ICIMOD Model House (IMH)

The Great Gorkha earthquake of 25th April 2015 struck Nepal and brought down many houses in both urban and rural areas.

The main aim of the ICIMOD model house is to serve as a demonstrative house that employs earthquake resistant technology befitting Nepal’s rural context. It is built with stone masonry in mud mortar and reinforced with wooden ties. Utmost importance has been given to masonry techniques. For example, selection of proper “corner stones” and “through stones” and their application at appropriate locations within the stone masonry were minutely detailed. Many trial and error tests were carried out to see what natural mixtures would work best while using mud mortar. A mixture of mud, cow dung, finely chopped straw and ground egg shells was finally used.

Damages inflicted by the earthquake left behind, along with debris, many useful materials. With the concept of REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE, the roof tiles used in the model house are developed from flattened sheets of bitumen barrels that are usually left behind after road constructions. Setting an example, it encourages local people to reuse materials available at their disposal. The wooden posts in the house were salvaged from the old house that came down during earthquake. The windows have also been reused.

Functionally, the IMH which is located in the ICIMOD premises serves as a mock construction illustrating sound building practice and is open to the public.

Illustration