May-June 2012

MAY - JUNE 2012 

ART - ARCHITECTURE - INTERIORS - ACCESSORIES 

www.spacesnepal.com 

Price: NRs. 100/- IRs. 65/- US$ 5.95 EURO 5.95 GBP £ 4.95 

yala 

Renovation for 

Adaptive Reuse II 

mandala 

KWALAKHU 

IN THE MIST OF 

Alpine 

Architecture 

a rendezvous with Christian Müller 

UNITING 

NEPALI ARTISTS 

Emerging New Faces 

Enriching 

Nepali 

Painting 

Bags 

Dirt of 

to Durable Buildings 

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29 Architecture 

In the mist of Alpine Architecture…a 

rendezvous with Christian Müller 

by : Ar Kalpana Bhandari 

Alpine architecture has similar characteristics 

to architecture of Himalayan regions in Nepal. 

Therefore, the works of Christian Müller can be 

inspiring for Nepalese tourism in terms of design, 

management and promotion. 

Volume 8 Issue 4 May - June 2012 

32 Interior 

The Fresh White Splashes of Water 

DURAVIT 

by : Ar Sushmita Shrestha-Ranjit 

The untouched scene of purity, the unobstructed 

transparency showcasing the crisp and elegant 

products reflects the finesse of 200 years of 

experience of Duravit, the sanitary-ware on 

display at Tripureshwor, Kathmandu. 

40 Heritage 

Renovation for Adaptive Reuse II - 

Yala Mandala, Kwalakhu 

by : Ar Swati Pujari 

The series on Adaptive Reuse continues with Yala 

Mandala, Kwalakhu, Patan, a conglomeration of 

art, history and culture. Yala, an art gallery that 

collects, designs, manufactures and preserves 

pieces that are exclusive to the Nepali ways. 

50 Art 

Emerging New Faces: Enriching 

Nepali Painting 

by : Madan Chitrakar 

If one is to follow critically the trails this young 

generation has traversed so far, it has given 

a good lot of reasons of a better hope. More 

amazing is their appetite to explore in diverse 

ways and express it in newer visuals: and indeed 

this new phenomenon has given a new dimension 

in Nepali Painting. 

© CALEARTH INSTITUTE 

22 Architecture 

Bags of Dirt to Durable Buildings 

by Ar. Bansri Pandey 

The technique of building walls by stacking bags 

of sand is not new. The novelty is in the idea of 

building houses or permanent structures with 

sandbags. 

COVER PHOTO ASHESH RAJBANSH 

54 Art 

Uniting Nepali Artists 

by : Usha Sharma 

Antonio Nodar, a Spanish photographer 

worked with more than 300 Nepali 

artists during his three weeks stay at 

Nepal for his project “...from portrait 

to self-portrait, The Nepal Album”. The 

article also focuses how his project 

sucessfully brought together so many 

artists from various generatoins and 

genre in the same platform. 

61 Opinion 

Chaos, Commotion and 

Confusion in Kathmandu 

by : Ar. Chandani K.C. 

Kathmandu is a brewing pot of chaos, commotion 

and confusion which is at a verge of overflowing. 

Add to all this, the ever so slow road widening 

process of Kathmandu and what you get is a 

disaster in waiting.

Volume 8 Issue 4 

May - June 2012 

Contributors 

Madan Chitrakar, a regular 

contributor to SPACES, is an 

artist, art critic, writer, and holds 

a masters degree in History and 

Culture besides a degree in Applied 

Art from J. J. School of Arts in 

Mumbai, India and Iconographic 

Design from the Netherlands. His 

writings on art include the book 

on his late father Tej B. Chitrakar, ‘Icon of a Transition’, 

published in 2004. He is presently associated as visiting 

faculty in the KU Centre for Art & Design. 

(madanc@ntc.net.np) 

Ar. Chandani K.C. completed 

Masters of City and Regional 

Planning from University of Texas 

at Arlington and Bachelor of 

Architecture from VNIT, Nagpur. 

She has worked in numerous urban 

planning projects in the United 

States and is currently working 

as Urban Planner in DUDBC. 

Her interests include urban research and regional 

development and she is keen to be involved in designing 

cities that are convenient, healthful and aesthetically 

pleasing. 

Managing Editor 

Editor at Large 

Editor Features 

Editor Products 

Director - Editorial 

Director - International Affairs 

Director - Business Dev. & Fin. 

Business Dev. Consultant 

Marketing /Correspondence 

Subscription/Marketing Ass. 

Contributing Art Editor 

Contributing Editors 

Contributors 

Accounts / Admin 

Int’l Correspondent 

Correspondent 

Photographers 

Designed & 

Processed at 

Regd. No 30657/061-62 CDO No. 41 

Ashesh Rajbansh 

Siddhartha Lama 

Ar. Swati Pujari 

Ar. Sushmita Ranjit Shrestha 

Sarosh Pradhan 

Rajesh Lal Joshi 

Lalit K. Pradhan 

Ashok Verma 

Birendra K. Agrawal 

Jyoti B. Shrestha 

Kripa Shrestha 

Roshan Lamichhane 

Kajal Pradhanang 

Anish Shrestha 

Madan Chitrakar 

Kasthamandap Art Studio 

Ar. Sworup G. Koney 

(President - Society of Nepalese Architects) 

Ar. Debesh Raj Bhattarai 

(General Secretary - Society of Nepalese Architects) 

Ar. Jinisha Jain (Delhi) 

Ar. Chetan Raj Shrestha (Sikkim) 

Barun Roy (Darjeeling Hills) 

Madan Chitrakar 

Ar. Chandani K.C. 

Usha Sharma 

Dipa Shrestha 

Ar. Bansri Pandey 

Ar. Kalpana Bhandari 

A. Rajbansh 

Pradip Ratna Tuladhar 

Digiscan Pre-Press Pvt. Ltd. 

Naxal, Kathmandu. 

Phone: 4436817, 4428572 

Usha Sharma, completed her 

Diploma In Interior Designing 

from IEC, Bagbazaar in 2007 and 

is currently working as an Interior 

Designer at Aakar International, 

Battisputali. She is currently 

studying fine arts at Srijana College 

of Fine Arts, Lazimpat and is also 

a photography enthusiast. Her 

fascination is towards Art and Architecture. 

SPACES New Location 

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SPACES is published six 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 

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cannot accept responsiblility for any errors 

or omissions. 

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SPACES Office

from the editor 

Time brings change – whether we like it or not and so is it with SPACES. 

With a new team in place, we continue bringing a glimpse of the visual 

reality and its debate, the spirit of the place in all it’s positivity as well 

wrinkles that we notice in our environment as well as beyond. We would 

like to start by thanking Uday Sundar for all his efforts as the editor for 

SPACES for developing it these past years – who leaves us now for new 

pastures and we wish him well. We also welcome all the new members in 

the team who bring in renewed energy with their respective experiences 

and look forward to their contribution positively for SPACES. 

This issue is an interesting blend of chaos, confusion and order our writers 

have observed, explored and put together. As Nepal continues with the 

political instability with the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly without 

a Constitution – our general visual environment reflects this confusion 

too. But surprisingly with the decay of existing corners of the cities, new 

interesting spaces seem to sprout up almost as regularly to catch our eye 

and bring it for focus. 

Yet the rich pockets of cultural heritage – art, architecture and craft that 

we are blessed with continue to remain as a source of inspiration for the 

observant. The challenges for each of us remains whether you look at it 

from an internal or external perspective from your space – a search for a 

cohesive identity that reflects and binds us Nepalese together in each of 

our vocation. Sometimes the day-to-day experiences of survival within our 

cities – the roads or traffic, the river or the garbage, the power cuts or the 

fuel shortage is a microcosm of our reality which each of the featured local 

projects has struggled against and succeeded in their own many ways. 

