A 17th-century traditional rammed earth house at Kabesa in Thimphu is set to be restored to its original glory. The collaborative effort is to preserve Bhutan’s tangible heritage. The initiative not only aims to revive a traditional farmhouse in line with international standards and practices but also seeks to restore it using its original architectural elements.
The house belongs to Lham Pelzom and it is one of the three oldest surviving examples of rammed earth structures in western Bhutan.
A collaborative research on the typology and chronology of rammed earth houses in Bhutan since 2013 carried out by the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, along with the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties identified three oldest structures each in Haa, Punakha and Thimphu.
The thick ancient walls of the house stand firm, with no openings apart from the doors. On the other hand, the interior remains severely damaged from the 2009 and 2011 earthquakes, with no signs of maintenance.
According to the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, preserving old farmhouses is crucial to the country’s national heritage, similar to the preservation of dzongs and lhakhangs.
“Through traditional farmhouses, we can gain a lot of cultural knowledge such as the situation in the past, construction methods, carpentry techniques and usage of tools. Moreover, we can learn how houses were used in the past,” said Tashi Wangchuk, an architect at the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development.
He added that the project team installed temporary roofing in 2020 to prevent further damage to the building although the restoration was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Timbers from the old structure were preserved a few years ago. Currently, a team of about ten project officials from Japan and Bhutan are assessing the old timber reuse while studying past techniques to restore the house to its original form.
“We checked all old timbers collected from inside this structure one by one and we decided if this member can be reused or not. And if it can be reused, how we should repair it by sometimes connecting it partly with new timber? Based on the international norm on the conservation of historic buildings, we have to keep the authenticity of the building, the heritage building,” said Tomoda Masahiko, the deputy director general at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.
“For this house, we will use the same wood as before, and we cannot use other types of wood. Additionally, in the past, axes were used instead of a planer, and the tools for drilling holes were traditional. So, we will follow the same old techniques for restoration,” said Jampel, a carpenter.
Meanwhile, the restoration of the house will begin in full swing once the conservation plans are finalised and the budget is secured from external donors.
The Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, along with the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties are jointly carrying out the project. It is expected to be completed within a year.
Kinzang Lhadon
Edited by Kipchu
