University of Heidelberg

Awards for transcultural architecture project

02. Feb. 2010

On February 5, 2010, the transcultural project "Ziegel - der Turm zu Bhaktapur in Nepal" ("Bricks - the Tower of Bhaktapur in Nepal") will receive a special award granted by the industry association "Ziegel Zentrum Süd". The project is coordinated by Cluster member Prof. Dr. Ing. Niels Gutschow and Prof. Wolfgang Rang (FH Frankfurt) and has already been awarded by "Deutscher Designer Club" (German Designers' Club) recently.

The core aim of the Cluster "Asia and Europe in a Global Context" is the investigation of flows of ideas, concepts, people and goods between Asia and Europe. The project "Ziegel - der Turm zu Bhaktapur in Nepal" ("Bricks - the Tower of Bhaktapur in Nepal") pursues this aim not only in a theoretical, but also in a very practical way. The cooperation between Prof. Dr. Ing. Niels Gutschow at the Cluster "Asia and Europe" and Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Wolfgang Rang at Fachhochschule Frankfurt sought to combine 'European' notions of architecture with materials and techniques rooted in Nepal.

For this purpose, students at the Department of Architecture at Fachhochschule Frankfurt designed brick models of different shapes and surface structures according to their own creative imagination. A selection of thirteen clay models was then sent to Bhaktapur, Nepal, where local professionals produced 3600 bricks applying traditional methods that were developed over centuries. With their building materials ready for usage, the 25 students and coordinators traveled to Nepal to start building their Tower of Bhaktapur - in line with local tradition. Plaster was generated by students churning the sandy loam in the building pit with bare feet. Every day, new decisions had to be made on which style of bricks to use for the next section etc. With the support of Newar craftsmen and incorporated in local ritual proceedings, the group was able to finish its six feet tall Tower of Bhaktapur on September 5, 2009. 

The project demonstrates in a very tangible way, how new things evolve in the process of cultural exchange and interaction. 

Against this background, "Ziegel Zentrum Süd" will award the transcultural architecture project a special prize on Friday, February 5, 2010. The ceremony takes place at "Technisches Rathaus München" where all laureates’ works will be exhibited until February 19. Further information ... (PDF, 193kb)

More information on the project (in German) can also be found on the website of Fachhochschule Frankfurt.