The reality of our deteriorating environment beyond the pages of SPACES 

remains a lull before the storm and we do hope that future articles will 

strive to bring in the awareness and be a medium for change. We should 

not give up as we begin untying these self-created knots – it just demands 

a lot more education, challenge and respect for each other as well as 

ourselves. As we learn and share this - we will then realize the richness that 

we still have and what we can build creatively. 

Pegasus Children’s Project In Nepal is a commendable project featured – 

utilizing the need of the hour, turning bags of dirt into durable buildings. 

Imagine if we could recycle, reuse some of the abundant disorganized 

garbage in our environment to build these shelters for the needy by 

employing local Nepali workers. With the Yala Mandala story in Kwalakhu 

- Swati continues to write incisive features on Adaptive reuse. The earthy 

Nepali textures and feel of this space is even more striking as you reflect 

upon the projects professional and sustainable business potential. 

Finally the feature on Uniting Nepali Artists delves deeper into this creative 

contemporary chord that exists today. This is an important exercise on 

Unity not only from the creative viewpoint but the more profound message 

perhaps being for the larger good for the Country as a whole. . 

United We Stand. Read on. 

Sarosh Pradhan

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ARCHITECTURE 




ARCHITECTURE 

Bags of 

Dirt 

to Durable Buildings 

Text: Ar. Bansri Pandey 

The technique of building walls by stacking bags of sand is not new. It 

has been used for military purposes and flood control since long because 

sandbags are easy to transport, fast to assemble, inexpensive and resistant 

to water as well as bullets. The novelty is in the idea of building houses or 

permanent structures with sandbags. 


23 

spacesnepal.com

ARCHITECTURE 


It was an Iranian-born architect named Nader Khalili who popularized the notion of building permanent structures with 

bags filled with earthen materials. Inspired and convinced that the only way the world’s poor could ever afford a home was 

to build with earth and fire; Khalili closed his offices in Los Angeles and Tehran at the height of a successful career in 1975 

to set out on a motorcycle trip into the deserts of Iran. He spent five years studying the traditional desert earth architecture, 

ceramic houses and master masons with the ancient art of the potters. 

In 1984, he was invited by NASA in their first lunar habitat symposium to brainstorm ways to build shelters on the moon. Here, 

he presented a concept to create domes by stacking bags filled with lunar dirt, just the way a potter coils a pot. Later, he 

further refined and patented his idea to create more permanent, shock resistant structures on earth. He filled polypropylene 

bags with on-site earth and arranged in layers with strands of barbed wire placed between them to act as mortar and 

reinforcement. These prototypes known as ‘Super-adobe domes’ were built at California Institute of Earth and Architecture 

(Cal-Earth) which was founded by Khalili in 1991. In 1993, live-load tests to simulate seismic, snow and wind loads were 

performed on a number of domed earth-bag structures at Calearth and these exceeded code requirements by 200%, which 

proved Super-adobe technology (sandbags with barbed wire) safe for human habitation. Khalili’s sustainable solutions to 

human shelter have been published by NASA, awarded by United Nations and the Aga khan award for architecture. 

BAGS USED FOR CONSTRUCTION 

Material research on the bags has shown that the 

majority of existing bags of both natural and synthetic 

materials can be used. Although, natural woven jute 

bags are not recommended as they use toxic chemical 

preservatives, instead polypropylene bags are widely 

used for permanent construction. To protect these 

bags from the effects of sun and erosion, the earth-bag 

house is plastered with materials such as mud, cement 

or a combination of clay, sand and lime. There are many 

types of materials which these bags can be filled with. 

By filling the bags from the land and reinforcing it with 

galvanized barbed wire, almost any earth can be used. 

Apart from earth, any non-toxic material which is inert 

and dense enough to not compress when stacked up, is 

good for filling the bags. Crushed volcanic stone, rice hull, 

vermiculite, clay, gravel are some of the other materials 

which have been used. 



ARCHITECTURE 

HOW TO BUILD THE EARTH-BAG BUILDING? 

“Every man and woman should be able to build a 

home for their family using the earth under their feet, 

integrating some features of modern technology to make 

their homes resistant to fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane, 

and other natural disasters.” says Nader Kahlili. 

It has been observed that one person familiar with the 

basics of earth-bag building system can easily train 

others to assist the execution. This makes the process 

more affordable and feasible even in remote areas. 

Following is a brief outline of its construction process: 

RUBBLE TRENCH FOUNDATIONS: 

It is important to create a rubble trench foundation for 

the dome as it helps keep moisture from penetrating 

into the bag wall. The trench shall be filled with rocks, 

gravel or concrete debris. The first layer of bags can 

either be placed at ground level or slightly below 

ground level, in the trench. 

STACKING EARTH-BAGS: 

Bags should be filled on-site before they are placed. 

As bags are filled, their open ends can be sewed 

with string, but sewing can be avoided by folding the 

corners of the open end and placing the bag tightly 

against the sealed end of the adjoining bag. Using the 

trench as guide, the first row of bags shall be placed 

over the rubble. Once a course of bag is placed, it 

should be thoroughly tamped to make the fill material 

as compact as possible. 

As the courses proceed, the two strands of 4-point 

galvanized barbed wire should be spaced about 4” 

inside from the edges of the bag. The barbed wire 

helps lock the bags as well as resists the tendency 

of the wall to expand outward because of the weight 

above. The wire shall be placed between every course 

as the wall goes up. To make stronger connections, 

courses shall be laid in a brick-like pattern (running 

bond) as the wall goes up. 

ANCHORING A DOOR FRAME: 

One simple method of anchoring a door frame is to 

place a piece of threaded rod between the bags, a 

chunk of wood fastened with a washer and nut at 

the other end. Then the door frame can be attached to 

the other end and tightened against the wall. Once 

the frame is fixed, the excess threaded rod can be 

cut away. 

Similarly, standard culvert couplers can be used as 

window supports as they are inexpensive and 

available in most parts of the world. It is easy to set the 

couplers wherever you want, and just stack the bags 

around them. 



COMPLETING THE DOME: 

The bags are gradually stepped in to building the dome. While 

working on the conical top of the dome, one can actually climb 

around on the outside like you would on a small mountain. As 

you close in at the top of the dome, it becomes important to 

angle the folded end of the bag to adapt to the angle of the 

circular course. This can be easily achieved by arranging the 

contents of the bag to make the angled shape. 




25 

spacesnepal.com

ARCHITECTURE 

APPLYING PLASTER: 

Once all the bag work is complete, the structure shall be 

plastered as soon as possible to avoid prolonged exposure to 

the sun. Mud plasters are most commonly used on earth-bag 

structures, but lime and cement plasters may also be used if you 

place a mesh over the bags to hold it in place. A final color coat 

can be applied by painting the plaster. 

MERITS AND LIMITS: 

Earth-bag building technology is as much accepted as it has 

been doubted. Despite the structural testing conducted on 

earth-bag homes and various prototypes built across the world, 

the local building codes do not yet support them making it 

difficult for the home owner. Being an unfamiliar alternative 

construction method, many banks are not ready to extend 

financial assistance to the builder. Still, even if a bank and the 

local building officer agree, there might be other difficulties. 

To remain structurally sound, these homes are engineered to 

be small. Bigger structures can be accomplished by building a 

series of interconnected domes, or by extending underground. 

One of the oldest uses of earth-bags is in the control of 

devastating floods. This fact has been well exploited in various 

examples to make small pond structures using earth-bag 

building system (bags + barbed wire). But when it comes to 

waterproofing the homes in heavy rain locations, the system 

seems to lack a foolproof method. Experiments suggest that 

covering the structure with cement-rich stucco will do much 

work. But in rural areas, the cost will be a major hindrance to this 

method. In some shelters, the structures were covered 

with plastic sheeting and then plastered with mud. This, if 

required, can further be painted with roof sealer to increase the 

resistance to water. 

