{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1808403"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1808403/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1808403","accessionNumber":"E.255-2026","objectType":"Digital file","titles":[{"title":"Masterplan drawing of Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh site","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This born-digital masterplan drawing produced by HIAL with external collaborators Future Institute, an Indian urban research platform, illustrates the final design and layout of the university campus. This masterplan illustrates the final plan for land use, the layout of residential and teaching buildings throughout the site, alongside ‘green zones’ designated as arable land for planting trees and other vegetation resilient to local climate on this cold mountain desert plateau. Central in this masterplan are clusters of natural, rammed earth buildings, designed by HIAL and built by teacher and student teams as part of the university’s ‘hands on’ learning philosophy. Innovative systems of water supply, in the form of HIAL’s ‘Ice Stupa’ artificial glaciers, are shown located along the perimeter on the left. These provide the vital supply of water that transforms the site into a terrain that supports year-round cultivation and residence. \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","physicalDescription":"PDF masterplan drawing of Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL) site, including university, township and surrounding agricultural landscape.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh","id":"AUTH380016"},"association":{"text":"architects","id":"AAT24987"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Digital file in the format of PDF","categories":[{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Environment","id":"THES252687"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"DAMS","id":"THES280561"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"digital file","id":"THES396085"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Ladakh","id":"x34230"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2024","earliest":"2024-01-01","latest":"2024-12-31"},"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":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Masterplan drawing of Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL) site, including university, township and surrounding agricultural landscape, produced by HIAL with Future Institute, PDF, Ladakh, India, 2024","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.255-2026"],"accessionNumberNum":"255","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2026,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2026PR3997"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-16","recordCreationDate":"2025-09-04","availableToBook":false}}