecture from Harvard), Ar. Anju Malla Pradhan (President, Society of Nepalese Architects), Ramesh Khanal (Artist, Academician) were among many distinguished spaces 23

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guests at the ceremony. An enthusiastic group of architects, artists and architectural students journeyed through the stories of architectural designs done by Rimal in a question-answer session facilitated by the founder of A for Architecture, Ar. Prajal Pradhan. The contributors to the exhibition were felicitated in the ceremony by Rimal himself.

Dyckerhoff und Windmann K.G. in 1959-60.

Rimal became presidents of the 4th, 17th, 18th and 19th executive councils of Nepal Engineers’ Association, apart from serving the council as executive member for several years. Rimal has also served as the secretary general of Nepal Art Council and as a member of Pashupati Development Trust.

The exhibition was managed jointly by SPACES Magazine and Shanker Nath Rimal Engineers and Architects. Supported by Nepal Art Council and Society of Modern Arts, the exhibition was well received by every visitor with encouraging remarks by many. Although the formal exhibition has ended, Sashy-Shankar gallery shall ever preserve and display Rimal’s creations. Visitors can call up the gallery and request for a visit beforehand.

His numerous engineering and architectural works include Narayan-Hiti Palace, Valeshwor temple at Chandragiri, Unmatta Bhairav at Pashupati premises, Tikapur town planning, Sahid gate and Hotel Soaltee Oberoi. He has been awarded with various awards throughout his lifetime along with a recent DOOSAN Infrastructure Excellence Award with Lifetime Achievement Awards, Himalayan TV for his contribution to the engineering and architectural field of Nepal.

About Shankar Nath Rimal Rimal was born on March 01, 1935 (Falgun 22, 1991) in Gairidhara Kathmandu. He received his BE in civil engineering from Calcutta University in 1957 and went to Germany for training at

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interview

Apart from the professional category, Berger SPACES Interior Design Excellence Award 2018 also highlighted the work of students from architecture and interior design. Participants were assigned to create a project at Chaya Center to design a café or restaurant, fitting the present need of millennial and café goers. The winners were selected from the shortlist of 17 submissions from different educational institutions. Let us delve into a conversation with our Berger SPACES IDEA student winners- Riya Sthapit, Sneha Shrestha and Sarina Shilpakar and find out more about their project.

Riya: It was simply exhilarating to participate in a competition of such scale. I was eager to see what I would learn from it.

Sarina: In the beginning, nervousness engulfed me as I exposed myself to the outside world.

Now, when I recall that moment, I feel blessed to have been among all the participants and broaden my horizons. The feeling was simply, a potpourri of happiness and anxiety.

Sneha: The feeling was nerve-racking yet exciting, as I had to struggle with the submission date and my academic schedule. The stress was, however, overcome by the sense of achievement after the completion of my design.

2. Coffee and tea culture is seen to be ingrained in all of the winning entries. Tell us more about the design concept of your project and what distinguishes your architect style from other typical cafés?

1. How would you describe the feeling of being a participant in IDEA 2018 event?

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interview Riya: The distinctness in my design arrives from its contemporary and minimalist feel, with large openings and plenty of light and space. The open floor plan with varieties of seating depicts an open invitation to the coffee experience. I used several shades of wood representing the roasts of coffee.

Likewise, the brass and metallic elements serves as a reminiscent of the pots used to brew freshly ground coffee. The polygonal design elements, seen in the shelving and the light fixtures of the cafĂŠ are derived from the molecular structure of caffeine. And finally, the white walls acts as a saucer to make the rest of the elements stand out as it provides a fresh and modern backdrop to the entire design.

Sneha: The first thing that struck me while visiting the site was the overwhelming amount of built spaces, clearly lacking the natural environment. The underlying idea was to create a space inside a concrete jungle, where one is wholly enveloped by nature. Instead of sticking to conventional design elements, I decided to incorporate green space into the cafe. A healthy space is thus created by the prominent use of indoor plants, regulating room temperatures along with clean air.

Sarina: My design delineates as a remembrance of Nepalese tea from Illam and our culture of drinking tea in muddas or under the peepal tree. I have used all these as my elements and blended them with a modern rustic design of cafes. The use of DIY products in my project such as muddas and its table, peepal leaves and the use of bamboo provides an exceptional feel to my design. It not only shows the proper utilization of non-degradable material but also offers freshness.

3. If you have to recount the best part of IDEA 2018, what would it be?

Riya: It was undoubtedly the part when I won the competition! I did not see it coming! Also, the chance to interact and connect with other peers and professionals of the field was a real privilege.

Sneha: To be recognized as the first runner up was definitely the best part. Apart from that, the presentation day made such an amazing spectacle with different perspectives of participants. To witness such skills for the same space was truly the finest part of IDEA 2018.

Sarina: Speaking in front of so many people during the presentation day must be the best part of the whole event. I got to comprehend and explore the ideas and work of other fellow participants, which certainly polished my way of thinking in the field of design.

4. Being an architecture student demands devotion and endless drive, which must be stressful at times. With a limited time and a given concept, how did you overcome the challenges faced during your winning project?

Riya: During the competition, I had to incorporate my work with the existing tasks and deadlines from college. I don’t even know how I managed it all. All I remember is that I powered through the challenge and drank a lot of coffee.

Sneha: The competition came with a lot of demand but I knew I needed to complete my project at all costs even though it meant sleepless nights. It was a valuable opportunity to push my limits and disclose my skills.

Sarina: Despite being an interior design student, which turned out to be quite a challenge, I went the extra mile to express and convey my vision and ideas into my project.

5. European countries are booming with minimalist coffee and tea shops in alleyways to indie bookstores. Were there any influences from the west in your winning project?

Riya: Minimalism, influenced by Scandinavian design creates a simple yet deliberate design of the interiors allowing the product, coffee in my case, to be in the forefront. This design greatly shaped my design process for the brew bar. My entry utilizes the conventional elements found in the now global design trend of minimalistic cafes such as light filled open plan spaces, reclaimed wood and light background.

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interview Sneha: Western coffee shops are like subtle escape from daily life. My design corresponds this feeling and plays on the concept of getting away from the hectic schedule to a natural escape.

To all the future participants of IDEA event, I wish them all the best! It provides an opportunity for growth and I encourage them to utilize and embrace this opportunity as it was a wonderful adventure for me.

Sarina: Tea culture is seen to be thriving among the Asian countries for centuries. In lieu of western influences, I have tried to bring an Asian touch by incorporating the design concept of Zen Garden through white gravel, bamboo, indoor plants and suchlike.

Sneha: I am fortunate to have been able to study architecture and its history. Nevertheless, there are concerns as our education system lacks in terms of staying up-to-date with architectural trends and provision of necessary facilities. This restricts us to express our creativity and reach the full potential.

6. What does it feel like to be a student in a country like Nepal? And what advice would you give to the future participants of IDEA event?

Riya: Being an architecture student, itself is very demanding and requires a lot of perseverance.

As a student in Nepal, we constantly have to seek inspiration and information from within the country and around the world to keep updated and motivated while at the same time navigating our college life through the limitations of resources and opportunities available here.

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My simple advice for the future participants is- stay true to yourself and don’t be afraid to express yourself. It’s not about competing and winning, it’s about growing as a person.

Sarina: I am a student of Interior Design.

Although, the concept of interior designing entered Nepal long ago, it has found popularity in recent years. It feels ecstatic to create design for people based on comfort, purpose and style.

My sole suggestion to IDEA’s future participants is not to be scared to express your ideas. Find your passion and follow it!

interview

Berger SPACES Interior Design Excellence Award 2018 Varun SJB Rana, the mind behind the grandiosity exemplified by Baber Mahal Vilas is the greatgrandson of Late Chandra SJB Rana. Varun completed his Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Nottingham. He is also the owner of Varun Rana Design Studio, specializing in residential and small scale commercial projects.

Varun won the Berger SPACES Interior Design Excellence Award 2018 in the commercial category for his project ‘Baber Mahal Vilas’. We recently spoke with him to gain a deeper insight into his winning project and share the joy of achieving an award.

1. How do you feel after winning the IDEA 2018 in the field of commercial project?

I feel more positive, excited and highly motivated. It feels good to be recognized for your hard work, especially when it’s coming from your peers and notables in the field.

2. It has been mentioned that Baber Mahal Vilas features architectural influences from Mustang, the Newari architecture, and the Ranas. Are there any western influences on your winning work?

Western influences in my work are intangible or necessarily visual. The functions of the space could be slightly determined by the ideologies and standards of the west, but with its visual

aesthetics, I feel quite ambivalent about the impact of western aspects in my design.

3. Sustainable architecture is slowly evolving and being practiced in today’s eco-conscious society. Have you managed to encompass sustainability in the design of your winning project?

Sustainability has grown in significance for the present-day construction industry. It is absolutely crucial for builders, designers, and engineers to practice sustainability for the built environment. As for Baber Mahal, we gave full measure to remain sustainable. We generate about 30KVA of electricity through solar power i.e. half of our properties consumption. We

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interview

use solar water heating system and have also designed a rainwater system which allows the rainwater from our sloped roofs to get stored in our underground tanks. Most importantly, our carbon footprint during the construction was absolutely minimal, as we have sourced all our materials, products, finishings and fittings from within the valley. We are still looking into other ways to be sustainable.

