Construction of orphanage continues

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    Project update February 2015 – Children’s Ziggurat: Locally-adapted orphanage and library, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Community infrastructure: In addition to the publically-accessible library, the building provides a seismically stable refuge during earthquakes.

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    Project update February 2015 – Children’s Ziggurat: Locally-adapted orphanage and library, Kathmandu, Nepal

    The site for the orphanage in Gagalphedi, Kathmandu, was selected for its clean air and water, safety in seclusion, and economical land value.

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    Project update February 2015 – Children’s Ziggurat: Locally-adapted orphanage and library, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Project client Christopher Gish, Seeds of Change Foundation, considers the engagement with children on the issues of sustainability as the most significant impact of the project.

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    Project update February 2015 – Children’s Ziggurat: Locally-adapted orphanage and library, Kathmandu, Nepal

    In a context lacking basic infrastructure, the new facility utilizes low-technology renewable energy and material resources, local craftsmanship, and vertical gardens for insulation and food, thus significantly reducing operating costs.

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    Project update February 2015 – Children’s Ziggurat: Locally-adapted orphanage and library, Kathmandu, Nepal

    The double exoskeleton frame of 300mm reinforced fly ash blend concrete is highly engineered as an area of refuge for the entire local community.

The construction phase for the Holcim Awards Silver 2014 winner for Asia Pacific, the Lali Gurans orphanage and library is continuing, with more material on site for further work on the building frame. The design by US-based MOS Architects invests in local artisanship by following vernacular building techniques, and also uses locally-sourced building materials to minimize embodied energy and maximize lifespan.

Last updated: February 26, 2015 Kathmandu, Nepal

The construction phase for the Lali Gurans orphanage and library is continuing, with more material on site for further work on the building frame. The design invests in local artisanship by following vernacular building techniques, and also uses locally-sourced building materials to minimize embodied energy and maximize lifespan.

The project is a key initiatives funded by the Colorado-based Seeds of Change Foundation (SOCF). The foundation was created to support tangible change in developing societies through education and sustainability. SOCF is supporting the Lali Gurans orphanage and library which provides rent-free seismic-resistant housing and education for the orphans of Nepal. Utilizing self-sustaining technologies to produce its own food, water, fuel, and shelter, the orphanage will also provide state-of-the-art lesson plans and educational resources to children and neighboring communities; a sizable public library in a country where such availability is unprecedented; and higher education outreach programs and online degree courses.

The building uses blended cement based on the use of fly ash, a waste of coal-fired power stations to conserve virgin materials and reduce processing energy. Window frames, built-in furniture, and freestanding elements are made from durable, locally-sourced teak.

The building’s entire electricity needs are met by 15 x 175W solar panels. Two solid-dome anaerobic digesters (5m diameter) provide gas for heating, cooking, and lighting. The digesters are a common building element in the area, and will operate using kitchen, agricultural, and community waste. Drinking water is sourced from ground and rainwater supplies that pass through a UV filtration system and stored in large tanks.

Organic food will be produced by the two rooftop gardens, 80 fixed drip-irrigation planters, and more than 300 vertical hanging planters – all fed with bio-slurry and utilizing the building’s gray water. Fruit trees in the garden together with vegetables and herbs grown in planters will provide sufficient supply for the orphanage’s needs.