Hubert Feiglstorfer Livres

Focusing on the interplay between architecture and craftsmanship, this book delves into the underexplored traditions of artisans in the Himalayan region. It examines how diverse building materials, each requiring unique processing techniques, are influenced by a complex mix of material, technical, social, and cultural factors. Through interdisciplinary research, it highlights both commonalities in knowledge about materials and local adaptations in crafting methods, revealing the connections between natural environments, regional traditions, and the material culture of the Himalayas.

Mineral building materials and regionally related methods of processing are an essential part of building culture throughout the Himalayas. Based on transregional knowledge transfer, raw materials have been able to find an ecologically and economically optimised destiny in particular local applications. For this study, samples were collected as raw material or originated from certain building components. Samples were analysed according to their material properties and architectural application. Traditional building techniques were examined and their correlation with traceable material qualities studied. Clay-specific properties such as colour, grain size distribution, grain shape, hardness, plasticity, organic additives, or bulk and clay mineral properties were used as comparative parameters. This study gives fresh insight into the interaction between technical requirements, environmental resources and material implementation. It is the first scientific approach in studying the Himalayan earthen heritage in a wide scope and connecting material research and cultural heritage from various perspectives - in particular archaeology, architecture, research on materials and building techniques.