4. Every design has its own function. How did you manage to maintain the balance between visuals and functions in your winning project and are there any specific elements defining your style in this project?

I believe the key to a brilliant design is its ability to maintain equivalence between function and aesthetics. Designers could place either of the factors above the other, but in the end, a great balance is always crucial. I am really proud of what has been achieved at Baber Mahal Vilas, but I had a soft spot for an interpretation of the Mustang architecture from when I visited Lo Manthang. The scale, the angles of the slopes and windows, the painted facades, the solid

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stone structures amidst the arid landscape, all had a very revealing effect on me which I wanted to translate in Baber Mahal Vilas. Hence, I wouldn't call it my defining style but definitely one of the many that I will probably see and learn in the future, which I then, can apply in the context of the place I build in.

5. Any project that you are working on at the moment?

I am working on a small residential home for a family at the moment.

6. Every project has its own design. How did you come up with ideas for the design of your project? What inspired you?

I guess the inspiration is pretty evident; Baber Mahal Revisited. The heritage complex motivated me to pursue architecture.

Kathmandu is a city that boasts built environments dating back hundreds of years.

Our culture, traditions, handicrafts, and buildings, if studied well, will reveal its intricate history of coming together of different ideas and creating exclusivity.

interview

5'-6"

BMV

6'-3"

8'-2"

9'-10"

2'-6"

9'-10"

6'-2"

5'-0"

10'-3"

C-C

BMV

D-D

BMV

E-E

22'-9"

12'-8"

5'-6"

10'-7"

11'-10"

UP

3'-0"

A -A

11'-9"

3'-0"

64'-9"

7'-7"

10'-7"

3'-0"

10'-7"

18'-5"

7'-3"

5'-9"

3'-6"

Chair 18"x18"

Wardrobe 46"x21"

3'-7"

table 48"x18"

12'-6"

1'-2" 15'-7"

W

Tv Rack 48"x22"

6'-6"

7'-0"

5'-4" Luggage Rack 30"x19"

4'-11"

9'-1"

15'-5"

5'-2"

7'-4"

11'-9"

3'-0"

16'-4"

BMV

My inspiration lies in the very city we live in, from the Neoclassical Rana era palaces to the beautiful Newari courtyards of Patan and Bhaktapur. The serene monasteries and stupas that dot the city, all these varied ideas in this city are lifetime incentives.

7. Lastly, what do you see for the future of residential/commercial design in Nepal?

The future of commercial architecture in Nepal personally is a little haphazard for now. A lack of building regulations and more so its implementation, has resulted in this absolute explosion of unplanned building activities.

I do hope that Kathmandu becomes a case study and further developments in other parts of Nepal are looked at with more concern for the

GROUND FLOOR built environment of Nepal as a whole. I am a little optimistic to see that clients have become more aware of the value of design in their built environment and architects are still considered engineers. The design has always been secondary in our field, and once that changes, I am sure the skyline of Kathmandu and Nepal will become much better.

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interview

Vidisha Kasera on residential architecture, her winning project and what’s next Vidisha Kasera, a Kolkata-born interior designer, noted for her minimalist design approach thrives in residential design. She pursued her Master’s degree in Interior Designing from Global Institute of Fashion Technology, India. After a settled life in Nepal, Vidisha established ‘The Space Design Co.’ at Sanepa. The Sample Bungalow at Nakkhu, Mediciti Homes, designed by Kasera went on to win the Berger SPACES Interior Design Excellence Award 2018 for the residential category. In an exclusive interview with Sushmita Kunwar, the interior designer opens up about her winning project.

1. Congratulations on your win! How does it feel to triumph the IDEA award in the field of residential project?

Thank you! Honestly, I am stoked to have received the award as I have been following IDEA ever since I moved to Nepal. I felt extremely elated and grateful to have my work recognized.

2. Le Corbusier, one of the pioneers of architecture once stated, ‘’The home should be the treasure chest of living.’’. How do you incorporate this to your projects?

It is vital that a home invites its inmates and is well suited for all their habits, preferences, and their lifestyle - a space where we spend such a large proportion of our time shall be a treasure chest of living.

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As a designer, I integrate primarily by focusing on the use and the feel of every space. I ensure that every nook and corner is not only pleasant to look at, but easy to use. Also, to focus on incorporating spaces in the home for recreation and secondary activities remains, my another priority.

3. You were born and bred in Kolkata, a city beaming especially with the remnants of colonial architecture. Will Nepali people get to experience glimpses of your city on your winning work?

Having been born and raised in Kolkata, I have had a multitude of inspirations including Victorian, Gothic, Art Deco and the Bauhaus. While these form a strong base for my aesthetics, my work mostly represents Minimalism.

4. Many residential designers welcome the idea of people’s participation in their designing process. Have you sought for such engagement for Mediciti Homes from your future users?

It is crucial for designers to seek social participation, as home which appeals to the users and suit their needs is a job well done.

Mediciti Homes, however, undertook the construction before any family came in, which allowed me to keep in mind the universal requirements to fit the needs of prospective clients. The color schemes were timeless and kept neutral to keep up the appeal. The furniture, on the other hand, were of modern clean lines to suit all tastes.

5. New technologies have played a significant part in creating an efficient space for people to live in. While keeping efficiency in mind, designers also attempt to have a social conscience. How did you advocate the growing concept of social responsibility and sustainability in your project?

My major focus remained on promoting sustainable and local handcrafted materials during the decoration of the house, as the constraints to use commercial materials did not allow for much intervention. Hence, a variety of clay figurines, cotton bedding linens and cushions and handmade copper decoratives are visible throughout the project.

approach to your Mediciti project?

In this age of clutter and disarray, people have started to yearn for simplicity and minimalism.

A minimalistic style demands the correct balance of clarity, usability and design. There was an immense challenge in this approach to secure the attractive factor of the overall house.

The right color pairing along with the lighting is what defines the mood of any space. For that, I used a blend of interior decorative items for an orderly and spacious view, without being restricted to a particular geometric shape.

7. What are you working on at the moment?

And what does residential design hold for Nepal in the coming future?

Currently, I am working on a few residential projects. From my personal standpoint, there is a lot to look forward in the field of residential design. People are becoming more conscious of new designing styles and trends and if paired with a strong heritage and prevailing aesthetic sense, we can be assured to witness some outstanding work. Moreover, the growing concern over the use of sustainable and locally procured materials will definitely lead to interesting designs embedding a fusion of modern designs with traditional influences.

6. A minimalist approach is usually confined to a particular geometric shape and maintained throughout the whole design. What kind of challenges did you face while applying this spaces 33

art

THE TALKS OF THE ARTISANS Text: Richa Adhikari/Swastika Paudel

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art

Throughout the art history of Nepal, ‘Wood

Carving’ has had always remained an important part of the Nepali Art heritage. And this ancient craft has been kept alive by a set of artists from Shilpakar caste, a community within Newars – and this, as a family inheritance through all the generations. To many of them, it has come down as the traditional occupation.

For the past few decades however, WoodCarving as an ancient art, was seen gradually in decline, in its importance and in its popularity.

But thanks to few dedicated individuals, again, the art seemed to be regaining its earlier glory and the esteem. For this, the credit primarily should be given to two eminent individuals - conservation architect Dr. Rohit Ranjitkar, the Country Director of Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT) and Ravindra Puri – a well known conservation expert. For the past few decades, these two conservation personas have had been making tireless efforts to rejuvenate the art and to take it onto the new heights. They have been working continually and closely, not only with the artisans, but also been working to popularize the art, in every possible opportunity and available platforms.

As a common wisdom has it, that only when the craftsmen and their works are given due recognition, further development of the art will become possible: and only then the art will continue to prosper. Precisely bearing this truth in mind, here, the present essay is attempted – so as to bring some of the deserving craftsmen in the public light. In the process, we have sought to read their minds and their perspectives of the chosen artists. The purposes being, is to know their initial years in the art to their current standing, and their suggestions for a better future of the art or craft.

Tirtha Shilpakar Tirtha Shilpakar, the Naae–ke or a leader, in the reconstruction project of Hari Shankar Temple in Patan Durbar Square, is a well-known artist for his skills. He, along with his team is credited for reconstructions of many famous monuments in the Patan Durbar Square.

To him, Wood -Carving has had remained a family profession: and he inherited the skills from his ancestors. He simply followed in

their footsteps; initially learning the skills by watching his father and grandfather at work.

Later, he also got trained under noted names like Janak Lal Shilpakar, Surendra Joshi, and Indra Kaji Shilpakar. But according to him, learning by doing remains the best way to excel in the craft.

On financial returns, he is happy it is good enough only to sustain his daily life but not enough to lead a better life. So to compensate, he’s been doing commission works – making wooden frames for windows and doors, through his personal firm, needed for new residential homes.

