Three Contentions: Critical Regionalism

Three contentions on the study of theory of Critical Regionalism in architecture today:

1. That Critical Regionalism (especially Frampton's version) became a framework through which many architects of South Asia could place their works in the main stream architectural discourse of the west. On the other hand it enabled the West with a linguistic vocabulary (terms) through which works of South Asia and regions around could be discussed.

2. While the idea of critical regionalism, as framed by Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre in their original work suggested a kind of critical continuum of the theory itself - one where architecture must constantly revise itself and address its own epoch, Frampton's formulation deduced it into six points - often consumed as a formula. Frampton's framing of critical regionalism has been critiqued by Fredric Jameson for its stylizing tendency seen in the way in which the text was pedagogically deployed in many South Asian contexts, and sometimes evident in the works of architects working within the purview, themselves.

3. Critical Regionalism must be seen as a corrective theory against the free and careless appropriation of symbols and signs from history within architecture that had a banalizing tendency of postmodern thought - primarily for the South Asian counter parts who were far removed and dissociated from the discursive context of the West.


thoughts developed with discussants: Shreyank Khemlapure, Dushyant Asher

Taragaon Museum, Kathmandu

One of the finest buildings I saw in Kathmandu was the Taragaon Museum built by Austrian architect Carl Pruscha during the '70s. It is said that Carl Pruscha is the one who brought back the use of brick to assert the indigenous identity of Nepal's architecture within its modern landscape. I learnt that the architect has built about five structures in Kathmandu, and worked extensively on the regional planning of the city. He has compiled two volumes documenting important landmarks and notes across the entire city of Kathmandu.

The Taragaon Museum was originally built as a hostel for visitors traveling to Nepal for short duration stays and gatherings. It consists of a modular plan with a scaled barrel vault as single unit staggered around courtyards and pathways stepping on the sloping site. While it didnt serve the purpose it was built for, the Hyatt, to whom the property belongs, decided to turn it into a Museum. Thus, the entire building serves as a museum to a modest collection of drawings and works of architecture of Nepal.

Roshan Mishra, the present director of the Museum was kind enough to take us around the entire museum, and mentioned that the building was one of the first modern projects executed in Kathmandu. He informed us about the different initiatives that the museum is taking to build its own archives on Nepal's indigenous architecture, library on architectural literature and drawings of Nepal, and so on. After the 2015 earthquake, the museum archives became the principal source of reference material for much of the conservation work within the country. Drawings of ancient architecture in Nepal and other photographic material helped mobilize the process of restoration. It is here that the urgency of preserving architectural documentation of the built landscape in Nepal came to focus for the museum. The Taragaon museum is now consciously collecting books and documentation from across the world towards their archives. Several scholars, architects and artists have graciously donated a lot of drawings and research to the Taragaon museum.

The campus is quite close to the World Heritage Site of Boudha Stupa, which is about 10 minute walk away. Given the context, the earth hugging forms seem to have been conceived as no short of the Buddhist Chaitya halls, which share a similar geometry. The domestic scale of the volumes make an interesting meandering within the museum, making it more human and tactile. The cafe and the auditorium spatially play with volumes, whereas the exterior triangular forms allow you to walk over it. Windows and gutters are very carefully detailed in a way that they do not disrespect the circular and diagonal geometry of the building. The landscape is tightly handled, yet seems so easy and minimal. I am sure the museum holds its own drawings. It might be a pleasure to look at the finer articulations of the planning. We could not go to the basement archives. However, Roshan also mentioned that an extension of the project as planned by Pruscha has never been built. In order to interconnect the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the museum, an grand circular amphitheatre was built about 14 years ago.

Presently, the building has suffered some damage after the 2015 earthquake. Those repairs, along with leakage issues are being treated for now. The architect was very opposed to the proposal of plastering the entire building that was suggested in order for its longevity. Rightfully so! The building does not dominate the landscape unlike the massive generic Grand Hyatt adjacent to the museum. With soft and subtle architecture, the Taragaon museum still exists quietly in the Kathmandu landscape.