Re- construct and Up- cycle
Prof. Anne Feenstra with inputs from Rumi Singh Marhanjan, Himanshu Lal, Aman Raj Khatakho and Martin Paquot
The design of the house is aimed to celebrate sustainable living lifestyle and to grow food for self- sufficiency. With multiple passive design strategies to create a low energy house, the house is covered by more than 40 types of edible plants. These plants are grown in concrete planter boxes which serve as both storm water retention and irrigation reservoir, are also seen as an urban landscape.
For the last decade and a half, it has been my privilege to work as an architect in the Hindu Kush- Himalaya range. Its richness of diversity of people and its variety of landscapes are both awe- inspiring. These myriad communities, from Afghanistan to Sikkim and beyond, have thousands of years of accumulated wisdom. Yet, it seems that linear development strategies are rapidly taking over the vernacular, visceral approach. Within the given natural hazards of the harsh mountain terrain, decision- makers in Nepal struggle to respond in a sustainable manner to the commercial pressure.
On 25 April 2015, a major 7.8 Richter earthquake hit Central Nepal. Nearly 9000 people lost their lives and more than 5 lakh families lost their home. It was a cruel reminder of what most people almost had forgotten, since the last devastating earthquake had been in 1934. With the Sustainable Mountain Architecture team, set up in the winter of 2013/ 14 in Kathmandu, we immediately responded. The team put all the projects on hold and helped where they could.
Later a model for a Transitional Home was developed using rubble of ruined home of the family involved. Stones, bricks, timber and roof tiles were re- assembled while using basic structural cross- bracing for the 16 houses that were built. As the Dean Architecture of CEPT, I set up the relief
fund ‘ CEPT for Nepal’ and all the participants of the planned ‘ Himalayan Summer School 2015’ extended their stay in Nepal. Together, 24 shelters were set up before the monsoon.
WELCOME PAVILION
The premier mountain knowledge institute of the Hindu Kush and Himalayas ICIMOD ( International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development) was not spared by the earthquake. Their entrance porch of the headquarters building got damaged beyond repair. The elongated concrete roof slab, resting on cracked heavy columns and a massive concrete line foundation, was in a bad shape. Architecturally, it was an odd mixture of NeoClassic and Newa style. ICIMOD’s director David Molden concluded, after some consultations, “let’s bring it down and build back better”.
A dialogue was initiated with the ICIMOD community of nearly 270 staff and floated a questionnaire. In the outcome of this user- centric approach, earthquake resistance, pedestrian friendliness and blending in with the natural surroundings were high on the list. A few spoke about the access of differently- abled people. As designers, four starting points were formulated for the new Welcome Pavilion. First, a light footprint point foundation which subsequently supports a light primary steel structure. This would perform well during earthquakes. Thirdly; make a structure that would provide cover, yet allow natural light and landscape to flow in. And last but certainly not least, make a ramp instead of stairs so everybody
is welcomed in the same mode.
All vertical supports are by slim columns in pairs. This was chosen over a single stout column. It reduces the momentum forces; and brought down the amount of steel. At the front of the Welcome Pavilion, a special design twist was given. One column leans forward, thus opening up the roof structure in an embracing manner.
In the roof- scape, the uniqueness of the Nepali mountain- scapes was used and composed a carefully designed diversity of stylized mountain peak characters. Segmentation of the structure w as needed to enhance movement, in case of earthquakes. This was combined with five glass slits, allowing ample natural light to flow in. Sal timber planks were used and the roof was finished with a traditional precious material: copper. This material has been used for ages for important roof structures in central Nepal. Copper expert Binod Shakya from the historic city of Patan told us: “I listen to the material, it tells me what it can and cannot do”. As architects, we felt that this crafted material would do well for a more contemporary architectural expression. And while the initial investment is higher, the sturdy material ages well and requires hardly any maintenance.
During the construction, a staggering amount of 23.600kg of concrete had to be removed, before the building work could start. This clean- up was obviously good for the soil and the percolation of water. The actual construction took only 2.5 months. After that, some work on the spouts and lighting was still needed, but the hundreds of people could use the main entrée point of their headquarters building again. The perfect landing spot for birds, on the leaning front pole that travels into the sky, is in line with the ‘ Design with Nature’ philosophy. Upon entering, one can hear bird songs in the whistling landscape.
STAIRWAY TO SKY
Before the earthquake, we had already deliberated opportunities to fundamentally improve the usage of ICIMOD’s barren flat roof. The ideas and sketches for solar panels, water harvesting, outdoor meeting rooms and comfortable individual working cocoons all set in a roof garden, had been received well. Especially the younger generation of the personnel was looking forward to work cabriolet- style. This is all possible due to the tempered climate of the Kathmandu valley, which allows to be comfortably outdoors for nearly ten months per year. In the existing situation, only a workshop room and a few haphazard working desks were located on that highest level. The flat roof of 500sq m was literally lying dormant. In order to activate
the roof, there was one crucial thing missing; a second access.
