A new democratic nation was born in 2007 when His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuk abdicated his thrown, declaring Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk to be the new King and declaring Bhutan as the latest constitutional democracy. The National Ceremonial Plaza is the iconic symbol of this historic transition.
It brought national ceremonies and rituals from within the cloistered fortress monastery, the Trashichhodzong, out of palace walls to the people. This was the venue of the coronation ceremonies of the new young King.
The National Ceremonial Plaza is an addition to the ancient 13th century fortress monastery. Locally known as the Tsechu Plaza, this national public space is composed of tiered wood carved balconies; a large stepped plaza with a capacity to seat 25,000 participants; Green Rooms and sanitary facilities for dancers and musicians; public sanitary facilities; pavilions for serving tea; and controlled entry points. A central dance and performance arena accommodates several hundred musicians and dancers. The Thimphu Tsechu is the largest and most spectacular valley festival in the Himalayas!
The architect used local craftsmen and numerous artisans to work side by side in creating the space, as traditional construction is based on artistic temper and classical measure, not drawings, using Dolep granite stone slabs, Blue Pine wood, brass hardware and tin roof sheets.
The only gestures to modernity are the sanitary fittings and 350 imbedded LED floor luminars set to welcome the dawn sunrise, as the festival begins in darkness each day.
The National Ceremonial Plaza is the focal public domain of the Bhutanese Kingdom, a national icon for its citizens and a functional facility to accommodate religious and secular events of national importance. This public space is the “people’s place” for the six hundred thousand citizens of the world’s latest democracy!
2007
2008
Site Area: 1,244,230 sq.m
Built Area: 67,773sq.m
Cost of project: Rs. 11.85 crores
Design team: Prof. Christopher Charles Benninger, Deepak Kaw, Rahul Sathe
Consultants: M/S. Lho Jhong Constructions, Thimphu Bhutan
A Ramprasad Naidu
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