CONSERVATION PROJECT
This project aims to digitally preserve and document Paltan Ghar, a historically significant yet largely overlooked heritage structure nestled between Seto Machhindra Bahal and Ason in Kathmandu. This centuries-old building was originally constructed by military commander Abhiman Singh Basnet to house himself and his troops. Today, it quietly survives with a crumbling facade and active ground-floor shops. Through detailed 3D documentation, this initiative seeks to capture the architectural character, spatial history, and cultural legacy of this building before it is lost to time, enabling deeper public engagement and preservation efforts.
TYPOLOGY :
The site once combined residential and commercial functions, with upper floors serving as living and
meeting spaces and the ground floor as shops. Today, the upper levels are used only for storage, while the ground floor is subdivided into smaller commercial units.
USE GROUP :
Paltan Ghar began as a military residence granted to Commander Abhiman Singh Basnet, later evolving into a mix of residential and commercial use. Now jointly owned by 16 Basnyat brothers, much of the property and its elements have already been sold off. Today, it functions mainly as subdivided shops on the ground floor and storage on the upper levels, with the historic Tilaṅgā Āyurvedālaya pharmacy still in operation.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES:
Paltan Ghar employs a traditional load-bearing structural system built primarily with brick, timber, limestone, and mud, with later reinforcements in cement and concrete. Timber joists were introduced after major earthquakes to enhance stability. Openings are spanned with wooden planks, floors are paved with square clay tiles, and the roofing combines tin sheets with traditional jhingati tiles.
SAILENT FEATURES :
The building contains 2 exposed facades, one to the front and another at the back facing the courtyard. This 3.5 storied building has 3 roof styles on top and a elaborate window ribbon with intricate details across the front elevation. contains one wooden staircase in each floor for upper access and 3 Newari styled windows, 1 in each floor in the back elevation.
UNDERSTANDING OF BUILDING:
HISTORY
Paltan Ghar, is a 247-year-old architectural landmark that embodies Kathmandu’s cultural, military, and urban legacy. Built by Gorkhali commander Abhiman Singh Basnet to house himself and 72 troops, it was among the largest private residential complexes outside the royal Durbar squares, originally boasting eight courtyards and an expansive compound. Strategically placed between the royal palace at Basantapur and the city’s main gateway at Bhotahiti, the building symbolized authority and urban foresight. Architecturally, it was groundbreaking, becoming the first private structure in Kathmandu to incorporate window glass panels and featuring a façade decorated with clay reliefs of marching soldiers, giving rise to its enduring name, “Paltan Ghar.” The tripartite façade showcases elaborately carved openings, Gorkhali-era wooden columns, and finely detailed shutters on the lower levels, while the upper floor once displayed rows of tiki jhyals before later alterations. Though time, neglect, and ownership disputes have compromised parts of the structure, its intricate woodwork, innovative material use, and martial symbolism make it one of the most important surviving examples of Kathmandu’s layered architectural and urban history.
