The Newari House, Bungamati

The building belongs to Nepal’s finest carpenter from Bungamati, southern end of Kathmandu valley. The project has been under discussion since 2018, the first field survey was done in 2021. The main concept was to create both interior and exterior spaces of the building to give a humble respect, appreciation and celebration of traditional Newari architecture particularly the carved wooden door and windows. Some of the design challenges were to go through the lengthiest building permit process, the site falls in smart city planning, changes in the size of building footprint at the end, degree of detailing needs, timeline pressure, major changes during construction. Special attention was made on composition of mass and void, appropriate scale and finding the location of centuries old windows (sa: jya) found and purchased by the client during the renovation of old houses in Dallu. The spaces are planned in a way that the both interior and exterior of the building is an exhibition space for masterpiece display. So, as a designer, my role is to give utmost justice to ensure the exhibition space for his masterpieces. The space is imagined within the frame of a transformation from current mix use of workshop, gallery, guest house, family house to the full-fledged guest house apartments keeping in view that Bungamati is becoming a new tourist destination in the valley.