Preserving Heritage

This workshop explores the vernacular construction materials & technologies of the mountain architecture of Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. It takes Naddi, a village situated about 20 km from Dharamshala, as a case study for this research. The structures in Naddi are historically proven to withstand natural calamities and extreme weather of their context better than their modern counterparts. This research aims to document these technologies and advocate the formation of inclusive building codes that take into consideration the vernacular construction methodologies. It uses anthropometric sketching, photography, and audiovisual recordings for documentation. The workshop was concluded with an academic documentation report to ensure that these technologies do not get lost in time.