Characterised by the systematic layering of bands of timber and dry stone, Lhuentse School of Crafts speculates on the potential of the Himalayan construction technique of Kath Khuni, and the possibilities of this novel material hybrid. While using a double skin of timber to maintain rigidity, the technique uses rubble infill to dissipate the energy from earthquakes through friction, creating a low-tech solution for the region’s extreme environment.

The proposal adopts a similar approach while speculating on its application in the remote context of Lhuentse in eastern Bhutan, a nation caught between the push of modernisation and the conservation of its unique cultural heritage.

Through the introduction of a crafts based educational programme, the scheme seeks to consolidate Lhuentse’s textiles industry with a hybrid user group of foreign exchange students and native craftspeople, diversifying the nation’s overreliance on tourism revenue and generating more capital for the nation. Consequently, the proposal aims to celebrate the region’s resourceful nature and existing infrastructure, reframing the heavily spiritualised lens through which the Himalayas is normally viewed.