STATE TIMES NEWS
LEH: The ‘Big Building’ of the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) won the International Terra Award Trophy. This was announced at the 12th World Congress on Earthen Architecture in Lyon France. SECMOL was one of the nine winners out of the 40 finalists selected from 250+ contestants coming from all continents of the world.
“I consider this an honour for the country and a celebration of Ladakh’s rich tradition in earth architecture in particular. I congratulate every Ladakhi and thank all the present and former students, campers, volunteers and members of SECMOL who were involved in building up the Campus,” expressed Founder SECMOL, noted Educationist and environmentalist, Sonam Wangchuk while breaking the news through Social Media.
Wangchuk was in Lyon to attend the World Congress on Earthen Architecture that takes place every four years where more than 1,000 experts from all parts of the earth had gathered to share their work on earth buildings.
Congress leader and MLA Nawang Rigzin Jora congratulated all Ladakhis in general and Sonam Wangchuk and his team at SECMOL in particular.
“You have done us – Ladakhis – the state and the country proud. It isn’t by any standard a mean achievement. To be selected amongst 250 contestants from all the continents of the world and yet to be declared among the 9 trophy winners is a Very Very BIG DEAL! Yes, it is indeed, a tribute to Ladakh’s rich heritage of earth architecture, but it is, in my humble opinion, a bigger tribute to your ingenuity and creativity. Of course, your team at SECMOL deserves no less applause. All in all this is a huge win for all of us”, wrote Jora.
The rammed earth ‘Big Building’, located at SECMOL Campus, was built using simple, low-cost traditional techniques on principles of passive solar architecture. The building comprises a big solar heated teaching hall, several rooms for the students, and other classrooms.
Not only this building but the entire SECMOL campus doesn’t require to burn fossil fuels for heating even during peak winter months when outside temperatures drops below – 20 degree census. This building was inaugurated in 1998 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama.
