| ashu |
Posted
on 14-May-01 11:28 PM
We hear and see so much about how the architecture and
city planning in Nepal's urban towns are getting khattam
and jhoor day by day.
Sure, there are a host of reasons behind such khattam-ness
(such as: lack of enforceable property rights, among others), but,
time to time, one can't also help wondering just what kind of architects and planners and, I suppose, overseers, does
Nepal have in the first place who help give rise to such
ugly, ill-planned structures all around this sprawling
city?
Do these professionals not have shame? Self-respect? Concerns
for the larger good? Are they too impotent to fight for the
larger architectural values?
(Sure, some of us are acutely aware that there are some Nepali
husband-and-wife-team of architects who pay pocket-change
to their civil engineers and other workers -- while gorging
themselves on all the profits to fatten themselves like the residents of a pigsty in Omaha, Nebraska.
In fact, I remember how, once, a thoroughly disguntled, emotionally-raw and limbically/genetically vindictive civil engineer from Durgapur, India even published a piece in The Kathmandu Post under a different name -- venting his anger against his own vinaju-boss while trying to be funny --I'll
be posting that piece here at some point for all our
collective laughter.)
Anyway, recently, upon the invitation of a former Boston
resident, Biresh Shah (a Nepali architect with a degree from MIT and who is, I must say, one of the most well-read Nepalis I
have ever met), I attended a reception marking the release of third edition of VAASTU -- the Annual Journal of Architecture, produced by Nepali students at the Department of Architecture at the Institute of Engineering in Pulchowk.
At the reception and after, I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with
a number of architecture students. Some POSITIVE conclusions:
a) The number of female students of architecture in Nepal
is on the rise. I was told that in the recent intake, almost
50 per cent of the class was female. More female architects
can only add a much-needed diversity of perspectives/ideas and techniques to the profession of architecture in NepaL.
b) Young Nepali architects today are well aware of their future professional responsibilities. When I spoke with them, they
sounded very critical of their elders who have put profits and
crass commercialization before professional concerns. They
named some names . . .
c) They are traveling to rural or remote parts of Nepal to
draw inspiration and to learn indigenoous methods of
architecture. In fact, this year, the Best Thesis Award
at the school was won by a student who did his study on
the settlements of Lo Manthang (Mustang).
d) They are smart, sharp, artciulate and computer-savvy.
I came away impressed with these students, and hope that
they keep their enthusiasm for "good" architecture
alive and well for many, many years.
And words of appreciation to people to Biresh Shah and Dr. Sudarson Raj Tiwari for guiding these students with
sensibilities and concerns.
oohi
ashu
|
| namita |
Posted
on 18-May-01 09:17 AM
-In fact, I remember how, once, a thoroughly disguntled, emotionally-raw and limbically/genetically vindictive civil engineer from Durgapur, India even published a piece in The Kathmandu Post under a different name -- venting his anger against his own vinaju-boss while trying to be funny --I'll
be posting that piece here at some point for all our
collective laughter.) -
Ashu, where is the articles? Let's have a good laugh. This site is getting too serious.
Namita
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