Vol 13 No. 07 December 2017
ART ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR
National Museum of
World Writing
NRs. 100/-
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RECYCLE AND UP CYCLE
NEXUS
GALLIES
From valleys The shrouded history of
Kathesimbhu
and its contested ownership
Shaped
chess pieces in thE images of men
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Contents Volume 13 NO. 07 | DECember
S
P
A
C
E
S
N
E
P
A
L
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C
O
M
20 Architecture
48 Architecture
26 conservation
Building the Lumbini we deserve
Gallies to valleys
The shrouded history of Kathesimbhu and its contested ownership
38 Interior
32 INTERNATIONAL fEATURE
54 Art
Recycle and Up cycle: NEXUS
National Museum of World Writing
Astonishing B&W Potriat sketch imitating different colors
56 Art
72 from the shelf
74 Artspace
Shaped chess pieces in the images of men
Architecture: A visual history
The Mannequin
8 / SPACES December 2017
Volume 13 N 07 | December O.
Contributors
CEO
Ashesh Rajbansh Editor-in-Chief
Ar. Sarosh Pradhan Director- Products and Materials
Kai Weise
Ar. Pravita Shrestha
Chhavi Vashist
Asha Dangol
Contributing Art Editor
Madan Chitrakar Kasthamandap Art Studio Junior Editor
Shreya Amatya Sristi Pradhan Pratap Jung Khadka Advisor
Ar. Pawan Kumar Shrestha Subscription and Administrative Officer
Riki Shrestha
Contributing Editor
President - Society of Nepalese Architects Ar. Jinisha Jain (Delhi) Ar. Chetan Raj Shrestha (Sikkim) Barun Roy (Darjeeling Hills) Photographers
Pradip Ratna Tuladhar
Shristy Shakya
Aakriti Nepal
Shreesha Nankhwa
Rajina Shrestha
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.
Intl. Correspondent
Bansri Panday Intern
Soyana Nyachhyon
Chhavi Vashist is a Delhi- based Architect. She enjoys reading blogs & posts at blogger, WordPress, and some social networking sites too, which inspires her to write blogs. In past she had worked for a website: www.ebuild.in as an Interior Designing - content writer. She is also skilled in blogging, photography, travelling, event coordination, drafting, rendering, art & craft and model making.
Director- Operation & Public Relation
Anu Rajbansh
SR. Business Development Officer
Debbie Rana Dangol
Shristy Shakya, an architect by profession, freelancer and nature lover, works as an architect/ designer in Budhanilkantha Nargarpalika under National Reconstruction Authority (NRA). She is also passionate about travelling and exploring new places and their native/ historical architecture
Marketing Officer
Ruby Shrestha Legal Advisor
Yogendra Bhattarai Financial Advisor
Aakriti Nepal, a current bloomer in architect profession is a throughout learner and a believer in her field. She believes that architecture is a creature that enhances creating more and multiple opportunities for positive changes toward the society and people. She really has a positive attitude towards this field and looks forward for the new opportunities where she can explore her hidden abilities by accepting challenges.
Kiran Rajbhandary
Published by
IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. Kopundole, Lalitpur, GPO Box No. 7048, Kathmandu, Nepal. Phone: 5181125, 5180132 info@spacesnepal.com
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.
Rajina Shrestha is currently working full time for Marketing and Operations at Threadpaints Store, a moderated online selling platform. She is a also co-founder at Women Leaders in Technology (WLiT) and Vice-President at Women LEAD. She is a freelance writer and asks too many questions.
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SPACES is published twelve times a year at the address above. All rights are reserved in respect of articles, illustrations, photographs, etc. published in SPACES. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher and the publisher cannot accept responsiblility for any errors or omissions.
Advertising and Subscriptions
Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials to SPACES for consideration should not send originals unless specifically requested to do so by SPACES in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other submitted material must be accompanied by a self addressed return envelope, postage prepaid. However, SPACES is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. All editorial inquiries and submissions to SPACES must be addressed to editor@spacesnepal.com or sent to the address mentioned above.
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IMPRESSIONS Publishing Pvt.Ltd. Ph: 5181125, 5180132, market@spacesnepal.com
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November 2017 SPACES / 11
Editorial Whatever good things we build end up building us. Jim Rohn
Relates quite well to present days in Nepal. The extraordinary leftovers of past are keeping many things going on even in present days. Hopefully the Vajrayana Mahabihar that is currently being built in Lumbini should revive the dwindling heritage of Newari architecture that was so prevailing long time back. For sure, the country is still alive with wonderful craftsmen, it’s just a matter of time that they will shine again beyond the clouds of uncertain build ups and take pride on their ownership. The proposed Museum of World Writing could be another gleam we might see soon. The museum rests on podium, heavily influenced by the site’s geometry and the waterfront embracing the site surrounding and context by being friendly and welcoming to public. Creative imagination can go to sublime extent of creating memorable usability in forms of art for our everyday usages. Such an example can be seen at ‘Lasanaa’ where things or even ‘items’ came to life after careful selection together with proper installation. This could be one of a kind inspiration for not looking for the newbies only but to give some respect to the existing long-time survivors. In similar manner when an interior is being planned, achieving a look that reflects your own needs and dreams requires a little creative thinking and a willingness to experiment with new ideas. Mr. Aditya Sanghai wanted to give the office a raw and warehouse kind of feeling. With the black painted ceilings, exposed pipes and avoiding other thing that are considered as ‘essential’, he believed it goes well with the cement - the whole concept of what the company is about. We’ve seen that neglecting the architectures of the world’s fast-changing landscapes will result with endless expanses of housing, industry without natural and planting landscapes in endless highways. What could be more better to promote gardening – to slowdown the process of too much urbanization, to give our children a safe place to grow healthy by learning and playing – and most importantly by adding the warmth of vibrant colors. The extent of warmth can also be pulled inside our houses to make everything look and feel healthier. Have we ever noticed what a role color plays in our lives? Nature bests among all in mixing and matching color to feel us warm. Add some more warmth with more heating solutions, and of course with family and friends. Wishing you all a peaceful new year 2018 – happy reading.
Ashesh Rajbansh / CEO
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Banking Activities
Money Gram Distributed Prizes f Festive Scheme
oney transfer company MoneyGram s distributed prizes to the winners its scheme launched during e festive season. The company tributed 10 motorcycles, 10 rigerators and 10 mobile phones to
the winners. Julius, Senior Director of South Asian and JCC Countries of MoneyGram handed over the prizes to the winners with a promise of providing more services beyond the customer's expectation.
uktinath to Distribute 34% Bonus Shares
0th annual general meeting (AGM) ktinath Bikash Bank has approved roposal of distributing bonus s at 34 percent to its shareholders. GM also approved the proposal tributing 50 percent right shares paid-up capital maintained after
distributing the bonus shares and right shares. Moreover, the bank has also approved relocating its central ofce at Kamaladi, Kathmandu and providing authorisation to the board of directors to initiate merger or acquisition processes with other BFIs.
pal Gramin Bikash Bank Net prot reases Two Folds
et prot of Nepal Gramin Bikash has increased by two folds during rst quarter of the current FY. ng the review period, the bank d a net prot of Rs 30 million. The said the increase has been uted to the increase in operating
Wood Plank Series Wood PlankWOW WOW Series
prot and net interest income. Similarly, the operating prot of the bank increased to Rs 45.5 million in the rst quarter of the current FY, a three-fold increase compared to the same period last year. Moreover, the loan extension of the bank has increased by 21.31 percent to Rs 6.85 billion. However, the reserve fund of the bank has decreased by 80.21 percent to Rs 45.8 million during the review period.
NEW BUSINESS AGE DECEMBER / 2016
Owner: Pratibha Sharma Poudel Designed by: Ar. Purna Maharjan/ Samjhana Maharjan Location: Bhainsepati
Wood Plank WOW Series
News
Power, Politics and War
TRADITIONAL SUBVERETED Starting off with soothing figures and colors that described the feminity to images of mythical and alienated, disillusioned condition of contemporary youth. Started from October 1203 December, 2017, “Tradition Subverted” an art exhibition showcased the aesthetic and creative pieces of Erina Tamrakar and Asha Dangol at Yala Mandala, , Lalitpur. The exhibited paintings were not only beautiful but also had different story to them. The work aimed to engage the audiences in a proactive dialogue, introspective silence, migration, urban decay, and consumerism. Asha Dangol used canvas as his medium for expressing while Erina’s paintings with different moods of a female were craved in the stones. Asha Dangol hopes his paintings raises the question marks regarding the ill development of the nation. n
Too much of power can lead one to madness. Although it is not how we are supposed to be, but the human race is filled with full of filth, greed, desire, envy, dominant. The mankind had many wars in the past for the same reasons. A Kathmandu based Representational Figurative artist with MFA degree from Tribhuwan University, Mann Gurung who is also has been mastered in Classical realism for four years from the academy of realist art in Boston. Gurung has explored the dysfunctional human behavior within the perfect human species. He has shown powerful nation’s interest on geopolitics, oil, global economy, arms superiority which has led to global atrocities. He portrayed human emotions and recent global issues in general. Actions and incidents like Gun for peace, gun for freedom, and gun for dominance that only causes loss of human life at the end. Through his work he had attempted to raise voice against the war and gun culture. n
conference also aimed to develop an enabling platform and network for Nepalese consulting firms to seek equal opportunities in internationally. They also aimed on the gap in technical knowledge and experience amongst the Nepalese professional which must be minimized along with creating and promoting an environment for business.
