SAARC Special Lecture by Mr. Yeshi Samdrup

The SAARC Special Lecture (Virtual Mode) was held on (Wednesday), 18th September 2024,2:00 pm (Sri Lanka Standard Time) at the SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC), Sri Lanka. The speaker of the SAARC Special Lecture Series was Yeshi Samdrup, Chief Architect at the Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division, Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, Bhutan. Mr Samdrup delivered a lecture on Vernacular Houses of Bhutan: A Heritage of the People.
The lecture, primarily focused on insights from a decade-long research collaboration between Bhutan’s Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development and the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. The lecture delved into the rich legacy of Bhutanese vernacular houses, focusing on the typology of traditional buildings in Bhutan, chronological and regional features, construction methods and practices of traditional buildings, and the view of the Bhutanese public to the conservation of traditional buildings. By sharing findings from this research, the lecture emphasized the need for continued conservation and awareness, ensuring that future generations recognize and value this heritage of the people while fostering a deeper understanding of how vernacular architecture contributes to Bhutan’s unique cultural identity.