Bamiyan Cultural Centre Competition Brief

Bamiyan Cultural Centre
Competition Brief
A nation stays alive when its culture stays alive

National Museum of Afghanistan
Source: Architectural Survey of the Buddhist Caves. UNESCO / Japanese Fund in Trust
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Bamiyan Cultural Centre Competition Brief
Copyright 2014 United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization UNESCO

All rights reserved.
UNESCO Kabul Office
H/No. KB-647, Jami Watt, PD-10
Shahr-e-Naw, Kabul, Afghanistan
Editors:
Koukaba Mojadidi, Sara Noshadi
Authors:
Brendan Cassar, Koukaba Mojadidi, Sara Noshadi
Language Editor:
Dana Holland
Competition Brief Architects:
Koukaba Mojadidi, Salim Rafik
Primary Photographer:
Ghulam Reza Mohammadi
Table of Contents
Statement from the Director of the UNESCO Office in Afghanistan
Statement from Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan
Editors Note 9
Introduction 11
Mission 17
Context 23
History of Afghanistan 24
History of Bamiyan 24
Urban Plan of Bamiyan City
26
Socio-Economic Overview 26
Sustainability 27
UNESCO World Heritage property: Bamiyan Valley
37
Typologies of Architecture 51
Architectural Guidelines 55
Critical principles of design for the Cultural Centre
56
The Site 57
Site Analysis
58
Building Regulations 68
Building Program 68
Building Requirements 69
Competition Submission & Regulations
Building peace in the minds of men and women - UNESCO
73
Acknowledgments 79
PA R T N E R S
4
The Islamic Republic of

Afghanistan
The Republic of
Korea
Endorsed by International Union of Architects
STATEMENTS
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Statement from the Director of the UNESCO Office in Afghanistan

The Bamiyan Cultural Centre will be a space for exhibitions and training, research and education,
bringing together the remarkable history of Afghanistan and its contribution as a crossroads of
different civilizations.
UNESCO believes that culture represents an essential element of nation building in every country,
and has an important role to play in the transformation of Afghanistan. Culture makes a valuable
contribution to socio-economic development, and, in the case of Bamiyan, it paves the way towards
future opportunities for employment, income generation and education. The Centre will foster
the participation of local communities in not only protecting and preserving their own cultural
heritage, but also in sharing it.
We would like to thank all our stakeholders and partners involved in the protection and preservation
of the UNESCO World Heritage and Cultural Landscape of the Bamiyan Valley and in particular
the Government of the Republic of Korea for providing the generous funding for the Bamiyan
Cultural Centre.
UNESCO, together with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, has decided to select the design
of the Bamiyan Cultural Centre through an open international competition. We wish to thank
wholeheartedly the collaboration of the Bamiyan Governor and Mayor, the Ministry of
Information and Culture, the Ministry of Urban Development, the Ministry of Agriculture and
the people of Bamiyan that made it possible to build the Cultural Centre on the most prominent
site in Bamiyan overlooking the Buddha cliff. This project of public significance is close to the
UNESCO World Heritage property of Bamiyan and defined by the sites outstanding universal
value.
The design competition welcomes proposals from professionals who have a vision for the importance of cultural identity and its role in shaping the future of a nation.
Thank you,
Paolo Fontani
Director and Representative
UNESCO Office in Afghanistan
Statement from Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan

I am delighted that the Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC) has enjoyed a long and
fruitful relationship with UNESCO. Indeed since 1948 when the country became a UNESCO
Member State, we have worked closely together to ensure not only the survival of the countrys
abundant and exceptional heritage, but to promote and export our culture and history to a
receptive, wider international audience. We are of course delighted with the recent agreement
by the Republic of Korea, in partnership with the MoIC and UNESCO, to design and construct
a long awaited cultural space for the people of Bamiyan and the wider national community.
The Bamiyan Cultural Centre marks the latest achievement among a number of accomplishments
in the area of cultural and heritage since the beginning of 2003. As a result of the joint efforts
of the MoIC and UNESCO, we have seen the recognition of the inspiring Ghurid minaret on the
banks of the Hari Rud, an exceptional testament to 11th/12th century Islamic art and architecture,
as a World Heritage property.
stage. This is an aspiration we seek to realise in the decades to come through the continued
mutually advantageous cooperation between the Afghan government, Afghan heritage professionals
and our international colleagues in the field of culture both at UNESCO and in the many other
agencies and organizations that we continue to work with in Afghanistan.
Sincerely,
H.E. Dr. Sayed Makhdoom Raheen

Minister
Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan
Additionally, some nine monumental elements within the Bamiyan Valley were also listed in
2003, galvanizing the programme of works that have subsequently led to the successful stabilization
of the eastern Buddha Cliff, and it is with anticipation that we await a repeat of this success at
the Western Buddha in the next few years. A plethora of other historic monuments and landscapes
have also been restored or stabilized around the country over the last twelve years. We must
also not forget the more intangible elements of our heritage. I am pleased to say that in my time
as Minister, I have seen a noticeable and welcome resurgence in the interest in and promotion
of Afghan film, theatre, the fine arts and a revival of traditional crafts and expertise, that many
thought were lost for good, from time-honored wood carving techniques to a host of young artisans
learning the art of miniature painting. Within the ensuing decade I also remain confident that a
number of other monuments and cultural landscapes will be recognized and listed by the World
Heritage Committee with UNESCOs support.
I would like to conclude with a short quote from the Roman philosopher and statesman, Lucius
Seneca, who wrote the following, which I believe is as relevant for Afghanistan today as it was
for Ancient Rome in the 1st century AD.
As the soil, however rich it may be, cannot be productive without cultivation, so the mind
without culture can never produce good fruit.
It is our culture, heritage and history that represent and feed the psyche of the people of the
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, whatever their perceived ethnicity or tribal affiliations, and it
is the recognition, acceptance and guardianship of our culture that we need to cultivate in
order to move forward as a nation in the 21st century, regionally and on a wider international
Shahr-i-Ghulghulah, Ghulam Reza Mohammadi