The earthquake accelerated the ideas into action. Better access would also mean improved escape routes. So while the smaller southern roof was allocated for 36 solar panels, the functional activities were planned for the northern roof. Here, a range of possibilities were looked at and zoomed in on the idea to literally pop an existing staircase through the roof. At the roof level, it would become some sort of access pavilion to the future roof- scape. The concrete roof slab was carefully cut open and a light and sturdy steel structure was installed for the stairs going up. By then, the working name of the project had become ‘ Stairway to Sky’.
For safety and orientation, lots of filtered daylight was brought in from all directions of the pavilion. To keep the direct sunlight out, preventing heat gain and glare, a series of experiments were started with up- cycled materials. For the interior structure a deep dark green steel structure was used which goes well with the exposed timber planks of the new roof. Rather than the roof ridge only going up in a singular line, the canopy back was brought to the human scale. Or perhaps an even smaller scale, as this carefully sculptured canopy has been compared to a bird’s beak.
One day after it was opened, an emergency drill was organized for the staff. The small building is now known as Djingati Pavilion. This name refers to the small roof tiles, which were used for the walls. Traditionally, these petite 200 x 105mm fired clay tiles stick to the roof on a fresh layer of mud in Newa architecture. Thanks to the 8mm linear depression in the tile, the grip between two tiles is guaranteed. The tiles come in a spectrum of carmine, scarlet- red, vermillion and tangerine orange colours. Upon close observation, one can see a thumbprint or an imprint of several fingers of the maker, emphasizing that each piece was created by hand.
These tiles were collected close by the site
and got them cleaned. Currently, they work together as a ‘ Brise Soleil’, capturing the diffused daylight, while keeping the harsh direct sunlight out. A metal frame was designed with two clasps per tile. Testing it out, we failed several times. Only after a 1: 1 scale mock- up, we were able to get it right. Each tile forms an evocative mini louver and is placed in families that make up the superior panels. The subtle diamond shaped pattern casts soft silhouette shadows, creating an internal spatial elegance. And with the creation, 1452 Djingati tiles got a new life.
GODAVARI MODEL HOUSE
One of the buildings in ICIMOD’s Knowledge Park, in the rural mountainous area of Godavari at 1500m altitude, had completely collapsed. Since they had seen the evidence of our methodology of using salvaged building materials for reconstructing in a better way, we received a request to design and built a two- storey Model
House. This demonstrative earthquake- resistant building for rural Nepal, with a maximum of local materials and local crafts and a minimum amount of concrete, could use several of my accumulated experiences in South Asia.
Passive solar energy and passive space heating concepts had been used since the mid 2000s in the first National Park of Afghanistan in Bamyan and Wakhan ( see also article in A + D issue 2010). For the project in Godavari, an asymmetrical saddle roof was used that has the main openings facing south welcoming the lowangled winter sun. Double glazing ensures the warmth stays in the building.
While most buildings in Nepal are now using a very thin 0.25mm corrugated steel sheet, we stubbornly looked for a more robust, yet more frugal solution. 1.2mm thick scrap metal drums were found that were once used for heating up tar for road construction. The present finishing material is monkey- proof and is laid out in a fish scale pattern. 300 bottoms of drums, 600 dia were used.
Designing in an earthquake prone area, made us use a stone wall with timber ties and large corner stones. These vernacular methods can be found throughout the Himalayas. Salvaged building material was used as much as possible, including half of the mud mortar. The complete house rests on a concrete ring beam, the only place where cement was used in the whole project.
A lightweight upper floor was designed with a timber structure and double wattle and daub ( bamboo- clayey mud) walls. These jut out slightly from the lower stone wall with timber tie re- enforcements. The largest upper floor span of 6m is made by one steel I beam.
It was believed to be better than using a long timber member, which would require to cut down a hefty tree.
The Sustainable Mountain Architecture team got a triple extension of the work. We were requested to also design an eco- compost toilet, info graphic panels for the interior space of the house and work on the surrounding landscape. Up to date, nearly 7000 school children and 640 Government officials have come to see the house.
Team SMA believes we should elicit architectural support to the mountain people. We try to draw lessons from their wisdom.
Natural perseverance and innovation are other key elements we believe in. For this, we need to design and build. We need to create evidence that architecture can make a positive difference.
We have tried to design the Welcome Pavilion and the Stairway to Sky as transitional spaces between outside and inside; they both function as thresholds. As designers we took the responsibility to bridge the gap between theory and the building construction. We invested time and energy in building capacity and exchanging practical knowledge of builders and perceived ideas of future users. We explained why and how we intended to reuse the smaller pieces of natural stone of the ramp for the pause point platforms. We calculated how the copper pattern could be made with the least amount of cutting loss. While linear development is leading to more concrete buildings, we proved it was possible to actually use very little of it, keeping construction costs low and living comfort high.
The stakeholders in the process of making architecture appreciated this and made it possible. We could demonstrate it is possible to stick to the principles of reducing, recovering and up- cycling. The most important lesson for us in all the three projects was; take deliberate risks and be loyal to architecture!