This event is in-person only; it will be recorded and made available on UVA School of Architecture's YouTube Channel.
The Kathmandu Valley in Nepal is home to some of Asia’s most extraordinary and intact historic townscapes and architectural monuments. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, the Kathmandu Valley is known for its bumpy, often uncomfortable collisions between modern and medieval and East and West. In 2015, Nepal responded to its first major earthquake in 80 years. The catastrophe brought to the fore differences in preservation philosophies, implementation techniques, disaster readiness, and approaches to seismic strengthening.
Erich Theophile has practiced architecture and preservation in Nepal since 1987; he is co-founder of the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT), an American charity exclusively dedicated to Nepal’s architectural patrimony. Over the last 30 years KVPT has restored more than 80 historic buildings and published 15 books working closely with architect and historian, Niels Gutschow. Most recently, the Trust spearheaded a uniquely successful Earthquake Response Campaign involving hundreds of craftsmen, donors, and experts—both local and international—to rebuild the Patan Royal Square and Palace Complex, Nepal’s most significant and visited urban space. Major donors include the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, Gerda Henkel Foundation, the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund, and the World Monuments Fund.
This lecture is supported by the Hanbury Endowment for Historic Preservation.
