Want some creative use of the old Royal Palace! It is a huge space in the most lucrative business districts of the country and it now houses a stupid museum and a stupid bureaucratic hole. So lets suggest some creative ideas for this space. Here are some of mine:
- Take the bloody foreign ministry somewhere else first.
- Get a bid for building a hybrid limited storied business- commercial shopping complex all around the Palace. This way new businesses will have a new address to attract nepalis and foreigners alike. Cap the design to be more architecturally Kathmandu’s Malla period architecture. Let there be a open plan/competition for architects for a design that incorporates tourism complex with a big park in the middle. Use this to attract responsible tourism related business into the complex. (plan is to extend and upgrade Thamel’s charm there in a more cultural plus natural framework).
- Let most of the revenue go towards building an impecabbly well maintained park not unlike the “Garden of Dreams” next door in Thamel. This will be our ‘Central Park of New York.’ Build a park where people can walk, children can play and pets can be brought in safely. Ban Big gatherings. They can go do that out in the streets of Kathmandu where they belong.
- Also make it a space for morning/evening walks, outdoor running, and peaceful meditation spots.
- Make another small space within this,where Artists, musicians, dancers, creative teams (not political) can hold open gatherings (without too much disturbances – architects can design this within the huge space of the Former Royal Palace.
- Make the park vehicle free but build a underground parking area though that will generate additional revenue and people can park their vehicles in peace.
- A Question: Make it open but with strict enforcement to keep out the law breakers around ? ” or keep it closed and with an affordable fee -easier to manage? catch-22?
Add your own ideas in the comments below at whynepal.com
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