#manang

We prepared Good for construction drawings Manang's Grand Cafe. Some Key elements -

Aerodynamic shape - ‘Head and shoulders’ to divert the harsh winds. Movement joint - Since it is an expansion of the existing cottage which was not in a good condition, a movement / expansion joint is included. It helps with natural structural and thermal movements. Now, the cottage will be used as Kitchen and storage for the cafe. Sluice - A triangular shaped space at the entry with two consequent entry doors that block direct cold air into cozy interiors while people come and go through it. Winter Garden - A glass house within the cafe to absorb as much sunlight as possible. Buttress - Buttresses are introduced for the structural stability. Multiple levels - Functional zones are separated by 3 different levels. Hull and Bow - The heart of a boat is called Hull and the front part is Bow. Similarly, the cafe's center is the hull while curved part is the bow of the cafe. Dynamic furniture and dynamic windows - The big table at the hull is usable from two different levels as shown in the section. Along with everything else, fun windows make the view more memorable!

Slow water Our Manang design philosophy to reduce soil erosion, particularly during snowmelt and spring rains, is simple; we slow down the water! We design with the existing streams/ wetlands and use them as active agents in shaping the land’s future ecological health. The “Moon Pond” sits high on the land as a water accumulation pond feeding two streams. One unique place sees two streams meeting each other. Here, an aqua-duct lets water gracefully pass over water, allowing shade-loving flora and riverine fauna to flourish under the arches. The slow water approach is intentional as all the wetlands of the Manang valley, all the micro-wetlands, rivulets and the grand Marshyangdi river help to create the enriched biodiversity that evolves over time on the site.

Freezing visit In order to ensure that we could prepare the drawings/layouts/contours, Trisha and Riwaz went on an adventurous, middle-of-the-winter site visit. Manang at -22 C was deserted by most people, but since the vision of the project principal, Chimi Rinpoche, is a 365 days/year-Buddhist retreat centre, it was crucial for us to experience the winter realities. Biting cold and fierce easterly winds swept through the valley, with bathrooms faucets freezing and breaking. PSE and a thermal comfort/warm water strategy is going to be very important ! Riwaz's and Trisha's data led to design revisions in the placement of several buildings we had designed.

From the moment we arrived, one thing became clear: designing with the prevailing wind was essential. The eastern valley gap at our project site funneled winds even more intense than those we had encountered in Khumbu and Taplejung. Based on our initial studies, we arranged the retreat area in design clusters, consciously avoiding scattered planning. Passive solar strategies as always played a key role in our approach. By orienting the retreat units southeast, we ensured they would receive the warmth of the day as soon as the sun's rays touched the land.

The site's existing micro-wetlands and water channels had potential to careful design to preserving the land's ecological balance, as the native vegetation that thrived alongside the watershed. Cataloging the native vegetation ranging from pine and blue juniper to wild berries and fruits, refined our planting scheme that we had brought in, in our vision work. These observations also led to ideas for designing an improved flora-wind buffer.

Local wisdom was invaluable. Insights from Mukhiya Ba, the guesthouse owner and a lifelong resident of Manang, along with architect Amar Gurung, who has deep-rooted ties to the region, and Tashi and Masi Lahmo, who reside in New York but whose family oversees the existing monastery, provided us with a richer understanding of the land's dynamics. Through their collective knowledge, we learned more about Manang's shifting rainfall patterns, diminishing snowfall, and the growing climate challenges the valley faces.

Manang — Electricity from the national transmission grid has reached the Tilicho Lake Base Camp, a popular tourist destination in Manang, and Thorong La Pass. With the connection to the national transmission line, the dependency on solar energy has been eliminated. Managing Director of the Authority, Kulman Ghising, informed that electricity supply has started at the base camp located at an…

我走得很慢，所以其實已經在海拔三千米以上要五天了，所以抵達後放了東西，我就直接去旁邊的觀景點練練。

Kathmandu, 10 November 2024 — Electricity from the national transmission grid has reached the base camp (Tilicho Lake Base Camp) of the popular tourist destination Tilicho Lake, located in Manang, a district across the Himalayas. Electricity supply has begun at the base camp in Khangsar, Ngisyang Rural Municipality-9, situated at an altitude of 4,250 meters above sea level. A 50 kVA capacity…