research / design project overview HAPPINESS and ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE
author Jānis Dombrovskis adviser Adrian Blackwell date spring 2007
introducti on 02 pre-departure research 03 on-site research and design 13 “As an architect I believe in and so cannot subscribe to copying the architecture of an era that is long past. As an architect, I believe in building to suit our living needs in a living way, uti lizing the most suitable modern and progressive means at our disposal, and on adopti ng these sound and fundamental principles of building of the past, which are as authenti c today as before.” 1
When walking the streets of Shanghai, Manila or Riga one sure of Bhutan – Gross Nati onal Happiness index – stands in is oft enti mes made to wonder where exactly he or she has sharp contrast to the fi nancial gains centered Gross Nati onal found him or herself in the world. Architecturally, the new Product. districts of Beijing very closely resemble those of Toronto, Moscow, or London. Globalizati on manifests itself not only Similarly to how traditi on guides and oft en rules the day to in economy, but also in other fi elds, including architecture. day acti viti es in Bhutan – for example, the traditi onal dress is sti ll worn extensively – it also has a very large and deter- In social interacti ons, politi cs, economics, technology or, es- mining infl uence on architecture. Most of the buildings be- pecially, architecture, the tension between the old and the ing built today are constructed using traditi onal methods, new is an important aspect of globalizati on. While in some tools, and, in the image of structures that have existed in fi elds the new is introduced without much regard for the the country for centuries. Arguably, this is not only due to old, there are others, where the old is so highly regarded, as the skill sets of builders and general demand for traditi onal to completely eliminate possibility for a change. dwellings, but also, to government policy. Thus, Bhutan is one of the only countries where the traditi onal is not only This thesis analyzes the shift ing role of the traditi onal ver- preserved, but also acti vely promoted and maintained in nacular architecture of Bhutan – a country in the Himalayans many aspects of daily life. By adding a strong religious and – in a setti ng that is changing due to its own accord and due social dimension to the proposed research project, it will be to the impact of the globalizati on; in a setti ng where new possible to devise a multi faceted approach of studying the societal order is being created. For almost every inhabitant confl icted relati onship between the vernacular architecture of the observed area, the future developments will bring and the architecture of globalizati on of the Himalayan king- drasti c changes. The quality of life and prospects for the fu- dom. ture of the analyzed society directly depend on how the new modes of living and working will be introduced. More specifi cally, this thesis deals with the architectural as- pects of the development that is taking place in the high al- Thesis is setti ng out to develop an aspect of the architec- ti tude northern regions of Bhutan where the inhabitants are tural component of the new model of living and working. primarily engaged in the yak-herding related acti viti es. This With the constantly changing site conditi ons, as the external is a nomadic lifestyle that determines the kind of dwellings forces to the system are having an increasingly larger im- that are being created there. Thesis deals with creati ng a pact, and as the system itself is adjusti ng to these changes, proposal as to what shape the future developments in these acti on in a near future is extremely important to ensure that areas could take. the current generati on is able to conti nue living off the given land and that it is not done at the expense of the future gen- erati ons.
In no other country are the vernacular architecture and the importance of preserving it as an integral part of the cul- ture more vivid, than it is in Bhutan. The Himalayan kingdom is characterized by a very careful process of development that, in contrast to other countries of the region, focuses not only on the introducti on of western values, but, more importantly, aims to assist society’s development in the way that promotes the most happiness, and, arguably, makes the most sense in the given cultural, economic, and politi cal set- ti ng. It is not a surprise, that the central development mea-
HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 2 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 PRE-DEPARTURE RESEARCH
CRITICAL REGIONALISM
There are countless manifestati ons of how the interacti ons between the old and the new take place. Thus, there is a need for a framework or a system that allows looking at this relati onship in a more organized fashion. In this thesis, Criti - cal Regionalism will be used as this system of reference. It will serve as a basis to this larger issue of diff erence and, ac- Publishing, 2003), p. 86 , (Munich: Prestel cordingly, will provide a framework within which the discus- sion on the developments of architecture in the Bhutanese cal Regionalism cal ti
context will take place. Cri