On the future of the art or industry, he is not so optimistic. He finds the art is in continual decline. He is of an opinion that in future, it may be even harder to attract next generation to learn the craft. One of the reasons is now people look at this profession in a different light, not as very respectable. Young people would rather choose to be a doctor or an engineer rather than a wood carver. More efforts are needed to encourage the art – by attractive incentives like scholarships to the learners and the provident funds to elder craftsmen.

On the present state of art, he opined that as a traditional wood-carver, working with concrete in conjunction is no easy. But in the recent times, the artisans have begun to learn making adjustments with the new technologies and blend them with the ancient craft.

Ram Gopal Shilpakar Ram Gopal Shilpakar is a well-known contractor and noted for completing the projects ahead of scheduled time. Completion of Nau- Tale or the nine storied palace, of Kathmandu Durbar Square remains one of the known examples in this regard. But he also, remains a known artisan – in wood-carving. Like other artists, he is also said to have inherited the craft after watching his father and grandfather at work.

He found more groomed after a stint of training with Shreeman Shilpakar. After working as an apprentice a while, he succeeded in undertaking many prestigious government and UNESCO funded tasks, under his own private firm. And it has had led him to travel and work on various parts of the country. That included famous spaces 35

name in Wood Carving. Although they remain known in the works of construction, furniture making, they’ve chosen to specialize in carving of wooden sculptures of Deities - with intricate details. For years, they have been creating wooden works for renovation of various temples, Patti (public inns) etc. And recently, they’ve involved in the restoration projects in Patan Durbar Square.

On his initial years, Indra Prasad also learnt the craft from his father at a very young age.

As he wished to pursue this art further, he has also earned higher educational degree in Sculpture from Fine Arts College Nepal. As a result, through his workshop, he is able to create art with an amalgam of the traditional Newar heritage with western influences. shrines like Panauti, Janakpur, Boudha and Muktinath.

While speaking on the profession, he finds himself luckier. He shared starting a company of own led him better – allowed him to get involved with internationally funded projects of Department of Archaeology. Moreover, it also allowed him to help train many people – especially after the great quake of 2015. On being asked if his children would pursue the occupation of their ancestors, he isn’t so sure.

He adds a profession can succeed only if there’s a passion and drive.

Regarding the current scenario of the industry, the process to award a project to a low bidder remains an impediment to quality works. A tender is usually to the lowest bidder regardless of their background in wood carving: and it often has led to a condition where the bidder cannot even start the project in a given time.

When asked how to take the profession forward, he is of an opinion that he lamented a lack of proper organization that can work for the growth and betterment of the craft. He cited one example of a co-operative, begun to help the artists. In his opinion, it couldn’t properly function to a desired level, due to the vested interests and lack of popular involvement.

He also cited growing disinterests in the art, amongst the younger generation. But personally, he remains proud and takes great pride in what he achieved.

Indra Prasad Shilpakar Indra Prasad along with his father cum mentor Indra Kazi Shilpakar remains well-known spaces 36

Recently, he presented his first solo exhibition – entitled “Wood Carving - The Art of the Newars of Nepal.” It was held in Taragaon Museum in July 2019. He has had dreamt of holding a solo show since 2010. He is set to make another solo show in Germany in 2020. Regarding the scope, opportunities and the challenges, he opines to work on the temples and religious shrines, offers a great opportunity. The sense of joy and pride becomes the biggest motivator.

But Indra Prasad is of an opinion that people must be made more aware about the art and the workmanship. While the beauty of our art and culture are well valued by the foreigners, the art remains ignored locally.

Another problem he cited is the lack of reference materials. Important works need to be documented for future use. As part of this, he is said to have trained many young people on the traditional skills of construction, carving and furniture making after the great quake of 2015.

It was possible for him to this as a trainer in Nepal Vocational Training Center. He adds the ideas of different forms of art, their workings

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and importance should be shared with new generation. In order to conserve the art, the government should set up proper training centers as well.

Manik Raj Shakya Manik Raj Shakya is from Bungmati. As the family profession, he comes from a priest class.

But he has been working in this craft since he was 12 years of age. He could hardly forget that he learnt the craft after getting several cuts in his hand. He recalls that those were the toughest days when he had to work free in the house of his mentor.

He recalls his first big project - construction of windows for a Bahi in Chabahil. Since then, he has been able to complete many works for religious sites and monuments. He remains proud of working in the reconstruction of around 10 projects after the great quake of 2015 – including Manakamana temple of Bungmati, Vihar in Bhotebahal, Anant-lingeshwor of Bhaktapur, the windows of the Jana-Bahal in Kathmandu, among others.

Working in different places, he has an understanding that forms differ from a place to another. Understanding the local design, learning of local names and the arrangement of the figures often become the challenge. He believes hard work remains primary: and money should not always be a priority. He also believes, the policy of awarding a contract to the lowest bidder is full of flaws. Needed background must be considered, so as to save the heritage.

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On the future of the craft, the coming new generation should be lured to this profession.

He remains happy that both of his two sons are with him in the same business; and his daughter is also, as an interior designer, remain in the same field. He has a belief goodwill created by the parents often, leads to a secure future for the new generation. On his personal experiences, he remains nostalgic of watching skilled workmanship of the Chinese people, while he participated at the Expo 2010 Shanghai. Events

like this help create add skilled manpower leads to self-employment.

Raj Bhai Shakya Raj Bhai Shakya, another artist, is of the opinion that to be a Wood-carver, one must master two things. Firstly, one must know how to draw properly and he must be well equipped to understand the depth of a chosen pattern, beforehand. And also a deft skill and patience

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is needed to achieve precision - so that even the tiny parts of a pattern fit perfectly.

Raj Bhai Shakya besides being a wood-carver also owns a Gallery at Bungmati. There, he creates large and detailed woodworks and are exported in the international markets, mostly in Europe.

To his credit are exhibition of his works in Germany and he remains proud for being able to showcase Newar Art of wood carving before the international audience. To promote the art, he believes that people involved in the art, must understand the value of their works and how it could contribute to our culture. While talking about himself, he has had an opportunity to work and stay in France, he has chosen to come and work in his own country. One needs to stay in own country and develop it rather than go to a developed country, he adds.

Conclusively summing up, after going through the above modest exercise, it offers and highlights certain interesting insights. First, although the craft is essentially on gradual decline, but the situation and scope still remains bright, all is not that bad. But the conversations also indicates certain steps must be taken in time – including a proper mechanism to continually promote the art and initiate programs to groom next generation. Only then, the heritage can be conserved for future.

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architecture

Distinction Between Art and Architecture

Photo: Bijaya Maharjan

The True Beauty of Patan Durbar Square

Text & Photo: Victor Guan

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architecture

Introduction

Windows

As the center of cultural heritage with its conglomeration of temples and shrines, Patan Durbar Square has easily become a main attraction not only for art historians and architects, but for tourists all over the world. The monumental structures tower over people who walk past them in awe.

And at closer inspection, one can admire the detail in craftsmanship as shown through the carvings and sculptures decorating the massive buildings. The ancient palace — once home to Malla kings of Lalitpur — truly has a magnificent collection of spectacular constructions.

“Windows do not necessarily provide a passage for light and air. They are usually closed by shutters, solid or latticed… Beyond any functional deliberations, a window marks a facade in order to contribute to the overall design.”

-Patan Museum, Architecture Gallery.

So what exactly makes Patan Durbar Square what we think of as beautiful? The common answer is a vague statement about the architecture, but what does that response entail?

Without a doubt, the temples’ large size and the abundance of crafting prevalent throughout the square is a major factor to its attractive appearance. The real question, however, lies in how many of those qualities actually count as architecture. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines architecture as “the art or science of building; specifically: the art or practice of designing and building structures, and especially habitable ones.” Taking the definition literally, one may say the sculptures and tectonics of a temple both fall under the design of the “building.”

However, I argue that the carvings on the mandirs are of a separate art — they may decorate the infrastructure of the building well, but that does not constitute part of the architecture itself. While seemingly Modernist, ornamenting architecture with art by no means attributes any visual displeasure to Patan Durbar Square, but instead showcases a different kind of beauty based on craftsmanship and religious symbolism rather than simply the architecture.

Signs posted throughout the Patan Museum share how the temples mainly use brick for walls and wood for window frames. In architectural terms (without the crafting), the type of opening described in this quote would be a small hole pierced through a wall, outlined with timber frames. The window itself is not attractive in this sense, nor would it contribute much to the rest of the design besides adding wood to the wall. The appeal comes from the carvings marked on the frames, displaying forms of religious iconography and relating to the significance behind the motivation of the site.

For example, one of many similar windows, the northern portal of the Char Narayan, has a heavily patterned opening for people entering or exiting the temple.

When stripped of the artistic, religious carvings, however, the portal would appear as the drawing below: This is the architectural aspect of the window.

Although still fairly detailed, the patterns are obviously not as appealing without the symbols carved on the frames. The general shapes and patterns compile the design of the window, which was determined by how well they fit with the building. This basic layout is what functions as a window and holds the opening of the wall in place. Not even all of the patterns shown above are necessarily load-bearing, but each piece of this construction is designed for the window to match the wall of the building.

