Stay in a rustic Himachali home, in our alternative campus.
A short drive from Manali, we are situated in the town of Naggar, once the capital of Kullu.
A castle resides on a cliff, with the ancient Krishna temple nestled above in the pine forest, looking over us all. There are many mountain hikes and trails that start from our estate.
If you want an offbeat stay, with curated experiences by artists and designers, look no further. The Himalayas are waiting for you and winter is coming!
Here's a clip from an amazing documentry by @dtemagazine ( Centre for science and environment, New Delhi )on Kathkuni : Indigenous building practice of Himachal.
Our founder @raul_bhushan and @live_north
Team has been working closely in fostering sustainable architecture in Himachal and similar mountain regions of India. We are building natural cabins, beautiful homes and large scale project using our local materials, resources, artisans and wisdom.
FULL VIDEO on YouTube : saving Kathkuni Himachal
Kath-Kuni: A young architect brings back the glory of his homeland's traditional architecture
Rahul Bhushan, a 29-year-old Himachali local and alumnus of CEPT is trying to bring back the glory of Kath-Kuni structures
‘Kath-Kuni’ is a popular type of natural building which uses locally available wood and stone as prime materials for construction. These humble-looking abodes made of stone, mud and wood were popular in Himachal Pradesh.
It is environmentally friendly, keeps the cold out and can survive earthquakes due to its high tensile strength. ‘Kath-Kuni’ is made of two words — ‘Kath’ meaning ‘wood’ and ‘Kuni’ meaning ‘corner’.
While Kangra and Spiti regions abound in houses made of mud and stone, Kath-Kuni houses are native to this middle Himalayan belt which includes Kullu, Manali, Chamba, Shimla, kinnaur and some parts of Uttarakhand.
Kath-Kuni is structurally different from conventional building methods. Instead of vertical columns, it is built on horizontal beams. Through ‘criss cross’ bracings, an entire wooden structure is constructed.
Even the joinaries are made of wood. The weight of tightly packed stones provides stability to the structure while the wooden beams provide flexibility. Slate tiles are used to lay the roof, their weight presses the entire structure downwards and adds further to its stability.
- "Its very important to safeguard our indigenous craftsmanship and building techniques. We need to preserve our heritage and along with this our culture and it's wisdom."
- @raul_bhushan#northnaggar#cabinsbynorth#builtbynorth#indigenousarchitecture#sustainablearchitecture#kathkuniarchitecture#kathkuni#savingkathkuni#hpcdi#naggar
Using wood and stone materials, Kath Kuni is a native Himachali architectural form that is both naturally insulating and earthquake resilient.
Rahul Bhushan, Founder, NORTH, and Godrej Design Lab Fellow 2024, walks us through the nuances of this form and its relevance in a contemporary context.
Stay tuned to our page to know more about Rahul and his journey!
#GodrejDesignLab#GDLFellowship#Fellows2024
Chehni Kothi is a great example of Himachali craftsmanship, our ancestral knowledge of Wooden joineries and earthquake resilient structures. It stands tall as a marvel of Kathkuni architecture and has been an inspiration for us, imbibes lessons in architecture and engineering.
People ask me, why it stopped ? The ignorant once, the less informed once will tell you a million reasons, this and that. But let me tell you, clear and straight - “ jisko pata hi ni h, usko padi hi ni h.” Most of us don’t know the value of it, don’t know the potential of it, don’t care about it, and so, don’t really know how and why to continue it. It’s hard, it would need patience and hard work, lot of research which no one will pay you for. And that’s why…easier choice is to just say it’s outdated.
But I can assure you, I have dedicated a decade till now, figuring out from wood, to techniques, to role of craftspeople and to our rich wisdom and culture. And I am not leaving it, with Himachali architecture and craftsmanship , our cultural wisdom and a better development in future for our next generations, a balanced and holistic, more environmentally conscious future. We ll preserve it, flourish this wisdom and innovate it for today’s time.
That’s my promise. ~ @raul_bhushan
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#architecture#vernaculararchitecture#ancienthistory#himalayas#destination#unexplored#himachalpradesh#naturalbuilding#earthquakeresilient#culture#himalayanculture#intangibleheritage#heritage
“In Himachali tradition, a tree is a higher being than a human,” says Rahul Bhushan, Founder, NORTH, and Godrej Design Lab Fellow 2024.
Recently, we had the pleasure of spending a few days with Rahul as he walked us through his passion, purpose, and process of documenting traditional architectural wisdom from his community in Naggar, Himachal Pradesh. As he works towards his book as a part of the Godrej Design Lab Fellowship, he sheds light on the experiences that have led him down his path and his hopes for the future.
To know more about Rahul’s journey, stay tuned to our page!
@live_north@raul_bhushan#GodrejDesignLab#GDLFellowship#Fellows2024
