Architecture Beyond Buildings

NAMSANGLIMBOO Assistant Architect, Buildings and Housing Department Government of Sikkim

What Great Architects Can Teach Us About the Future of Sikkim

Most people think architecture simply means designing beautiful buildings and sometimes mistake an architect's role for that of a beautician. However, architecture is actually the art of shaping human experience through space. Here, "space" does not simply mean the empty area enclosed by four walls; it is the environment in which we live, feel, move, interact, and create memories. A building becomes architecture when it begins to affect how we feel, behave, remember, and connect with others. For example, think about temples, monasteries, churches or any religious place. When we enter them, we naturally lower our voice. We walk slowly. We feel calm. That emotional response is the power of architecture. Or think about those traditional village houses. The kitchen was not only for cooking. It was where families gathered around fire, shared stories, and survived winters together. That space shaped relationships. Or think about how you behave, walk, talk or think when you walk along M.G. Marg. Is it the same as when you sit inside that warm and comfortable kitchen among familiar people or when you sit/stand/walk quietly inside the monastery? So, architecture is not only about constructing shelter. It is about constructing an experience.

Architecture vs Engineering

Many people also confuse architecture with engineering, and architects with engineers. However, architecture and engineering are two sides of the same coin. Architecture imagines and shapes human experience, while engineering makes those ideas physically possible. One asks what should be built and how people should experience it; the other asks how that vision can be safely realised. For example, if a building were a human body, architecture would decide how the body looks, feels, and interacts with the world, while engineering would ensure that the body stands, moves, and functions safely. One gives vision and experience; the other gives strength and reliability. An architect asks, 'How should people experience this place?' An engineer asks, 'How can we make it work safely and efficiently?' A good building or a structure needs both questions to be answered. 

Learning From Nature

Before discussing the great master architects, let us reflect upon the greatest teacher for all human architects - Nature. I think we all can agree that before humans became architects, nature was already demonstrating the principles that humans later called architecture. Birds build nests according to climate. Bees create incredibly efficient honeycombs. Termites make mounds that naturally control temperature without machines. Even animals understand orientation, safety, shelter, and material selection.Early humans observed nature carefully. That is how architecture began.In Sikkim also, our ancestors understood climate deeply. They built with stone, mud, timber, bamboo, and sloped roofs because they understood rain, wind, and mountain conditions.Today we often copy building styles from cities like Dubai, Singapore, and Western countries without always questioning whether those ideas truly respond to our own climate, culture, and landscape.Architecture becomes meaningful when it grows from the land and life of the people.

Learning From Great Architects

Many great architects around the world have dedicated their lives to understanding the relationship between people and nature. Their ideas are highly relevant to the present and future of Sikkim.

Architects like Hassan Fathy, Peter Zumthor, Glenn Murcutt, Laurie Baker, Didi Contractor, B.V. Doshi, Charles Correa, Francis Kéré and Anna Heringer have shown that architecture is not about creating impressive forms of buildings but about creating meaningful places.

Hassan Fathy, an Egyptian architect, believed that architecture should serve ordinary people. Through his work with local materials and traditional methods, he demonstrated that beauty and dignity can be achieved without expensive technology. His ideas remind us that local resources, local artisans, and local wisdom are valuable. This approach is highly relevant to Sikkim, where we have rich local materials and traditional knowledge. For Fathy, architecture was not only a product but a cultural process.

Peter Zumthor, a Swiss architect, focuses on the emotional quality of architecture. He believes that buildings should not only be seen but experienced through light, texture, sound, and atmosphere. For Zumthor, architecture is not only something we look at but also something we inhabit with our entire body. This idea is especially relevant in Sikkim, where mist, forests, rain, and mountain silence already create a powerful natural atmosphere.

Glenn Murcutt, an Australian architect’s philosophy of “touching the earth lightly” teaches us to design buildings that work with climate and terrain rather than against it. His works are resource-efficient and multi-functional. In a fragile mountain ecosystem like Sikkim, this approach is extremely important because land and buildable space are extremely limited. His approach teaches us that every intervention in the mountains must be thoughtful and minimal.

Laurie Baker, a British-born Indian architect, showed that simplicity can create beauty. His use of local materials, natural ventilation, and sustainable methods proves that good architecture does not have to be expensive. His philosophy of cost-effective and energy-efficient architecture did not change even when he designed for rich clients. In a society where buildings are sometimes seen as symbols of status and prosperity, his ideas offer a reminder that simplicity and dignity can coexist.

(A house in the Himalayas designed by Didi Contractor)

The work of Didi Contractor, an American-born Indian architect, in the Himalayan region is another example of architecture deeply connected to nature. She worked with earth, stone, bamboo, and traditional techniques, creating buildings that feel as though they belong to the landscape. For Sikkim, her ideas can teach us to create harmony between people and the environment through architecture that emerges from the local landscape.

Indian architects like B.V. Doshi and Charles Correa also explored how modern architecture could remain connected to Indian culture and climate. They demonstrated that progress does not require abandoning cultural identity. Their ideas can be useful in Sikkim, where the climatic zones vary from tropical valleys to alpine regions (Jorethang to Thangu Valley) and where people are deeply culturally rooted.

Francis Kéré and Anna Heringer represent a new generation of architects who believe that architecture should empower people and respect local wisdom. Francis Kéré grew up in Burkina Faso and his work focuses on creating architecture through community participation, local materials, and climate-sensitive design. His famous school projects use natural ventilation, locally available materials, and involve local communities in construction, proving that meaningful architecture can emerge even with limited resources. For mountain communities like those in Sikkim, this demonstrates that limitations can become opportunities for creativity. Anna Heringer, a German architect, similarly explores the relationship between architecture, sustainability, and human dignity. Her projects often use natural materials such as earth and bamboo while collaborating with local artisans. 

Their philosophies remind us that buildings are not isolated objects but social spaces that strengthen communities. Their work shows that sustainability is not only about technology but also about preserving skills, culture, and a connection between people and their environment.  Their work also demonstrates that local materials are not symbols of poverty but can become expressions of beauty, innovation, and identity. For Sikkim, the ideas of Kéré and Heringer are also highly relevant. Our future architecture can learn from them by valuing local materials, traditional craftsmanship, and community involvement while still embracing modern knowledge.

The Future of Sikkim’s Architecture

As Sikkim develops, construction will continue to grow. Development is necessary, but the question is: what kind of development do we want? Do we want buildings that only increase in size and quantity, becoming more disconnected from our identity as we "progress"? Or do we want spaces that improve the quality of life? As an architect and a humanist, I feel that the future of architecture in Sikkim should focus on harmony between modern technology and traditional wisdom, between human needs and environmental responsibility. Moreover, I have realised that this understanding is gradually becoming part of our collective consciousness. We must remember that mountains are not empty land waiting to be covered with concrete. They are living ecosystems. 

Good architecture does not dominate nature; it works with it. 

Each of these architects, from different parts of the world, explored a common question: how can buildings serve people while respecting nature? This is a question that Sikkim must ask itself today. Architecture is not only about creating places where we live. It is about creating places where people can belong and feel connected to. The buildings we create today will become the memories of future generations, just as we grew up carrying the memories we gathered in the spaces created by our ancestors. Therefore, every wall, every window, every street, and every public space is an opportunity to shape a better society. Architecture is not merely about constructing buildings; it is about creating the stage upon which human life unfolds.