SCAEF :
International Conference
S
ociety of consulting architectural and engineering firms (SCAEF) with government of Nepal (GoN), with sponsorship of federation of contractor’s association of Nepal (FCAN) organized an international conference themed on “business opportunities in consulting services for infrastructure development on 19th
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and 20th November 2017 at Hotel Yak and Yeti, Durbar Marg, Kathmandu. The overarching objectives of this event were to open a doorway for international investments in infrastructure development through providing opportunities in consulting sector, enabling investments. The
Under many different themes, international participants presented their technical and management experiences in various infrastructure projects. Other programs were also conducted which focused on various aspect of consulting business taxation policies, banking regulations, partnership provisions and insurance. On the last day, 27th SCAEF anniversary was also celebrated with award ceremony for the winners of different competitions with cultural program. n
News
NATURE UNWRAPPING
N
ature is not a place to visit, its home! Devina Arts Promotion seeks to invest in art for the benefit of the upcoming artists, the evolutionary mechanism that reflects the reality through genuine forms of art. Ten artists were taken to the resort at Lele, and Chitwan for a creative endeavor. The creative minds explored the open woods to defuse them into their own imaginative creation. Indeed, nature is in constant phase of being unwrapped
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by the eye that search. The workshop was an eye opener for the artists as their piece of artwork opens a total new perspective to the viewers. The effort behind this art activity was on display at Nepal art council from 1st December to 10th December, 2017. All the creativity could be witnessed at the gallery with the presence of the artist themselves to brief about their innovative creation
of art. Saroj Bajaracharya who deals with figurative nature had abstractness to his work. He intends to merge science and nature as his painting incorporated astronaut. Likewise, Arpita Shakya whose art work concerned on developmental goals of the society and creating better perspective for children. She seems to have captured a simplest emotion on lifestyle stories in her canvas. Moreover, other artist like Niraj Chitrakar and Palpasa Manandhar worked on different theme of women and their expressions. Likewise Rajan Pant’s use of vibrant colors brings the landscape and people of Terai to life. Bijay Koirala captured the beauty of urban settlement during the night time in the paintings. His fine details on every canvas mirrored the liveliness of Kathmandu valley. Likewise, an upcoming young artist UR Rimal featured his works which were irony to the society. All the painting displayed during the exhibition had its own story hidden that we observe in day to day society. n
News
Shanghai International Contemporary Art Exchange
Exhibition & Workshop 2017
T
he 3rd Shanghai International Contemporary Art Exchange Workshop for this year was held in Shanghai Taojiawan Leisure Farm Resort from 5-11 November 2017 and the Exhibition was publicly opened on 12th November 2017 at Hongqiao Contemporary and Modern Art Museum in Shanghai. Sixty artists from thirty two countries all over the world including from Nepal; Asha Dangol, Bhairaj Maharjan, Binod Pradhan and Sagar Manandhar were participated on this workshop. The program was curated by Mr. Li Yushi, artist from Shanghai and international artists coordinated by the Thai artist Mr. Wattanachot Tungateja. n
November 2017 SPACES / 17
News
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Tibetan houses: Book Launch The Saraf Foundation for Himalayan tradition and culture and the Taragaon museum conducted a series of lectures and exhibition on 10th November 2017.The chairman of the Saraf Foundation Mr. Arun Saraf inaugurated the program by welcoming Mr. Peter Herrie, who is an architect and planner in Berlin, Germany. This year the third series for Taragaon lecture invited Dr. Peter Herrie who has been traveling mid east Asian countries and wish to learn more. After returning back to his hometown, he has been working in urban conservation projects with international development organization such as GIZ and NGOs called “Nepalese Roots”. His most
recent project takes a view on rural areas by documenting vernacular farmhouse architecture the Himalayan. He and Anna Woznaik launched a book on memories and concerns about The Tibetian Houses. On the same event, “A Picture Book of my life” a book by Gotz Hagmuller was also introduced by Ar. Sarosh Pradhan. n
November 2017 SPACES / 19
Heritage
Building the
Lumbini we deserve
TEXT : Shreesha Nankhwa photo : Sanu Raja Bajracharya
20 / SPACES December 2017
“Buddha was born in Nepal” That’s a slogan you’ll find repeated a lot during conversations with friends, Facebook statuses and even on the back of trucks. It’s a fact that we are rather proud of. But more than a nationalistic slogan, Lumbini is a legacy that we need to uphold and preserve.
heritage
Karna Shakya
A
few months ago, we talked about the Vajrayana Mahabihar that is currently being built in Lumbini, a monument that exemplifies the Newari Buddhist architecture. Vajrayana Mahabihar is a masterpiece of Nepalese Buddhist architecture that is being built entirely on Nepalese funds. The Mahavihar will not simply be a Nepalese Monastery in Lumbini, but it will also be a lively place where monastic activities will be conducted in a regular basis. It aims to be a Vajrayana institute, a place of religious learning where anyone can come and learn and practice Vajrayana Buddhism. This ambitious endeavor is still in the works but it shows every sign of becoming a success, not only because of the relentless work of the “Nepal Paramparagat Boudha Dharma Sangh” (Nepal Traditional Buddhist Association), but also the many individuals who have provided material and financial support. We decided to talk to some of these donors and supporters to understand why they believed in the Vajrayana Mahabihar and why they supported it. The donors for the project come from all walks of life. We have businessmen, craftsmen, NRNs, devout Buddhists and people whose reasons are more personal. But the one thing they all had in common was that they all believed in this Mahabihar enough to contribute towards its creation. Praniti and her family, on the other hand, decided to donate a Tapagu Tikijhya “Because it is a Nepali bihar, it represents Nepal. We felt we must contribute” She further added, “When
Yogendra Shakya Raju Tuladhar
Samundra Man Bajracharya
Byakha Ratna Shakya
Dravya Ratna Tuladhar
Panchavir Sing Tuladhar
Gautam Ratna Bajracharya
Bhuvaneswari Shrestha
we visited Lumbini, every country had a bihar except Nepal, which felt wrong. We felt there must be something of Nepal in Lumbini so we supported this Mahabihar.”
from Canada, his donation is in honor of his late parents Mr. Mangal Siddhi Tuladhar and Mrs. Laxmi Shova Tuladhar and his wife’s late parents Mr. Asta Ratna Tamrakar and Mrs. Chini Shova Tuladhar.
For others the reason was more personal. Many dedicated their donations in memory of their parents. For Raju Tuladhar, a structural engineer
Similarly, Karna Shakya, environmentalist, conservationist, hotel entrepreneur, writer and philanthropist and Yogendra Shakya, pioneer entrepreneur of tourism and former president of Hotel Association of Nepal had the main shrine (KvapadyoVairochana Buddha) built and donated in memory of Karna’s late mother and Yogendra’s late grandmother as well as Yogendra’s late father, both of whom were a devout Buddhist. “Naresh guruju made a lot of effort to get the land in Lumbini to build the Mahabihar and then later to build the Mahabihar. He showed a lot of spirit and willpower, and looking at that, me and Karna dai were affected. My grandmother and my father were very religious. They felt that Vajrayana was becoming extinct so they made an effort to educate a new generation of Vajrayana gurujus. That’s how we came to know Naresh guruju. So there was some sentimentality behind that decision.” Says Yogendra Shakya.
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Heritage
Samundra Man Bajracharya, a member of the building committee of the Mahabihar, also donated the Mula Chaitya in memory of his late parents. “As Vajrayani Buddhists, we have ten karmakandas (rituals) that we must complete in our lifetimes and chaityas are central to all these rituals. Because chaityas are so important in our culture, I established the chaitya at the Mahabihar.” He says For most doners though, the reason behind their donation was more religious than anything. Byakha Ratna Shakya, who comes from a long line of an artist, is a devout Buddhist. His reason for donating a Vajradhatu Mandal to the Mahabihar was completely religious. “I consider myself fortunate to have been able to place a Vajradhatu Mandal in the birth place of Buddha” He says. Dravya Ratna Tuladhar, another devout Buddhist who had a history of supporting Buddhist monuments, also mentions that he donated a Sahasrabhuja Lokesvara (thousand arms bodhisattva) Mahabihar simply because of his faith.
idea that one must win over oneself. So to give with an open heart is a part of your learning when you are raised as a Buddhist. So, when I found out that someone was building a Vajrayana Mahabihar, I decided that I would donate the main gate.” He says.
Panchavir Tuladhar, the treasurer of the building committee who donated a pair of stone lions mentions, “It is an international area and a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists. As a Buddhist, I was interested in this Bihar. I have supported other Bihars previously, and now I am supporting this Mahabihar with an open heart.”
Raju Tuladhar, who donated in memory of his parents, also felt a sense of moral obligation to offer his support. ”Buddhism is for the upliftment of humanity as it helps to instill kindness & morality in our heart. To preserve Buddhism and related knowledge is very important so that the knowledge is available for our future generations too.”
Gautam Ratna Bajracharya, another devotee, mentions the Buddhist principles that led him to give to the Mahabihar. “In Buddhism, there is an
The building of this Mahabihar was important for many reasons according to many of the donors. According to Raju Tuladhar, “To reap the full
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benefit of Buddhism it is fruitful to understand the various sects of Buddhism. Theravada philosophy is for those seeking liberation while Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism give profound insight into the divine aspects of Buddha and Buddhism. Lumbini has seen the development of many monasteries but it was lacking a monastery fully dedicated to Vajrayana Buddhism. Building of the Lumbini Mahabihar fulfills this void.” Byakhya Ratna Shakya says, “400500 years ago many bahas and bahis were built in Kathmandu Valley. But since then this is the first time a monument like this is being constructed, especially in Lumbini.” Similarly, according to Samundra Man Bajracharya, in historic times there were hundreds of bihars in the
heritage
three cities – Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. But over the time they have deteriorated ”And now we only have a handful of bihars that are still intact but even they are slowly deteriorating. So it is important to show that there are these kinds of Bihar exist in Nepal. The bihars in Kathmandu valley may cease to exist eventually but this bihar in Lumbini will still be there for a long time. So it is very important that this Mahabihar is built.“ Similarly, Gautam Ratna Bajracharya also feels personally attached to Lumbini. “Growing up as a Buddhist, there are four important holy places –
Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Char Nath and Kushinagar. So Lumbini is an important holy place for us and when I visited there I cannot express the joy I felt. “ That feeling was another reason why this Mahabihar was important to him. Dravya Ratna Tuladhar believes that lately there has been a lot of advancement in Lumbini. However, according to him, “Buddhism was going extinct these days. And since this is the birth place of Buddha, we must do something here.” But simply building the Mahabihar is not enough according to Karna Shakya, “There must be a sense of
November 2017 SPACES / 23
Heritage
ownership for people to conserve it. We have material heritage like old temple and monuments, which is a thing of the past and we have cultural heritage like festivals which is for the present and future. So what we are building is not a dead monument, it is a living monument. And for this, we must understand our history, our identity and our legacy.“ A major conviction while building this monument was that it would be built entirely with Nepalese funds. And many of the donors agree with the idea. “I feel like if we can do something on our own, it is pointless to ask for help.” says Gautam Bajracharya. According to Byakhya Ratna Shakya, “Since this Vajrayana Mahabihar is an example of Nepalese art and culture, it is important that this Mahabihar is built solely through the offerings from Nepalese devotees. This monument will be there for generations to come.” “It is important because it is the first time that a Bihar is being built in Lumbini with only Nepalese funding.” Says Panchvir Tuladhar. Praniti agrees with him “As Nepalese we must do things ourselves and not depend on others. “ she says.
