Content area
Full Text
ABSTRACT
Much of the flora and fauna in East Sikkim is under threat mainly due to habitat loss and fragmentation. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) India asked 'arch iplatform 'to find innovative and sustainable solutions to resolve the conflict between man and the environment in this region of East Sikkim. After an initial field visit, the village of Gnathang was selected. The existing houses are in poor shape with leaking roofs, no thermal insulation and therefore burning bamboo and firewood for heating up the house is inevitable. The design strategy proposed was to look at various ways to reuse the existing solid waste and improve the comfort in the existing houses.
INTRODUCTION
Sikkim is one of the four states in India where the endangered Red Panda is found. WWF India conducted intensive studies on the Red Panda at the Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary and Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary to assess its habitat and population status. Due to loss of nesting trees and bamboo, the Red Panda population has declined, estimated to be about 300 in 2011.' Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state located in the Himalayan Mountains. The State borders Nepal to the West, China's Tibet Autonomous Region to the North and East, -and Bhutan to the South-East. The Indian state of West Bengal lies to the south. Sikkim is the least populous state in India and the second smallest state after Goa in total area, it is nonetheless geographically diverse due to its location in the Himalayas; the climate ranges from subtropical to high alpine and Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, is located on Sikkim's border with Nepal.
The long and winding road offers ever changing panoramas of Kangchenjunga and patches of high altitude lakes that merge with the massive mountains. Near army camps in Sikkim, one can see the jawans (soldiers) marching towards the 'mobile point' in order to speak to their families, while occasional clusters of houses form hamlets along the road. Most of the shops sell 'imported' goods from China, though local alcoholic beverages and instant noodles are consumed extensively. WWF had previously installed solar water heaters, in some villages of East Sikkim, in order to reduce the consumption of fuel wood. The village of Gnathang located at an...