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Read the architectural design review of our monks' dormitory. TSHF led the de novo reconstruction of this housing facility near the centuries-old Thame monastery, the cultural and communal heart of Thame Valley. This was the first two-story building to be made of traditional Sherpa building materials after the earthquake. Local construction techniques were enhanced by our technical partners at ETH Zurich, TEN and Urban Think Tank.
Our colleague Varun from the TEN design team has introduced a summer course with CEPT (key design institute in India), where 20-25 students will work on documenting the evolution of Sherpa architecture.
See our design review of the monks’ dormitory so far (Section 1) and proposals for the Thame school (Section 2).
A scale prototype of the dormitory structure has been built to offer live feedback on the performance of materials and construction procedures.
Thame Sherpa Heritage Fund is collaborating with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) to implement earthquake-safe, culturally and environmentally sensitive rebuilding in the Thame Valley. The project’s technical design process will be led by ETH Zurich’s Chair of the Department of Architecture, which focuses on combining the skills of expert architects, civil engineers with the interests of local stakeholders and livelihood systems in developing nations, and ETH Zurich’s Department Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering (IBK).
Four months after the devastating earthquake of 25 April, 2015 Thame Valley locals have been rapidly constructing shelters through the monsoon before the onset of autumn. Most families are making rough, one-story, one-room saam homes out of salvaged rock and other materials.
In August 2015, a joint team of Thame Sherpa Heritage Fund members and experts representing the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) traveled to the Thame Valley to observe and learn about local construction methods, assess reconstruction needs, identify priority projects, and impart improved knowledge of earthquake-safe reconstruction.
TSHF has been designated as a public charity in the U.S., eligible to receive U.S. tax-deductible donations. In the U.K., donations to TSHF greater than £1,000 are now British tax-deductible as well. Please support us and give generously!
From left: Kami Temba, Lakpa Rita, Apa, and Lhakpa Norbu on their way to inspect damage to the Thame Monastery.
The ceremony and celebration of Sherpa arts will be conducted on July 14th, 2018 at the Thame Gompa, Thame Valley. This is a community event and all are welcome. For details email us at info@thamesherpafund.org.