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According to Karna Shakya “Our ancestors have given a lot to us. They built 7 world heritage sites on their own whereas we look for foreign aid even to build a toilet near Tudikhel. It has infiltrated our way of thinking that foreigners will come and build my monuments. For our culture to survive, we must love it and feel attached to it.”
According to Raju Tuladhar, this even follows the Buddhist spirit “Building this Bihar completely with Nepalese funding is a great example of practical application of Buddhist doctrine. Buddhism puts a great emphasis on our “Karma” and need to be more self-reliant than depending upon others.”
Yogendra Shakya voiced his opinion that we must also think about the long term financial sustainability of the monument “We cannot always depend on donations for regular management, repairs and issues that come up. For the monastery to be sustainable there must be a perennial source of income. I have mentioned it at times and I’m sure the organizers have thought of something.” He adds.
Others however agree that we must depend only on Nepalese funds. “And the more dependent on other we become the weaker and weaker infact we are not poor. Our ancestors built hundreds of bihar from the money they earned as farmers. We have much more disposable income than they had. So we must not be hesitant to spend on community work.“ says Samundra Man Bajracharya
Overall, we are grateful that these donors have seen the importance in building the Vajrayana Mahabihar in Lumbini and are supporting it. The Mahabihar is still under construction and there is still a lot more to be done. SPACES magazine is glad to be involved with the Mahabihar and we will be back with more about the Mahabihar in our later issues. n
November 2017 SPACES / 25
conservation
The shrouded history of
Kathesimbhu
and its contested ownership TEXT & photo : Kai Weise
W
alking from Thamel passed Thahity square towards Indra Chowk, one passes a concrete gate to the left with terracotta and marble cladding. An inscribed marble plaque presents this as being the gate to “Shree Gha-Shanti Ghat Bhajradhatu Mahachaitya�. Looking through the gate one can see down a long alley the outline of an impressive mahachaitya, possibly the third tallest in Nepal. This used to be off the beaten track of most tourists, but the tentacles of Thamel tourism has now spread into this courtyard. The entrance passage and parts of the inner courtyard are lined with curio and souvenir shops.
The courtyard and the chaitya are referred to in several publications (Protective Inventory 1975, John Locke 1985, Niels Gutschow 1997); though as with most names in Kathmandu the spellings in English vary greatly. The chaitya is called Srigha Chatiya, Santighata Chatiya or Kathe-simbhu. Kathe-simbhu refers to the fact that this ensemble is a replication of the Swayambhu Mahachaitya within the old town of Kathmandu. The chaitya is located in Sighah- or Sigha-baha. This is where the Gha-vihara or Shanti-ghata Chaitya Mahavihara monastery is located. This part of the city is called Nagha or Nahga Tole, named after Nahgabaha which is near the main road just south of the entrance. The various names are linked to histories that are shrouded in the euphoria of oral transmission. The story of the creation of the mahachaitya is retold in various forms however there is a central thread that is constant. Legends have it that Acharya Vak-vajra of Kwa-baha (near Thahity Chowk) when on pilgrimage along the Ganges was asked to consecrate a large chaitya built by
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conservation
the great Buddhist king of Benaras. Vak-vajra went down to the Ganges River to obtain some holy water which he then simply sprinkled over the monument. This rather short and simple ritual was however questioned. To show his powers Vak-vajra then sat in meditation. He lifted the chaitya and transported it to its present location in Kathmandu. There are several variations to this story with lots of embellishments. There is reference to this competition being with Jain worshippers showing the dominance of Vajrayana priests with their mystical powers. There are also alternate stories showing Vakvajra being less hot-headed. The people were convinced of the powers of Vak-vajra, however it was found that the location where the chaitya was built was not auspicious and therefore had to be moved. Since the people could not move the chaitya even when using
horses and elephants, Vak-vajra came to the rescue. He tied five different auspicious coloured threads around the monument and using powerful mantras or incantations he raised the monument into the sky. The chaitya was transported to the Kathmandu
Valley to be installed in Shanti-ghata where a sacred water pot (ghata) was enshrined. The Shakyas of Ason Tole took charge of the chaitya and established the Shanti-ghata Vihara. With this feat Vak-vajra is named Samanta-bhadra, the “universal November 2017 SPACES / 27
conservation
worthy�. Another version ascribes this title to the priest from Tachhe Bahal (near Ason Tole) Gubhaju Samantabhadra. In any case, the establishment of the chaitya and the monastery is linked to Samanta-bhadra, a bodhisattva known for his prowess through meditation and closely linked to Gautama Buddha and bodhisattva Manjushri: the Shakyamuni trinity. This ascertains the importance of the chaitya for it has direct links to the historic Buddha and the Bodhisattva who takes a pivotal role in allowing the Kathmandu Valley to be made inhabitable. There are several references to this site in inscriptions which provide a basic chronology. The earliest mention is an
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inscription from 1552 (Nepal Sambat N.S. 762) certifying the donation of a golden finial for the chaitya by Megharaja in memory of his deceased son and the establishment of a guthi to perform annual commemoration. The guthi was closely related to the priests of nearby Kwa-baha, which links back to the founding legends. There are references to repairs that took place during the reign of the eccentric king
Pratap Malla (1624–74 CE). In 1647 the chaitya was de-consecrated and then after the restoration works again re-consecrated by Vajracharyas in 1653. There are further references of a votive chaitya being established in 1762 and in 1890 further repairs were carried out and a statue of Vajrasattva was erected. Some of these dates seem to vary in the different documents, possibly due the
conservation
confusion of the different calendars, and would therefore need to be taken with caution. Various festivals still continue even though their origins might have been forgotten. A festival on the full moon of Asoj (September – October) is held mainly by the Shakyas of Ason. The sangha is said to consist of five elders and a hundred initiated Shakyas from sixteen families who are responsible for the chatiya. They have however stopped carrying out their duty as per the prescribed order. As with most guthis, they used to have a lot of land and income however that has been reduced to a small plot north of Chhetrapati. There is furthermore a ritual carried out by the Vajracharyas of Kwa-bahal on the full moon day of Magh (January – February) at the shrine of Shantipur located to the west of Singh Baha where the Shanti-ghata is said to be enshrined. This ritual links back their said lineage to Vak-vajra, the legendary founder and Samantabhadra. The Srigha Chatiya or Kathesimbhu seems to be a replica of the Swayambhu Mahachaitya, however built on a pedestal with two levels. The chaitya has a gilded copper tower of circular rings, ornamental umbrella and eyes painted on the harmika, all clearly reflecting the design of Swayambhu Mahachaitya. The chaitya, as in Swayambhu has the four shrines in the cardinal directions at the base of the tumulus for the four Dhyani Buddhas with an additional one to the southeast for the often forgotten fifth Dyani Buddha Vairochana representing the centre. The transformation of the form of the chaitya over time through the phases of restoration is not clear;
however we must understand that even Swayambhu Mahachaitya would have gone through similar alterations over time. The Sighah- or Sigha-baha, as with all the courtyard monasteries is a structure located to the south, with the shrine of kwapa-dya. The kwapa-dya is Akshobhya, one of the primordial Adibuddhas who usually faces east, however in this case is facing north. This building has been rebuilt several times most recently after the 1934 earthquake and then again using a concrete frame structure, losing all its original features. It however still retains the intricately carved wooden torana
above the entrance to the shrine with Buddha Akshobhya flanked by dharma (Prajnaparamita) to the right and sangha (Sakaksari Lokeshwara) to his left. The courtyard is scattered with numerous chaityas, shrines and sculptures from various periods. The earliest seems to be a Padmapani Avalokiteshvara from the 9th or 10th century. Some earlier fragments were said to have been lost though this could not be confirmed. Many of these shrines and chaityas are said to have been only brought there very recently, within the past century. Many of these are Lichcchavi chaityas which would November 2017 SPACES / 29
conservation
be from an even earlier period. There is also a tiered Harati Temple to the northwest of the chaitya as is the case in Swayambhu. A Manjushri shrine is located to the southeast of the chaitya. Today the monuments, chaityas and shrines try to retain the ancient history of the site as the surrounding context changes. A school has been established to the west of the courtyard while various new monasteries have been established to the north. The Theravada monastery Dharmakirti Mahavihara was funded by rich devotees from Ason bringing back the legendary and historic linkage. There has however been further development with a Tibetan Monastery or Gompa Drubgon
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Jangchup Choeling being built on the north-eastern corner of the courtyard. As I ask a Newar shopkeeper what this implied he was clearly against the construction of a gompa within a baha. This new development has led to conflicting claims to the historic and religious site. The expression of this struggle to possess the site can be seen in the partially coloured chaityas and statues. The Newari tradition does not allow the paint of natural materials be it the faรงade of buildings, carved wooden or stone elements or stone votive objects. The Tibetan tradition however is very different and particularly important objects are often intricately coloured, be it mural paintings or thankas. When
the monks of the gompa went about painting the chaityas and statues, they were quickly stopped by the local guthi. This was however after the Buddhas had already received blue hair and red lips. This chaos mingles with the ongoing reconstruction of buildings using concrete. I visited the site on a recent election day and concreting was going on clearly evading the authorities. Material from the demolished structure was piled up next to the main chaitya and the mixing of concrete took place between the smaller chatiyas. The workers hung their jackets disrespectfully over the chaityas allowing Buddha only a small slit to peek out from. n
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Architecture
National Museum of World Writing Project Architect: Sunil Yadav - ARB (UK) - MSc Advanced Architecture, BSc (Hons) Architecture, (Chief Designer) PG Dip International Planning & Sustainable Development Design Team Manager: Anil Yadav - COA (INDIA) - B.Arch. Design Team: Sahil Batra, Sanjay Kumar Illustration: Tikendrajeet Wahengbam Singh, Potsangbam Anandibala 3d Rendering: Rahul Kumar - B.Arch., Josue Romero
The proposed Museum of World Writing is located at Central park of Song do International Business District, known as ‘ubiquitous city’. Since this city of 1500 acres will be designed on land from Sea, the proposed form respect and consider this aspect, as well as the actual site within which the building will be designed. The site is of irregular geometry and the proposed building form reciprocates this aspect, and harmonizes the surrounding built environment and the new Song do City, as a whole. The museum rests on a podium and is heavily influenced by site’s geometry, the waterfront, and the various access routes to central park. This proposed museum is intended to be belonged to everyone the essential and practical aspects while trying to deliver a truly functional museum.