More than 30 years ago, Lefaivre and Tzonis, inspired by the Renzo Piano, Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre, Nouméa, New Caledonia Centre, Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Piano, Renzo work and ideas of Lewis Mumford and others, introduced the term criti cal regionalism. Initi ally, it was created as an alternati ve to postmodernism, the dominant tendency of that period. Using the Kanti an “test of criti cism”, the con- Tzonis, Alexander Liane Lefaivre, cept of regionalism was to be set apart “from its senti men- tal, prejudiced and irrati onal use by previous generati ons. The concept of regionalism here indicated an approach to design giving priority to the identi ty of the parti cular rather than to universal dogmas.”2 Consequently, the term criti cal regionalism implies the parti cularity of the locati on and the uniqueness of the individual conditi ons found in each site. FRAMPTON Nevertheless, it does not necessarily advocate traditi onal Lefaivre and Tzonis coined the term and made it part of the approach to architecture. architecture discourse. Consequently, there have been some other architects and thinkers, who have explored it further Instead of giving preference to either the global architec- in search of a meaning unique to their views on architecture ture or the local vernacular, the concept of criti cal regional- and its development. One of such fi gures is Kenneth Framp- ism argues that the universal forms are usually not relevant ton, who developed his own take on the issue. because they ignore the given site conditi ons. At the same ti me, however, criti cal regionalism also says that blindly fol- In an essay Towards Criti cal Regionalism writt en in 1985, lowing the traditi onal modes of constructi on purely because Frampton states that “architecture can only be sustained to- they are very locati on- and culture-specifi c is not rati onal day as a criti cal practi ce if it assumes an arrière-garde posi- either, because the society is always in a fl ux and, thus, the ti on, that is to say, one which distances itself equally from new opportuniti es and changes taking place in the society, the Enlightenment myth of progress and from a reacti onary, should also be refl ected in the architecture. Hence, the term unrealisti c impulse to return to the architectonic forms of is criti cal instead of senti mental regionalism. pre-industrial past. A criti cal arrière-garde has to remove it- self from both the opti mizati on of advanced technology and the ever-present tendency to regress into nostalgic histori- cism or the glibly decorati ve.”3 HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 3 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 Criti cal regionalism, in Frampton’s view, att empts to fi nd a middle ground between the modernity’s myth of progress and the drive to return to the pre-industrial path. It is seen that through the use of the arrière-garde positi on it is pos- sible to create architecture that does not fall into either of the two possible extremes. The approach appears, at fi rst, al area towards surrounding valley surrounding towards al area to be a criti que of both the modernism and the vernacular ti architecture implying that a middle way is the answer. How- 2004), p. 113 , (Wien: Schlebrügge.Editor, ever, when looking closer, it becomes clear that, while the premise is straight forward, it is not always possible or even relevant. The main issue is that Frampton is writi ng from the perspecti ve of the architects of North America and Europe, Himalayan Vernacular the societi es that already have taken the path of industrial- residen view from Tibet: Gyantse, izati on, have passed it, and now can look back at the ti mes Carl Pruscha, before it.
This is parti cularly clearly expressed in his later essay Criti cal Regionalism Revisited where, in relati on to pre-industrial in- nocence of the vernacular, he states that “one assumes that this is the polemical point of the term, namely, that the ver- nacular cannot even be addressed today without subsuming Even though initi ally based on the ideas of Mumford that it under the aestheti c strategy of the modernism.”4 also were the ground for Frampton’s explorati ons, Carl Pr- uscha arrives at slightly nuanced conclusions on the topic of the Criti cal Regionalism. While Pruscha agrees that “region- PRUSCHA alism is no longer seen as a return to the traditi onal or as a Pruscha is an architect who has spent a large part of his life link to romanti cism, but rather, as an aid which helps people exploring the Himalayan architecture of India, Nepal, and come to terms with the actual conditi ons of life,”6 he goes Bhutan. As a result, he has developed a view on the role that on to develop an argument that modernism and regional- architecture plays in these societi es. Through his practi ce, he ism, instead of heading in two irreconcilably diff ering direc- has also been an acti ve parti cipant in the architectural pro- ti ons, could actually be complementary. Instead of seeing cesses taking place in Nepal and therefore has an inti mate the relati onship between the two as being contradictory, he knowledge and understanding of the fi eld that is closely re- states that he is “seeking a synthesis of the modern and the lated to the objecti ves of this paper. traditi onal without recourse to eclecti cism.”7
Prior to building theory based on Mumford’s ideas, Prus- This synthesis is somewhat similar to the arrière-garde point cha warns against the kind of regionalist architecture that is introduced by Frampton. The two, however, are set apart growing in support of totalitarian regimes like, for example, by the fact that this synthesis, implied Pruscha, happens at the new commercial development of tourism. “Like other the stage of development that is radically diff erent from the works of kitsch or mass media products, and not unlike the one where Frampton is looking from. If Frampton looks at chauvinisti c version of regionalist architecture, it is designed criti cal regionalism from the western point of view, then Pr- to create an illustrati on of parti cipati on in a distant and un- uscha sees it in a manner specifi c to the undeveloped part of known world. Commercial regionalism has become a sort of the world, the part of the world that has not gone through architectural pornography.”5 Thus, early on a disti ncti on is the industrializati on and modernism and that, in this way is made between regionalism as promoted by the commer- much closer to that point in the past that Frampton alludes cial needs and wants and that of a diff erent kind introduced to when warning us not to look too far in the past. later.
HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 4 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 CONCLUSIONS Frampton and Pruscha both advance ideas that are describ- Given its strengths and relevance, criti cal regionalism also ing the concept of the criti cal regionalism. However, their has some weaknesses. In parti cular, it is much more cen- point of observati on and, therefore, the conclusions they ar- tered around the theoreti cal aspects of architectural of de- rive to about the importance and relevance of this concept, velopment leaving aside the fact that “no new architecture are diff erent. In Frampton’s writi ng, the vernacular forms of can emerge without a new kind of relati ons between design- the past are just that – architecture that is in the past and er and user, without new kinds of programs.”8 The next part any return to those would mean a step back and into the of the paper will deal closely with looking at the operati onal kitsch. On the other hand, for Pruscha, the vernacular ar- aspects of the criti cal regionalism and some mechanisms chitecture and its relevance is very immediate, because in that have been employed in various parts of the world to his view, the people oft enti mes do not have to look into the address the impact of the global architecture and systems past to learn from the vernacular – oft enti mes, it is sti ll very on the local ways of life. present and, at ti mes, even sti ll built. In this way, the ap- proach to the criti cal regionalism developed by Carl Pruscha is slightly more relevant to the purpose of this thesis, be- Frampton cause it speaks about the processes taking place in the de- veloping societi es where the traditi on is sti ll very much the modernity order of the day and where the modernism and the results western society of industrializati on are only beginning to have an impact. traditional society
Pruscha
HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 5 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 PRACTICE ti ng as well. “Fair trade works with small farmers who work together to develop community cooperati ves. Working with The theoreti cal framework of criti cal regionalism provides a a fair trade organizati on, the cooperati ve sets a mutually foundati on for the further explorati ons in the parti culariti es agreeable fair price, known as a “living wage”… Building co- of the relati onship between the traditi onal architecture and operati vely means that small farmers can not only become that of modernity. However, to make this theory more prac- part of the bigger picture, but can also help defi ne what ti cal and relevant, there is a need for direct examples of how that picture will look like. Profi ts from the premium paid for the principles of criti cal regionalism relate to the current de- beans through fair trade are distributed within the coopera- velopments; it is important to look at the operati onal side of ti ve and enable the farmers and their families to control and criti cal regionalism. direct the growth of their business’s and communiti es. It also encourages farmers in the stewardship of their land, uti lizing First of all, for the criti cal regionalism to become operati on- farming practi ces that nurture and support the integrity of al, it has to take into account the emergence of new user the land and the people who are responsible for its conti n- relati onships and new programs. The lifestyle of the high al- ued well being.”9 ti tude inhabitants of the Great Himalayan Region of Bhutan, is conditi oned by currently existi ng processes in the area. Thus, the fair trade model can also be adopted in the Hima- For example, the source of livelihood for the vast majority layan kingdom. The conditi ons are similar in that there are of the populati on, is yak-herding. This acti vity is detrimen- many small farmers who are producing items that are to be tal to most of the other aspects of the daily lives of these distributed through the country and abroad. people. With the increase in the number of people in the region and the changing nature of the yak-herding, there is More related to the scope of the thesis, however, are the also expected to be a change in the organizati onal patt erns architectural implicati ons of this model. If today there are of these acti viti es. many small nomadic farmers who move around within this system relati vely independently one from another, then the For example, currently there is an interest to expand on the model of the fair trade, calls for some cooperati on to be es- export of the yak-oriented products like the wool and the tablished. Even though it is the economic coordinati on and milk. In the past these products were used only by the herd- harmonizati on that is called for through the creati on of co- ers themselves and occasionally for barter to obtain other operati ves, this also implies coordinati on and harmonizati on goods. Thus, this change in the ends of producti on, also re- of the people’s movements that have previously been rela- quire a change in the organizati on of the producti on as well. ti vely independent. Thus, the architecture that currently is Developing of the organizati onal model of producti on, is not the norm in the Great Himalayan region of Bhutan, is shift ing in the scope of this thesis. However, recognizing this need to accommodate this changing nature of living patt erns. for an alternate model to the existi ng system and the impor- tance of the new paradigm in creati on of new programs, an The change in the organizati onal patt erns of the produc- example of the existi ng system is used. Such model ti on in combinati on with the shift in the programs can be found in the Fair Trade. and, thus, architecture, also indicates a need for some new program elements to be created. FAIR TRADE In parti cular, the nomadic and dispersed Due to the large number of small and unco- lifestyle today means that the people of ordinated producers in a developing coun- the Great Himalayan region do not the emissions resources try without much export experience have access to the educati on systems and without organizati ons backing cost and healthcare, which would be their acti ons, the fair trade move- more readily available in the con- ment provides a general framework time quality diti ons that are more stati onary within which the organizati on of and centrally coordinated. Thus, the producti on and exporti ng of the fair trade developments are biodiversity yak-related goods could take place bringing with them the level of in the future. More specifi cally, as cooperati on that will have further in the case of the coff ee market, fair reaching positi ve impact on the
trade can be used in the Himalayan set- way that this society operates. in building process 21: the factors Agenda HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 6 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 HSIEH YING CHUN Another example of criti cal approach to regionalism can on, Taiwan on, be found in the work of Hsieh Ying Chun, the principal of ti Atelier-3 and Hsieh Architect & Associates in Taiwan. He has been one of the central actors in the reconstructi on that took place aft er the 921, the earthquake of September 21, 1999 during which 2000 people were killed, over 8000 were injured, and over 400,000 people left homeless. First involved in the rebuilding as an architect, Hsieh noti ced that there are other issues to the constructi on that are making Post 921: Aboriginal Community Reconstruc Post it impossible to create dwellings for the large numbers of p://www.atelier-3.com/2_Concepts/2004.02_UN-Te/index.html dislocated people. The hardest hit was the Thao Tribe, the tt smallest indigenous tribe of Taiwan.
