Most of us enjoy visiting the hills whenever it becomes too much to bear the heat in our hometowns (especially if you are from the plains)! But, how many of us actually think of saving and conserving the pristine Himalayas that we have? Let’s just say, this young architect-cum-entrepreneur from Shimla is not one of us. Through his sustained efforts in environmental conservation, he has made strides in a unique form of architecture called Kath Kuni, which is an ancient form of architecture that is earthquake resistant and eco-friendly. Since Kath Kuni was a dying craft and something that had been overshadowed by modern construction, Rahul Bhushan, who is an alumnus of CEPT University, Ahmedabad started a business venture called NORTH to promote local craftsmanship and conserve the ancient practice.
The watershed moment in Rahul’s life came when he was working on his research thesis, ‘Indigenous building practice system in western Himalayas” for his post graduation project at CEPT. Disturbed by the dying traditional art and architecture of his home state, he came back home and started digging deep into Himalayan architecture. It was then that he started resuscitating the traditional Kath Kuni style. He spent hours decoding the scientific basis of the Kath Kuni style, which allowed sunlight to creep inside or the compact groundfloor to absorb heat, or the Deodar wood used in the architecture style, to last longer.
Rahul also organises workships to spread awareness on Kath Kuni houses. You can reach him here for more information.
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