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Architecture
Design Concept In Continuation
A museum is the symbol of regeneration, preservation, and continuation, and this has been the essence of our proposed design process. The design for the National Museum of World Writing is based on a sympathetic approach to the context, nature of site and Song do city as a whole. The idea, is to enhance, create, reinvent the missing or existing key pedestrian link, built mass and other
open spaces of the central park and its immediate surrounding. So, the proposed museum building embraces site surrounding and context, without dominating it, by being friendly and welcoming to public. The museum building rest on an elevated plinth / podium (consists of basement which includes parking, services, storages, special exhibition gallery, and a central atrium with cafe) with two entire to improve the connectivity at this level and to the building as whole.
Design Concept Abstract
Discovery of first metal by man became first step towards modernization and arguably, the invention of script is ‘first step to the path leading to civilization’. The invention of written script is what may have distinguished and established human’s superiority over animals. Therefore, it won’t be an over rated statement to state that “Written script invention, is probably the greatest
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Architecture
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Architecture
invention of human’s during Bronzeage to Iron- age.” The first discovery of metal was Copper, followed by bronze and ultimately Iron. The continuity of this period is reflected in design by using the COR-TEN Steel as main exterior cladding material. The cladding of the facade will have ancient language symbols scripted and cut-through
on them, similar patterns will be applied to other building materials i.e. Concrete and translucent glass – through which the light will emit in the night exhibiting and reminding the city for the relevance of this invaluable treasure. The building also consists of eight large columns which are intentionally designed as slightly disproportionate
to the form. The idea behind is, to represent the ‘eight known directions’, across the globe - of which this museum belongs. The columns are inclined to have an origin beneath the earth, somewhere below the museum itself. The torch lightsome them to the sky, will represent the infinity, a tribute to all the lost and undocumented world scripts, which took centuries to evolve and then lost forever, without a trace.
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Architecture
Building layout and Form The proposed building layout is simple and symmetrical. The plan form in the center is open and raw resulting in a public building which is clean, efficient and legible (visually and functionally). The building is non-imposing in terms of shape and size, giving freedom to the visitors as how to use it. The museum building, by its compact ‘Zero’ inverted shape and variation in height helps to retain the integrity
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of the central park and surrounding by respecting the open character of park and area around. Main public functions are easily accessed with a clear separation of private and service functional spaces. The absence of any sharp edges provides the continuity on the external skin of building, avoiding essentially any rear or front of the building.
It makes best use of its elliptical shape with continuous ring of translucent & clear glasses - which in a day time, create an atmosphere of transparency and of welcoming feeling. Whereas, in the night, the multi-layers facade of translucent and clear glasses diffuses and reflects the internal lights making the museum as a lamp/lantern, of the central park. The corridors and the projected balconies around the central atrium will encourage an uninterrupted flow of people within the building. The delicately assembled fragmented volumes will create logical passages in between, which will allow the visitors to break from long corridors and offer the flexibility on use of space. The proposed design promotes openness and boost public engagement. Visitors will be able to enjoy and appreciate the exhibits and the building itself while walking through these simple magnificent but generous corridors.
Architecture
Gracing the Park and waterfront The distinctive, yet, elegantly ‘sculptured -like’ appearance resting majestically on podium provides a charismatic addition to the park and the city skyline. Clearly visible by its distinctive, yet, fitting shape and size in cluster of akin high-rise buildings. The museum building taking advantage of spectacular setting of park and waterfront will leave a remarkable imprint on the visitors arriving either by land, sea (part) or air (airport).
Conclusion The proposed ‘National Museum of World Writing’ will ultimately be a unique, conveniently accessible and a very public building. It will be effectively a new addition to destinations of Song do city along with waterfront and Central park. This monumental yet elegant and imposing building will not only be an addition to Incheon, but a tribute to “all known and undiscovered, documented and unrecorded, prevailing and forgotten”. World Scripssts. This timeless and priceless treasured collection of humanity, which continuously and constantly evolved from ‘Stone-Age’ through Iron-age to present 21st century, needs equally commensurate building - if not less. The proposed building is designed to meet most of these aspects and design requirements - if not all. n
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Interior
Recycle and Up cycle
NEXUS TEXT : SOYANA NYACHHYON photo : PRADIP TULADHAR
I
n this town we have been accompanied by a lot of fancy restaurants, inn and hotels with their cozy ambiances. In becoming the cosmopolitan city, we never think about trying new place that connects to us spiritually. The world is a wonderland and yet we have been stuck in the same setting, moving back and forth without even trying to explore what it has to offer . NEXUS culture cafe, hidden from all the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu is a collaborative artivism. The place has been situated at the center of Kathmandu. The place itself says a lot about the creativity that’s been flowing among the new generation, these days. The three story building is a living and breathing contemporary piece of art itself. Nexus is the brain child of a successful Nepalese artivist community organization: LASANAA. It means art in Newari, the indigenous language group of Kathmandu. LASANAA has successfully driven art projects since 2007, bringing Nepali artists, art and the community together to explore ideas, promote art and artivism, and collaboration. The word Nexus, itself means connection, hence the core of subject. When you first enter the place, you will find the place decked out with the recycled materials that one never thought of using it as a display items. The entrance of the cafe cum residency is built up with old pieces of frame, glass and parts of bicycle, giving the view of both inside and outside. It’s a modern contemporary twist to the traditional wooden carved windows which also happens to be a tribute to the earthquake 2015, which brought chaos in the valley. It's a peephole for unforgettable memories that haunts every Nepali till this day. Unused, recycled pieces of bikes and wooden frames are assembled together so the visitors can settle themselves in and let their own imagination gush. The chairs and tables are an abstract “structure” with elements which fits exactly in; just like the people in our society. The society itself is a variation of different culture and traditions but our nationality ties us together like a beautiful garland.
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Interior
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Entering the cafe, one is reminded of a movie scene. As the cafe resembles a lot like a southern bar meets a mural art cafe. The place is accompanied with wooden chairs incorporated with metal and the counter tops are also completed with the recycled pieces of woods thus provides a rustic southern atmosphere. Rustic tin buckets are used as lamp shades which brings out a cozy vibe to the cafe. Not only the used tin buckets have appeared to be handy but they have also used old wooden panels to create an open menu from which the customers can choose what they prefer. The lounging area which is located to the opposite side of the southern bar also has a small bookcase filled entirely with local books. Talking about the bookcase,
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it is entirely done with the pieces of left out bits and pieces of woods; hand finished. The wall opposite the entrance features a mural artwork that ties up culture and our society as perceived by the new generation. They hand mend the second hand sofa in proper manner so that the visitors can spend their time with a cup of hot coffee in hand. As we move further along the cafe, we reach the stairway that leads us to the artist’s residency. The flat has been equally divided into chambers and Bhaithak named after some of the renowned personality of Nepal namely, Tara Devi, Parijat, Sashi Bhaithak, Kiran Bhithak. The rooms are equally decorated with paintings that were made by the artist in resident
themselves. The area of the rooms are accompanied with hand carved desk and a chair that resembles our childhood play set, the see-saw. The central of attraction is the bed made out of waste wooden pieces assembled together for the comfort of the guest. The first floor not only has rooms but also a Bhaithak where most of the workshop related to art and creativity takes place. The whole building is a maze of wonder, you enter from one place but then you won't be able to figure out the way around until you get used to it. They have elevated the whole concept of mural artwork and wall painting by using handprints in the walls as well as placed the abstract mural works of different artists.
Interior
Moving along the upper part of this artsy building which is divided into kitchen and a free workspace for the artists residing there. And the view from the rooftop is breathe taking, if the weather is favorable one can encounter the mountain ranges in the midst of the tall buildings. The whole building is a masterpiece of different abstract mosaic pieces which seems vibrant in the eye of the viewers. The visitor's unusual theories regarding the murals, decorative items and the paintings are always welcomed in Nexus. Steeping down from the top floor to the ground floor, we reach a room full of books. Have you ever thought of placing lampshades that look a lot like human skull in a library? Well, this is the place where you witness
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Interior
transformed?. From hand woven chair covers to Late King Birendra's brother Dhirendra's bike make shift table, they have made proper use of every item we think it is impossible to use again. Art oozes out from every corner in this place. Therefore this place is a collection of mismatch items which seems to complete the place impeccably.
the most absurd things that no one has ever thought about displaying in a cafe cum residency. Thus, the skull shaped lampshade seems to have completely transformed the Japanese style library area. These shades are the representation of touchable and untouchable group of people in the society. After death we all are entombed under the same soil,
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but still the concept of touchable and untouchable rules our society. This certain piece is taken as satire to the outside world. At the end you reach the same spot where the journey to this wonderland started. And yet again some items placed there makes the visitor amazed about how creative one's mind can be
Nexus is not only an art hub for the artist but a soothing place for creative minds and common people where there is no boundaries for imagination. The cafe also hosts various talk shows, healing workshop, art related workshop, residency program and also an organic farmers market. Nexus was envisioned and designed to stand out from the rest of the cafes. Ashmina Ranjit, who has been taking care of the place since 2015 says that the place is woven connection of different culture , the society and the nature. Sustainable, economic and eco-friendly are the main features of the cafe. It’s a place for people who dare to accept something innovative in the society. n
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Interior
THE ELEGANT
WAREHOUSE TEXT : Shristy Shakya  photo : Pradip Tuladhar
Amongst multiple corporate environments in Kathmandu Valley lays one such functionally pleasing office of Ghorahi cement which outstandingly differs from many in the town.
