Architecture of Nepal
Situated between the trade routes of India, Tibet and China, Nepali architecture reflects influences from these cultural strongholds.
[1] Nepal has a variety of distinctive architectural features which are represented in residential, religious and public buildings.
[1] One of the earliest recorded dynasties to hold power in Nepal was the Licchavi kingdom which ruled between the 5th and 7th centuries.
[1] Between the end of the Rana dynasty and the restoration of democracy in 1990, Nepal’s architecture became significantly more modern.
[6] Most of Nepal’s architecture is vernacular housing and materials used for these residences are sourced locally, including wood, brick, stone and sometimes earth.
[5] In recent decades, governments have pushed for the introduction of more ‘contemporary’ residential structures in Nepal - made primarily of concrete and metal.
[6] However, Nepal’s climate and terrain makes the viability of these modern materials poor and they are very costly for Nepali people.
Traditional Newar houses commonly consist of three or four stories and faced outwards to either the street or a courtyard.
[7] All Madhesi houses are traditionally built using locally available materials such as mud, bamboo, thatch and wood.
Walls are often made of wattle and daub, providing natural insulation against extreme heat of summer and the cool winters.
The roofs are typically thatched or made of tiles (Khapada), sloping to allow rainwater to drain efficiently during the monsoon season.
The home often include open courtyards, which serves as multifunctional spaces for cooking, gatherings and drying crops.
While minimalism defines the core structure, Madhesi architecture often incorporates intricate wood carvings on doors, windows and pillars.
These carvings display cultural motifs, including floral patterns and depiction of religious symbols, adding a touch of artistry to the otherwise utilitarian design.
[8] All Sherpa houses feature an elongated shape, have two stories, a rigid roof and most have the ground floor built into the hill or slope behind it.
[8] Due to Nepal’s hot, dry summers and cold winters, its traditional housing is architecturally designed to cope with this climate.
[3] Other common features of Nepalese temples include pillars with animals, humans and important deities depicted on them as well as carved wooden struts to support the structure.
Similarly, the temples of Pashupatinath, Changunarayan, Chandeshwori and Banepa are examples of ancient architecture in the pagoda style.
[2] Due to Nepal’s geographical location on a major fault line, the country has experienced severe earthquakes throughout its history.
The Bureau of Crises Prevention and Recovery of the United Nations Development Program ranked Nepal as the 11th most prone to earthquake risk.
[14] Due to the age of the pagoda temples, there was little to no thought given to seismic reinforcement or destruction at the time of construction.
[6] This means building houses out of solid and structurally sound earthen walls based on traditional Nepali construction techniques.
[6] After the earthquake that struck Nepal in April, 2015 which destroyed hundreds of thousands of traditional residences, Abari developed a proposal called Owner Driven Reconstruction.
[6] This program sought to encourage the owners of residences to implement seismic solutions for their homes so that they would withstand future earthquakes.