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Photo from KVPT Earthquake Response Campaign Overview of Projects. Pictured is the Char Narayan northern portal.

Drawing made by the author. Pictured is a drawing of the shapes based on the Char Narayan portal.

On the contrary, the carvings are meant only to complement the portal design, with sculptures of religious icons added to parts of the window.

This gives an artistic touch to an already preshaped design for the opening of the building.

Therefore, the carvings cut into the wood are like a painting painted on a wall — the architecture of the wall is no different with or without the paint.

the mandirs. Just as one would hang a piece of artwork to decorate a room, blind windows are placed onto the walls of temples not to alter the structure of the wall, but to furnish it. Overall, the windows are inspired by a desire to exhibit the artistry and religious importance of the temples, which is what attracts international tourists, despite the lack of influence on the architecture.

Just by classifying the sculptures as separate, decorative art on the Char Narayan portal, does not mean it has no impact on the architecture.

The carved elements are crucial to expressing the beauty of the temples in the square. Blind windows are a great example of this.

Struts

These windows have no ordinary function, being that in place of what would normally be an opening at the center, there is a solid panel of a revered deity. As a result, these windows are purely to represent the religious symbolism of spaces 44

Attaching art to architecture does not automatically make it a part of the building’s design. The struts supporting the roofs of all the temples in the Durbar Square are covered with manifestations of gods, spirits, and historical heroes.

These beautifully detailed sculptures easily captivate people’s attention because of the skill required to create each character, as well as the

-Photo taken by the author — from Patan Museum, Architecture Gallery. Pictured is the blind window displayed in the Patan Museum.

-Photo taken by the author — from Mulchowk.

Pictured are some of the struts displayed in the courtyard.

Photo taken by the author — from Sundari Chowk.

Pictured is a blind window in the courtyard.

-Photo taken by the author — from Keshav Narayan Temple. Pictured are columns in the courtyard.

amount of effort spent on each strut. It doesn’t make the strut any different, however, than it would have been without the craftsmanship.

Based on the structure of the building, the strut would bear the same load and serve the same function. The architecture does not change; the wooden beams are simply decorated with intricate carvings that imply a spiritual and devout connection to the temples.

Columns Columns can be acknowledged in the same manner. From the Patan Museum, a column in Newari architecture is said to consist of five distinct parts: the base, shaft, plate, capital, and lintel. These are the architectural features of the columns in Patan Durbar Square, and can be recognized based on each part’s distinct spaces 45

shapes and dimensions. Each column can then be decorated with slightly different designs relating to similar religious motifs and spiritual symbols. Once again, the carvings are defined separately from the architecture. The sculpting has no effect on the design of the building, as the column still plays the same load-bearing role, but it adds allusory art onto the column with beautiful patterns and figures.

Tympana One of the most decorative elements of Newari architecture, the tympanum, is a semicircular plate that rests atop a door or gateway, and is covered with religious imagery.

Its architectural form consists of the semicircular arc-shape that people recognize as a special entryway. This form alone enhances the opening of a building; it gives the entry a grander appearance to emphasize the significance of a specific doorway. Anything designed independent from this form, in relation to its purpose towards the ingress of a building, is not a part of the architecture. The carvings drawn onto the tympana artiscally embellish the structure, implying a religious significance and a distinct style of Nepali craftsmanship. It makes the viewer aware of the type of environment he or she is entering, as shown through the many tympana on the temples in the square.

Conclusion When tourists walk through Patan Durbar Square, they typically refer to the beauty of the temples and monasteries as part of the magnificent ancient architecture of Nepal. This is only partially true, as the beauty goes behind the vague definition for the architecture of the buildings. Yes, the shapes and sizes of the temples certainly are unique and appealing, but what is often overlooked is the distinction between what is art and what is architecture.

The elegant carvings and sculptures that decorate the buildings should be treated as their own form of artistry that supplement the architecture. They serve a different function, which is not to alter the infrastructure of the building, but to advance the pious intentions behind the building. The craftsmanship in the square has a major influence on the site’s attractiveness, and should be recognized as its spaces 46

-Photo from KVPT Earthquake Response Campaign Overview of Projects. Pictured is a repaired tympanum from the Harishankara Mandir.

-Photo taken by the author — from Sundari Chowk.

Pictured is the tympanum atop the entrance of the site.

own art that enhances the religious ideologies and carving talent that exists specifically in Nepal.

References -Architecture Gallery, Patan Museum,

Lalitpur, Nepal, 2015.

-Earthquake Response Campaign

Overview of Projects, Kathmandu Valley

Preservation Trust, Lalitpur, Nepal, 2017.

-Patan Information Booklet, Kathmandu

Valley Preservation Trust, Lalitpur,

Nepal, 2018.

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architecture

Manakamana Reconstruction

Text: Prabal Dahal spaces 48

It is said that, once upon a time around time of the

Hindu festival of Dashain, some local merchants were traveling through a dense forest of Gorkha, clearing the path as they advanced. In the process of clearing a path through the forest, they came upon a spot where the halo broke through a stone. A milky white substance combined with a bloody red substance oozed out of the stone that flabbergasted the villagers. The news about this discovery reached far and wide. On the same night, Lakhan Thapa, a great siddha and assistant to the king (Ram Shah), had a vision that a devi took the form of a stone which fulfilled wishes. With this knowledge, Lakhan Thapa summoned the devi and consecrated the location of the stone that oozed milk and blood as the devi’s temple. This is said to be the myth behing the establishment of Manakamana, the wish fulfilling devi. The goddess has been worshipped in the temple of Gorkha ever since. (Translated from the Manakamana Mai, Prem Kumar Shrestha).

The temple has been protected by royal families and governments of various ages. For instance, the golden pinnacle of the temple was formed by melting the jewelry of Queen Narendra Rajya Laxmi Devi wife to King Prithvi Narayan Shah. The temple, having stood tests of time for many years faced some damage during the Gorkha earthquake of 2015.

Prior to the earthquake of 2015, very few maintenance and repair works were carried out in the temple structure. The roof had been maintained some time before the disaster. Cleaning works were regular while there were very little structural maintenance projects. Consequently, the earthquake caused the temple to settle on the north-west corner (17 cm) and develop cracks on the northern walls. Apart from that, the temple tilted 12 inches towards north-east side. It has been believed that concreting in the base of the tham (column), was done during one of the rare maintenance period which prevented the columns from separating from the base and causing further damage, or worse- total collapse of the structure.

The damage caused by earthquake needed to be repaired. Upon careful evaluation by the Department of Archaeology (DOA), Manakamana Committee and other concerned authorities, reconstruction of the temple was deemed necessary. Measured drawing of the temple was done three years before the disaster by the DOA and the same was used for the basis of reconstruction. Generous donations were made for bricks, wood, and metal by various institutions and organizations. For instance: up to 7 crore rupees (70 million) was collected from the visitors of temple for this noble endeavor while the Ministry of Culture,

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Tourism and Civil Aviation contributed 4 crore rupees (40 million). Some visitors while visiting the temple would offer gold to the gilders on site. The gold was tested, melted and used right in front of their eyes. Likewise, some patrons would come and offer donations for the complete reconstruction of the main door.

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The reconstruction process made use of new bricks and wood. A lot of old materials could have been reused but their structural integrity was questionable. To strengthen the temple structure, 7” mat foundation was used. With 4” and 3” wall foundations, 18” plinth and one storied upright post, the temple is now much resilient than before.

While some modern intervention has been made in the foundation, the superstructure has been rebuilt with traditional methodology, preserving the unique identity of the temple.

Various building materials were brought in from various locations- identifying the best sources. Bricks for the reconstruction were supplied from Shree Dakshin Barahi brick factory. Wood was supplied from Timber Corporation of Nepal. Sal wood has been primarily used. The workmanship for bricks and wood were brought from Bhaktapur. The existing woodwork from original structures was copied by carvers of Bhaktapur. Up to 3 crore was spent

for wood craft. In 2028 BS, the tudal of the temple were made by craftsmen from Patan. The same was copied by craftsmen from Bhaktapur. Metal works were carried out by craftsmen from Patan. Gold was the primary metal used and majority of which was utilized in roofing. In fact, the cost of reconstruction was heavily influenced by the use of gold and wooden craftwork. While 8 kilograms of gold were estimated, 18 kilograms were used which resulted in the total reconstruction cost to be around 15 crore while 8 crore was the estimation. With support from the local committees, government and the general public, reconstruction was complete within 3 years.

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With easy availability of the measured drawings, enthusiastic participation of local communities, DOA, temple visitors and other concerned authorities, the reconstruction process was relatively without any major challenge. DOA technician Amrit Shakya mentions that transportation of 25 feet long Nina beams (11�x11�) uphill was quite a challenge. 1 to 1.5 km uphill transport of these beams had to be done carefully which took around 45 minutes.

The responsibility of the temple maintenance and repair in the future has been taken by Manakamana Committee. Building materials from the old temple have been stored safely which may be preserved in a museum or used for construction of new temples or structures in the premises.

