Preserving Heritage

About the Project

This workshop explores the vernacular construction materials and technologies of the mountain architecture of Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. Naddi, a village situated about 20 km from Dharamshala, was chosen as the case study precisely because it had never been formally documented.

The structures in Naddi are historically proven to withstand natural calamities and extreme weather better than their modern counterparts. They encode generations of accumulated knowledge about how to build in harmony with a demanding landscape, knowledge that exists nowhere in writing and was at risk of being lost entirely.

My Role

I contributed to the workshop across all three documentation methods: producing the anthropometric sketches and architectural drawings, conducting the on-site photography, and interviewing local residents and craftspeople to capture knowledge that exists outside of any written record. I also authored a section of the final academic documentation report.

Documentation Approach

The research set out to document these technologies and advocate for inclusive building codes that account for vernacular construction methodologies. Three primary methods were used to capture what cannot be conveyed through drawings alone.

Against Forgetting

These vernacular structures demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of local climate, available materials, and seismic behavior that modern building codes often fail to capture or actively exclude. By prioritizing standardized construction over regional knowledge, contemporary development risks erasing techniques that have proven their resilience over centuries.

The workshop concluded with an academic documentation report to ensure that these technologies do not get lost in time, a record that can inform architects, policymakers, and communities invested in building codes that honor what came before.