Facts about the company
Ghorahi Cement is an integrated cement brand which produces 1900 tons of clinker and 2200 tons of cement each day and is the largest cement industry that exists in Nepal in private sector. It is the parent company of the well known cement brand Sagarmatha Cement and acts as sister concern to other cement companies like Vishwokarma, Shree Pasupati Cements etc.
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Office Detour
Spreading across the 12000 sq. ft. area and designed for about 80 staff members, the head office of Ghorahi Cement lies on the sixth floor of the Trade Tower. Welcomed by a rustic reception, the office facilitates ample waiting area and a public meeting hall. Strict biometric provision on the door ensures optimal privacy so if you
Interior
are an intruder you shall not pass. Having said that, each staff member is family with house keys but guests are heartily welcomed. Entering the office, one would be taken aback to witness series of open cubicles separated by Sagarmatha cement’s signature blue and yellow partitions against plain white walls and muted stone floors. In stark contrast is a beautiful mural in the wall opposite to the workstations which deserves more than a minute of appreciation. The ambience is undoubtedly pleasing and organized. The black painted ceilings, exposed pipes and mere absence of the otherwise considered essentialfalse ceilings, gives the overall office a very edgy feel. While strolling around the working cubicles one would hear subtle instrumental music playing in the background somewhere from strategically placed speakers. Mr. Aditya Sanghai, Director of the Ghorahi Cement and one of the masterminds in designing the office environment explains, “We wanted to give the office a raw and warehouse kind of feeling because it goes with the cement, the whole concept of it and that is what the company is about.” He didn’t fail to justify the music playing by adding “Music soothes the soul and is an excellent concentration builder”. Upon further exploring, one would be amazed to see the balance of private and public spaces, their functionality and layout of the office. The busy workstations housing about 55 staffs spreading at the center are surrounded by series of cabins of the Directors on one side and cabins for HODs on the opposite. The placement of each
department and them facing right towards the Head of the Department’s Office provides excellent interfacing environment between the HODs and the fellow staffs. Each directorial cabin entertains wide full glass windows overlooking beautiful cityscape and welcome ample amount of natural light to make it as energy efficient as possible. The office houses a large board room, secluded from the workstation to avoid staff diversion. The design speaks of minimalism and resembles the same muted theme. The office has multiple meeting rooms named after the villages of the Sagarmatha zone, and are approachable from the central workstations. The provision of secluded dedicated division for
upcoming projects emphasizes the requirement of serious concentration in the area. The construction of the office was in process in 2015 and thus was not spared by the then earthquake. This resulted in huge transformation in design, materials and technology. Nevertheless, the office staffs and directors are more than contented with the output as it has turned out exactly like they had hoped for.
More about the Mural
This recent and long awaited addition, as beautiful as it is, perfectly reflects the company and what it aspires to be. The abstract replica of the company’s factory in Daang stands as tall as shining Sagarmatha depicting the
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Interior
company’s longingness to be and stay on the top. Extensive use of the color blue and details of nature and culture mimics the variety in harmony. Mr. Sangai acknowledges murals as one beautiful underappreciated work of art that expresses feelings. He believes that it is the best way to introduce ethical backgrounds, history, showcase local art and talents which co relates to their work and give life to otherwise muted color scheme.
Some other Edges
Secret to any successful working area is mirrored by facilities it has to offer to the staffs. The office here has a larger than life sized dining area which turns into a table tennis zone where euphoric tournaments are very often events. To add to the odds is a resting lounge where taking power naps and watching TV are not taboos. An office where one can take a nap or watch games, strange? The concept here is to break the monotony and
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replenish the freshness of mind which is expected to reciprocate as increase in productivity. Environment friendly approaches and earthquake safety alert techniques are some noteworthy behaviors at the office. The whole assembly of very unlikely elements in a corporate environment
might make us perplexed, but, how can one deny an office with the blend of music, game zones, murals, resting lounge and rugged yet elegant space, We don’t think so. Still open for new ideas and having few in stores for future, the Ghorai cement is definitely setting some serious office goals. n
hxf“ gful/s Toxf“ gful/s
nagariknews.com
myrepublica.com November 2017 SPACES / 47
Architecture
Gallies from Valleys TEXT & photo : Soyana Nyachhyon
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Architecture
G
rowing up in one of the upbeat part of the town filled with different flavors of culture and tradition which has always been astounding and surrounded by the monuments, temples and Durbars (Palaces) constantly look as if it is hovering wherever you go. Now, this city is occupied with chaotic crowd, constant nagging and the unbearable sounds of sirens and dust, thus the name it gets “Dhulomandu”. Kathmandu, where the culture flows in every nooks and corners seems to have lost its touch of magic like before. The people around here are bound to walk in the chaotic crowds or even move
back and forth in the company of their peculiar automobiles with the baggage of heavy noise surrounding them. In the midst of all these people seem to have forgotten about the Gallies that are historically appealing and are right in the middle of many hot and cold neighborhoods. These “Gallies are spiritually alive, and the only way to experience this tangled up maze more is by foot. It’s a portal that will guide you to some surprising ends just like the famous kids story Alice in Wonderland where the main character of the story unravels her own adventures with the help of her friends. Just like that the Gallies are waiting for us to unravel the stories hidden behind them.
The Gallis are nostalgic, intimate smile like a treasured old possession pulled out of the back of the drawer. Walking through it, makes you feel like you are in your own quest or in a journey to find something that is immensely beautiful. If you love playing video games, you would actually come to like walking through them and not mind getting lost in right or left turns. Gallis or Alleys are often reserved for pedestrians, which usually run between, behind or within buildings in the ancient parts of towns and cities. They are covered with shops which is also called as arcade. The origin of the word “Alleys” came from old French language,
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Architecture
similarly the origin of the word Gallies came from Gopala and Kirat dynasties. These Gallies are the passage way to stories, with wistful feelings to it; the end of it is always intriguing. You never know where you might end up. Winding your way through markets, and bahals one should keep their eyes open for the architectural marvels that seem to appear on every corner, it might be Buddha’s tall sculptures or a small traditional mudhouse or a dead end, you never know!. This is where locals would socialize, children would play hide and seek, elders would sunbathe or would sun dry spices. Keep walking and you might find yourself in the
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anxious, vibrant local stall filled with traditional Newari food cooked on wood ovens while you are strolling through the small little Gallies around one of the ancient cities. Automobiles and huge building are subjugating the landscape in every imaginable way possible creating more turmoil in the valley. The people here feel that the valley has become a no where kind of town. The real beauty is lost in the dusty and bustling crowd of automobiles and people.Therefore,it’s not a real town anymore. Before they were filled with laughter and gossips of what happened in the other neighborhood.
Even though, the Gallis are now dusty, they are filled with colorful pavement whose walls come alive with vibrant wall art. Here people wandering as there are ranges of artistic expressions all the way from meticulous thanka style spiritual painting, beautiful sculptures to abstract that looks like an attempt by a six-year-old. In landscaping, Gallies is traditionally a straight route with a line of trees or large shrubs running along each side. In most cases, there are trees planted in an alley which are of the same species or cultivar, so as to give uniform appearance along the full length of the avenue. In older cities and
Architecture
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Architecture
towns in Europe, alleys are often what are left of a medieval street network, or a right of way or ancient footpath. Similar paths also exist in some older North American towns and cities. In some older urban development in North America lanes at the rear of houses, to allow for deliveries and garbage collection, are called alleys. Alleys may be paved, or unpaved, and a blind alley which may also provide a service road to allow for waste collection, or rear access for fire engines and parking.Because of geography, steps are predominant form of Alley in hilly cities and town.
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Some Alleys are roofed because they are within buildings. However, most of the Alleys are architectural structures built with a commercial purpose. Diversity can be seen in the Gallies of each intersection you cross and motifs which changes with each corner you turn. Each of it seems to personify the face of the respective neighborhood. In this vastness, young people are immersed in making music, girls jogging, and further along people playing cricket, football and more. The valley is actual a walking contradiction, a beautiful collage of diversity. The smoke of incense sticks and the smell
of pure ghee flowing through the tiny windows hit your senses; this very thing that initiates what Gallies is. The unfamiliar Gallies as you make right and left turns, the constant sound of bells and the pounding sound of handworkers working on his next projects seems pleasant than the constant sound of sirens. The wooden carved designs and pattern are woven like a maze that fills the valley, making us the maze runner. This is where the authentic beauty of Kathmandu valley has been hidden which makes any outsider wonder, “Why can’t my city be like this?” n
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Art
26 Astonishing
B&W
Potriat sketch imitating different colors TEXT : Aakriti Nepal
A
rchitecture,defined as’Art Linked with Science and technology’, an architecture student, Gautam Gorkhali, studying in Khwopa Engineering College, truly reflects the art in his works into a very pure form. Introducing,Mr. Gorkhali, he is a student practicing freelancing in architecture, and has a huge passion towards art. He is a self-taught artist, who believes and often gets a strong inspiration from the people, the environment around him and their expressions. He is decisive and enthusiastic in all steps of his life. There’s a saying “Passion and Respect’, not everyone achieves it, but whoever owns it needs practice, patience and a lot of inspiration. The artist used the monochromatic medium with black and white charcoal, and the graphite pencils to express his twenty-six friend’s expressions and personalities. The difference in expressive portrait of the subject helps to express the ‘Idea over Colour’. Monochromatic colour has a great power to express the human expressions. The family and friends were kept in the dark for a year because it helped the artist to relate the expressions of different colours from real life to canvas, including himself as a secondary role, playing
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in the colour as a whole. He made these twenty-six portraits in duration of a year. He possibly faced various situations during this phase, as the year 2015, was the black year for whole Nepal due to massive earthquake, resulting immense damage to the valley and core cities like Bhaktapur, where his house was also damaged. The year before, the problem of load shedding was still at its peak point in
entire valley. As a student, sketching all twenty-six portraits on his own has brought up some financial problems too. His kind of this big secret project was going on along with his regular classes and studies. And of course, being an architecture student, he always had his pending submissions, assignments, jury presentations and moreover the design studios. With all these challenges, he managed his time
art
beside passion and motivation an even looked like an idiot to those people, for doing these sketches for his friends on his own interest just to gift them. His urge kept him going. After “The Solo Project� was completed and his friends were all informed about this, each of them were emotional and shared as there one biggest, happiest and a heart-touching moment. Some of his class mates shared their experiences:
Asmita Gurung: When I was sent to a dark room saying a photo shoot is being held, me and my friends were laughing and giggling. And as I stepped into the room, with those portraits laying all over on every wall, it was one of the moments, where one has ever made you feel so deeply touched. Subin Twanabasu: After being an architecture student, I meet many amazing and inspiring people. These
sketches surely made a stronger bond and expressed so many colours in a new way within us. And the details in these portraits are just amazing, a very talented friend of ours. Aayesha Dangol: That day was the most beautiful and unforgettable moments for us, especially for me it was my first day turning 22 years old, getting a priceless surprise in birthday made me feel so special and speechless.