With a cooperative environment of concerned authorities and stakeholders, the reconstruction process, as per Shakya, has been carried out by correcting the mistakes of the past without making any compromise. The process has been relatively slow in the eyes of the general people; but this is a reasonable timeframe with respect to the process, resources, craftsmanship and quality involved.

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About the interviewee The excerpt on Manakamana reconstruction has been derived from the interview of Spaces team with Amrit Shakya, a conservation expert at Department of Archaeology Name: Amrit Shakya Profession: Technical person, Department of Archaeology Education: IOE, architectural draftsperson Projects/Involvements: PatanMusuem with GĂśtz HagmĂźller for 12 years -55 window palace of Bhaktapur for 3 years -Changunarayan and Krishna Mandir Bhaktapur Bhaktapur Maintenance office for 12 years -Om Bahal with Niels Gutschow -Retired from Government Job as an Engineer in 2074 B.S. -Currently he is involved in Kasthamandap Reconstruction Project -Inspirations/Motivation: Replacement of 12 ft wooden post in Om Bahal hundreds of years of Nepalese history

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Thoughts from member/past-president of Manakamana committee Name: Narendra Babu Shrestha Involvements: Manakamana Guthi, secretary of community drinking water committee Inspirations for involvement: Shrestha respects and recognizes Manakamana as religious heritage and feels spiritual connection with Manakamana temple.

He feels proud of the temple structure and is ever grateful to the Devi who has provided so much to the people. He is inspired by all the enthusiastic pilgrims/visitors of the temple who are willing to help a transparent organization in development and prosperity of the temple.

Future projects of the committee: Masterplan of the temple premises (with dharmashala, sattal, puja space, toilets, etc); Museum exhibiting the materials from old temple structure; coordination with the local bodies, DOA and other governmental as well as nongovernmental entities.

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urban issues

Earn Money Harvesting Rainwater Text: Shreesha Nankhwa

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urban issues

There is a Nepalese folklore about the ant and

the lizard that goes something like this. Every day, throughout the year, the ant toils hard to build its home and collect food and store it for a rainy day.

So when the winter comes, it can stay safe inside its home. Unlike the ant, the lizard simply lazes around in the sun every day, all year round. So when the monsoon rains come, it has nowhere to go and nothing to eat. The lizard thinks to itself, tomorrow I will begin building my house. But when tomorrow comes and the sun shines, the lizard goes back to lazily lying in the sun.

As much as we love the moral lessons these folklore teach us, we have yet to implement them in our daily lives. The people living in water stressed cities like Kathmandu are, unfortunately, no different than the lizard that never builds its house. We pay thousands of rupees to buy water from tankers that never come on time. We stay up at night and wake up very early to pump water from the municipal water supply only available once every couple of weeks.

Yet, every year during the monsoons, the water from the rains flood the streets of our city and rivers. But rarely does it ever make its way into our household storage tanks. According to a study, the total built up area in Kathmandu, as of 2016, was 110.19 square kilometers. If rainwater was harvested from all of that area, it would capture 141 billion liters of water every year.

Fortunately, some people have cashed in on the rains that come every year and their stories are inspirational. Sanu Maiya Maharjan from Swayambhu has been collecting rainwater in drums since 1998 AD. However, this year, she built a tank of 28,000 liters and set up a proper rain water harvesting system in her home. With the heavy monsoon that Nepal has been experiencing, her tank is already full and she has collected enough water to last her throughout the year. With rain water harvesting, she is now saving herself Rs. 2000 every month, which means a saving of Rs. 24000 each year from the money she would have otherwise spent on buying water for her household.

Shanti Byanjankar of Na Bahi, Patan does not have a sophisticated rainwater harvesting system in her home. She uses a tarpaulin (pal) stretched across her terrace to collect water in each and every water tank, drum, bucket and any other water vessel she has in her home. Her terrace is usually covered in buckets and drums during the monsoon season filled with collected rainwater. She also has a couple of drums in her ground floor filled with a few hundred liters of rain water. This is the water she uses for her daily household need for five to six months every year. As soon as it rains, she rushes to fill every available water vessels. She lives in a very water stressed area and her alternatives are a community well that is used by almost 125 households, meaning spaces 57

there is very little water for each household, or water tankers that she says needs to be bribed before they bring water. “We have to give them extra Rs. 500 per trip as refreshments, chiya kharcha.

Otherwise they will make excuses and say that there are too many people on the waiting list and they will not come”, she says. Rain water not only saves her money for six months a year, it also saves her the trouble of carrying water from the well to her house and haggling with the water tanker workers.

These two women are the exception rather than the rule. There are few women like Sanu Maiya who have systematically set up a rain water harvesting system in their homes and are benefitting from it. But there are still thousands more who are still collecting rain water in buckets and pots. It’s not that they don’t realize that rain water is an important resource they can collect; the problem is that they have not been made to realize that if they harvest rain water in an organized manner, the water they collect can last

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them throughout the year. Besides, for the last 10 years Kathmandu Metropolitan City had provided a 10 percent rebate on building permits for the buildings where rainwater harvesting was included in the design plan. However, due to the lack of people who came to claim the rebate, it has been put on hold and budget has not been allocated this time for the rebate.

Similarly, Pokhara and Dharan municipalities provide 10% and 30% subsidy respectively for buildings that include rainwater harvesting in the building design.

Dhulikhel municipality has gone a step further and has approved to provide 15 percent rebate in the annual property taxes for buildings with rainwater harvesting and wastewater treatment system, meaning the home owners will benefit yearly. But despite these efforts by the local bodies the number of people who came to claim these benefits are few to none. Perhaps this is due to the lack of awareness about the policy on subsidy among the public and

the engineers who design the buildings or the lack of service providers. Perhaps the incentives are not appropriate. However, the fact remains that the people are still not harvesting rainwater as they should be.

Rainwater harvesting is not an addition to your home, it should be part of the building design.

A common complaint among those who don’t harvest rain water is that it would be too expensive.

However, if rain water harvesting is included in the design while building a house, it could be done at almost no additional cost. Retrofitting a house for rainwater harvesting requires an investment of a few lakhs depending on the system installed. But if one were to include it while building a house in the first place, it takes almost no additional cost. These days a storage tank is already built into the basement of a home, which would act as a reservoir for the harvested rainwater. As per the municipal building code, it is mandatory to manage rooftop rainwater and pipe it to the drains. Rain water harvesting could be as simple as redirecting the water from the pipes to a filter and the underground storage tank instead of the drain. Since the tanks, the gutters and the pipes already have to be installed anyways, the only extra cost would be for a filter. And in return, one could save Rs. 24,000 every year as Ms. Sanu Maiya is saving and would not have to bribe water tanker workers the way Shanti Byanjankar has to during the six months when she does not have rain water to depend on.

In the current situation, rain water harvesting is absolutely essential. The population of Kathmandu continues to grow each year and the water supply is not enough to fulfill the water demand of the people.

According to the annual report of KUKL from 2018, the daily water demand in Kathmandu is 415 MLD (Million liters per day) but Kathmandu Upatyaka

Khanepani Limited (KUKL) has an average supply of only 107.2 MLD leaving a deficit of 256 MLD. Even if the long awaited Melamchi project does get finished, it can only supply 170 MLD of water. Meaning Kathmandu valley will still need another 86 million liters of water per day to fulfill the demand. Hence, rainwater is not an option we can afford to discard.

We have long thought of rainwater as an alternate to the piped water supply. However, we have yet to understand that rainwater is not an alternative; it is the primary source of water on earth. It will be too late if the local government delays to bring in the appropriate rainwater harvesting guidelines to cash in rainwater as a water resource that would ultimately contribute to mitigate problems such as urban flooding as well.

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restoration

NOTRE DAME DE PARIS

The drama surrounding the great fire that engulfed the iconic monument Text: Kai Weise and Anie Joshi

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restoration

On the April 15, 2019 when the most visited

monument in Paris, Notre Dame de Paris caught fire, passers-by could not believe their eyes and people around the globe were shocked as they watched the central spire collapsed. Fortunately, despite the massive fire which engulfed the entire roof structure and the spire, the cathedral was saved from major collapse. The major credit for saving Notre Dame de Paris from even greater disaster goes to the firefighting team that arrived on the site soon after the alarm was set off.

Smoke was seen rising from the roof of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and at 6:18 pm the alarm was immediately raised. Though fitted with the most highly sophisticated alarm system with smoke detectors, there was initial confusion about where the fire was located. At 6:45 pm the alarm was raised again while the fire had already spread over the wooden roof structure and by 7:00 pm over six hundred firefighters arrived at the site for the rescue mission. However, within an hour of their arrival at 8:00 pm the spire collapsed and the fire engulfed the entire roof structure. If only the location of the fire would have been immediately located after the first alarm, the famous spire of Violet-le-Duc might have been saved.

Response to the Notre Dame fire in Paris Once the fire was located the response was carried out in a highly professional manner.