Cool in summer and warm in winter, earth-bag homes win over 

the contemporary way of construction in the level of comfort and 

thermal insulation they provide. Another succeeding factor is the 

‘do-it-yourself’ methodology and easy availability of materials 

that make this technology very cost effective. 

Grain bags and barbed wire are available throughout most 

of the world or can be imported for a fraction of cost. Filling 

earth can be taken from the site itself or can be brought at the 

cost of transportation from a nearby source. Some countries 

have advantage of mechanized gravel yard that produce vast 

quantities of rejected fine gravels, which can be purchased for 

a cheap price. The ease of construction also reduces the skilled 

labor required for the work. The cost of the covering plaster is a 

critical aspect, where one needs to carefully choose the method 

and material of plastering. The plastering method can either 

boost or save cost of your shelter. 




ARCHITECTURE 

PEGASUS CHILDREN’S PROJECT IN NEPAL 

Nader Khalili’s innovative earth-bag building technology 

has also made marks on the beautiful hills of Nepal. 

Pegasus is a charity for creating loving and ecologically 

sustainable environment for disadvantaged children around 

the world. In 2001, Angela McCarty and her son Simon 

visited Nepal and were touched by the condition of street 

children. Simon returned to UK, raised funds and started 

the Pegasus project at Raitar near Kathmandu in 2006. The 

project included shelters for 80 children 10 staff and a small 

school. Simon and his team chose Cal Earth’s super adobe 

building method as they saw it as a good option for the 

community as it used earth and very little wood. 

In July 2007, most of the buildings were completed and in 

August, the children moved into their new Eco-homes. This 

unusual shelter is getting very popular with the children 

as it keeps them cool in summer, warm in winter and of 

course they are so much fun! 

During its construction, more than 100 local Nepali workers 

were employed. This project has been an example showing 

how local unskilled people can bring together few bags of 

dirt and make durable building for themselves. • 

© BANSRI PANDEY © BANSRI PANDEY 


27 

spacesnepal.com



ARCHITECTURE 

IN THE MIST OF 

Alpine 

Architecture 

a rendezvous with Christian Müller 

Text: Ar Kalpana Bhandari 

Photo Courtesy: Christian Müller 

ALPINE ARCHITECTURE INVOLVES “THE CREATION OF AN INCREDIBLY WELL 

STRUCTURED UNIVERSE ... WHOSE DRIVE TOWARDS BUILDING A NEW NOTION 

OF BEAUTY ALLOWS HIM TO EXPLORE ALMOST BOUNDLESS TERRITORIES” – 

ARCHITECT BRUNO TAUT 

The word Alpine is derived from 

the Alps. Alpine Architecture is the 

architectural practice in regions 

at an altitude ranging from 2000m 

to 3000m above sea level, and is 

prominent in Europe, mostly in 

Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, 

Germany, and France. 

The most challenging feature of 

Alpine areas, or Alpine architecture, 

is the harsh climate and sparse 

intractable landscapes, which require 

a durable and functional design rather 

than an artistic expression. However, 

for a sustainable Alpine architecture, it 

requires utilitas, fermitas and venustas. 

The success of Alpine architecture 

depends on functioning recreational 

centers, ease in accessibility, and 

high on facilities. Typically, this 

incorporates the usage of locally 

available materials, like wood and 

stone, and local manpower. 

Christian Müller is an architect 

pursuing the evolution of Alpine 

architecture that incorporates 

functionality and durability along 

with comfort and aesthetics. Müller, 

49, was born in Switzerland. He 

received his degree in architecture 

from ETH Zurich and founded 

Christian Müller Architects in 

1999. Currently he operates in The 

Netherlands as well as Switzerland. 

Müller has been residing in The 

Netherlands since 1993. 

Müller contemplates that each 

building site demands its individual 

design and peculiar construction 

process. Therefore, it is difficult to 

generalize Alpine architecture. Tough 

in every country the architect takes 

utmost responsibility for his creation, 

the results may vary a lot depending 

the country. Adding that the success 

of each project also depends on 

the craftsmanship he stresses how 

contextual architecture is reflected in 

any particular project. He is enthralled 

by the omnipresence of architect as a 

planner, as a designer, as a financial 

consultant, and as a marketing 

advisor. Müller also believes 

that each project should give its 

core team of contributors - client, 

designer and advisors - freedom in 

experimenting new methods and 

building design innovations. “I am 

not into signature. I am fascinated by 

individual demand of each project, its 

process and the result”. 

Müller believes that Alpine 

architecture should work in close 

alliance with sustainability. And if it 

doesn’t, then architecture becomes 

less significant. He explains that in 

tourism and hospitality business, 

especially in Alpine regions, the 

inhabitants and the site should 

respond to sustainability. He works to 

make a project with mutual interaction 

and understanding with local people, 

interested in exchange that, as a 

whole, is an aspect of functioning 

hospitality and tourism industry. 

Furthermore, only sustainability can 

promote tourism which is a basis of 

income and development of rural 

areas, especially in high altitudes. 

Müller has over 20 projects in 

Switzerland, Germany and The 

Netherlands like Holiday Villa Vals, 

Pearls of Oisterwijk, Holiday Park, etc. 

Some of Müller’s projects on Alpine 

architecture in hospitality sector are 

illustrated below. 


29 

spacesnepal.com

ARCHITECTURE 

 

Villa Vals embedded in its 

landscape in Summer 

Villa Vals in Winter 

 

VILLA VALS, 

SWITZERLAND 

“Each project is unique, each 

process different, each solution 

provided reflects the style 

appropriate to the challenge set.”- 

Villa Vals 

Holiday Villa Vals in Vals, 

Switzerland, is joint venture of 

SeARCH and Christian Müller 

Architects. Designed by Bjarne 

Mastenbroek and Christian 

Müller, the villa is ideally located 

in renowned Swiss village 

hosting a world famous thermal 

spa designed by architect Peter 

Zumthor. Exhibiting less residential 

characteristics as well as belonging 

to its surrounding yet not 

dominating it were the demands of 

its developers. 

A side of the hill was excavated 36 

feet deep and reinforced concrete 

retaining wall was constructed. 

A concave aperture was given to 

the façade of the site with a box 

of 52 feet width and 26 feet depth 

for the building. A two-and-a-half 

storey building was aimed at the 

site. The ground floor had common 

spaces and a bedroom opening 

to the patio. The rooms on the first 

floor were planned on split levels 

accessed through a long corridor, 

exhibiting its unique cloistered 

apartment character. The intention 

of remaining concealed yet 

accentuating was to keep the 

panoramic view of narrow mount 

valley and the neighborhood 

undisturbed by construction. 

Even though Villa Vals is less 

resembling to contemporary 

practice, it embraces local 

building techniques, materials, 

and craftsmanship. The façade as 

well as the interior of the building 

uses stones recovered from 

the site. Besides, in compliance 

to the characteristic of Alpine 

architecture, a simple barn (made 

of wood and stone) existing in 

the site was incorporated in the 

design. A 72 feet long tunnel was 

excavated ascending from the barn 

to the concave aperture of site. 

The walls of the building are 

insulated from the ground, thus 

avoiding the moisture and dampness 

of land. With an aim of minimum 

dependence in artificial means of 

energy, sustainable mechanical 

systems, such as a ground-source 

heat pump, heat exchanger, 

and radiant floors have been 

incorporated in design. The house 

also uses hydroelectric power 

generated at the nearby Zervreila 

Water Dam. 

Villa Vals has received a number 

of recognitions, like Wallpaper* 

Design Awards 2011 “Best New 

Private House”, London Winner 

‘Green Good Design Award’, The 

Chicago Athenaeum, Chicago. Some 

of notable publications of Villa Vals 

include AD Architectural Digest, 

March 2010 , Moscow, Architectural 

Record, 4/2010, New York, GRAND 

DESIGNS, May 2010, Epping, UK, 

and many more. 



ARCHITECTURE 

The block aligned along the 

trees without interfering them. 