The people of the tribe were left devastated with nothing but Chun Hsieh brings forward an idea that the community has a large impact on the process of building and architecture. This thought goes hand in hand with the ideas of the fair trade where community involvement and cooperati on are the cor- nerstones to successful development. The ideas that Hsieh uses in his architecture practi ce, are closely related to those promoted by the Internati onal Council for Research and In- created through the parti cipati on of the community much novati on in Building and Constructi on (Netherlands) who cheaper, but that the end result challenges the profession- have defi ned an Agenda 21 for Sustainable Constructi on.11 al builder / user paradigm currently existi ng in the world. It is an initi ati ve that creates a framework linking global con- Through his work, Hsieh demonstrates that buildings can be cepts of sustainable development and the constructi on sec- built from locally obtained materials, using local work force, tor. Furthermore, this framework is immediately responsive and that these buildings are environmentally friendly and to the local context and, thus, in line with the ideas of criti cal sti mulate local communiti es not only economically, but also, regionalism described above. and not less importantly, socially. The theoreti cal and social dimensions of architecture are crucial when looking at the The architecture of Atelier-3 gives much wider meaning to architecture of the yak-herders of the great Himalayan re- the process of building than the narrowly defi ned one of gion of Bhutan. As it was shown earlier, criti cal regionalism constructi on. It introduces the human aspect of cooperati on and its social aspects provide a framework within which this to the building and argues that not only are the dwellings thesis operates. HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 7 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 PROJECT The next step is to closer examine the actual site conditi ons to be created in a short period of ti me. Larger system of such that the project is faced with and then present the area of temporary dwellings would provide an eff ecti ve sett lement the greatest need where the project will be involved in. The for the nomadic people who are periodically moving around project looks at the Great Himalayan Region of Bhutan which looking for bett er pastures and tending aft er their herds. is located above the alti tudes of 3000 meters. In Himalayas, “life follows closely the seasonal cycle of the mountain The second type of sett lement found at the Great Himalayan environment to the degree that the mode of living has litt le Region, is the high alti tude compact cluster dwelling system. margin for deviati on. It is no surprise, that the negoti ati on It consists of inti mately constructed stone masonry houses, between the imperati ve of survival and the necessity of which serve as a much more permanent dwelling for the adaptati on to the local environment is intense throughout same herders who use the other less permanent structures the Himalayan region.”12 The alti tude and terrain are the at the higher alti tudes. These buildings are built of stone two most important factors aff ecti ng the climate and, masonry, usually using mud mortar. The wall thicknesses can accordingly, the sett lement types of the country. reach up to 80 centi meters and the openings into the building are very small. Also, the open space immediately below the The Great Himalayan Region has cold to arcti c climate roof and above the living area is dramati cally decreased. All combined with very rugged terrain. Most people residing these measures are taken to keep the building warm in the there are yak and catt le herders, and their sett lements are harsh terrain and climate that it is placed in. Furthermore, usually small and arranged in closely grouped clusters. by clustering these homes close together, a situati on is created, where each such cluster has its own microclimate “The two basic patt erns of human life are sedentary and allowing people and animals to move around between these nomadic.”13 This area of Bhutan is interesti ng in that the buildings in relati vely warmer temperatures and shielded nomadic lifestyle of its inhabitants, calls for use of both of from the elements than if the houses were further apart. these sett lement types. The fi rst nomadic (arcti c) sett lement type is characterized by temporary structures. They are The above types14 of structures will be used in the process of usually constructed using a foundati on that is created of analysis of the existi ng built form and will serve as a basis of undressed granite stones without the use of mortar. The the research, and thus, the foundati on for a design proposal wooden beam frame is created on top of this base and, when in the Bhutanese setti ng. unoccupied, the structure remains set up consisti ng only of these elements. When the yak herders arrive to these sett lements, they cover the frame with canvas or yak KULA KANGRI 7554 m wool blankets, thus transforming the structure into JOMOLHARI a livable space. This is truly a temporary structure 7314 m Gasa that is used as a dwelling only when the herders actually need it as such, while at other ti mes, Lhuntse Punakha Tongsa Jakar it only has the shape of a house while lacking Paro THIMPHU Wangdye Phodrang other properti es. Ha Tashigang It could be argued that this is one of the most relevant housing systems for the yak herders, for it is built of locally available materials and in Phuntsholing use only when needed. The beams are created from the trees growing around, the stones are also collected from the near by areas, and the yak wool or canvas blankets 