The firefighters drew sketches planning out the strategy to approach this situation, clearly reflecting their level of training and knowledge of the historic structure. Water was pumped from the Seine to spray on the inferno while important artefacts were removed from the monument including the most precious relic, the

Holy Crown of Thorns. Emergency evacuation was carried out successfully as per preparatory planning.

The roof structure built of timber covered thin stone vaults of the main cross shaped structure of the cathedral, the naĂŻve and the transept.

The timber dried over centuries quickly caught fire. The lead roof melted and possibly further fuelled the flames. The large sections of wood were later found to be charred only on the surface, which meant that the smaller timber elements were the main fuel for the fire. At 7:37 pm the roof collapsed, beginning with the eastern naive. The spire which is largely timber structure caught fire in a spectacular manner and collapsed at around 8:00 pm. A restoration project had just started on the spire and huge steel scaffoldings had been erected which remained in place but were deformed and welded together by the heat.

The fire raged on, threatening the towers and the belfry. Though the fire spread to the northern tower, it was lucky that the timber beam on which the bells hung survived. By this time at several locations the timber elements from the roof and spire had crashed through the stone vaults into the cathedral. The firefighters got the fire under control by 10:30 pm and the fire was put out by 2:00 am. The clearing and

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initial assessment of the monument was done by robotic vehicles which included the removal of timber, stone and remains of the melted lead. Rather surprisingly, and thanks to the extraordinary competence of the firefighters, the stained glass windows and many artefacts along the side aisle of the cathedral and the main towers and belfry were saved. A team of conservators was involved in salvaging important artefacts however; the eight allegories on the spires had already been removed for restoration just few days before the fire. One of the objects also found within the debris that fell into the cathedral was the finale of the spire, the cock.

While the firefighters were struggling to save the monument from any possible major disaster, major companies and enterprises from around spaces 62

the world started pledging donations for its restoration. Within a few hours there were pledges of hundreds of millions of Euros from the owners of major luxury brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton, as well as the French oil company Total and even Disneyland.

Preparing Notre Dame de Paris for research and restoration A major restoration of the northern main faรงade of the Notre Dame was done in the 1990s.

However, the state of conservation of the Notre Dame de Paris before the fire was appalling with most of the decorative stone elements including the gargoyle and stone balustrade being very fragile. The stone masonry of the flying buttresses was unstable while the spire

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was tied in place using a metal belt. Therefore a major restoration project was approved as per the report presented by the conservation architect in 2013.In 2018 work began on restoring the spire and one of the flying buttress on the southern side. The first task of this project was the restoration of the spire. The spire over the central transept designed by Viollet-le-Duc, inspired by the spire of the nearby SainteChapelle, was added during a restoration carried out between 1845 and 1864. An earlier spire was lost at the end of the 18th century and the cathedral was in a desolate condition with interest only being raised by Victor Hugo through his novel published in 1831. For the site preparation huge metal scaffoldings were erected while making sure they don’t rest on the 12th century roof structure named “la forêt” (the forest). Therefore, when the fire engulfed the entire roof structure, the scaffolding did not collapse which otherwise would have cause even greater damage.

On-site cleaning and emergency stabilisation work has been going on since the week following the fire. Visibly the Notre Dame fire destroyed the timber structure of the roof and

central spire. Some timber elements fell through the stone vaults and smouldered on inside the cathedral hall. However, the presence of the stone vault prevented the fire getting into the cathedral. Some stone columns inside the cathedral were found to have been damaged by the heat. However, the detail condition assessment of the monument and the impact of the fire on the masonry structure and the stone vault has not been done yet. Considering the safety of the people working on site, temporary stabilisation and site preparation with installation of working platforms will be put in place inside the cathedral before the assessment commence.

The loss of the roof structure and possible damage of the stone vaults that span the main naïve could impact the overall structural stability. The flying buttresses provide the tall stone columns lateral support, and with the removal of the link at the top, this could put pressure on these columns which might already be weakened due to the fire. As a precautionary measure, timber framing have been inserted inside the flying buttresses to counteract the lateral forces. The gable walls of the roof

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restoration

structure which are freestanding now after the loss of the roof structure have been provided with the timber support structures to avoid further damage. The stained glass of the upper windows has been removed for protection and the openings covered. The vaulted ceiling has been covered to protect it from rain water though this was not possible where the massive scaffolding the still stands, erected around where the spire once stood. The damaged interior columns have been temporarily tied using steel-cables and timber planks packing.

One of the major challenges of the site preparation will be to dismantle the huge metal scaffold which is welded together due to the heat from the fire. Another challenge would be the cleaning of the gargoyle stone from where the melted lead drained out. All the materials that have been collected from the destroyed sections of the monument stored on site in front of the cathedral.

The burning roof structure and the melted lead fell on the stone vaults. The incredible heat that was generated would have affected the stone as well as the lime mortar. Furthermore the water that was used to douse the fire would have washed away some of the mortar. This is possibly one of the most critical points requiring assessment to know if the stone vaulted ceiling could be restored or will require complete dismantling. It would of course be possible to inject mortar in between the stone elements if the stone itself hasn’t been affected too much. For the detail assessment, two working spaces 64

platforms above and below the vaulted ceiling will be installed.

Most of the restoration work done on the monument within the last few decades was focused on its architectural features. The damage caused by the fire has necessitated major restoration works and this can be seen as an opportunity to carry out research on the condition of the entire masonry structure from the 12th and 13th century.

Discussion on design and materials for reconstruction Already within a week of the fire various design options for a new roof structure could be found floating around on the internet . There were also concerns on the unavailability of the required timber for reconstruction of “la foret�. This led to the discussion on the various possibilities of using metal or reinforced cement concrete (RCC)to rebuild the roof structure, solutions which has already been used for various other restoration work on cathedrals in France. The roofing structure was rebuilt using RCC in the cathedral of Reims and Nante while the roof of the cathedral of Chartres was rebuilt in metal.

It is considered that the craftsmanship for the rebuilding of the roof structure similar to the 12th century is still available. The traditional craftsmanship has been continued through the apprenticeship with the masters by the Compagnon du Devoir which is a French organisation of craftsmen and artisans dating from the middle age.

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there was no detail documentation of the earlier structure. With the available details of Viollet-leDuc design as well as the recent 3d scanning of the monument, there is enough documentation to reproduce the roof structure and spire if desired. However, with the announcement of anointer national design competition by the French President this would bring about new concepts for the roof and spire. It will be interesting to see what Notre Dame will look like after the restoration work.

The newest issue that has arisen is that of lead pollution caused by the burning lead roofing.

This led to a law suit and the site was shut down for almost a month. This will lead to further interesting discussions in regards to what material should be used when restoring the roofing.

During the 19th century restoration carried out in Notre Dame by Viollet-le Duc a new design of the spire was introduced considering that spaces 65

interior

The Contrasting Colour of Cities

Text: Sneha Agrawal

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From the confounding deserts of Jaisalmer to the narrow cobblestone streets of Santorini and

beyond, world is a colourful collage waiting to be explored and colour is a core characteristic of some of those stunning cities of the world. Even though, colour choice is not the first thing that comes to our mind when we think about a city but the colour of a city’s architecture and the creativity of its people can turn a dull, functional town into a thing of vibrant beauty. And there are many cities where colour represents the identity of that place. For example, Jaipur is also known as Pink City, Jodhpur goes by the name of Blue City while Jaisalmer is the Golden City of India. And not only in the case of India, but the whitewashed buildings of Santorini and the rainbow hued colours of Burano, Venice are also the colour identity of those places. But have we ever imagined why these cities have been named after these colours? What is the reason behind this phenomenon and why a city has a certain colour? This article could give some insight on the colour mystery surrounding these cities.

Jodhpur, India The ‘Blue City’ of Rajasthan- Jodhpur is a mixture of boxy indigo houses, steeped in sounds, smells and chaos.The indigo-painted houses provide a bluish hue to the whole city, especially when perceived from a distance.

Surprisingly many people don’t known about the origin of its alias.Generations ago, the priestly caste of Jodhpur, India painted their homes blue to separate themselves from the rest of the citizenry. It wasn’t long until the rest of the old city, Brahmins or not, took up the tradition and painted their homes blue as well. While the city has expanded far beyond

its old walls today, its central core is almost entirely indigo in colour. Ask a few locals about the colour choice today, and many answers are received. Some may point to the priestly caste years ago, others suggest it wards off mosquitoes, and others claim the blue keeps their homes cool under the hot Indian sun. No matter the cause, the effect is breath-taking.

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Jaipur, India Jaipur, capital of one of the most vibrant Indian states Rajasthan, is globally renowned as the Pink City. It is the largest city in the state and gives a true taste of the royal Rajasthan.

It is a maze of streets which have remained unchanged for hundreds of years, dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. The popular story that goes behind it is that in 1876, to welcome the Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria, the city of Jaipur was painted in terracotta pink. Jaipur during that time was ruled by Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh. Later, the ruler passed a law which said that buildings and houses in the city would be painted in pink, which is still followed.