These blocks are horizontally 

running parallel to ground 

HOLIDAY PARK, 

GERMANY 

Designed by Christian Müller 

Architects and Krill Architecture, 

the master plan is spread in an area 

of 14 hectares. Since the site had a 

forest, it was but natural to keep the 

essence of nature whilst exhibiting 

the contemporary and luxurious 

living. This Holiday Park is aimed 

to be sustainable by combining 

buildings with nature rather than 

contemporary holiday parks that 

serve as suburbs. Aimed to host 

145 houses in the area, the design 

proposes holiday houses, swimming 

pool, spa facilities and health centers. 

It is in the best interest of alpine 

architecture practice to promote 

the nature rather than modify it. The 

houses, therefore, are designed as 

boxes that seem to pop out from the 

slopes in land and run horizontally 

along the adjacent tree or landscape. 

These houses are designed in a 

prefabricated modular system 

that has minimum impact on the 

environment. With this idea, the 

central facilities like a swimming 

pool, spa facilities and a health 

centre are buried into the hills. Other 

activities include wood chopping, 

mountain biking, hiking, canoeing 

and many other outdoor events. 

Christian Müller has also been a 

name associated with many awards 

like ‘GREEN GOOD DESIGN’ Award 

in Chicago, Dublin, Athens in 2010, 

Nomination for ‘Swiss Art Awards’, 

in Best Architect category in 2003, 

Top Talent by Wallpaper in 2001, 

‘Bathroom Design Award’, Category, 

Utrecht in 1998, iF Product Design 

Award, Hannover, 1998, etc. Besides 

the honors and awards, Müller also 

actively participates in teaching 

and academics as a Lecturer 

and in panel discussion at Cairo 

University, Faculty of Engineering, 

Egypt, in 2011, as a Critic in final 

reviews at Berlage Institute in 2010, 

as a Lecturer at Chandigarh College 

of Architecture in 2009 and ArtEZ 

Academy in 2007, as a Guest critic 

at Delft University of Technology in 

2001, and as a Lecturer at renowned 

Harvard University Graduate School 

of Design in 1994, etc. 

Where the concept the skyscrapers 

may seem a long wait for the 

future for Nepal, the use of 

indigenous materials and local 

architecture prevails significantly. 

The Alpine architecture has similar 

characteristics to architecture of 

Himalayan regions in Nepal. Both the 

places are rural, in high altitudes of 

their respective countries and have 

limited resources but great potential 

for promising projects. Both practices 

and success of architecture in these 

places greatly depend on their 

functioning and both incorporate the 

usage of local resources, building 

materials, construction technology, 

and traditional (building) facilities. 

Müller further adds that the 

professionals need to work with 

same approach in both places to 

achieve specific desired results. 

Therefore, the works of Christian 

Müller can be inspiring for Nepalese 

tourism projects and developments 

in terms of design, management 

and promotion. 

Architecture is a response to the 

environment. If it fails to preserve 

essence of nature then despite the 

aesthetics or luxury it beholds, it fails. 

Architecture is bound to sustain with 

nature and, therefore, a functioning 

sustainable architectural practice 

is both the responsibility and the 

demand of time. • 

REFERENCES: 

Müller, Christian, 

Personal Interview, Kathmandu, 

May 18 2012 

www.christian-muller.com 

www.archrecord.construction.com 


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INTERIOR 

The Fresh White 

Splashes of Water, 

DURAVIT 

Text: Ar. Sushmita Shrestha-Ranjit 

The integrated space of the showroom that connects 

client with presentation; a friendly ambience that does 

more than just selling a product. 

As you enter the Duravit showroom and walk along, you get charmed by the products. 

The untouched scene of purity, the unobstructed transparency showcasing the crisp and 

elegant products reflect the finesse of 200 years of experience of Duravit, the sanitary-ware 

on display at Tripureshwor, Kathmandu. 



INTERIOR 


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INTERIOR 

Official represented by C Plus Pvt. Ltd, the showroom with 

array of Duravit sanitary wares was launched in 2011. 

The concept of selling products by a real size display 

and not by catalogues makes the showroom unique 

and resourceful. The overall layout has been worked 

out by the in-house designers from the headquarters of 

Duravit at Hornberg, Germany. Their concept of working 

on the layout of the showroom seems very particular 

and thoughtful. Meanwhile, the composition of different 

series of sanitary ware in each section (refer the layout 

drawing*) has the unobstructed and clear visual settings 

to focus more on the product and hence not distracted by 

other features inside the showroom. The main idea being 

to highlight the product efficiently, all the background is 

made up of ply board and finished with somber white 

shades of color. While the bronze tile flooring uplifts the 

light color partition walls giving a solid and integrated 

base for a uniform walking space. The layout is also 

Dimensions displayed for the product makes it convenient 

for the clients to interpret and relate to what they actually 

require for their home. This concept depicts the strength of the 

product to make it more practical and user friendly. 

Also, the basin bowls displayed in a row defines simplicity, yet 

quite sophisticated to Nepalese context. 



INTERIOR 

The layout of the showroom provided by the in-house designers from Duravit, at Hornberg, Germany. 


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INTERIOR 

Composed is the combination of a 

water closet and a wash basin with 

a vanity unit designed for Duravit by 

Philippe Starck in 1994. A primitive 

washing bowl, bucket, hand pump 

and a nail are the inspirational 

forms for the designer to come up 

with this bold style called as ‘Starck 

Barrel’. This is one of the best-selling 

items of bathroom furniture and is 

also being used in luxury skyscraper 

well known as Burj Khalifa. 

With an average price range and an excellent value 

for money, this simple D-Code series combination 

can satisfy the need of a perfect bathroom interior 

blending with any desirable surroundings. 

well coordinated with ample natural light and efficient artificial 

lighting, which intensifies the charm of the display are. This gives 

a comfortable ambience for clients to spend at least some couple 

of time on each section to understand with much convenience 

and hence persuading them for a right buying instinct. Moreover, 

this sober ambience gives an explicit corporate image to exhibit 

concept, style, their growth and popularity. Since 2011, the showroom 

has had many events, where the clients come and conveniently 

explore, interact and understand the trend of a living bathroom. 

All the products in display have been categorized and grouped 

according to its designers from different periods of time. But in 

common, all sanitary wares are crafted in white shades of colorprobably 

the master color dedicated to this century old brand 

name. And to make these display in a foreground, standing out as 

white as it can reflect, the wall in the background gets recessed with 

much dimmer shades of white. Well, the stage and the performer 

in perfect balance of display! Duravit has some famous names like 

Lord Norman Foster, Philippe Starck, Sergei Tchoban, Sieger Design, 

Phoenix Design, Matteo Thun, Herbert Schultes, Frank Huster, 

Eoos, Christian Werner and Andreas Struppler as designers who 

have indulged in various series of product, ranging from ceramic 

sanitary wares, to solid wood bathroom storage furniture all having 

the common theme of “minimalist realism and clarity .” Ranging 

from quite an affordable price, similar to other available brands 

in Kathmandu, to as expensive and exclusive as high –tech- fully 

digital and water proof accessories, the showroom is inclusive and 

affordable in different ranges. Also, add on to the presentation of 

products in the showroom, it makes this brand amicable to everyone 

who drops in whether you buy it or not! 

BACKGRODUND: 

Duravit Company carries its credibility from 1817 AD providing 

facility of earthenware crockery to porcelain products to bathroom 

furniture and accessories to special products like mirror wall, 

sauna, pools, and multifunctional corner shower to special feature 

of bathtubs with water inlet from the base to sustainable system like 

dry urinal. All in one, this brand blends creativity with functionality 

and is a company that has created history on bathroom furnishing. 

This company has diversified factories and showrooms all around 

the world. One of them that stand proof is at Tripureshwor, the 

busiest commercial hub in Kathmandu city. This brand has set a new 

definition for the relation of man with water; breaking boundaries 

from just a necessity to hygiene to unconditional luxury. • 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: 

• Mr. Prashant Agrawal, Chief Operative Officer, C Plus Pvt. Ltd. 