050100 are always with the herders, thus making it easy for a dwelling nomadic (arctic) and high altitude compact clusters HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 8 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 , p. 211 , p. 215 lement tt c) Se c) ti tude Compact Cluster ti High Al of Bhutan onal Architecture of Bhutan onal Architecture ti ti Temporary Nomadic (arc Temporary Tradi on to Tradi on to ti ti An Introduc An Introduc ISSUES Currently the system, in which the yak-herders are used project sets out to develop a system in which these external to living their nomadic lives, is slowly changing due to pressures are not resulti ng in centralized system. Instead, in the overall processes of development within the country, recogniti on of the importance of movement of people and Department of Works, Housing and Roads, Housing and Roads, of Works, Department limitati ons that the current system has, and due to the the livestock within the given area, the nomadic lifestyles of Housing and Roads, of Works, Department impact of the future export-oriented producti on. In its the yak herders is maintained. Thus, the soluti ons to the lack analysis of the yak-herding system in Bhutan, Food and of educati on faciliti es and defi ciencies in the medical care, Agriculture Organizati on of the United Nati ons (FAO) has have to be found in the architecture and planning parts of disti lled multi ple concerns that the country will be faced the system. with in the future. In parti cular, “the resources used in the yak producti on system are very marginal, and thus, the Assuming that that the system will conti nue to be nomadic opportuniti es for increasing the producti on are limited. in the future, the architectural proposal for the thesis, deals Problems associated with geographical and social isolati on with: are likely to further constrain future developments. In spite of this, yak will conti nue to be an important component of • developing a system within which the educati on the Bhutanese landscape and society and will become an and medical care can be provided to the important att racti on for tourism.”15 nomads, • proposing architectural soluti ons for the elements The central issues originati ng from the FAO report currently of this system (learning centre and a medical are: centre), and • does so in a manner that is in tune with the design • Poor access to educati on and medical services, theory as expressed in the criti cal regionalism • Overgrazing – the main cause of low and/or and using the lessons learned from the architects deteriorati ng grassland yields, like Hsieh Ying Chun, and respecti ng the currently • Relati vely small winter fodder availability and existi ng building traditi ons in the manner outlined quality. by Carl Pruscha. The research trip to Bhutan this coming summer will allow SOLUTIONS to confi rm (or refute) the arguments that have been raised Consequently, the focus of the project is to address the issue in the process of research so far and, accordingly, will have areas outlined above. The primary area of the concern, that a very direct impact to the actual shape that this project stems from the research, the theory, and the case studies, is will take. The specifi c aspects of the program and the exact in addressing the social issues of poor access to educati on situati on of the project will be determined during the process and medical services. While it is recognized that currently the of on-site research. society is shift ing its focus from locally produced and locally consumed producti on to more export oriented one, the HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 9 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 ENDNOTES 1. Minnett e de Silva, Minnett e de Silva, The Life and Work of an Asian Woman Architect, Kandy, Min- nett e de Silva Ltd., 1998. Vol. 1., p. 94 in Liane Lefaivre, Alexander Tzonis, Criti cal Regionalism: Archi- tecture and Identi ty in Globalized World, (Munich: Prestel Publishing, 2003), p. 46 2. Liane Lefaivre, Alexander Tzonis, Criti cal Regionalism: Architecture and Identi ty in a Globalized World, (Munich: Prestel Publishing, 2003), p. 10 3. Kenneth Frampton, Towards a criti cal Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of Resistance, in Hal Foster, The Anti -Aestheti c: Essays on Postmodern Culture, (Port Townsend: Bay Press, 1985), p. 20 4. Kenneth Frampton, Criti cal Regionalism Revisited: Refl ecti ons on the Mediatory Potenti al of Built Form, in Maiken Umbach and Bernard Hüppauf, Vernacular Modernism: Heimat, Globalizati on, and the Built Environment, (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2005), p. 194 5. Carl Pruscha, Himalayan Vernacular, (Wien: Schlebrügge.Editor, 2004), p. 123 6. Ibid, p. 122 – 123 7. Ibid, p. 126 8. Liane Lefaivre, Alexander Tzonis, The Grid and The Pathway: An Introducti on to the Work of Dimitris and Susana Antonakakis, (Athens: Architecture In Greece, 15, 1981), p. 178 9. Monika Firl (last accessed May 4, 2006), Fair Trade, < htt p://www.alternati vegrounds.com/show. php?ID=17>, [Alternati ve Grounds], 2006 10. Hsieh Ying Chun (last accessed May 4, 2006), Aboriginal Community Reconstructi on in the Concept of “Sustainable Constructi on”: Social Equity and Cultural Issues, Economic Constraints, Environmental Quality, UN-Habitat Presentati on, * unless noted otherwise, all photograps are taken by the author and all graphical and textual informati on is the intellectual property of the author HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 10 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 BIBLIOGRAPHY Agenda 21 Firl, M. Agenda 21 on Sustainable Constructi on, HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 11 