| bhutan
IN HARMONY WITH NATURE AND CULTURE
Dorji Yangki
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| Dorji Yangki, one of Bhutan’s first female architects, studied architecture in Australia, followed by post graduation from the UK. She was a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. Dorji drafted Bhutan’s first Green Building Guidelines and played a key role in establishing the country’s first architecture degree program. She developed the Traditional Architectural Guidelines, which now serve as a framework for new buildings in Bhutan. In her practice, she designed the award-winning Bhutan’s Garden of Peace in Chiang Mai and restored Bhutan’s iconic Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Taktsang). Dorji focuses on projects that harmonize with nature and embrace biophilic principles, while also honouring local crafts and heritage.
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Situated in a region of ecological sensitivity and history, Bhutan boasts a rich architectural heritage deeply rooted in climate and culture. Could you elaborate on the distinctive legacy?
In essence, Bhutanese architectural heritage is a unique tangible representation of a society deeply connected to its local cultural traditions, which are guided by spiritual beliefs and practices rooted in Vajrayana Buddhism. Bhutanese buildings are very colourfully adorned with vibrant iconographic paintings, and intricate carvings that echo these Buddhist and local spiritual beliefs, reflecting a symbiotic relationship between materiality and spirituality. Every structure in Bhutan typically bears a touch of local artisans who still use age-old techniques passed down through many generations. Architecture in Bhutan is viewed as a continuous narration and is valued to ensure that the cultural practices and wisdom of the past continue to inspire future generations. Bhutanese architecture, characterized by its timber structures, sloping earth and stone walls, and iconic layered flying roofs, also harmonizes sensitively with local environmental conditions. The use of locally available natural materials, along with ecological and climate-sensitive spatial design, elements, and forms, are fundamental to this delicate harmony. There is deep cultural reverence for nature in Bhutan. In local Buddhist practices, all forms of life are interconnected, and accordingly, conserving nature is also seen as an important act of wisdom and compassion.
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