• Ms. Anita Maharjan, Staff, C Plus Pvt. Ltd. 

• Mr. Nagendra Bhattarai, Showroom Manager, C Plus Pvt. Ltd. 

1. http://www.duravit.com 



INTERIOR 


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HERITAGE 

yala 

Renovation for 

Adaptive Reuse II 

mandala 

Text: Ar. Swati Pujari 

KWALAKHU 

Kwalakhu, a place with a history of its own, is a residential settlement in Patan, less than 500 meters North- 

West of the Patan Durbar Square. Surrounded by monuments like the Hiranya Varna Mahabihar (Golden 

Temple), Bangalamukhi and Kumbheshwor temples, Swotha Narayan Temple and the Palace complex of 

ancient Lalitpur, Kwalakhu is a charming neighbourhood, a melting pot, of different crafts, cultures and 

architecture within the realms of traditional Newari art and lifestyle. 

The Rajbhandari House, a residence, a cafe, a gallery, and at one point in time a local school. 



HERITAGE 

Acquiring, Preserving, Designing 

and Manufacturing - the products 

at Yala Art Gallery 


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HERITAGE 

Folklore suggests that the neighbourhood has 

been a historically significant location since 

the Kirat times and a majestic Peepal tree 

(Ficus religiosa or Sacred Fig) in the area is 

often cited as the remains from the prehistoric 

Kitati era. Such speculations, although not 

proven, have been verbally transmitted in 

stories from generation to generation adding 

to the charm and mystery of the place. The 

historicity of the place is further heightened 

by stories from the Rana times when the 

Rajbhandaris of Kwalakhu were known to 

have business relations with the then reigning 

Ranas. As such the architecture of the area 

seems to have influences from all surviving 

time periods, as early as the ‘brick on mud 

mortar’ Malla architecture to the lime plastered 

Rana style and the cement concrete structures 

of the present times. 

NEIGHBOURHOOD AND THE 

‘RAJBHANDARI HOUSE’: 

A walk around Kwalakhu brings you face 

to face with residents of different cultural 

backgrounds, within the Newar community. 

Incidentally it also brings you close to different 

traditional professions, which included trade 

and to a very large extend art. Even today, 

majority of the shops in the neighbourhood 

display metal sculptures and fabrics including 

Pashmina along with Nepali paper products. 

It is befitting that this neighbourhood now 

houses Yala Mandala - a conglomeration of art, 

history and culture of all of Nepal. Yala Mandala 

Pvt. Ltd. is an art gallery that collects, designs, 

and manufactures and preserves pieces that 

are exclusive to the Nepali ways in terms of 

Display at the ground floor gallery of Yala 



HERITAGE 

Recently maintained 

section of Yala waiting 

for its adornment by the 

products. 

clothing, accessories, art, architecture 

and furniture and lifestyle products. 

A play of light, material and energy at the top floor of the 

gallery. This space is frequently used for hosting traditional 

musical performances. 

The building housing Yala is named the 

‘Rajbhandari House’ after the family 

name of its original owners. Originally 

the building was a residence, but it also 

housed a local school at one point in 

history. In 2006 a section of the building 

was opened, after renovation by 

UNESCO, as the ‘Kwalakhu Cafe’. Today 

the cafe is housed in an inner section 

and a part of the building is converted 

to Yala Mandala Art Gallery. Tracing the 

history of the building itself, it seems 

these quarters have adapted and 

transformed themselves as per the need 

of the time and place. Transformation - a 

key for the survival of many heritage 

homes through history is the essence of 

this place. A section of another building 

in the same courtyard has recently been 

renovated to be transformed into the 

offices of Yala. 

Visually the buildings housing the 

gallery and the offices are similar to 

their original counterparts but parts of 

the interiors have been modified as per 

the needs of the function. Some of these 

spaces are opened up longitudinally 

with areas flowing into one another. 

The internal surfaces and spaces have 

been designed using traditional inspired 

finishes, furnishing and furniture ranging 

from jute mat flooring to low-height 

seating and timber furniture. 

The refurbishment of the office building 

of Yala is done in a minimal intervention 

approach whereby the elements of the 

existing building are maintained rather 


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HERITAGE 

than renovated. All external elements including the 

exposed brick wall and the carved timber windows 

are simply cleaned and re-finished with a fresh 

layer of linseed oil. Internal surfaces too have been 

simply cleaned and re-finished with either jute mat 

or mud flooring and a fresh coat of wall paint. 

Interestingly the renovation of the building is 

not supervised by any professional designer or 

conservationist. The artisans, who have been 

trained through generations in their respective 

fields and who work with Yala, were given control 

over the respective details. The outcome is a 

product of their hands-on training and years of 

experience. The maintenance and preservation of 

all elements in the building is done in traditional 

techniques, depending on the traditional know how 

of this generation of artisans. And the intervention 

is so minimal that no extensive construction is done 

in any part of this building, all spaces have been 

adapted rather than redesigned. 

The top floor of Yala Art Gallery adorned by the products of Yala, not only as display 

but also as a part of the very space. 



HERITAGE 


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HERITAGE 

An array of products of Yala, ranging from metal utensils 

to buttons and jewelry. 

“RENOVATION IS NOT A PROJECT, IT IS A LIFESTYLE” 

- MR. PRABIN CHITRAKAR, YALA 

For centuries, building and 

building maintenance has not 

been about hiring professional 

help, it was always an endeavour 

of the community and the family. 

Of course the international norms 

of conservation are better followed 

by a conservationist and perhaps 

the end result is also better, but 

conserving a building one has 

been living at should not be 

a farfetched and unaffordable 

task. There was a time when the 

‘sikarmi’ (carpenter) living around 

the corner would be called upon 

to fix a staircase, when everyone 

knew how to clean their jhingati 

roofs and how to polish their 

telia floors. Today this knowhow 

is diminishing, with the lack of 

people who are aware of such 

technologies; hence it is important 

to promote the artisans who still 

have the traditional knowledge 

by promoting the lifestyle of 

renovation and adaptive reuse. 

“The people who work in these 

traditional arts do not realize 

their own capacity, yet they 

are the ones who are realizing 

these visions and who actually 

make it happen”, adds Mr. 

Chitrakar. The idea behind the 

renovation of the office buildings 

at Kwalakhu is the resurrection of 

this traditional technology without 

the intervention of any foreign 

knowledge or the influence of a 

school of design. It is not only by 

visiting a museum that the general 

public can learn of the splendours 

of this place, at Yala the visitors can 

feels the space around them and 

hopefully can get inspired to adapt 

these ideas into their own homes. 

Even with all the potential social 

benefits of the endeavours at Yala, 

it is important to note that these 

actions are not only for a social 

cause, there is a professional, 

promotional and business aspect to 

this place and all that is done here. 

The highlight is that the place and 

the people have realized a way that 

will cause promotion as well 

as preservation. 



HERITAGE 

Yala Art Gallery - a view from the inner courtyard 


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HERITAGE 

Top floor of the newly renovated building which will house 

the offices of Yala. This space is finished with mud wall 

plaster, flooring and telia tiles flooring. 

Fabrics of the finest quality, hand crafted in Nepal. 



HERITAGE 

YALA 

With a tag line of ‘creativity in every 

sphere’, Yala strives to provide and 

inspire just that - creativity in every 

sphere. Yala Mandala designs, 

develops and manufactures products 

and services that are inspired by 

the local community and their trade 

skills. The products at Yala include 

jewellery, natural buttons, paper 

products, knitwear, clothing and 

accessories, natural rugs, candles, 

bath and beauty products, paintings, 

furniture and furnishing, artefacts 

and collectables. All products of 

Yala are handcrafted in Nepal. The 

gallery, at the ‘Rajbhandari House’ 

is a fusion of art, craft, tradition and 

architecture which presents the 

unique yet traditional products of Yala 

in a jovial atmosphere of a traditional 

mud and timber based building. 

