APPEALS

Tibetan Architecture Documentation Centre (TADC)

Tibetan Architecture Documentation Centre (TADC) is a non-profit organization under the auspices of the Library of Tibetan Works and Affairs, Dharamsala, India and is run entirely by volunteers. Theyrequestany information (e.g. data, photographs) concerning buildings in Lhasa or the direct environment of Lhasa from both before 1959 and after 1959.

As you know, Tibetan Architecture is in grave danger of extinction. The Chinese invasion in 1959 led to a systematic and deliberate destruction of the flourishing Tibetan culture. Monuments and traditional buildings were most affected. Of more than 6000 monuments that existed in the pre-1959 period only a handful exist today. Architectural traditions in Tibet were a direct result of the religious beliefs, social and political ethos, technology and cultural interaction with the neighboring countries - each aspect playing an important role in the design of traditional structures. Traditional construction practices have been discouraged and modern structures replace these monuments in the ancient landscape.

In exile, traditional craftsmen and builders in a desperate attempt to preserve traditional architecture have been merely replicating ancient structures with modern materials. The result is a strangely unique architectural style that renders Tibetan architecture as merely an elevational treatment. The development of Tibetan architecture has come to a standstill and no building built in exile can singly stand out to represent the community in exile.

The need for a centre to look into aspects of the Tibetan architectural traditions had been long felt. The TADC (Tibetan Architecture Documentation Centre) was formed in 1991 as a part of the LTWA (Library of Tibetan Works and Archives), after long deliberations with the TSC (Technical Service Centre) of the Central Tibetan Administration to document the dying tradition and provide a data bank for future constructions.

Since its inception, the TADC has acquired over 12000 slides and photographs of ancient monuments in Tibet and the Trans-Himalayan areas and is in the process of archiving and cataloguing these slides and buildings. The TADC in conjunction with the LTWA has a small data bank with documents and articles pertaining to Tibetan architecture and the architecture of the neighboring areas.

It is my work to collect data and/or photographs on important Tibetan buildings and monuments in Tibet. Presently I am concentrating on the Lhasa area and would like to request you for any information (e.g. data, photographs) concerning buildings in Lhasa or the direct environment of Lhasa that would be valuable for me. All data from both before 1959 and after 1959 are welcome. Of course, I am also very interested in recent photos on Tibetan buildings.

If you do have valuable information and/or contacts for me, can you please reply this e-mail as soon as possible. If you also have any suggestions where I can find more information (i.e. addresses or books), I shall pleased to receive it from you. Only in this way we can really build up one central database of all valuable data on Tibetan architecture.

Robert van Mulligen
Tibetan Architecture Documentation Centre
Gangchen Kyishong
Dharamsala
Himachal Pradesh-176215
India
ltwa@del6.vsnl.net.in