ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATION and Seismic Strengthening OF GÖNPA GANG
In 2022, the Norbusum Foundation was granted an award of 215,000 USD by the U.S. Department of State through its Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) grant programme, Federal Award Identification Number SNP40022GR0039, for the architectural restoration and seismic strengthening of Gönpa Gang.
The two-year restoration project addressed all architectural issues of the monument, to ensure the seismic stability of the building, and to prepare the monument for more extensive future use both by the community and visitors to the region. Further, restoring the architecture is a prerequisite for a follow-up project dedicated to the cleaning and restoration of the precious murals contained in the monument.
The two-year restoration project addressed all architectural issues of the monument, to ensure the seismic stability of the building, and to prepare the monument for more extensive future use both by the community and visitors to the region. Further, restoring the architecture is a prerequisite for a follow-up project dedicated to the cleaning and restoration of the precious murals contained in the monument.
Aims
This project was conceptualised after a meeting held by members of the Norbusum Foundation with community members in the nearby village of Chuksang to better understand the community engagement with the structure, and their hopes for the future. Without exception, the community expressed a united hope that the structure could be preserved and reinstated as an ‘active’ temple.
Lastly, with increasingly heavy rainfall noted in Mustang in recent years, we can expect that damage to the structure will only increase in coming years if it is not restored in its entirety. Anecdotal evidence from the local communities is supported by meteorological data that shows that the effects of climate change will lead to increasingly heavy rain events. The traditional rammed earth construction was not designed to tolerate rain events of the size that we are now seeing, and can expect in the future. This adds to the urgency of our request to ensure that the structure is weather-tight.
This project is designed to:
Lastly, with increasingly heavy rainfall noted in Mustang in recent years, we can expect that damage to the structure will only increase in coming years if it is not restored in its entirety. Anecdotal evidence from the local communities is supported by meteorological data that shows that the effects of climate change will lead to increasingly heavy rain events. The traditional rammed earth construction was not designed to tolerate rain events of the size that we are now seeing, and can expect in the future. This adds to the urgency of our request to ensure that the structure is weather-tight.
This project is designed to:
- address the severe architectural problems of this under-maintained but extremely valuable monument,
- strengthen its architecture to continue to withhold seismic events,
- consolidate all original features in the interior of the monument,
- engage the community in planning the future usage and long-term maintenance of the monument,
- prepare the monument for more intensive future usage, and
- plan future painting conservation measures.
Measures
During the restoration of the monument, it turned out that the building had no solid foundations. Accordingly, the restoration entailed the dismantling and rebuilding of the entire wooden structure.
Accordingly, the structure was taken down room by room—and in the Assembly Hall, pillar row by pillar row—and rebuilt with new stone bases for the pillars. Further, all pillars, capitals, and beams were restored as needed and then placed back on the new stone bases with connections between all members. At the same time, the ceiling height was levelled. Then the ceiling of the ground floor was completed with the old joists and wooden splits, and a geo fabric was introduced to prevent dust from movement on the upper floor.
Once the work on the ground floor was completed, the upper floor was reconstructed using new wood in the same manner as it was done before. Once all wooden members were reassembled, the ceiling was completed with planking.
The new roof contains multiple layers of waterproofing, namely a layer of waterproof plywood installed at an angle towards the waterspouts, a bitumen sheet layer, and the traditional clay layer. Further, large waterspouts were introduced to ensure that water can run off unhindered. With the parapet wall, a traditional perma frieze was added along the edges of the roof throughout the structure.
Together, these measures will preserve the structure into the future.
Accordingly, the structure was taken down room by room—and in the Assembly Hall, pillar row by pillar row—and rebuilt with new stone bases for the pillars. Further, all pillars, capitals, and beams were restored as needed and then placed back on the new stone bases with connections between all members. At the same time, the ceiling height was levelled. Then the ceiling of the ground floor was completed with the old joists and wooden splits, and a geo fabric was introduced to prevent dust from movement on the upper floor.
Once the work on the ground floor was completed, the upper floor was reconstructed using new wood in the same manner as it was done before. Once all wooden members were reassembled, the ceiling was completed with planking.
The new roof contains multiple layers of waterproofing, namely a layer of waterproof plywood installed at an angle towards the waterspouts, a bitumen sheet layer, and the traditional clay layer. Further, large waterspouts were introduced to ensure that water can run off unhindered. With the parapet wall, a traditional perma frieze was added along the edges of the roof throughout the structure.
Together, these measures will preserve the structure into the future.