Preserving the 17th-century Kabesa adobe houses

Tinley Nangai

Near the rice terraces and river bends of Kabesa, north of Thimphu, a three-storey traditional building stands alone on a gentle slope, surrounded by obvious signs of urban sprawl. At first glance, the house looks like any other abandoned old Bhutanese house, but in fact, it is a 17th-century building that has stood the test of time.

The outer walls of the house are covered with a temporary roof, the dimensions The building is 10.5 meters wide, 10.1 meters deep at the bottom and 10 meters high. It is made entirely of rammed earth, and the outer walls are slightly inclined inward to stabilize the structure, which is a common technique in traditional architecture.

According to records, this house in Cabesa belongs to the private Lham Pelzom and was built around the 17th century, making it nearly four hundred years old.

The building is one of the three oldest extant earthen buildings in the country. The Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development (DCDD) and the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) are collaborating on its preservation.

Pema Lethro, son of Lham Pelzom, said the house had not been renovated after being neglected for more than two decades due to financial constraints after its roof was damaged.

The family currently lives in a new house near the old building. “This house is important to our family because it has served us for nearly five generations. It also showcases our family’s continuity and the architectural talent of our ancestors,” Pema Letro said. “We are grateful to DCDD and the Japanese team for their help.”

According to the DCDD, earlier earthen buildings had few or no openings other than doors, thicker walls and steeper slopes than those built later. “Rammed earth houses teach us about our cultural heritage, such as history, construction techniques, architectural evolution and the lifestyle of our ancestors,” said an official from the DCDD.

The DCDD considers Bhutan’s old farmhouses to be an important part of the country’s heritage similar to Dzongs, Lhakhangs and other historic structures. The department is working to preserve these heritage buildings and ancient structures in accordance with international norms and practices.

“We also hope to raise public awareness of the importance of the minshuku as an important cultural heritage and emphasize the importance of protecting and preserving the minshuku,” the official said.

The old building in Cabeza was abandoned in 2011 after the 2009 earthquake severely damaged it. Due to lack of care, its roof and floor collapsed in 2017.

The DCDD and TOBUNKEN teams began salvaging and cataloguing the wood for future restoration work.

Although the restoration work Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DCDD installed a temporary roof in 2020 to prevent further deterioration of the building.

From August 13 to 22 this year, architects, engineers and master carpenters from DCDD and TOBUNKEN identified the original locations of wood materials (structural and non-structural), assessed the condition of the wood, and determined whether they could be reused.

If full reuse is not possible, the team plans to explore how to combine old wood with new wood (joinery details) and enhance structural capacity without compromising the authenticity of the material.

The team found that the floor joists and roofing materials had sustained significant damage. Most of the wooden components were made of Tokyo (Fir). Some materials can be reused.

The plan is to preserve as much of the existing wood as possible, provided it can be reused, and fir will also be used in the restoration.

Complete restoration and reconstruction plans for the home have yet to be finalized.

Tashi Wangchuk, an architect with DCDD, said any items that have decayed, are missing or do not retain their original shape will be replaced with materials of equal quality.

“We use both traditional recording methods and modern technologies such as Scaniverse to record accurate records and finalise the monument conservation plan, as well as prepare a cost estimate for the project,” Tashi Wangchuk said.

Japanese carpenter and nine experienced Zopbon (master Carpenters from the DCDD Conservation Project are carrying out this task of preserving the building.

“This collaboration also provides an opportunity to exchange knowledge and skills, and enhance the technical skills of Bhutanese artisans in conservation practices,” said Tashi Wangchuk.

Conservation work on the Cabesa House began in 2017 and was reinvestigated in 2018.

The other two existing rammed earth houses are Haa Talung House and Changjokha House in Punakha. Renovation Haa Talung Residences is due for completion in 2023.

this The structure of Punakha According to the DCDD, the Changjokha house is stable and does not require structural intervention. However, the department has completed a rehabilitation plan and submitted it to the government.