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 its signifi cance in the cultural and architectural background. He is a Richardson, V. SUNY Disti nguished Professor Emeritus in Geography at the State New Vernacular Architecture, New York: Watson-Gupti ll Publica- University of New York at Paltz where he has taught since 1968. ti ons, 2001 Edited by Ronald G. Knapp, this is a compilati on of essays from In contrast to the other pieces that discuss either the overall dis- various authors that together create somewhat of a secti on cut course of the vernacular-modern relati onship, or delve into look- through the countries of the Asia. While this text will allow me to ing at the very specifi c traditi onal forms, Vicky Richardson gives obtain more clear understanding of the region and the built form examples of how the combinati on of the new and the vernacular is in it as a whole, the fi rst chapter (David Zurick and Nanda Shrestha, manifesti ng itself around the world. Numerous buildings are given Himalayann Dwellings: A Cultural-Environmental Perspecti ve) gives as examples in this and they range from kitsch to some very in- a detailed recount of the various building types in the Himalayans genious ways of carrying the ideas of the traditi onal development and the specifi c cultural dimensions of the creati on and life of the forward. various buildings. This piece will be crucial in setti ng examples of what has been done around the world in other cultural and social setti ngs to address Lefaivre, L., Tzonis, A. the issues created through the att empts of trying to negoti ate the Criti cal Regionalism: Architecture and Identi ty in Globalized World, middle way between the vernacular architecture and the global Munich: Prestel Publishing, 2003 tendencies in the built form design. This is, arguably, the most important text for the criti cal regionalism part of the conversati on of this thesis. Lefaivre and Tzonis hold the Umbach, M., Hüppauf, B. central authority in the fi eld of criti cal regionalism having devel- Vernacular Modernism: Heimat, Globalizati on, and the Built Envi- oped and refi ned it throughout the years. While criti cal regionalism ronment, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2005 is also menti oned in the works of Frampton and Pruscha, Lefaivre and Tzonis have presented the most complete account of what this While Frampton, Tzonis, and Lefaivre have some very enlightening term means to them and, thus, have also popularized its use by and related ideas to my research, I intend to look at some works the abovementi oned architects. This parti cular book is a result of that are a litt le more recent than the 1980s which is when the over twenty years of considerati ons, evaluati ons, and observati ons abovementi oned papers are from. of the term criti cal regionalism and it demonstrates how today’s architects are sti ll very much infl uenced by its importance. On the other hand, this compilati on of texts, from various authors, examines the idea of the same tension existi ng between the mod- ern and the vernacular in the setti ng closer to today. Thus, I believe Lefaivre, L., Tzonis, A. this source, including the epilogue by Kenneth Frampton, will pro- The Grid and The Pathway: An Introducti on to the Work of Dimitris vide a rich basis for the conditi ons to be confi rmed and assessed in and Susana Antonakakis, Athens: Architecture In Greece, 15, 1981 Bhutanese context. As the initi al work on criti cal regionalism, The Grid and the Pathway, proposed an alternati ve to the postmodern architecture of that Wiener, G., Jianlin, H., Ruijun, L. ti me. It spoke to the necessity of mediati on between the universal The Yak: Second Editi on, Bangkok: Food and Agriculture Organiza- forms of the modern architecture and the vernacular shapes of the ti on, 2003 site-specifi c and at ti mes kitschy buildings. This writi ng prompted creati on of the theory of criti cal regionalism and discussion that Food and Agriculture Organizati on of the United Nati ons has cre- has lasted for over 20 years now. ated a rich compilati on of material on the theme of yaks. As Bhutan a country where yak-herding is one of the most important acti viti es Pruscha, C. for a major part of people, this material is highly relevant for this Himalayan Vernacular, Wien: Schlebrügge.Editor, 2004 thesis project. It provides the necessary background on all issues concerning yaks. Furthermore, not only does it give an overview of Carl Pruscha, an Austrian architect who has spent signifi cant part the current situati on, but it also speaks about the future challenges of his life in Nepal, has writt en a book very much in tune with my that should be addressed, thus making it very relevant to the ob- interests in the vernacular architecture of the Himalayan Region. jecti ves of this project. He provides an overview of building practi ces in the Himalayans and argues that the built form is very much related not only to geo- graphical, but also very much to the social conditi ons wherein it Zürcher, D., Choden, K. is constructed. C. Pruscha provides a framework that I intend to Bhutan: Land of Spirituality and Modernizati on, Role of Water in explore in detail when conducti ng my research in Bhutan. Daily Life, (Elgin: New Dawn Press Group, 2004 This is one of the most important references central to my thesis As in many third world countries (and some would argue that also project, as it provides the most direct correlati on to the my inter- in the rest of the world), water is an extremely important part of ests and goals of this work. It very closely talks about the current daily lives of people in Bhutan. Understanding the aspects of ob- situati on in the region, including Bhutan, it gives an overview of the taining it, storing it, using