{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1720235"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1720235/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PC7856/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PC7856/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PC7856","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PC7855","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1720235","accessionNumber":"E.253-2026","objectType":"model","titles":[{"title":"Teaching model representing HIAL's educational philosophy","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This teaching model was made by students at the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL) in Ladakh, India, a new university that promotes locally rooted, sustainable design practices and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). HIAL is a pioneering higher education and  masterplan design project, driven by a mission to train local young people and support future mountain communities adapting to  climate change.\r\n\t  \r\nFounded by a pair of award-winning Indian educators and entrepreneurs, Sonam Wanghuck and Gitanjali JB, the HIAL project is being delivered under the patronage of His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpochey, one of the foremost leaders in Tibetan Buddhism after HH the Dalai Lama, together with significant involvement from local Ladakhi communities. The vision for the university campus was first set out in 2015 during a summer school held at the SECMOL (Students Educational and Cultural Movement of  Ladakh), with initial seed funding being secured through a successful crowdfunding campaign. While rooted in Ladakh, HIAL is  committed to sharing its design strategies and education programmes with other high attitude regions around the world and actively collaborates with partners in Europe and South America. \n\nThe HIAL project and design philosophy promotes hands-on learning, revisiting Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and open-source design systems, and is underpinned by significant architectural and engineering design innovations in natural building construction and water infrastructure design. The groundbreaking design for the HIAL masterplan is creating a new university and township in the Phyang Valley in Ladakh, northern India, in the foothills of the Himalayas. The holistic design scheme draws on learnings from indigenous Indian architecture practices and traditional engineering technologies (notably centuries-old rammed earth building techniques and human-made, artificial glacier water management systems), reinventing these for contemporary needs through new research and digital technologies. The scheme’s core aim is to transform a cold mountain desert (desertified as a result of accelerating climate change) into a habitable, resilient, and future-facing eco-campus. \n\nThis model is an original teaching aid tool from the university, in use daily at HIAL as part of educational programmes. It was conceived and designed by HIAL co-founder Gitanjali J Angmo. Each segment of the roundel represents a key foundational concept in HIAL’s pedagogical philosophy, championing the integration of spiritual practices for self-improvement and respect for the natural environment with ecological design principles. Through this object, students are invited to self-assess their designs and teachers are encouraged to actively reflect on their curricula. Angmo’s teaching philosophy is a cornerstone of HIAL and has gained international recognition following Angmo’s Chevening Fellowship at the University of Oxford (2021). The approach also forms the basis of Angmo’s doctoral thesis. ","physicalDescription":"Circular wooden model with removable sections painted in various shades of red, orange, pink, blue and green. Each of the sections has something written on it relating to HIAL's philosophy.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Gitanjali J Angmo","id":"AUTH381136"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh","id":"AUTH380016"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"balsa wood","id":"AAT12512"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted balsa wood","categories":[{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"},{"text":"Architectural models","id":"THES274433"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Environment","id":"THES252687"},{"text":"Student Makers","id":"THES409160"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2025PC7856","2025PC7855"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"CA029","id":"THES413432"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"model","id":"AAT247279"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Ladakh","id":"x34230"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2022","earliest":"2022-01-01","latest":"2022-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Sonam Wangchuk and Gitanjali J Angmo, the founders of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"22","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"2024","earliest":"2024-01-01","latest":"2024-12-31"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"513","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"2024","earliest":"2024-01-01","latest":"2024-12-31"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"515","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"40","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Teaching model representing the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh's (HIAL) educational philosophy, designed by Dr Gitanjali J. Angmo (HIAL co-founder), produced by students at HIAL, painted wood, Ladakh, 2022","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.253-2026"],"accessionNumberNum":"253","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2026,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-16","recordCreationDate":"2022-06-14","availableToBook":false}}