Jaisalmer, India Jaisalmer is by far the smallest of all the coloured cities of Rajasthan, but by no means should be disregarded. It is named the Gold City (or the Yellow City) because the sand imparts a golden shadow upon the city and also due to its honeycombed sandstone architecture.

It was built on the foundation of yellow sandstone, which further justifies its tag as the

'Golden City' of India. Built by the BhatiRajputs, Jaisalmer showcases interesting architecture, intricately carved sculptures and strategically built forts. This small city is made up of narrow lanes with temples, houses, guesthouses and restaurants.

Chefchaouen, Morocco Morocco’s small city of Chefchaouen—often referred to as simply Chaouen—is one of Morocco’s most picturesque destinations. The small and beautiful Chefchaouen city is nestled in the Rif Mountains of Northwest Morocco.

This popular tourist town is known for its striking vivid blue-washed buildings, similar to that of Jodhpur.

The city’s blueness is a tradition that dates back to the 15th century when Jews fled Spain

because of the religious upheaval that was taking place. They settled in Chefchaouen in Morocco and soon began turning the city blue, starting with their own buildings. The colour blue, they believed, was the colour of heaven and reminded them of God. It also represents people must live their lives with spiritual awareness and this tradition is still going strong today.They did a good job covering every inch of the city in this distinctive palette: houses, mosques, government buildings, public squares, and lampposts – even the flowerpots.

It is also said that the bluish shade of Chefchaouen can keep away the mosquitoes as they don’t like clear water. Some locals also say that the blue helps keep their homes cool in the warmer months. While this probably wasn’t the original intention, it serves as a valid reason as to why the painting continues in modern times.

Also, while attracting tourists certainly wouldn’t have been the original reason for painting the city, it is now a major reason why the practice continues. The unusual colour is, after all, the city’s main claim to fame.

Burano, Venice, Italy Burano is a pretty small island in the Northern Venetian lagoon. It is made up of a group of four small islands linked together by a series of bridges and held together even more solidly by

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their colourful painting trend. The eye-catching colour scheme has been upheld for decades and was even beginning to fade until recent years when the practice was reinstated.

The origin of the colours is unknown but the story goes that years ago, when the fishermen returned from the sea, they couldn’t recognize their homes through the fog, so they started painting them with different colours.Now, Burano’s houses pop with bright colours that almost look photoshopped as the homes are repainted every two years. Each house is painted a different colour from its neighbours and in fact, anyone that wants to paint their place needs to get approval from the local community government first.

Greece Greece is blessed with outlandish natural beauty and Santorini is one of its gems. It is a beautiful island located in Southeast of Greece. There are 15 traditional and picturesque villages in Santorini.The first thing that strikes our mind when we think of Santorini is the whitewashed houses, usually accompanied by blue doors and windows. The houses are evidently in absolute concordance with the light blue sky and harmony has been established ever since.

As for utility reasons, the white colour of the

houses is of paramount importance. The ideal climate of Santorini offers hot summers and the bright sun is present several months of the year. The inhabitants, in order to confine the heat in the interior to a significant extent, had to construct their houses accordingly. The white colour reflects the biggest part of the dazzling light, preventing the houses from getting warm and that was a basic goal of the traditional architecture. Making the houses heat resistant, the summers are much more tolerable and pleasant.

According to historical sources, there is one more explanation to what led to the prevalence of the whitewashed houses. At the beginning of the 20th century, during the war, serious deceases, like cholera, plagued the Greek islands. Whitewash is a cheap, disinfectant material that was used regularly to limit the infection. Back to that era, it was probably the most effective or even the only medium available for disinfection.

Regardless of the various reasons, white remained the dominant colour and trademark of Santorini and creates an awe-inspiring spectacle.

The island radiates a beaming light and a sense of optimism, brightness and tranquillity overwhelms visitors. The white colour,

complements the wild beauty, brings balance and is attuned to the details of other colours that simply highlight it.

These cities signify that each city has a colour identity of its own. It represents a city’s heritage and is a vital tool for urban preservation. But in our context, what could be the colour that represents our history?

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal Rich in culture and character, Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu is a riot of colours and surprises as well. It could be the traditional settlements and the durbar squares of Kathmandu valley that defines the colour identity of our country. With highly carved temples and monuments to brick buildings enclosing the streets, Durbar Squares have always been a vibrant public space in our context. And this brick colour could be the significant element in our city’s spirit.

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The Sample bungalow at Nakkhu,

Mediciti Homes Text: Riva Khatiwada

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interior

The Sample bungalow at Nakkhu, Mediciti

Homes was to be designed and constructed within the time frame of a month. Vidisha Kasera, the interior designer for the project took the challenge in her own hands and made the best out of it. She was awarded the IDEA 2018, Interior Design Excellence Award for the Professional level Residential category organized by SPACE magazine.

Vidisha Kasera was born and raised in Calcutta.

She completed her Masters in Interior Designing from GIFT, Global Institute of Fashion Technology, Calcutta in 2012. She founded ‘The space Design Co.’ at Sanepa, where she currently works and lives with her family.

Kasera believes in a minimalist design approach that is versatile and universal. Most of her designs are based on simple straight lines and the use of neutral colors.

The idea of living in a closed space has evolved through time. Kasera does not believe in creating a trend or an extravagant design which might be eye catchy at the moment but becomes excessive and unnecessary after a certain time.

The Sample Bungalow interior embodies a modern- contemporary feature that appeals to almost everyone who steps in. The interior was

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designed by creating many zones and spaces in a total of 2500 square feet to give the bungalow a bigger look. Similar finishes in furniture were used to maintain continuity and to ensure quick completion of the work, whilst keeping in mind a budget which would suit prospective buyers, while still delivering luxury and exquisite finishes.

The formal living A small foyer with the staircase is visible as soon as one makes an entrance to the ground floor which opens up to a living cum dining room with an open modular modern kitchen.

The formal living room is simply looking which generates a sense of home with a balance of warmth, luxury, and softness, something one wouldn't get bored with the passage of time. The use of opera brown marble, grey silver upholstery with a touch of soft lavender blended the entire room together. The threeseater sofa, a coffee table, and a backlit onyx TV unit are quite simplistic in design that was manufactured locally using teak. Accent chairs and ottomans provided varied seating while utilizing the space to a maximum seating capacity of the room. Minimalistic simplelooking false ceilings with clean lines added the final touch to the style statement. A mixed

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FORMAL LIVING

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DINING

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OPEN KITCHEN

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KITCHEN STORE

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ENTRANCE FOYER

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POWDER ROOM

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BAR

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BALCONY OF ROOM

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GAMES ROOM

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ATTACHED BATHROOM

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product of decorative concealed and natural lights were analyzed and utilized throughout the bungalow.

The sunken area below the staircase is filled with pebbles and plant decor with focused lighting to create an eminent statement at the entry using a space which is otherwise wasted with easily available simple materials.

The informal Living The first floor is guided with an informal living surrounded by bedrooms. The informal space is just perfect to read a book on a nice sunny day, enjoy games with a couple of friends or just have a glass of wine. This area serves as a multi purpose interior space with a glimpse of outdoor greenery. Furnished with a round teak table with cushions on the floor reflects our rich culture and promotes the idea of originality.

Furthermore, the living is provided with a small convertible open bar which can also be utilized as a bookcase according to user requirement.

Use of handicrafts and accessories like copper vases, Clay Pots clearly reflect the local craftsmanship. These features could be seen throughout the Bungalow. spaces 76

The informal living opens up to two bedrooms which are basically designed on typical color tones, brown and white base with a tint of gold, yellow and orange. The same color furniture finish perfectly blends with the greyish curtains.

The stuffed design behind the beds that extend throughout the length of the wall highlights the bedroom in its own way. All the common areas have marble floors for an opulent feel, while rooms have wooden floors for warmth and comfort.

Statement Wall and Mini home Theatre As one makes their way to the second floor, warm touch of the statement wall on the top of the staircase created using wooden Strips, beads and Wallpapers with green hues can be seen.

This adds a fresh touch as well as a luxurious statement to the house.The second floor is mostly dedicated to home theatre, a modernday mini-theatre furnished with three different convertible low sofas.Wall decors, mood boards hanging above the deep purple colored sofas with a small bushy mat on the floor just adds the right taste to the young and quirky feel of the room.

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The entire project was aimed at creating a home with a balance of comfort and elegance, a home which would suit all generations, a home that facilitates family interaction. Kasera stated that the use of versatile and inclusive sensibility enabled her to create an interior where every corner as a different feel, and yet they all mingle gracefully.

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store

Bella Casa Complete Solution for a House Along the Bagmati corridor lies a quaint little

shop adorned by flamboyant tiles inside and out.

It is easy to spot that this is a showroom for the thriving interior designing company, Bella Casa, in Italian meaning “Sweet Home�. The showroom is few metres from UN Park, so the surrounding is abundant in greenery. The place was deserted a few years back and now it seems that with the establishment of Bella Casa, the place has become more vibrant through the course of time. Bella Casa International has been tirelessly striving to mark its place in the Nepalese market since 2010, bringing innovative interior design solutions and putting an extra effort in providing quality service.

