The Kath Kuni Revivalist: An Architect On A Mission To Restore Himachal’s Traditional Architecture

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by NORTH | Rahul Bhushan (@live_north)

Kath kuni homes have interlocked wooden beams made of deodars that steady the stone-supported structure, even in the face of earthquakes, providing insulation through the double-layered walls. The houses, much like the knowledge they hold, were passed down from one generation to the next. Yet, despite their awe-inspiring structure, this indigenous architecture is slowly being erased from modern memory as urbanisation digs its root deeper. Most families in Himachal have left their ancestral kath kuni homes and moved into concrete houses next door. But the skills and heritage associated with Kath Kuni continue to fascinate and enlighten, and it is this tangible heritage that architect Rahul Bhushan is trying to preserve. 

Dhajji House built by North takes into account indigenous Kath Kuni architectural know-how

Going North 

During his masters, Bhushan, originally from Himachal’s Shimla, spent two years researching ancient Kath Kuni architecture. But the seeds for change had been sown earlier. “During my bachelor’s, I got instantly aligned with design thinking and problem-solving, an approach to life that I could take forward, and that’s when I started a club in college. It was for people from all creative backgrounds to come together and create magic,” he shares. It was the foundation that created North, a Naggar-based design and architecture studio dedicated to preserving traditional architectural techniques. 

A team of karigars working on building a kath kuni structure

But what about Kath Kuni, which translates to ‘wooden corner’, merited this attention? Bhushan believes the building method to be ingenious and practical. “It is not just any technique but an art of building natural homes, without nails and bolts using wooden joinery systems. Kath kuni houses are built like Lego structures that can be dismantled rather than demolished, which opens a scope to reuse the material from old abandoned houses in the region. To build a kath kuni house, the whole village comes together and lays the wood and stone in union, passing the legacy of the skill from generation to generation,” he shares. 

But in Himachal, where kath kuni homes were once a source of shelter, they are slowly disappearing. Among many reasons is the expensive raw materials, i.e. timber, lack of kath kuni practitioners and easy access to alternative materials. Plus, dependence on wood does not make the architectural style a sustainable choice. But Bhushan aims to change that perception. 

Explanation of how vernacular architecture of Himachal is built

“Compared to cement construction, one of the world’s worst polluters and extremely unsustainable, India’s vernacular architecture has a minimal carbon footprint. Raw materials, such as wood, and stones, are all accessible naturally and can be reused because they have a long life;  think of kath kuni houses, which have stood strong for centuries. All the material from old houses can be reused to construct new buildings, while concrete buildings often have an average life of only 50 years,” the 31-year-old shares. One way to access timber is sustainable forestry, where forests are planted for raw materials, creating a sustainable cycle, and is within the scope of North’s research areas. Additionally, they innovate on sustainable architecture, make eco homes, practice permaculture and share this knowledge through workshops.

North also organises exhibitions of their work in the area

Undeniably, there is a great need to preserve and promote India’s vernacular heritage. Himachal falls in some of the Himalayas’ most seismically active zones, making it prone to earthquakes, flash floods and other natural calamities. Hence, the region’s architecture must be resilient to these challenges. Kath Kuni is the best example of region-specific architecture. To promote this knowledge, North has many projects. “We host lectures and practice research on applied sustainability, Himalayan architecture, creative design thinking, natural building and revitalisation of indigenous building systems such as Kath Kuni and craftsmanship of Himachal Pradesh,” Bhushan explains, adding, “To share the knowledge we have gained, we take vernacular creative thinking workshops for students of different design colleges throughout India along with hands-on learning of the crafts of this region through our karigars. We do everything from wood carving workshops, metal beating, natural building to vaastu.”

Wooden carvings are a big aspect of kath kuni architecture

Members at North also assist clients in building new structures by reclaiming stone and wood from abandoned kath kuni houses. They are designing a true authentic log house for a client who wants to make their home in Himachal, an artist’s retreat home in Naggar, restoration projects, tiny cabins and a few projects for local villagers. In the day and age where modern architecture has permeated the deepest nooks and corners of the world, Bhushan hopes that walking the talk will inspire the younger generation to safeguard the indigenous craftsmanship of the place they call home.