Villeno, Bryan T.

2AR-2

The Spirit of Design in Nepal by Ar. Sarosh Pradhan

The Nepalese culture is quite simplistic especially when it comes to the way people live
their own lives in a mountainous area which reminds me of how people in the mountainous areas
of the Philippines live. If there is one thing I’ve learned from their culture, it is about valuing the
surroundings and the environment and how you can benefit from it just like how Ar. Sarosh applies
yoga while taking in the surroundings in order to achieve happiness and peace of mind. Nepal is
quite a breathtaking country to explore with the vastness of mountainous areas and small towns
with heartwarming people.

Moving on to the design aspect of Nepal, Ar. Sarosh says that the most important thing to
consider when starting a project is to gather ideas from the environment itself just like how he
implemented the pyramid shape in his Mt. Everest lodging project which is based from the shape
of the mountains. In my opinion, it sounded hilarious first but when you start to think about it, it
is probably one of the most efficient ways in coming up with a design concept that fits your location.
Another important aspect when it comes to designing is the use of materials available to the region
or area. As Ar. Sarosh mentioned, there are some limitations in the amount of certain materials
available in Nepal which is why it is important to maximize the use of what is available. He was
able to present various projects which were executed in a simple yet fitting manner for the context
and environment which really reflects the culture of Nepal.

To reiterate to what I’ve said, the Nepalese culture is quite simple yet colorful in a way that
they are able to create a lifestyle while still keeping in the environment and surroundings. I think
that this is what makes Nepal an interesting place to experience living to and to also see how design
is being executed in such a different environment than a lot of Architects experience working with.
Ar. Sarosh’s own story of hardships and success shows how can we, future Architects, reach our
goals by simply creating designs for the people, the environment and the spirit of the culture being
celebrated.