2. Archium stone radio building Nepal
Himalesque in the plateau of
Nepal and against its
backdrop of unlimited
nature, was another solution
to the local climate
conditions. The local
traditional boundary markers
are constructed from spaces
with a thick outer skin, in
order to solve the condition of
a plateau in a lump. I paid
attention to the
deconstruction of the
thickness of the boundary
wall I divided of enclosed
space which is separated
from the outside according to
functions.
3. Evolution of Concept
Architect Kim In-cheurl of
Seoulbased Archium develo
ped the building for the
Mustang Broadcasting
Community (MBC), a radio
station launched last year
to serve residents and
visitors in the remote
Mustang region of north-
west Nepal.
4. Thick walls made from
locally sourced stone frame
courtyards and corridors
at this radio broadcasting
station in the Nepalese
town of Jomsom , designed
by Korean studio Archium.
Situated on a ledge close to
the banks of the Kali
Gandaki River, 3000 metres
above sea level, the building
was designed to utilise locally
available materials and
labour.
5. Design
• To protect employees and guests from the strong winds
prevalent in the region, the building is enveloped in walls
made from a local stone called gneiss that also helps the radio
station merge with the surrounding landscape of rock-strewn
mountains.
• Tall walls punctuated by small glazed openings line the edges
of a paved pathway, creating a sheltered entrance to the site.
• An antenna rises
from the centre of the
largest courtyard and
is surrounded by
strings of colourful
flags.
6. Influenced by the
arrangement of
vernacular houses, the
building's meeting
rooms and broadcasting
facilities are organised
around courtyards that
allow natural light to
reach glazed walls and
windows.
7. Materials and Constructiion
•Cement columns support the ceilings of cloisters
surrounding the courtyards, helping to shield the interiors
from direct sunlight.
•Some of the rooms are lined with the same substantial rocks used
for the external walls, while others feature walls constructed from
tightly packed smaller stones. A chunky stone slab supported by
wooden legs also creates a robust natural desk in one of the
studios.
•Stools carved by hand
from solid tree trunks
furnish several of the
rooms, which are paved in
the same irregular stone
slabs used for the outdoor
spaces
8. •Wood was used for window frames and doors to provide a
warm and tactile contrast to the imposing stone surfaces
that form the walls, floors and ceilings.
•A gap can be created in
between the stone wall blocking
wind and the glass wall,
forming inner space. Site
conditions facing strong winds
with changing directions, from
rainy seasons to dry seasons,
and environmental conditions
require that a cool, unheated
space is maintained, in spite of
the extreme daily temperature
differences, reorganised by
contemporary methods with
local materials.