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Art
Shaped
chess pieces
in thE images of men
TEXT : Soyana Nyachhon Photo : Pradip Tuladhar
“S
understand the whole concept which is why I present my poem as the spoken words are easily understood by the viewers” says Kalapremi.
Kalapremi is not only a sculptor but also a poet. He presents his poems together with sculptures. He believes that creative and critical process go hand in hand. As a poet, he knows the importance of rhythm and music in poem and finds it equally useful in other genres of art as well. “Sometimes the viewers may find it difficult to
He connects spiritual power in nature with his daring ceramic art pieces. From his early exhibition “Peace from Love” to the recent work “Nari Satranj”. He takes the images from nature as the subject of matters and presents it into aesthetic and unrefined forms. As a lover of art, he has been contributing his knowledge to the young generation since 1984 as a fine art teacher and in the field of writing books and articles related to sculpture techniques and clay art. He says that transferring new techniques is important as the new generations crave more creativenesses. Kalapremi
haped chess pieces in the images of men. Even Today “I”, “men” have become chess pieces enduring wars.” “Kalapremi” as he chose to be known as for his immaculate passion for art, Gopal Das Shrestha was born and raised in Kathmandu. He completed his bachelor’s degree in fine art at Lalit Kala campus. He has been devoting his visionary artistry since the age of 17.
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invests his time in providing a platform to encourage the youth in the scene of sculptures. His work has always tried to portray the real world into the pieces of ceramic as the ceramics are molded into the subject matter with passion and devotion. He has found way of expressing his fascination with the natural forms and imagery and a love of texture and color. Driven by creative process the patterns and forms display challenges between gravity and forms further allowing the complex relationship between the ceramic pieces and the viewers. Besides working on his own projects, he also has worked in collaboration with many other ceramic works such
Art
as “Nepal our Spiritual Home”, “Heart beat “, Metamorsis”. One of the most talked about solo project “Kumudini” series raved a lot of reviews. Unlike more abstract works of new upcoming sculptors, his creations are easily recognized for intimate soulfulness. His ongoing “Nari Satranj” is a satire to the world who has exploited the word Feminism. He believes that women are powerful enough to conquer the world with their own strength and knowledge. The word feminism has become a statement of advertisement all around the world in today’s context talking only about the gender equality but ignoring it’s being exploited in many different ways, some are known to the world and some are still locked up in the back of the closet. By dedicating his project to the women who are climbing up the stairs of recognition with their own will power, Kalapremi has created all the characters of chess also known as buddhichal in Nepali for the exhibit. “Chess is a political and social game, and I aspire to bring out the present context of Nepal through my creations. As we don’t have many women participating in politics as well as in security agencies, I decided to use all female characters to show that women can contribute equally in these fields”, says Kalapremi. Nari Satranj featured 53 pieces of chess characters that are all devoted to the powerful women of the society. The 32 pieces are arranged in the chess board, whereas other 18 pieces are placed outside the chess board waiting patiently. Except his own ceramic work, his recent collaboration workshop Initiation II is also currently ongoing on the same premises.. n
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Product
NEW IN THE Market
Infrared heaters
Infrared heater is exactly what you need if you are looking for a safe and efficient heater for your home. The Heating Expert, their one of the newest technology with special tungsten carbide that emits heating rays and heats the objects in touch instead of air. This doesn’t kill oxygen which is good for health. Thanks to the way in which they operate, you can be sure of comfort and safe warmth, gives you more natural feel than any other home heaters. It can even be used outdoors and is ideal for open restaurants.
Wall panel heater Silk Plaster
Staring at the same wall with bland old colors makes life uninspiring. In this creative era we aspire our surroundings to be creative as well. Silk Plaster is an aesthetic product for your walls and ceilings indoor. This eco-friendly product consists of natural products such as textiles, cotton fibers, decorative mineral additives and adhesive glue giving the effect of a sophisticated wallpaper covering as it is also known as “liquid wall paper” due to its final appearance. If you are a believer in DIY works, silk plaster wall covering is the fit for you. It is easily applicable to most interior surfaces. The product is VOC free and has a good ranking in France and around Europe. Mainali Business Concern Pvt. Ltd. (MBC), which deals with imported exclusive European standard products, situated in Panipokari, Kathmandu, presents their new product to the market which gives a smooth silk like finishing with aesthetic vibe to your adobe.
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Magna by Crompton - Only Geyser in the industry with 10 Bar Pressure
Keeping the weather in mind, Crompton presents the Nepalese market with their sleek design and metallic finished water heaters with 10 Bar Pressure. The water heater has a special heating element with patented Nano Polymer Technology to provide best in class technology. The product is a high grade ABS ensures rust free performance. Due to its 10 Bar Pressure, this water heater is suitable for high rise buildings to pressure pumps. It’s advanced 3 Tier temperature sensing provides higher safety against accident. The product is awarded as the National Best Technology Innovation 2012/2013. So, here’s the innovative and warm way to stay fresh every day!
The colder months are upon us as the winter season gets closer each day. Sure, wearing scarves and coats and drinking hot beverages are great ways to beat the cold. Wall-mounted panel heaters are just the tool you need to stay warm. Panel heaters provide you with sufficient heating at the temperature you want, all while hanging conveniently on your wall. With a brand name like The Heating Expert, you can bet that you’re making the best choice. These heaters are economical, safe and comfortable for your environment. n
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Product
The easiest heating solution, most abundantly available in the market would be a halogen heater. Instead of old electric coils, these use energy effective halogen lamps. They do not produce any smoke, are energy efficient and very pocket friendly! The amount of price depends on the capacity of heater and starts at NRs. 1000/-. They use energy anywhere from 400 to 2000 Watts all through the same product!
Right moves smart choice for
Heating Solutions
As we enter Poush this month, winter has finally started to creep in and blankets and hot cups of tea have never been dearer. If you were looking for heating solutions for warmer days in your office or cozier nights at home, we’re going to help you make Right Choices and Smart Moves! Two decades ago, coiled heaters and kerosene heaters were a huge part of the market but since then, we’ve moved to choices that are more energy efficient, smell better, and are safe with kids.
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However, these heaters do consume a lot of electricity. Speaking of electricity, for a loadshedding scarred country like ours, you can also opt for Gas Heaters that use LPG. This makes the heater hard to transport but doesn’t depend on energy status of the country or a blackout. If you were going to go for a Gas Heater anyway, a smarter choice would be a hybrid of the both! You’ll also find tiny fan heaters in the market whose working principle is as it sounds. Like how summer fans take air from a side and circulate it to the other, the fan heaters make the air pass through heated element in the machine. This makes the fan heaters energy efficient. Convector heaters: They are normal blower heaters but more stylish, comfortable, and highly controllable. It consists of digital displays, remote controls, and other timer controls. They cost you from 4000 to 8000 rupees.
Product
Electrical and gas fireplaces: They are fancier blower heaters with light emitting objects that give effect of a fireplace costing around 20000 rupees. Commercial spaces like hotels and restaurants use this for decorative purposes as well. Specialized Heating: You can also have specialized heating options for your space that use better technologies and more comfortable. Most of them are also energy efficient and better for a long run! Radiator and Fan Coil Units: They are used for comfort space heating. Hot water generated from thermal, solar, hot water heat pumps and boilers are circulated inside radiators and fan coils for both heating and cooling. They use just 25% of electricity as compared to normal electric heaters and are thus highly energy efficient. Like AC units, these also need to be installed in two parts where the radiators are inside the room and Fan Coils are installed outside. The initial cost for these heaters is high and comes as much as ACs. With the equipment a regular capacity will cost you around one lakh rupees. The running cost is almost the same as the ACs. If you have a solar heating system installed, this can run on same solar power as well! Big hotels use this technology to keep their entire building warm.
Hydronic Floor Heating: These heating systems also work with circulation of hot water. They need to be installed during constructionbelow your flooring. It can be used for plasters, PVC floors, tiles, and even wood. They warm up your home and are easy to your feet making it the most cozy heating solution. They cost you from NRs. 700-900 per square feet. The cost tilts to the lower side if you’re working on a bigger space. Once installed, they will last you for up to 25 years! Infrared heating systems: They are one of the newest technologies with special tungsten carbide that emits heating rays and heats the objects in touch instead of air. This doesn’t dry the air out or kill oxygen thus is good for health as well. It can even be used outdoors and is ideal for open restaurants or patio space. You can find them in capacities of 500 Watts to 300 Watts and costs from 12,000 to 70,000 rupees. Radiant panel heaters: They are most popular for small offices and residential spaces as they are economical, safe, and comfort way of heating. The panel is at a low temperature and is safe if you’re in a space with kids. These cost around 7000- 9000 rupees. n
Tips to Save energy and Keep it warm! Wouldn’t we all want to always stay warm in winter and beside a radiating machine? But heating solutions with wires are expensive. All energy used is also not the best for the environment. Here are a few things you can do to make the bills a little lighter! 1. Open up your curtains in the day to let as much sunlight in and warm up your room. As it gets colder, close your curtains (preferably thick) to lock in the heat. Even for smaller windows, you can use small shower curtains to trap in the heat. 2. If you’re at the stage of construction, use Double glazed glasses and insulated walls to ensure you are not losing heat. These can be expensive to install but give great results in the long run. You can go for cheap DIY ways with tin foils and foams! 3. Use rugs and carpets in rooms with tiles or marvels that will offer a warmer surface to rest your feet on. 4. It might be the first instinct to spend your winter evenings with a heating source and a sofa right beside it. But this way, you’ll be using all your energy to heat up the sofa than yourself. 5. After you’re done using the oven/ microwave, leave the oven door open to keep your kitchen cozy. Don’t use exhaust fans when you don’t really have to. Recycle the heat! 6. Use hot water bags and warm blankets to your bed if you don’t need to heat the entire room while sleeping. And Like mom always said, warm clothes and a warm drink makes all the difference sometimes!