Yala also promotes local and 

traditional art by hosting events 

dedicated to and presenting the 

local music, food etc. Heritage is not 

limited to its tangible products, every 

aspect of this tradition, from the art 

to the rituals and the beliefs should 

be experienced. So at Yala, it is not 

only the products but the atmosphere 

and the energy of the place that one 

can experience, especially during 

these events and during the sessions 

of music therapy and cooking 

classes. No aspect of the tradition is 

compromised for the benefit of the 

visitor, instead the visitor blends in 

the experience and perceives as per 

their comfort. 

Another initiative at Yala is the 

promotion of traditional architecture 

by preserving and renovating 

abandoned or neglected buildings 

and inserting activities in such 

spaces, starting from their own office 

space opposite to the gallery. • 

‘Renovation for Adaptive Reuse’ is 

an initiative of SPACES to feature 

buildings and spaces that have been 

renovated or rather reused inserting 

new activities and hence new life 

into places that at one point seemed 

to have served their purpose. The 

Rajbhandari House with its history of 

transformation and adaptation, and 

its current occupancy promoting the 

art and craft of Nepal, is a splendid 

example of what can be achieved, 

even with minimal intervention. A 

space that is quite, calm, well lighted, 

well ventilated, thermally comfortable 

and reminiscing the past of the rich 

Nepali culture, the quarters of Yala 

showcase all that is beautiful about 

Nepal and also inspire people to 

create beauty incessantly. 

For more on Yala: www.yalamandala.com 


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ART 

Emerging New Faces 

Enriching Nepali 

Painting 

Text: Madan Chitrakar 

A true work of Art, irrespective of where it is 

created, has always been a resultant by-product 

of mental exercise of a set of people with creative 

impulses - we call them ‘the artists.’ As a state of 

mind of any human being in general but more 

specifically of an artist, always remains on a move, 

an ‘Art’ therefore, with no exceptions, should 

always reflect that state of vibrancy. A viewer must 

be able to share the dynamic experience of the 

concerned artist. If someone denies it he or she 

is either an absolute ignoramus or the person is 

in no way can be described as an artist - a mere 

copy cat - always seeking to emulate others. 

In the modern Nepali Painting, critically speaking, 

precisely this state of vibrancy and dynamism has 

had been missing for a reasonable length of time. 

Instead, Nepali Painting has had remained, as if in 

a pool of stagnation – characterized by recurring 

imageries described as art - manipulated here 

and there: and always driven by an extreme 

display of obnoxious vested self- interests. But it is 

the ‘Art of Painting’ that suffered ultimately during 

this period - in terms of nobility and creativity. 

And this is what precisely needed in a modern 

creative exercise. 

ARRIVAL OF A FRESH NEW 

GENERATION 

Luckily for Nepali Art, presently the things 

seemed to be changing for better, thanks 

to the arrival of fresh new generation of 

artists - entirely a new set of faces. They 

are almost ‘the fresh’ from their respective 

academic institutions. If one is to follow 

critically the trails this young generation 

has traversed so far, it has given a good 

lot of reasons of a better hope. Apparently, 

this generation in addition to the needed 

academic exposures, is full of enthusiasm 

and above all, a right attitude to explore 

and create anew. And in the process, 

they’ve revealed an impressive array of 

diversity in thoughts and forms – good 

enough to describe as vibrant and 

dynamic. More amazing is their appetite 

to explore in diverse ways and express 

it in newer visuals: and indeed this new 

phenomenon has given a new dimension 

in Nepali Painting. And in the following 

lines, efforts are made to describe some 

of the emerging features of this new 

generation - with the help of selected 

representative four emerging artists 

Bijaya Maharjan, Hitman Gurung, Sagar 

Manandhar and Sushma Shakya with some 

of their representative works. 

SPECTRUM OF DIVERSE 

THOUGHTS AND EXPRESSIONS 

The choices of the artists made here are 

based on the unique nature of respective 

individual thoughts and the diversity 

in the visuals they’ve created than 

anything else. True that each of them has 

independent thoughts behind his or her 



ART 

forms expressed, a commonality what 

bind every one of them is the genuine 

will and appetite to sincerely engage 

in explorations - before coming into a 

canvas. And it resulted in the expressions 

– clearly reflecting the abilities to transfer 

what they believed in. This made the 

difference and thus their works remain 

more consequential in the crowd. The 

spectrum of thoughts varied so wide 

while Bijay’s desire to go deeper into the 

forms created out of the nooks and the 

corners found in the formation of earlier 

Kathmandu architecture to Sagar’s quest 

for loftier musings like the meanings and 

the elements that make a human life. And 

to express such abstract thoughts visually 

and effectively, it needs a good amount 

of confidence technically and a good lot 

of thinking. 

AN INTEREST IN 

ARCHITECTURAL ABSTRACTION 

So while commenting on the individual 

works, let’s begin with Bijaya’s love and 

fascination for unusually simple yet 

mysterious forms created out of the 

medieval architecture. Bijaya’s honest 

quest to find abstractions in it is obvious 

in his works. Bijaya’s recent series revealoften 

there are usually two color contrast 

mass of two color huge forms seeking to 

converge - but always remain parallel. The 

smaller nooks and corners protruding out 

of nowhere are the additional mysterious 

elements. To a lay observer, it may look 

and mean little - a very common form, 

apparently with no good reasons and 

meaning behind this strange composition. 

But to enjoy these simple yet mysterious 

compositions, one really needs to listen to 

its demystifying notes. 

As said earlier, are only two or three flat 

masses of colors as the central and the 

only elements. And in between lays narrow 

strip of white. And let’s compare it his 

earlier pencil sketch- depicting a rural 

lane. Here, one would find an open street 

is flanked by two shaded areas of row of 

houses. And when this play of chiaroscuro 

remained the source of Bijaya’s inspiration, 

it led him to the abstractions - one would 

find the flat forms appearing in his later 

modern compositions. And it also explains 

the weird sticks like coming out of the flat 

shapes or shaded roof-eaves. But to reach 

that understanding, Bijay’s explorations in 

between, has remained long and sincere. 

It is in this background one would notice a 

rich sense of color and forms needed in an 

abstract work. 

A VISIBLE DISPLAY OF HUMAN 

MIND AND THE BODY 

And an entirely a different topic is chosen 

to explore by Hitman Gurung. In the 

annals of art, human forms remain one of 

the most explored forms - explored by 

many artists- since the time immemorial. 

Yet one is never seemed to tire looking 

in it. Artists continued to express human 

forms to newer forms in every passing 

day. Hitman is one of the latest to attempt 

in it. His works chosen to describe here 

depicts multiple self-portrayals or a self 

with multiple hands (see g). A simple and 

a cursory glance, would not narrate much. 

The composition consists of minimum 

of the elements. Primary elements are 

provided three dimensional effects by 

monochromic light and shadow in a 

flat background. Yet a viewer is drawn 

to it and is provoked right deep down: 

and keeps him or her engaged for no 

good reasons. Why? The fact is that the 

imageries have remained an outright 


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ART 

Mr. mouse is strong and everywhere... medium: Acrylic on canvas 

From left: Second piece collection- Investment Bank, Third piece collection- Maureen Drdak 

reflection of the series of psychedelic 

experience the artist would like share 

with the viewers. And to attain that state 

of compelling dialogue with the viewers, 

let’s not forget - Hitman’s journey may 

have had been through the various stages 

of human emotion and experiences. 

And it has provided him a lot of needed 

inputs to create a live experience. ‘My 

Mouse is Strong and is Everywhere’ is 

a unique example. The work reflects 

those stages of experiences stated in the 

earlier lines. To transfer those feelings in 

a canvas, what is needed at this stage is 

the technical language- Hitman is well 

familiar with. Technically, in Hitman’s 

works, the inspirations he has drawn from 

the contemporary style of expressions – 

prevailing in China today is hard to miss. 

