The Article 25 architect takes time out from Kathmandu's leprosy hospital to visit Patan and soak up the characteristic Nepalese clash of old, new and places awaiting their fate
For the past few years I’ve been working on projects for Anandaban Leprosy Hospital in Nepal with Article 25. On site visits I sometimes stay a couple of days in the old city of Patan, 5km south of central Kathmandu but now subsumed into the same singular urban sprawl.
The Kathmandu Valley is under huge pressure as the city’s economic heft drives rural-to-urban migration and makes harsh demands on limited space. Much of the valley’s rich built heritage (not to mention fertile agricultural land) has already been lost to poorly regulated development and a march of generic RC housing blocks.
The devastating earthquakes of 2015 expedited this trend as many people lost faith in the traditional timber and brick construction.
Despite all this Patan retains a charming atmosphere. The Durbar Square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a showcase of Newari architecture. Buildings date from the 17th century onwards and tell a story of the valley’s unique overlap of Buddhist and Hindu tradition. I love to wander through the maze of ancient lanes and courtyards that surround the square, taking snapshots with my phone. These walks reveal countless temples and deities, ‘hiti’ (traditional water spouts) and ‘pokhari’ (ponds), all playing host to daily rituals largely unchanged for centuries. The area is also a magnet for young Nepali artists, who paint graffiti on the ancient walls and add to the multi-layered feel of the place.
Patan is somehow timeless, yet forever in flux. It has the feel of a perpetual construction site; piles of bricks acquired from centuries-old townhouses lie about, awaiting their next assignment. Entering shops or cafes can involve tottering along piles of steel rebar or dodging workers with bowls of wet cement on their heads. While some buildings are being demolished to make way for the new, and many more are in a state of precarious decay, others are being faithfully restored and help to keep alive the valley’s rich craft traditions in brick, wood and brass.
Toby Pear is working for Article 25 in Nepal
Feel like more architectural travels? Visit the world via postcards here