Joint Survey for the Preservation and Utilization of a Historic House in Kirtipur, Nepal, part 2
Located about 4 km southwest of the capital Kathmandu, Kirtipur is listed on the tentative list of World Heritage Sites as a medieval Newari settlement with well-preserved monuments within its core area. However, due to the rapid urbanization and the demolishing and reconstruction of historic houses after the Gorkha earthquake in 2015, the historic townscape of Kirtipur has been drastically changing. A major challenge is that, while public monuments such as Royal Palaces, Temples, and Shrines are protected under the laws in Nepal, there is no effective regulatory framework for protecting historic houses.
To tackle this issue, a joint research project between Kirtipur Municipality and Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) on the preservation and utilization of historic houses in Kirtipur was launched in October 2023.
During the dispatch of two staff members of TOBUNKEN from July 16 to July 23, 2024, an additional architectural survey was conducted on a house that had been selected as a pilot case study. In collaboration with engineers of the municipality and other Nepalese experts, a detailed measurement survey, 3D digital documentation, and survey on the traces indicating the building’s transitional history were carried out. In addition, with the cooperation of Dr. Lata Shakya, Project Researcher of Ritsumeikan University, interview surveys were carried out with house owners and a local historian, and a comprehensive survey to create a list of the privately owned historic houses in Kirtipur was also conducted under the direction of Dr. Bijaya Shrestha, an expert on the conservation of historic settlements.
These surveys gradually unveiled history of the house; the target house is assumed to have been used as an administrative office of the ancient Kirtipur Palace and retains significant importance with a well-preserved original façade among the existing historic houses that constitute the townscape of Kirtipur.
The house faces an urgent need of repairs due to termite damage and rainwater leakage. For historic houses facing difficulties regarding various practical factors such as lack of repair budget and ownership issues, clarifying the historic value and promoting wider recognition as a cultural heritage site could be an important step towards the preservation and the conservation.
Through trials and dialogues with relevant people, including house owners, administrative officers, and various experts, we would like to explore ways of safeguarding private historic houses that not only carry on the cultural richness of the town, but also present a link towards its sustainable development.