But there should be no reasons to have 

qualms about it so long as the expressions 

remain strong and is able to create 

impacts. And Hitman has indeed proven 

successful – with his strong visual narrative. 

Various moods and different expressions of the people are captured in non representative 

forms. Among the five elements : Earth, Air, Sky, Fire and Water various people have their own 

definition and interpretation. Some may feel Fire as stronger elements and some may feel air is 

a vital elements. So these mixed approach of the people are gathered here. These twelve panel 

dipicts the group of society and each panel interpret the multiple importance of the elemets. 

But they are linked to each other. The universe is the synthesis of these elements. 

PHILOSOPHICAL MUSINGS OF 

UNIVERSE AND EXISTENCE 

Next example of this generation is Sagar 

Manandhar. Until the recent past, his 

imageries were observed as abstractions 

rooted in the architectural contents. And 

it had given a display of a set trend – to 

follow a ‘natural flow of spontaneity’. And 

as we see now, Sagar seemed to have 

soared to a newer plane – seeking to 

express from an entirely a new angle. He 

is here now to interpret the meaning of 

our very existence. Or in other words, 

he tries to share and convince a viewer 



ART 

Tilte: Chaitya 

Medium: Acrylic on paper 

Size: 54 x 75 cm 

Date: 2006 

to accept his interpretations or the 

ways – expressed in bold, bright and 

simple geometric forms – reminding the 

iconic works of Indian master H.S.Raza. 

Sagar’s rapid journey to an entirely a 

new imageries, vindicates our earlier 

arguments – a creative person do need to 

be dynamic. 

Sagar’s works cited as examples are 

‘Tatva’ – the Elements and it is based 

on what he describes as the basis of 

existence of the universe or a human 

life as described in sub-continental or 

in Chinese philosophy. To narrate it, his 

choices of forms are different hues of 

colors in mini-compartments- replete with 

spontaneous free forms. Although the 

artist likes to describe the forms as nonrepresentative, 

his compositions do stay 

as a metaphor what he describes. And it 

conveys a strange message – seeking to 

mesmerize with the sweet color scheme. 

REDEFINING NATIVE FORMS 

An entirely a new thinking has inspired 

Sushma Shakya to explore in her paintings. 

She remains our concluding example 

of new generation with a will to explore 

differently. In Sushma’s works, it is obvious 

her interests converged on ancient motifs 

found in earlier architectural objects- like 

stone water spouts. She re-envisioned 

her own forms over it and presented 

before the viewers. In other words, she 

re-visualized so that a viewer can share 

and re-imagine as she did in her paintings. 

To make her point, she has chosen a set of 

motifs including the water ripples and the 

floral waves: and she seeks to captivate the 

viewer to stay for some time with her newfound 

embellishments. 

DIVERSITY ENRICHES ART 

From the four selected examples cited 

here it is hoped, a reader would have a 

general idea how the Nepali Painting is 

being shaped today. And it should also 

be obvious now how an important role 

is being played by the younger artists 

backed with the diverse in thoughts and 

forms - in making a new history. Unlike in 

the past when artists are usually stuck in 

one’s signature style for ages, the newer 

generation has a will to explore constantly 

and come out of stagnant or stale forms 

immediately when they realize it is time 

to do so. Like argued earlier, in absence 

of that will to create differently, the amount 

of satisfaction we have now from this 

generation would not have been possible. 

Moreover, what is more satisfying to note 

that younger generation, in addition to 

being academically sound, also remains 

equally aware of a need to keep abreast 

with the latest and prevailing flow of 

forms and trends elsewhere. No need 

to add that they therefore, are also well 

familiar with the post-modernists ways of 

expressions. Whenever possible they’ve 

well demonstrated they are capable of 

creating accordingly. This attitude does 

helps to enrich Nepali Art in the long run. 

An interesting example is provided by an 

impressive work of Bijaya Maharjan - in 

the form of an installation work- titled 

‘Door’. Here Bijaya has painted the door 

in the most realistic way possible in a 

wall of his work-place but added it with 

real stone slabs and ancient locks as 

supporting elements - so that a viewer 

can experience a live and a unique 

experience of travelling behind the time. • 


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ART 

The artist at the job, taking 

the initial picture 

UNITING 

NEPALI ARTISTS 

Text: Usha Sharma 



ART 

Veteran artist Madan 

Chitrakar and his 

interpretation of himself. 

Antonio Nodar , a Spanish photographer with 

his project …from portrait to self portrait ,The 

Nepal Album arrived at the valley in Jan 10, 

2012.His arrival eventually brought together 

more than 300 contemporary Nepali artist 

on same platform through the presentation 

of the project which inaugurated at the 

Kathmandu Contemporary Art Centre(KCAC) 

gallery at Patan Museum on Wednesday 

,March 28.The presentation included works 

of contemporary painters,sculptors,traditional 

artists,cartoonists,fashion designer, illustrator, 

mithila artists and other genre of artists from 

across Nepal.Most of the participants of the 

project claim that this exhibition is one of its kind 

for the Nepali Art Community. 

Antonio Nodar was born in1954 in Spain and 

is currently based in London. He worked in 

theatres for 15 years.It was in the 1980s when he 

started his career as a photographer for local 

press and newspapers.’’Photography comes up 

naturally and it started without any purpose”he 

replies when asked why he shifted from theatres 

to photography.The photographer has no formal 

training and says that he learnt photography 

from people who knew photography. 

The acclaimed project…from portrait to self 

portrait…began in 1996 with the participation 

of three European artists.”There was never any 

plan behind this project.It just happened”says 

the photographer.People appreciated the 


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ART 

unique idea and gradually it developes into 

being an entrepreneur. The first project 

included 97 artists from Spain.The first 

exhibition was held in 1997 in Barcelona which 

won the art critics award for”Best Gallery 

Exhibition”that year. The photographer takes 

portraits of artists, gives them a black and white 

copy as canvas and the artists create their self 

portraits. The presentation and medium of the 

self portraits depend on how the artists want to 

express themselves. The original portraits taken 

by the photographer and the self portraits made 

by the artists are always displayed together. 

Antonio launched Vol I of …portrait to self 

portrait..in 2011 with the diptychs of artists he 

worked with in Eurpe. 

The project was introduced to the Nepali art 

enthusiasts with the help of The Elsa Peretti 

Foundation and Kathmandu Contemporary 

Arts Centre (KCAC).Celia Washington who 

is the founder director at KCAC initiated the 

idea of bringing the project to Nepal.”I like 

interacting with the people , so I am here. 

I don’t choose people they choose me”, the 

Spanish photoghrapher replies when asked 

how the project started .He further continues 

“People select me and I just go with the flow”. 

Antonio has photographed over 300 Nepali 

artists during his 6 weeks stay at Nepal.”time 

and numbers don’t exist for me .Its the 

moment in the project that really matters”he 

comments on how the artists were selected. 



ART 

The number of the artists for the project were 

never finalized and there was no selection 

made.It was an ongoing process and the 

photographer appreciated every artists 

approach to the project.His passion for the 

project and love for people guided him to 

accomplish the project.”the whole project was 

intensive and dynamic.i photographed a few 

artists as soon as I arrived Kathmandu and 

we were receving works from artists until the 

last minutes of the final presentation”Antonio 

shares his experience. 

Antonio and the success of the project proved 

to be a catalyst for bringing almost every art 

fraternity together.The project successfully 

captured the vitality of contemporary art scene 

in Nepal.The equal participaton of such huge 

group of artists and the grand presentation of 

the project will certainly be a renaissance for the 

contemporary art in Nepal. 

Sanjeev Maharjan ,co-ordinator of the project 

and also one of the participants of the project 

says that through the project he was able to 

discover so many new creative people.It was 

an wonderful experience to see different 

generations of artists coming together to 

dissolve in the same place.The whole art 

community liked the ideas and concept of the 

project.”The opening was grand and there was 

no expectation of such huge response.” 


