Architecture revolves around the comfort of users and the well-being of humans; it reflects their presence, day-to-day life, and mood. As I.M PEi Said” Architecture is the very mirror of life. You only have to cast your eyes on buildings to feel the presence of the past, the spirit of a place; they reflect society.”
From the moment we wake up seeing the ceiling beneath us to hearing the birds chirping around the front yard trees, humans interacting with each other on footpaths, children playing in the open play area, food shopping in supermarkets, as the list goes on so does the impact of it on society. When the whole day revolves around the systematic flow of urban planning of people and it blends with the story a human tells on an everyday.
Society’s Value
Society’s value revolves around their own beliefs and perspectives. It varies from place to place and person to person. Architecture works as a powerful medium connecting social beliefs, and intangible elements which reflect in today’s society. From the religious place to aspects of the image of the place it reflects what the human consists of society.
In the context of Nepal, the values that hold the society are executed through various elements and it has helped to shape today’s society. The value in the case of communal inclusion, cultural views, and incorporation of urban planning is seen here. The rich form of culture in Nepalese Architecture via the Buildings and monuments with a humanized touch, the consistency seen.
The Reflection of Today’s society in connection with Society’s values in the Context of Nepal is shown through the following points given below:
Community Engagement
Fusing day-to-day life with other humans acts as a form of engagement with the surroundings. Humans signify society and their lives involve a communal basis and the significance of perspective, culture, and beliefs. The seamless form of human inclusion with their beliefs is seen through Architecture here. The community that grows together with the human touch is prosperous more and has the society function a healthy relationship between them.
As society has entered the new era of modernism the incorporation of new ideas and design is seen through Architecture too. The design of public spaces, such as parks and community centers, can play a crucial role in enhancing social interaction and community well-being.
Example of Community Engagement
The picture illustrates day-to-day life easily, the residence nearby plays a role of providing shelter, the Sankata Temple which is located at Te Bahal Kathmandu provides a religious focus whereas Dharahara, a landmark for Kathmandu acts as a focal point for socialization and interconnection between human to encourage interaction. Urban planning is executed so that they can get Shelter, Spirituality, and socialization the 3 essential elements from a certain walking radius.
The fusion of the historical and cultural era is seen through the Temple and Falcha, a resting place near the Temple to which humans can rest. The humans around access the holy place as well as the tower built there through the fusion of cultural and modern eras. Community engagement is seen through it in Nepali society, reflecting the communal connection with each other.
Nepal is a beautiful country rich with natural beauty and its own cultural heritage. The fusion of various cultural elements and beliefs is seen in Architecture here. The temples speak of the merge of elements of various building materials like bricks, wood, stone, mud, etc and the placements of those have carried their own significance and beliefs.
Each of the elements has its answers to the question of why it’s placed there. The Society’s culture and the divine perspective help to incorporate the Cultural significance here. The Durbar Squares with numerous places, Temples, and Statues, Speaks for itself and its planning.
The building speaks the voices of the period and they embrace the significance of their life period and the flow of it. Modern design has always been influenced by the cultural demarcation of the rich beauty of culture and helped society to flourish through the reflection of the Historical and past era.
Example of Cultural Significance
The Three Durbar Squares in 3 cities; Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur are a focal point where Three Durbar Squares in 3 cities; Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur are focal points where cultural significance is seen. The three Durbar Squares Kathmandu (Basantapur) Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, and Bhaktapur Durbar Square consist of many Temples and museums and work as a principle to execute the cultural significance in every way possible.
The rich history it executes acts as the pillar for the world to see the cultural significance of Nepal. The Three different cities are individually connected with their own beliefs and this can be seen through their Architecture. The various architectural monuments of different forms and styles along with the techniques of different eras can be seen through it.
The main feature of these Architectural forms in Nepal are mostly visible through its techniques and use of materials which are locally found. The use of locally available bricks, mud, timber, and Stones is mostly seen in the forms and thus the people who see it can view the values of the ancient era through the particular Monument.
Green And Grey Area
Green Areas are breathable areas in architecture and make the openable place more significant. The grey areas are the built form that connects the building with the openness of nature.
The sustainable approach and balance between the built spaces and the open space is the fusion to balance out the urban planning. In recent years land encroachment is a major issue that reflects the minimization of open space in comparison with Built forms.
Example of Green and Grey Area
In the early era, the ponds which we call Pokharais in Nepali were one of the best examples of open space. The waters on the pond act as a breathable space around the building which was beautifully placed around them. The greenery around gives the picturesque form to the overall scenery.
The value of these ancient Pokharais is seen through their existence. Going further it has been a place for people to hang out, freshen up their minds, and also watch the sunset. It acts as a perfect green breathable area around the chaos of big commercial and residential grey areas.
The green area acts as a sustainable approach to the grey area around it. For the built form and the humans living on it to be sustainable, the green areas have to be kept alive.
Society’s Future
They are grateful to our ancestors and the rulers of various eras for making an impact in Architecture through the development of various museums, palaces, Temples, and Durbar Square, for making us understand the cultural significance, through them so they could know about Nepal.
The society’s shifts towards the perspective of broader and influenced by modernism as well as political change are answerable to future generations for the same shift of values that the architecture of Nepal carries. Architecture connects economic, societal, and infrastructure and through planning and interconnection, the output is seen in how the society’s human day-to-day life runs smoothly. The Architecture reflections work as a mirror and medium between the beliefs, social values, and their execution.
References:
- Goodreads I.pei quotes.i.m pei quotes. [online]. Available at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/205226.I_M_Pei [Accessed date: 23/05/2025].
- Arcanum Builders (2024). Architecture as a Reflection of Society and Culture. [online]. Available at:https://arcanumbuilders.com/architecture-as-a-reflection-of-society-and-culture/?srsltid=AfmBOookZ1o17iuBp0KbZsAjTP5dS9T_r-Tr8ne2WfkWJo8WLuvfhPZ7&v=cfcdc267f6a0 [Accessed date: 24/05/2025].