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Interior
Mother Nature The Greatest Influence
Bringing the outside in... TEXT : Ar. CHHAVI VASHIST
A well-landscaped garden is a thing of beauty, yet in most of the homes it is the last to receive design attention. A beautiful landscape will not only add to the visual appeal of your home but also enhance your lifestyle and enjoyment of being at home. The options for your garden design can be as elaborate or low maintenance as you desire, depending on your lifestyle and interest in gardening. But before you start planning, digging and sowing remember your
landscape
design
choices
complement your space style.
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should
In
most of the homes the garden area is located at the back of the house, but there is always some area in the front to spruce up. The front landscape is your chance to make a great first impression, so it should be consistent with the style of your open space. A flower garden is a great option, but if maintenance is an issue you can opt for low-maintenance succulents or bushes instead. If you don’t enjoy gardening or have limited space in the front, stick with a lawn and create a gravel pathway, then add some fun garden decor like a small water feature, bird feeder or creative welcome board to add some warmth to the entrance or some proportional sculpture with respect to the lawn area.
Interior
There are various species of trees, plants, shrubs, herbs, flowering plants, bushes etc. native to any respective site location. One should always be in favor to select native plants, as these plants can survive well with the climate, rainfall, temperature, and precipitation etc. of that particular area. Also, water consumption too is a matter of concern before finalizing the outdoor or indoor landscape. You can also opt to hire a good landscape architect or designer and consult the professionals before you are all set for beautifying the open spaces. Back gardens offer more space and hence serve a more recreational purpose, so it’s important to know how you want to spend time here before you design it. Typically, this garden is where your fruit trees, bigger flowering shrubs and possibly a vegetable or home garden will go. Also, install structures such as patios, decks and gazebos that complement your garden design. Pick garden furniture for entertaining and playtime with seating, dining areas, play spaces. If you are constrained by space, a bench in the garden makes a great reading or meditation spot. Remember the finer details, like artfully-placed decor, lawn edging, and outdoor lighting to add definition and enhance your most basic garden ideas. Exterior lighting and accessories are some other landscape elements to light up your green area. Landscape Architects and Interior designers are going the extra mile and finding how to bring green spaces indoors in all new ways. From edible windowsill herb gardens, to large patios with lots of plants and
Ensure your garden plan focuses on maximising the space, so think about vertical gardens, container gardening, hanging pots and mini water gardens to display your plants. Add elements like a small water stream or mirrors to amplify the visual appearance of the garden. landscaping designed to both heat and cool, Mother Nature is trumping design priorities. Elements of nature can be found in many aspects in designs. From natural wood flooring, to bamboo coffee tables and marble kitchen counters, anything that connects homeowners to Mother Nature is trending. The ability to set a scene of serenity and peace is the key to why designers are opting for a naturally inspired feel, and the organic outcome is one of calm and openness.
Upcoming trends bring a host of brass, copper, and wood accents to homes near you. Ranging from large wood tables to small brass dĂŠcor accents, we can opt a mix of wood and metals in all different types of decor. These trends will provide homeowners with a fun and cost effective way to spruce up a room for a fraction of the cost when compared to a complete room renovation, and also keeps on trend with a salute to nature.
Small gardens can be designed to flaunt. Plan your garden design according to the layout of the area.
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Interior
The right landscape design can anchor a house to the site, connect it with the environment and create a welcoming exterior to the home. From soil, grasses and plants to structural elements such as retaining walls, walkways and even water features to maintaining these lush grounds, sculpture can also get a mind-blowing impact in your design. Here, in this image the designer has planned the resort design orientation in respect with natural serene.
Every block can enjoy the maximum mesmerizing outdoor contoured/ hilly landscape. Connectivity for hospitality and services is a concern here. Though paving and roof material here is designed with similar material, giving an overall an appealing and homogenous design theme. Summer’s heat is not far behind the bursting of spring blooms and windy rains. This summer imagine yourself cooling off by floating in a backyard pool that feels immersed in nature.
Natural swimming pools use plants or a combination of plants and sand filters to keep the water clean and clear without chemicals. Natural swimming pools rely on a constructed wetland of plants and gravel to filter the water in an area called the regeneration zone. This zone is like a water garden; a variety of plants selected by a natural pool specialist or a landscape architect create an ecosystem that cleans the pool water.
Softscape
Naturalistic gardens draw inspiration from woodlands, meadows, forests or deserts for their planting style and color palette. Depending on your climate, your untamed garden could feel like a shady forest retreat, with plenty of ferns, shrubs and woodland flowers, or like a sun-drenched oasis, filled with low-water plants. Either way, anchor the garden with a few evergreen shrubs for structure and then allow smaller shrubs, ornamental grasses and perennials to fill in naturally, overlapping and spilling into pathways. Adding Garden Elements gives your space a purpose. Flexible seating areas should be introduced to the space, so that it can be used as an outdoor formal sitting lounge, a simple bench for gossips, and an egg chair
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Interior gravel that picks up the colors of the paving stones. Pale pavers paired with dark gravel (or vice versa) create a more dramatic garden path.
Where to go? A Gravel pathway helps define the route to be followed. In a wild garden, understated gravel pathways draw the attention away from the walkway and toward the planting beds. Use organic curves rather than straight lines and soften the border with plants billowing over the edges.
for individual to enjoy swings help in adding mood to the area. Skip builtin seating areas that are heavy on hardscape, and opt instead for more flexible arrangements of chairs, tables or fire pits that can be moved around. Portable furniture allows you to move your outdoor gathering spot according to what feels best in each season. Perhaps one area of the garden — such as under the canopy of a large shade tree — is more appealing in summer, while a spot that catches late-afternoon sun can be welcoming in winter.
Garden paths made of pavers set into gravel are one of the most popular walkway styles due to their natural look, permeability for rainwater and versatility in design. Given the wide range of materials available and opportunities for different combinations, walkways made of pavers and pebbles work with all garden styles. For example, you can pair poured concrete slabs with dark gravel for a contemporary look or set irregular flagstones in warm-toned decomposed granite for a more Mediterranean feel. In general, select gravel or pebbles that complement your pavers. For a subtle look, choose
There are certain options available in market to choose from, you can explore your local market for more vernacular and sustainable options. This may depend on the location of the site. o Gravel: The cost of gravel varies by type of rock and size of stone as well as what is more widely available per region. Decomposed granite (also called “granite fines”) have the smallest particle sizes, while coarse gravels can have rocks over an inch wide. o Pea gravel: This attractive gravel is widely available and has a satisfying crunch underfoot. One drawback: The rounded pebbles tend to travel up onto pavers. o Mexican beach pebble and polished river rocks: Larger rocks have a chunky, tactile quality between pavers and the added benefit that their weight keeps them from traveling. Natural swimming pools can be small enough for an urban yard or extra large for a rural property. The relationship between the regeneration and swimming zones can also vary depending on the space available. For instance, a rectilinear pool can be designed as the swimming area, with the water circulation apparatus running underground to the regeneration zone. In the most common setup, the regeneration zone is directly adjacent
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Interior
to the swimming zone, as shown here, with edges that allow for a specific volume of water to flow over the edge. Generally, the size of the zones should be equal for adequate water cleansing. The plants will vary depending on climate and location. The regeneration zone relies on the surface area of the plants’ roots and the gravel substrate to create a home for beneficial bacteria. Three types of aquatic plants which can be used in natural pools: o
Floating: Including flowering species of the lotus and water lily o Emergent: Occupying the water margins of the pool; they include sedges, rushes and grasses o Submerged: Are rooted into the substrate and help oxygenate the water
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There are common natives for each type. At the edge of the regeneration zone, you have the option to continue a natural look with a wetland gradient of native plants. Species that thrive in moist, periodically inundated soil will perform best around the edges of a natural pool. A highlighted wall can be an amazing design idea, to make you feel cozy and close to nature. Wood logs can be randomly arranged and fixed over any part of your space to give a fresh and warm look. You can try this in common
zones of your space, as per your design layout. A complement sofa can make the look complete. You can choose wood as per your choice. A part of the wall or any such natural decorative accessory, with a glare of natural sunlight makes the user enjoy such space more.
Interior
The naturalistic-style pool has a stone or gravel bottom with sloped sides. A gradually sloped edge leading to the water also creates an experience more akin to a wilderness adventure, because you can walk into the body of water. An architectural-style pool made of castin-place concrete with horizontal sides and stairs for entry works great as well. Aesthetically, you and your designer can create whatever look you want: an architectural pool with clean lines or a pool that looks like a natural pond.
When it comes to lighting large spaces, designers are using recessed lighting to provide a softer ambiance in every room. Vintage looking vanities or chandeliers can be used as focal points in the room, but even though they look vintage, they will host green technology with LED lights. Such options never go out of trend. Homeowners are choosing highend appliances and countertops, radiant floors, feature lighting and larger windows to let the sun shine in! A skylight can be created, which helps allowing natural light come in. In day time you can enjoy green refreshing vision, and in night a dark sky full of stars and moon, can leave an everlasting memory. Who will not enjoy such a view? Overall, well-executed landscapes with the right plants, flowers and shrubbery can greatly enhance your home by adding color, texture and even fragrance to your garden, so don’t be afraid to treat your landscape like you would any room in your home. You can also add planters, which are available in various sizes. Being indoor landscape, watering technique to be followed is also a design constraint.