Hence it has proven to be not just a designing company but a service providing company as well.

The showroom can be accessed from the northern and southern sides admitting ample light in the interiors. The white floor tiles have aided in making the showroom more spacious. It can be a herculean task to explain to the client about the material and design most of the time. That is why Ms. Sapana Sapkota Bhusal had conceptualized

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the store more like a gallery where people can walk around to see and feel the materials. The showroom displays a variety of products; wooden panels, CNC jali partition boards, awnings, furniture and cladding materials. The walls and ceilings are embellished with diverse wall claddings.

The mastermind behind Bella Casa is Ms Sapana Sapkota Bhusal, an ambitious interior designer who always had the nick for decorations as a child.

She studied interior designing in KIC in Nepal and further took a diploma course in the same subject in the US along with many other training courses. She has come a long way since the trend of interior designing in Nepal was just budding. Ms Bhusal had always come across the problems with finishing in her designs. She craved for perfection but the workmanship always disappointed her. So, she has always lived by perfecting even smallest of her designs. It is a known fact that designers in Nepal have to limit their imaginations with the lean choice of materials in the market. For years, designers had to accommodate tiles, ACP panels, fibre cement boards which posed numerous problems in the course of time. Bella Casa had grabbed the attention of the mass public at the Buildcon exhibition held in February 2019 in Bhrikutimandap. They showcased the unprecedented cladding products by Phomi. Bella Casa was granted the franchise of Phomi only recently after persevering for the last three years.

store workmanship however should be very immaculate as the adhesion on the material can leave a mark on the surface which can be difficult to erase. Till now, Bella Casa has worked incorporating Phomi products in more than 20 projects since April in places like Birgunj, Palpa, Butwal, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Patan. Due to its light weight it can also be incorporated in high rise buildings. With the lifespan of about 70 years, this product would give a mileage that cannot be compared to its affordable price. With the entry of this breakthrough product in the Nepalese market, Bella Casa has marked its name as a thriving company.

All the reasons that make Phomi cladding step up from all the other cladding materials are its easy installation, natural designs, durability flexibility and waterproofing properties. The four bases of natural inherent color of the clay make it look very natural and aesthetic. Its colour is assured to not get washed out because of the same factor that it is made from natural clay and no artificial pigmentation. Bella Casa is not just responsible to provide the materials but it also takes care of its installation. These claddings can be an excellent alternative to tiles and is also a versatile material that can be used on walls, floors, ceilings, furniture and decor pieces as well.

The showroom just illustrates all of these applications. Problems like finding the replacement of a broken tile can be an impossible task but since Phomi has a definite catalog of design with the simulation of natural and vastly used building materials, its manufacturing products are ceaseless.

When asked about any drawbacks of this product, managing director of Bella Casa Mr. Jayant Bhusal gave a rhetoric answer. “Phomi is the invention that overcomes all the flaws of the conventional cladding materials.� he expressed. The

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from the shelf

How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens The Power of Forgetting A New Theory of Learning

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emory contests are misleading spectacles, especially in the final rounds.

At that point, there are only a handful of people left onstage and their faces reflect all varieties of exhaustion, terror, and concentration. The stakes are high, they’ve come a long way already, and any mistake can end it all. In a particularly tough to watch scene from the documentary Spellbound, about the Scripps National Spelling Bee, one twelve-year-old trips over the word “opsimath.” He appears to be familiar with the word, he’s digging deep, there’s a moment when he seems to have it—but then he inserts an “o” where it doesn’t belong.

Consider several numbers. The average human brain contains 100 billion neurons, the cells that make up its gray matter. Most of these cells link to thousands of other neurons, forming a universe of intertwining networks that communicate in a ceaseless, silent electrical storm with a storage capacity, in digital terms, of a million gigabytes.

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The science of learning is, at bottom, a study of the mental muscle doing the work—the living brain— and how it manages the streaming sights, sounds, and scents of daily life. That it does so at all is miracle enough. That it does so routinely is beyond extraordinary.

Think of the waves of information rushing in every waking moment, the hiss of the kettle, the flicker of movement in the hall, the twinge of back pain, the tang of smoke. Then add the demands of a typical layer of multitasking—say, preparing a meal while monitoring a preschooler, periodically returning work emails, and picking up the phone to catch up with a friend.

Now comes the inevitable counterattack against these purveyors of the hard-work school of schooling. In “How We Learn,” Benedict Carey tells us to ease up, take a break, get a good night’s sleep and stop the cramming. Instead of beating our brains into submission through 10,000 hours of drudgery, we need to study smarter, not harder.

CONNECTS 70. Asian Paints Nepal Balkumari, Lalitpur Ph: 977-1-5203045 E-mail: ccm@asianpaints.com.np Website: www.asianpaintsnepal.com.np 76. Agni Enterprises Ravibhawan, Kathmandu Ph: +977-1-5234630, 5234631, 5234632 Email: adhikari.agni@gmail.com adhikari@agni.com.np Website: www.agni.com.np 53. Asian Concreto Pvt. Ltd. Teku, Tripura Marga, Kathmandu (opp. to Laxmi Bank) Ph: +977 - 9802711156 / 76 Website: www.asianconcreto.com 77. Bella Casa International Near UN Park, Buddhanagar, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu Ph: +977-1-4784963 E-mail: info@bellacasa.com , sales@bellacasa.com Website: www.bellacasa.com.np BACK COVER Berger Jenson & Nicholson (Nepal) Berger House - 492, Tinkune, Kathmandu Ph: +977-1-4466038 E-mail: info@bergernepal.com BACK COVER INSIDE FIRST Bharati Trade Center Maitidevi, Kathmandu Ph: +977-9801179313 E-mail: raulzain555@gmail.com 26. Communication Corner Pvt. Ltd. (Ujyaalo 90 Network) Ujyaaloghar (Behind Central Zoo) Jawlakhel, Lalitpur Ph: +977-1-5000171 45. Dakshin Barahi Industries P. Ltd. New Baneshwor Chowk, Kathmandu Ph: +977-01-4780969, 9851152410, 9851152411 E-mail: dakshinbarahi@gmail.com 4. FOAID Festival of Architecture and Interior Designing Andheri (E), Mumbai-400059 India Website: www.foaidindia.in 82. Foto Hollywood Civil Bank Building, Kamaladi Ph: +977-1-4169060 Website: www.fotohollywood.com.np

3. Furniture Land Store P. Ltd. Blue Star Complex, Tripureshwor Ph: +977-1-4224797 Website: www.furnitureland.com.np FRONT COVER INSIDE GEZE India Private Ltd. MF2 & MF3, Guindy Industrial Estate Ekkathuthangal, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India Ph: +91-44-40616900 E-mail: office-india@geze.com FRONT COVER INSIDE FIRST Homesaaz- A House of Flooring and Furnishing Ratopool, Kathmandu, Nepal Ph: +977-1-4420661, 4420647 E-mail: homesaaznepal@gmail.com BACK COVER INSIDE Marvel Technoplast Pvt. Ltd. Heritage Plaza-II, Kamaladi, Kathmandu Ph: +977-1-4169122, 123 E-mail: info@marvel.com.np Website: www.marvel.com.np 2. Nagarik - Nepal Republic Media Pvt. Ltd. JDA Complex, Bagh Durbar Ph: +977-1-4265100, 4261808 E-mail: circulation@nagariknews.com 71. Olive Enterprises Dillibazaar, Kathmandu Ph: +977-1-4419823 39. Skylight Pvt. Ltd. Naxal (Opp to Police HQ), Kathmandu Ph: +977-1-4423851, 4415209 E-mail: info@skylight.com.np Website: www.skylight.com.np 9. Somany Ceramics Ltd. Kathmandu Ph: 9841325986 E-mail: rupesh@somanyceramics.com 39. Vie Tec Pvt. Ltd. Teku Road, Kathmandu Ph: +977-1-4262220, 4261220, 9860564400 E-mail: info@atc.com.np Website: www.atc.com.np 8. Worldlink Communication Pvt. Ltd. Jawalakhel, Lalitpur Ph: +977-1-5523050 E-mail: enterprise.support@worldlink.com.np Website: www.worldlink.com.np

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artscape

The Kiss Also as a poet, Uttam Nepali has his color patterns and the single brush patches provide power to convey poetic feelings to the viewer. But the painting also creates confusion in this painting, whether it’s a single or two faces. As we feel that the two faces are intermingled and thus create an illusion of movement of colors, rhythm and love. The bold lines are very powerful in every corner of this painting.

Uttam Nepali Born in 1937, Uttam Nepali is a familiar name in Nepali Art. He did his Government Diploma in painting from College of Arts and Craft, Lucknow, India. He has 25 solo exhibitions to his credit: and he presented his Solo retrospective exhibition in 2004, being organized by Siddhartha Art Gallery. He received Rastriya Prativa Purashkar, from HMG in 1970. He was awarded First Prize in National Art Exhibition in 1974, organized by Nepal Association of Fine Arts. He remains a Life Member of Royal Nepal Academy: and he is also the Founder President of Artists’ Society of Nepal.

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