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ART 

Nepali art enthusiasts are overwhelmed with 

the outcome of the project.The project might 

not have reached to every artists but most of 

the participants claim that no other exhibition 

has been able to bring such a diverse flock of 

creative people.From painters to sculptors,from 

printmakers to traditional painters,the 

exhibition showcased works of almost every 

range of artists in and outside the valley.The 

exhibition dislplayed works of various division 

of artists and their own interpretation of art.The 

emendation of the portraits included unique 

collages and installations.Some portraits 

depict minimal works of brush and colors 

while some artists made detailed self portraits. 

It was intereating to how a few manage to 

voice the current issues like shortage of gas 

and fuels. 

Over 300 artists and their charismatic 

embellishments,the exhibition was not only 

pleasing to observe but it definitely set a 

landmark in the contemporary art scene 

in Nepal. Undoubtedly,the most significant 

achievement of the project…from portrait to 

self portrait …,The Nepam Album is that it 

successfully united so many generations and 

genre of artists. 



ART 

The project has been a hard work and has 

special meaning to every individual responsible 

for its accomplishment.Antonio Nodar and his 

project leave abysmal impact on Neapli artists 

.While whole art community commends Nodar 

and awaits the launch of ..from portrait to self 

portrait…VolI,he humbly says”I only take 

pictures,the real effort comes from artists. 

It is their art work that makes my project 

interesting.”Antonio also revealed that this is 

not the final exhibition,it is only a presentation. 

He hopes to come back soon with the real 

exhibition,where he will be dissolving Nepali 

artists and European artists. • 


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OPINION 

Chaos 

commotion 

confusion 

Text: Ar. Chandani K.C. 

IN KATHMANDU 

As you walk in the streets of Kathmandu, you will notice 

the development it has witnessed over a period of time. 

There is an increase in just about everything. There are 

more cars, more houses, more high rise buildings and so on. 

Development has indeed taken place in Kathmandu but this 

has been accompanied by numerous problems. Problems 

of environmental deterioration, traffic congestion and other 

disamenities have plagued Kathmandu for a long time. Growth of 

Kathmandu has been unplanned, creating chaos in the pattern of 

land use. Kathmandu has grown haphazardly until it could grow 

no more leading to this commotion we are in right now. 

People migrating from the rural areas in search of jobs and 

better opportunities are adding pressure to Kathmandu. 

According to the preliminary report by the Central Bureau of 

Statistics, currently, the population of Kathmandu Valley which 

was 1.6 million 10 years ago is 2.51 million. With such a large 

population living in Kathmandu, traffic congestion is definitely 

a major issue. Roads in Kathmandu cannot handle the sheer 

number of vehicles on the roads. The roads were built when the 

number of vehicles was half of what it is right now. The mobility 

in Kathmandu is very uncertain and the time for any trip is 

unpredictable. One incident at any junction affects the entire 

road network. Take for example the Trichandra Road, one 

demonstration in front of the campus and it brings the entire 

traffic of Kathmandu to a standstill. Pedestrian pathways and 

bicycle lanes are a dream in the current scenario. Everyone 

is just concerned about the smooth running of their vehicles 

on the road. Why would the politicians be bothered about the 

pedestrian pathways or cycle lanes when they hardly, or should 

I say never, use them? For someone coming from outside, 

Kathmandu is a nightmare of constant honking and ruthless 

driving by everyone on the roads. Driving here is not for the 

faint hearted. You need to be fearless. If you are slow or weak, 

you will be hit, squashed to a wall or scolded by people. 

Road widening has been a hot topic in the recent time. It is a 

good initiative by the government as it will definitely improve 

the infrastructure of the road and ease out the traffic problems 

of the capital, the only metropolitan city in Nepal. However, 

we should understand that this is only a temporary solution to 

the problem. Widening the roads will not solve the pertinent 

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- June April e2 

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OPINION 

problem in the long run. It will rather encourage people 

to travel more by using their private vehicles because the 

widened roads are more convenient. The government has 

not been able to maintain the existing roads and on top of it 

this demolition drive has just back tracked their work. It was 

initially a good step but what’s the use if you cannot finish the 

work you started. 

The road widening process was started amidst protests and 

appreciation by the Kathmandu Valley Town Development 

Committee which is currently the Kathmandu Valley Town 

Development Authority spearheaded by Keshav Sthapit. 

The drive was to cover 400 kilometers of road in Kathmandu 

but only 10 percent of the road had been completed so far. 

Keeping aside the issue of the road widening itself is the 

problem in the process of road widening. It is impossible to 

drive let alone walk in the widened roads. The demolished 

roads now have electricity poles standing in the middle of 

expanded roads, half removed islands, bull dozed pavements 

and the rubbles of the demolished houses on the side of the 

roads. If you pass through the roads in the Kamal Pokhari area 

you will see demolition of houses in the ground floor but the 

cantilever from the first floor has been untouched. How will 

the electricity board shift the electric poles? Is the demolition 

of the first floor not in the criteria of road widening? The 

Baneshwor road was demolished in the beginning but nothing 

has been done after that. The electric poles in Baluwatar area 

were shifted after a long time but they seem to have forgotten 

about the electric lines which are lying in a tangle on the 

road. The government should realize all this and speed up 

the process. On top of it monsoon is going to start very soon. 

This will add to the problem as it will be more difficult to drive 

or walk. These situations will make it vulnerable to major and 

minor accidents. This has already been experienced by me 

when driving in the Bishal Nagar area in one of the rainy days. 

The obstructions on the road, huge pipes and bulldozers made 

it impossible for me to drive which ultimately led me to skid 

and swell my leg. Monsoon season and most of the girls opt for 

flip flops. Imagine wearing flip flops and walking on the muddy 

roads of Kathmandu. Now, we should all opt for rain boots. 

There is a lack of coordination between the authorities which 

resulted as there was no plan at the beginning of the process. 

The KVTDA job was to do the demolition then it was up to the 

Department of Roads (DOR) to construct the roads. However, 

DOR has not started this process. This is not just the question 

of roads but also the health of the people. Human health is 

at a major risk. Dust and pollution were already an issue in 

Kathmandu. Add to this the dust from the rubbles on the side 

of road and what you get is a disaster in the waiting. It is always 

important to have your plans ready before you can start your 

work. Didn’t these people think about the post demolition work? 

What are their plans about the rubble? Were they planning to 

leave it forever on the sides of the roads or in some cases on 

the road itself? So many questions are still unanswered. 

The government needed to adopt other feasible options. 

It should have done selective improvements to remove 

bottlenecks or to provide alternative routes. The demolition 

drive and reconstruction of roads needed to go hand in hand. 



OPINION 

There are number of solutions given by experts over time 

for the problem of traffic congestion. One of the solutions 

to the acute problem of traffic can be decentralization. 

We have to decentralize the business activity from 

Kathmandu to other cities. We need to establish potential 

cities which will be developed as self contained entities 

reducing the pressure on Kathmandu. We always talk 

about response rather than mitigation. Decentralization is 

mitigation as it will not only relieve the traffic congestion 

but will help in increased efficiency and equity along with 

higher responsiveness of governments to the demands 

of the citizens. Since people come to Kathmandu for 

better education and health facilities, if we provide these 

facilities in other potential cities than people would not 

come to Kathmandu for these facilities hence relieving 

the pressure on it. Better employment opportunities at 

other cities will also help Kathmandu. One of the issues 

in Kathmandu has also been the international airport. 

The construction of a new international airport in Pokhara 

or other cities will make international and local tourists 

to use it rather than come to Kathmandu and take buses 

or vehicles to their respective destinations. Demolition 

of illegal houses is good but demolishing houses is not 

the best solution, we need to think about other strategies 

which will be successful in the long run. • 


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