B.Arch thesis — a retreat from Kathmandu
- Type: Thesis — resort, wellness and culture
Kathmandu is Nepal’s busiest city: noise, air and water pollution, dense housing and traffic add to the stress of daily life. The Escape Retreat is a weekend refuge where people can unwind in a calm landscape and return refreshed.
The concept is the endless knot , one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Nepali Buddhism — intertwined lines with no beginning or end. Each loop became a design component; the interconnections became physical and visual links, carried mainly by the landscape.
The main entry is from parking on the west, outside the wall for privacy. The café and library — with a multipurpose hall opening to the gardens — sit near the entrance for day visitors. Spa, yoga and gym share a block serving the pool and tennis court.
Meditation is set apart, with its own garden. Accommodation follows the contours at the back of the site for views and privacy, away from day visitors; staff quarters have their own road access.
Project: Individual thesis project — research, concept, master planning and design.
