ARCHITECTURE IN NEPAL
Recorded history of Nepalese architecture starts from Kirat period. No building has been found or documented from Kirat period. However, some evidence of Lichhavi building can be traced but with no name of designer or architects.
In Malla period, king acted as concept designers but there were some caste people like Sthapits who were specialized in building crafts, responsible for construction and detailing of buildings. Shahs contributed very little to architecture and hence identification of architect has not been made.
Changes were brought in the building during 104 yrs. long Rana period. Nepali architecture took turn towards modern silhouette. Rana prime ministers erected white and huge ‘Neo classical buildings’. Technicians hired from aboard along with two Nepali engineers (Mr. Kumar Narsingh Rana and Kishor Narsingh Rana) were given task of building design and construction. In 1960s and 70s, there were no architects (or few) present in the country. Civil engineers like BP. Lohani (designer of Saraswoti Sadan of Tri-chandra college) and Shankarnath Rimal (designer of Shahid gate) are some remarkably good designers who did justice to the architecture. Gangadhar Bhatta ‘Halabe’ becomes first person to be recognized as the first modern architect of Nepal.
Later on, people started getting architectural degrees from aboard, especially from Russia (from USSR) and India. Architectural development and professional architecture trend were developed to build the unique buildings, palaces and royal houses
DEEPAK MAN SHERCHAN
Nationality: Nepalese
Date Of Birth: 1949 A.D
Birth Place: Mustang-Tukuche, Nepal
Awards: South Asian Commendation Award
Deepak Man Sherchan was a bright young child. He completed his schooling at St. Xavier’s School, Godawari, Lalitpur. His enthusiasm for science drove him to join the Science stream in high school at Amrit Science College, Kathmandu. He says that at first, he was interested in pursuing a career in the medical field due to a family history of doctors. But his family pressured him to do engineering because he was good at mathematics. Because of his brilliance in science and mathematics, he could get into IIT Kanpur, India. So, there he joined civil engineering without his will but he was unsatisfied with it. Then, his friend advised him to switch to architecture at IIT Kharagpur as he was good at drawing. After studying civil engineering at IIT Kanpur for one year, he switched to five and half year’s course in BTech Architecture at IIT Kharagpur.
He graduated in architecture in the year 1973 AD when there were hardly any architecture graduates in Nepal. Soon after, he got a great opportunity to work with a Swiss architect Robert Weise for one and a half years who was working on the project of the first SOS village in Nepal. Later, he worked with structural engineer Shankar Nath Rimal for one and a half years including a part-time job at Pulchowk Campus, IOE. After 3 years of teaching at Pulchowk Campus, he started his architecture firm ‘Creative Builders Collaborative ‘(CBC) including his wife Jyoti Sherchan, and civil engineer, Manohar Sherchan as a team. Being born into a family with a business background made him seek independence.
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
“Architecture is like music, sometimes jazz, the other time rock”. It varies with taste and time. So, architecture should be generalized according to the timeline.
“I am neither fully into a copy of the traditional architecture nor the full use of glass and steel on facades. Rather, I create my own project and sell them.”
These are some of the statements from Deepak Man Serchan on his design philosophy.
“We do architecture for two reasons;
- To show own talent.
- To portray the country.”
He believes the latter. Architecture shapes society. For him, contribution to community, culture, and nature must be the priority. He explains that when a visitor visits Nepal the architecture here should reflect the Nepalese community not some other countries. Thus, originality is his motto. He uses exposed brickwork, sloped roof, and strutting and promotes local materials in his designs. Also, the easily available exposed bricks lessen maintenance fees which makes it economical, and sloped roofs are better for the climatic conditions of the mid level hill of Nepal.
“If you consider architecture as an art, the form seems more significant otherwise, it’s approximately function.”
Fluidity in Zaha Hadid’s designs always fascinated him and he says that the monumental structures of Le Corbusier, where form follows function no longer serve society in today’s time. However, it always depends on the viewer’s perspective.
“My works are neither superfluous nor fantastic but better than most.”
“You don’t have to be a hero to be an architect.” There is no absolute right and absolute wrong in architecture. It all depends upon the way of perceiving it.
“We should emphasize nature, community, and culture as an architect.” We should focus on natural light and ventilation rather than on artificial. It is considered a bad design if it requires mechanical thermal management in the economic context of Nepal.
CONTRIBUTION
Some of his design works are:
- Malpi International School
- SOS Children’s Village (7 out of 8- SOS, Sanothimi being designed by Ar. Rpobert Weise)
- Marco Polo Hotel
- Hotel and tourism complex project (chhyan center)
- Barhabise primary health care center
- Pashupati apartments Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
- C.D.A housing, Chundevi
- Mechanical training center, Kathmandu
- Marco polo business hotel
- Heritage plaza II
- Hermann Gmeiner High School Pokhara
- St. Mary’s School (new building)
SAPTARANGI APARTMENTS
One of his completed projects about which he seems specially satisfied, is the Saptarangi Apartments opposite the Prime Minister’s Quarters in Baluwatar.
Design Features
- Exposed brick facades and use of slope roof as a traditional approach.
- Each individual apartment overlooks the green and landscaped inner courtyard.
His inclination towards traditional architecture can be seen in most of his work. Moreover, the exposure of each apartment to natural environment explains his understanding of importance of natural environment in architecture.
SOS VILLAGE, ITAHARI
Ar. Deepak Man Sherchan holds immense pride on having built most of the SOS villages of Nepal. Some of them were quite challenging for him because of the time limitation (SOS village of Koteshwor) and because of the difficult location (SOS village of Surkhet). The SOS village of Itahari is by far his most impressive projects and for this he was awarded with South Asia Commendation Award instituted by J.K cements of India.
Design Features
- Exposed brick façade and sloped roofs as a traditional approach.
- Segregated the living spaces into ten to thirteen units housing about ten children each to enhance the homely and family environment.
- Separated the staff accommodations and administration buildings from the students housing to create a gap between the daily and educational life.
MARCOPOLO HOTEL, THAMEL
This hotel was designed in his early days as an architect. He tried experimenting with the use of modern materials. But later on, he started realizing the role of architects in preserving the originality of the country. He realized that architecture must emphasize more on nature, culture, and community which he believes has contributed in bringing maturity to his design works.
Looking deeply into the works of the architect as well as his life, it can be known how the life of a person shapes his design and works. Ar. Deepak Man Sherchan having a family background of business was utterly against of working under any other people instructions. Thus, he loves being the man of the work. He does not want his design to be influenced by others but his design to influence and inspire the society. This is the reason he started building on his own and selling his design afterwards which helped him in pursuing business culture of his family. Moreover, belonging to a rural community (Mustang, Tukuche) has also shaped his architectural works. His belief that architecture should reflect the country has greatly helped us to understand the importance of our traditional architecture. The use of exposed bricks on the facade, sloped roofs and strutting more or less represents the architectural styles of our nation and holds a great importance.
