Rammed Earth Bhutan

Posted on | December 23, 2009 | No Comments

Bhutan’s search for its own cultural and thus architectural identity is apparent as soon as one lands at Paro International Airport. Deviating from a very homogenized architectural vocabulary  of big glasses, shiny granite floor, steel trusses found in many commercial buildings all over the world, Paro airport looks different. In fact, from far one can easily think it is a monastery. Though many of the modern building today are made of concrete and steel, they have tried to maintain the integrity of traditional earth buildings.

Its joy to be drive around Bhutan as even today beautiful two to three story rammed earth building and wood buildings dominate the  rural landscape. Unlike other parts of the world mud does not seem to connotate poverty as even the Royal palace and main government ministry is made of earth. Many of the rammed earth structures are two to three hundred years old. Recently there was an earthquake and buildings that followed the traditional pattern survived better than the recent structures. Please enjoy some of the pictures from there.

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