SPACES feb issue 2017

Architecture
L
ocated within an area without
fundamental infrastructure (both
socio-political infrastructure and basic
public utilities), the Lali Gurans Orphanage
& Library utilizes low-tech renewable energy
sources to sustain itself. The orphanage
and library, supporting Nepal’s underserved
population of womenand children, structural
concrete employs the ubiquitous vernacular
frame system, though without the typical
brick infill. The framework is intensified and
reconfigured to create a seismically stable
shape that opens the building both visually
and functionally. It provides an armature for
vertical permaculture, food production, and
solar shading, while also creating a lush
outdoor environment connected to a series of
social spaces for women and children.
The site, located in a rural area outsidethe city
of Kathmandu, was selected for its access to
clean air and water, safety in seclusion, and
economical land value. The building vastly
improves facilities while cutting operating costs
in half, allowing the organization to maximize
its social impact within the community. The
building invests in local workmanship by using
vernacular building techniques and employing
simple, sturdy, locally available materials that
minimize embodied energy and maximize
lifespan. Its concrete, which is made with fly
ash from coal power plants, reduces waste,
conserves virgin materials, and reduces
processing energy. Window frames, built-in
furniture, and freestanding elements are made
from durable, locally-sourced hardwoods by
local carpenters.
In 2013 the National Geophysical Research
Instituteof India and Stanford University had
predicteda major earthquake would strike
Kathmandu this century, causing catastrophic
building collapses, landslides, and floods.
GeoHazards International, an organization that
works to improve the seismic safety of Nepal,
had urged the development of earthquake
resistant buildings to prevent large-scale
damage. The orphanage addressed these
seismic issues through its design. Its raft
foundation and doubled frame of 300mm
reinforced concrete post and beams have
been engineered to withstand a significant
event and operate as an area of refuge for the
surrounding community.
The building’s thermal mass mediates
Kathmandu’s hot days and cold nights,
absorbing radiation atday and releasing it at
night. During winter, the low Sun penetrates
deep into the building to provide warmth.
Operable windows will allow users to control
temperature and airflow. Larger spaces have
cross- ventilation, and the main stairwell at
the center of the building provides stack
ventilation. Although the orphanage is wellshaded
from direct sunlight by its exoskeleton
and planting, its glazing allows for plentiful
indirect light.
Fifteen 175W solar panels would be mounted
on the roof to provide for the building’s entire
electricity usage. 5m and 6m diameter soliddome
anaerobic digesters provide gas for
heating, cooking and lighting. Made from
poured concrete, the digesters are commonto
the area, are safe and simple to construct, and
operate on kitchen and agricultural waste.
Drinking water collected both from the ground
and sky, will be passed through a UV filtration
system, and stored in large tanks found
throughout the building.
Food shall be produced throughout the building
on two rooftop gardens, 80 fixed-drip irrigation
planters, and more than 300 vertical hanging
planters within the facade of the building—all
of which are fed with bio-slurry and greywater.
Fruit trees in the courtyard garden are to
complement vegetables and herbs grown in
planters lining the exoskeleton. The building is
designed to provide enough food to fulfill the
children’s needs.
February 2017 SPACES / 39