School Design in Manang

Situated in a remote valley of the Nepalese Himalayas, Manang is five days on foot from the nearest road and is subject to extreme weather conditions. The Lophelling School was founded in 1996 to accommodate 70 refugee children from Tibet. It is not only too small, but unhygienic and without electricity. As part of a self-help aid programme, plans have now been made to rehabilitate and extend the school. The basic design was drawn up during a 10-day stay in Manang. The building work will be executed by the residents and supervised by a member of the Augsburg office who is undergoing practical training. The new structure, containing a dining room, kitchen, teachers’ space, and living quarters, is to be erected with the simplest of means close to a central water point in the school yard. The earth-covered flat roof will serve to exploit the plentiful sunshine. The measures include the construction of a conservatory, heated internal spaces, the use of solar mirrors, solar cells for the generation of electricity, and collectors to heat waste water.