Continuing with the minimalistic look, designers are creating places where people can enjoy a multitude of activities all in one space. This has been demonstrated where a sitting space/dining room can easily entertain eight people in the evening and transform into a home office during the day. Vertical gardens are now a days in trend. You can introduce this indoor and outdoor as well in any kind of formal/informal space. While clipped hedges and manicured lawns are pleasing, there’s something carefree and inviting about a garden
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Interior
The two main options for decks are wood and composite boards. Historically, wood has dominated decks, but lately composite boards are more in demand.
that’s left more natural. Vines ramble over structures, pathways nearly disappear among billowing grasses and flowers grow freely among garden beds. Butterflies, birds and other wild creatures feel most at home in this type of garden, finding plenty of sources of food and shelter. If you’re ready to embrace a little wildness in your own backyard, here are a few ideas to get the look of a natural, informal garden. Hardscape: Turn to natural materials, such as local stone, gravel and recycled wood, for walls, walkways and fences. Keep the presence of human-made structures to a minimum, choosing hardscape designs that keep
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with the natural landscape. There and many types of bollard lights, flood light etc. available in markets. Just make sure you light up the path and design elements well. When adding a deck, it’s best to consider the style and architecture of your house so that the addition either blends in with or at least complements your home. An experienced professional will be best suited to make recommendations on deck style, materials, color and more.
Wood. Many wood species are less expensive than composite but can weather over time and drive up maintenance costs. If you don’t take care of the wood, it can rot, dry out, warp, crack and splinter, and nails can pop out. But if you’re willing to maintain it, wood decking is beautiful, especially up close. Shown here is an ipe deck, which is a Brazilian hardwood known for its natural durability and for being weatherproof. The price of ipe has risen dramatically in previous years due to demand. It’s now about the same price as composite.
Interior
If you go with a wood deck, it’s recommended that you power wash it and re-oil it after pollen and leaves have fallen, because they’re a food source for bacteria. Keep in mind that the availability of certain woods varies across the country. Redwood and cedar are popular deck choices on the West Coast but are hard to come by on the East Coast. Composite boards. Composite boards, seen here, are engineered products that are a mixture of wood fibers and plastic; a lot of the material comes from recycled plastic grocery bags. Some companies use old shredded carpets for wood fillers. Newer composite boards are wrapped in a thin plastic layer so they won’t stain or fade. These are more expensive than wood boards but often come with a warranty of 20 to 25 years, are low maintenance and can be made to look almost identical to any species of wood out there. Plus, they stay the same color as the day you installed them. I hope this helped you in getting a brief of how you can introduce nature to your space and getting some landscape goals. You may find choosing which plant to grow, what kind/shape of water body/ fountain to make, lighting options, sitting area, pavings, material specifications etc. difficult but I bet later you will love and enjoy being such close to nature. n
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From the shelf
Architecture A visual History
A
rchitecture tells the story of the world’s most incredible buildings, from ancient stupas to modern hightech skyscrapers to today’s green buildings in Architecture. From the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt to the Parthenon in Greece, from the White House in Washington, DC, to Bhurj Khalifa in Dubai and beyond, this visual worldwide survey of architecture offers close-up detailed photographic references to the vocabulary of each period, plus principal elements and decorated features. Closer looks of the beautiful details, principal elements, and decorative features of every architectural style, from China’s Temple of Heaven and the Great Mosque of Damascus, to the Guggenheim museum and the London Olympic Velodrome, Architecture offers a truly worldwide look at historical and contemporary building, with breathtaking photography, intriguing cross-sections, and unique CGI artwork. With over 500 images and 13 specially commissioned 3-D artworks identifying key structural and aesthetic features contemporary architecture and green buildings, with incredible new photography to transport you to the most interesting and iconic buildings on earth, this is a visual tour covering more than 350 of the world’s greatest buildings of architectural styles. n
This is not a Book Review; this is just an effort to conveying information to the readers on rare and valuable books on art and architecture. This column aims to give a helicopter view on such books and thus presents the excerpts and illustrations either from the preface, introduction, jacket or main contents of the book from the shelf. This book was kindly provided by Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, Kathmandu (Tel. 4227711).
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Classified
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Artscape
The Mannequin KK Karmacharya’s paintings are divided into geometrical patterns and flat colors. The use of colors, lines and brushstrokes create a nature of movement and rhythm in his works. He has cleverly created the images of movement, thus the viewers feel a sense of harmonize oceanic waves, whirlpool and whirlwind.
Asha Dangol
KK Karmacharya Former Secretary of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, KK Karmacharya did his Kalapravin from Nepal Art School, Kathmandu in 1965 and B.A. from Tribhuwan University in 1975. He has done 6 solo shows in Nepal, German and in Korea. One of the senior Postage Stamps designer from 1967, who has done 401 stamp designs till 2006. His awards and honors included: Gorkha Dakshinbahu 1989, Rastriya Pratibha Puraskar 1997 and BirendraAishwarya Sewa Padak 2058 B.S.
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Connects 19 Aditya Hardware Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Tripureshwor, Blue Star Complex, Room no. 522 Ph: 9851007818 E-mail: sanjay_kyal@yahoo.com ektakyal@gmail.com 07 Artex Pvt. Ltd. Tirpureshwor (Vibor Bank road) Ph: 977-1-4218274 E-mail: artex@mail.com.np Website: www.artex.com.np 70 Asian Paints Nepal Balkumari, Lalitpur Ph: 977-1-5203045 E-mail: ccm@asianpaints.com.np Website: www.asianpaintsnepal.com.np 17 ATC Pvt. Ltd. 336/21, Ganesh Man Singh Path-2, Teku Road Ph: 977-1-4262220 E-mail: info@atc.com.np 71 Bella Casa International Buddhanagar, Near UN Park Bridge Ph: 977-1-4784963, 9851120515 E-mail: info@bellakasa.com vivabellacasa@gmail.com Website: www.bellakasa.com 80 Berger Jenson & Nicholson (Nepal) Pvt. Ltd. Berger House - 492, Tinkune, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4466038 E-mail: info@bergernepal.com
13 Insight Spaces Private Limited Tara Bhawan, Teku Ph: 9802015888, 977-1-4100235, 4100236 E-mail: spaces.insight@gmail.com 31 Karuna Interiors Pvt. Ltd. Gairidhara Ph: 977-1-4434581, 4434181 E-mail: info@karunainteriors.com Website: www.karunainteriors.com 76 Mainali Business Concern Pvt. Ltd. Panipokhari Ph: 977-1-4002620/ 30 E-mail: mainalibusiness@gmail.com Website: www.silkplasternepal.com 79 Marvel Technoplast Pvt. Ltd. Heritage Plaza-II, Kamladi, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4169122/123 E-mail: info@marvel.com.np Website: www.marvel.com.np 47 Nagarik - Nepal Republic Media Pvt. Ltd. JDA Complex, Bagh Durbar Ph: 977-1-4265100, 4261808 E-mail: circulation@nagariknews.com 11 Navin Distributor Pvt. Ltd. A.T. Complex, New Plaza, Putalisadak Ph: 977-1-4428196, 4430785 E-mail: ndpl@navindistributors.com Website: www.navindistributors.com
25 Classica Sanitary Ware & Trade Concern Teku Road, Tripureshwor Ph: 977-1-4261393 E-mail: classica_ktm@yahoo.com
77 Nepa Top Organization Samakushi, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4354117, 4363548, 4387901 E-mail: info@nepa.com Website: www.nepatop.com.np
16 Communication Corner Pvt. Ltd. (Ujyaalo 90 Network) Ujyaaloghar(Behind Central Zoo) Jawlakhel, Lalitpur Ph: 977-1-5000171
78 Panchakanya SS Pvt. Ltd. Panchakanya Bhawan, Krishan Galli Ph: 977-1- 5526551 E-mail: info@panchakanya.com
53 Eco Parquet & Decorator Pvt. Ltd. Gairidhara Ph: 977-1-4445589/ 43639858 E-mail: ecoparquet73@gmail.com Website: www.ecoparquet.com.np
76 Pest Control Nepal Shree Krishna Sadan, 7th Floor, New Baneshwor Ph: 977-01-4786329/ 4492285/ 4784674 E-mail: sks3p@wlink.com.np pcnsatguru195@gmail.com Website: www.pestcontrolnepal.com
03 Fashion Furnishing Pvt. Ltd. Maitidevi, Ratopool, Kathmandu Ph: 977-01-4420661/ 4420647 E-mail: fnfurnishing@gmail.com 75 Foto Hollywood Civil Bank Building, Kamaladi Ph: 977-1-4169060 Website: www.fotohollywood.com.np 05 Furniture Land Store Pvt. Ltd. Blue Star Complex Tripureshwor, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4224797 43 Ghorahi Cement Industry Private Limited Trade Tower 6th Floor, Thapathali, Kathmandu Ph.- 977-1-5111147/ 48/ 49 E-mail: enquiry@ghorahicement.com Website: www.ghorahicement.com.np 15 International Electronics Concern (P.) Ltd. Harati Bhawan, Putalisadak, Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4421991, 4422107 E-mail: market@iec.com.np enquiry@iec.com.np Website: www.iec.com.np 04 India Art Fair C/o Seventh Plane Networks Pvt. Ltd., HS 37, 1st Floor, Kailash Colony Market, New Delhi - 110 048, India E-mail: marketing@indiaartfair.in Website: www.indiaartfair.in
76 / SPACES December 2017
09 R. I. P. L. International Pvt. Ltd. Teku Road Ph: 977-1-4270730 02 SEV Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. 234, China Town Shopping Center, Sundhara Ph: 977-1-4249440, 9801315458 71 Skylight Pvt. Ltd. Naxal (Opp to Police HQ), Kathmandu Ph: 977-1-4423851 E-mail: info@skylight.com.np Website: www.skylight.com.np 18 Subisu Cable net Pvt. Ltd. 148 Thirbum Sadak, Baluwatar Ph: 977-1-4235888 E-mail: info@subisu.net.np Website: www.subisu.net.np 59 Technical Associates Services P. Ltd 1st Floor, Abhiyan Building, Panchayan Marg Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 977-1-4219999 E-mail: sktulshyan@gmail.com Website: www.theheatingexpert.org 06 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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80 / SPACES December 2017