it, discarding of it, recycling it, etc., are developments in the past, and, fi nally, talks about the context for crucial when it comes to understanding the general social process- the expected future changes. es taking place in the country. Thus, similar to the C.T Dorji’s text on transportati on networks, this resource will be crucial in under- standing the site conditi ons for the design proposal. HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 12 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 ON-SITE RESEARCH and DESIGN Instead of relying on strategies from other parts of the Architecturally, the centre provides spaces that, refl ecti ng world, Bhutan follows its own path establishing new bench- and building upon the existi ng architecture, introduce new marks and imagining never before seen ways of develop- spati al relati onships and programs in a way unique to the ment. One example of this is the Gross Nati onal Happiness local site conditi ons, the populati on makeup, and the over- index that att empts to defi ne quality of life in more holisti c all workings of Laya. While maintaining the cornerstones and psychological terms than the Gross Nati onal Prod- of the building in Laya – like the use of parti cular locally uct. The traditi on is oft enti mes seen as an integral part of available materials – through analysis and systemati zati on any development; the established values serve not only of the existi ng architecture, thesis arrives to parti cular and as something to consider, but rather as a blueprint to be very specifi c types that then are used as the foundati on for improved on. the new buildings. The three main types of buildings in Laya (the temporary winter dwelling, the temporary summer Laya is a remote high alti tude and vehicle inaccessible dwelling, and the permanent village dwelling) and the re- village in the northern part of Bhutan. The division being lati onships among them are used as the starti ng point the created in the society of Laya due to the varying levels of design process of the Laya Centre of Knowledge. educati on of its inhabitants is the primary driving force behind this thesis project. The Laya Centre of Knowledge The resulti ng building complex provides a commentary on intends to create conditi ons where the gaps in adult educa- the existi ng architecture by uti lizing the abovementi oned ti on have a chance to be bridged and where new knowl- types and the main principles used in their creati on. Some edge can be introduced in the manner benefi cial to the of the main principles are the temporality, parti al submer- development of the populati on. In parti cular, the project sion, microcosms created by courtyard conditi ons, large deals with creati ng spaces wherein the inhabitants can not open interior rooms, strong public aspects of interior and only have direct access to various sources of informati on exterior spaces. Furthermore, the Centre provides new (from internet, to books, to orally passed informati on), but, program elements like the outdoor/indoor exhibiti on and furthermore, learn what are the strengths and weaknesses performance spaces, an inn, library, inhabitable green of these sources and, thus, obtain hands on knowledge on roofs, large overhang roofs, work areas, gathering areas, informati on access and management. covered courtyards, new circulati on patt erns. The Laya Centre of Knowledge is a complex that, building upon lessons learned about Laya during the thesis research process, strives to create unique spaces that would allow the inhabitants of Laya to learn and uti lize the power of in- formati on in order to not get lost in the world determined by globalizati on tendencies. These spaces are created in a manner that, while following the government set regula- ti ons for building practi ce in the country, strives to create unique and harmonious relati onships between the people and the environment that they inhabit. HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 13 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 BHUTAN Dzongkhags (administrative districts): Gasa Dzongkhag Gasa Punakha Yangtse Bumthang Lhuntse Thimphu Paro Wangdue Phodrang Trongsa Ha Mongar Trashigang Dagana Tsirang Samtse Chhukha Zhemgang Pema Sarpang Gatshel Samdrup Jonghar 0 50 km 100 km Mongolia China Pakistan N ep al Bhutan India Burma Vietnam Laos Cambodia Thailand Bangladesh Malaysia 47 000 km2 (Switzerland is 41 295 km2) mountainous, 64% forest land main regions Great Himalayan Region Inner Himalayan Valleys Tropical Low Altitude Region HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 14 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 GASA DZONGKHAG: LAYA Lunana KULA KANGRI village # of households populati on 7554 m Laya Tougra 27 139 Lupcha 19 112 Gasa Neilo 23 125 Tokor 17 103 Pashi 25 149 Lungo 25 121 Gauza 10 58 total 146 807 ashi Lupcha P Tougra Neilo r Toko HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 15 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 LAYA: EDUCATION BASED SOCIAL DIVIDE Educati on based social divide is one of the main issues currently faced by the inhabitants of Laya. While one group conti nues the lifestyle of the countless previous genera- ti ons through yak herding, residing in close proximity to Laya, and not seeing any importance in educati on, the other group travels, learns about the world beyond the borders of the village, and, thus develops in a very diff erent manner. This diff erent way of development and diff erent importance att ributed to educati on, lead to a situati on where the divide between the two groups is constantly increasing. Thus, one group is consciously being marginal- ized / is marginalizing itself. There is nothing stati c about the development of Laya – the internet, television, tourists, and other diverse outside sources of informati on are on constant increase. The future of Laya and its inhabitants is very much determined by the path that both groups will decide to follow; the path that will either lead to further divide and marginalizati on, or will involve everyone in the process of the inevitable change. HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 16 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 LAYA: TEMPORARY DWELLINGS personal firewood blankets belongings water fireplace firewood temporary summer dwellings roof plan B A A temporary winter dwellings C C B section AA (looking east) section BB (looking north) section CC (looking west) HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 17 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 LAYA: PERMANENT DWELLINGS main entrance 1.63 9.71 8.43 masonry wall 3.48 people and 4.05 storage stove 1.33 2.91 9.80 0.10 ekra panel / timber wall 9.96 second floor plan 9.71 8.43 masonry wall animals and / or storage 6.11 7.39 0.16 0.64 1.12 1.11 first floor ground floor plan entrance 10.02 13.04 10.02 main entrance main entrance 2.89 3.49 2.88 3.49 2.88 7.80 2.90 2.91 3.18 3.17 3.17 0.72 9.71 1.82 7.39 1.62 9.71 7.38 first floor north elevation west elevation south elevation entrance east elevation AA 1.74 storage main entrance people and storage 2.68 9.71 3.18 animals and / or storage 2.80 8.43 section AA firewood north wall with no openings SOUTH NORTH field path front yard east elevation buildings fields paths 358.69 17.37 15.63 63.00 2.00 18.47 54.00 36.85 30.00 2.00 21.00 375.00 54.00 2.00 13.84 16.94 2.00 62.43 27.92 28.02 48.41 15.63 9.17 2.00 2.00 469.83 63.00 2.00 2.00 32.43 27.28 2.00 38.40 48.32 89.94 14.69 HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 18 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 LAYA: CURRENT LAND USE residential buildings institutional buildings pathways commercial buildings public open space (squares, road passages & ancillary) yards communications / BHU school 1 1 volleyball court, used for concerts & 2 3 public gatherings 2 school yard w. a soccer field, used for classes & play by kids 3 unprogrammed public space; used as a waiting room for patients to BHU, people sitting around eating, socializing government building (mixed occupancy) stores / residential 0 10 50 m residential buildings institutional buildings commercial buildings - located either by - located separate from other - located separate from other themselves or in clusters (2+) buildings buildings, in a cluster - majority are close to - close to pathways & their - close to pathways & their pathways intersecti ons intersecti ons - relati vely small in size - relati vely large in size - relati vely small in size - majority have entrances on - 2 have entrances on the south, - all have entrances on N south or west side 1 has entrance on the north - all are one storey (+ atti c) in - most are 2 stories (+ atti c ) i n - all are one story (+ atti c) in height height height public open space yards - close to insti tuti onal buildings - close to residenti al buildings - always crossed by a pathway - never crossed by a pathway - relati vely large in size - relati vely small to medium size - mostly on the south of buildings - relati vely few - largest ones used for public events - used for public acti vity (concerts, sports, etc.) HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 19 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 SITE SITE stores basic health unit school government HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 20 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 DESIGN PRINCIPLES: MATERIALS Due to their immediate availability in the vicinity currently ti mber, stone, and earth (mud) are the most commonly used building materials. The closest motorable road is 3 days walk distance from the site and therefore materials like steel cannot be found in the buildings of Laya at all, while glass and concrete are extremely rare. If materials cannot be found in the vicinity of Laya, they have to be brought in using horses. The maxi- mum weight that one horse can carry, is 60 kgs. Alternati vely, some pieces of equipment (like the satellite dish) were brought in using the helicopter which is a mode that, perhaps, could be used for carrying some building materials and other equipment. surrounding mountain slopes: stone throughout the surroundings: earth foreign materials: 3 days walk slopes below Laya: timber 0 50 100 200 m HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 21 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 PROPOSAL: ELEVATIONS and SECTIONS library digital resource indoor inn center meeting facility south elevation A B C outdoor covered performance area entrance library indoor indoor inn hands-on A meeting facility B meeting facility workshop C walkthrough outdoor walkthrough meeting space storage west elevation east elevation detail east elevation inn hands-on indoor library workshop meeting facility north elevation 0 5 10m library digital resource indoor indoor center meeting facility meeting facility outdoor performance area outdoor section AA section BB meeting space section EE hands-on workshop inn initial slope section CC 0 5 10m inn section DD storage HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 22 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007 PROPOSAL: ELEVATIONS and ROOF PLAN AB C D 0 5 10m roof plan 1:500 indoor digital resource meeting facility library center hands-on workshop storage EE covered entrance entrance to village outdoor performance area inn ABC D HAPPINESS AND ARCHITECTURE: THE LAYA CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGE page 23 Jānis Dombrovskis © 2007