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Editors Note
Afghanistan has been seen as a place of conflict and strife, but this is far from the whole
picture. The country is a place of extraordinary resilience, where some of the worlds most
ancient cultural traditions comingled, where there are stunningly varied landscapes and where
the people retain a deep well of hopefulness and optimism for a better future. With the realisation of the Bamiyan Cultural Centre we now have the opportunity to recapture heritage, to
create a physical impact on a historic site and to foster a new positive relationship between
past and present.
Funding for cultural projects is often neglected in conflict zones. This is in part because their
results are usually not visible in the short-term. However, cultural rights are human rights
and a sense of shared cultural attachment is arguably a prerequisite for achieving sustainable
peace. The Bamiyan Cultural Centre project is a one of a kind project. International and national entities are uniting around the idea that building a nation through cultivating culture is an
important way to sustain peace and advance positive aspirations for the future. Now, through
this design competition, architects around the world have the opportunity to contribute to this
process.
celebrate culture. The winning design will give a vantage point from which to forge a new path
to transcend and find the opportunity in challenges.
As you read through this brief and develop innovative ideas, please remember that the Bamiyan Cultural Centre is more about the Afghan future than the pastit is about recapturing
missed possibility, honouring hope, and progressing towards a bright future. Our hope is that
the Cultural Centre will improve lives for generations to come. Along with housing some of
the countrys treasures it will offer youth a place to gather, communicate, perform, gain insight into their past and themselves, and learn beyond the official education curriculum. The
Cultural Centre will open new horizons for local residents and all Afghan. Our hope is that
this building helps people move beyond conflict, to reclaim their shared heritage and to step
towards building a peaceful future.
Koukaba Mojadidi, Sara Noshadi
In this brief we have tried to immerse you in the specifics of the project. This includes giving
you general background about Afghanistan and Bamiyan in order to encourage innovative designs for this very special place. To physically stand on the Bamiyan Cultural Centre siteas
you will be able to do through the images in the brief and associated videois to be inspired by
many things: the views over the vast valley, the remains of an ancient multi-cultural past along
the Silk Road, the present-day vitality of the Bamiyan people, the empty niches where the giant
Buddhas once stood, reminding us of Afghanistans recent divisive past.
While there is much to inspire us, Afghanistan also present challenges for design. Afghanistan
is, in effect, starting from zero in terms of the design and construction industries. However,
what we have learned during our time working here is that resource and capacity limitations
are not the most consequential impediments because they can, with creativity and patience, be
overcome. Instead, in order to make an impact, one must first conceptually see a potential in
creating something new here, in converting hope and inspiration into something tangible and
substantial.
Architecture by definition gives us a special generative power in this movement from concept
to realization. Architecture is beyond the physical, beyond the learned, beyond current conditions. Architecture moves from conception to realization through visualising a potential in this
context. Buildings are not an end in themselves, they are a means to an end, and in the Bamiyan
Culture Centre project that end has to do with restoring hope in a place that will preserve and
Main view from Cultural Centre site, Koukaba Mojadidi

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Introduction
11
Introduction
View of Bamiyan Valley, Ghulam Reza Mohammadi

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Introduction
Afghanistan or Ancient Ariana, as many ancient Greek and Roman authors referred to the region in antiquity, is the multi-cultural cradle
of Central Asia, linking East and West via historically significant trade
conduits that also conveyed concepts and languages as a cultural
by-product of fledgling international commerce. As a result,
contemporary Afghanistan is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual society
with a complex history stretching back many millennia. The numerous
civilizations attested to in the archaeological record, both indigenous
and foreign, constitute an extremely important account of the history
and archaeology of Asia. Afghanistan is unfortunately also a nation
fragmented by a history of protracted conflict, inter-factional fighting and simmering ethnic tension that is exacerbated by geographic
isolation for many communities and by limited or unequal access to
infrastructure and resources, both regionally and demographically.
Afghanistan is currently beginning its second decade of democratic
governance after a long period of political conflict. As a result, the
economy has suffered greatly, making Afghanistan one of the poorest
nations in the world. The emerging government has had to manage
this political and economic instability while making the first steps towards rebuilding and developing the foundations of rudimentary infrastructure that have been devastated by 30 years of political instability.
Located in central Afghanistan, Bamiyan is said to be one of the most
peaceful provinces and is often described as the heart of Afghanistan. The city of Bamiyan has a quiet mountain feel with a friendly
agrarian community. The cityscape has strong sun during the day, is
surrounded by a colored mountainous terrain and has a small market
street defining the centre of town. Bamiyans economy is agrarian,
consisting mostly of potato and wheat production, and except for a
nascent tourist industry, the local economy is in need of growth. Over
the centuries, people have built their homes and communities on the
geologically rich terrain with endless natural beauty. The place has
shaped a culture of people noted for their respect for human generosity and connection.
captured the attention of some of the most powerful civilizations dating back to Alexander the Great. The nation is now ready for a new
era, to walk through a gateway that will convert the years of struggle
into a positive future.
The culture sector in Afghanistan can make a fundamental contribution to peace and nation-building initiatives through the promotion of
a positive cross-cultural discourse, cross-cultural understanding and
respect for cultural diversity. Museum collections and culture centres
are making considerable contributions at both local community and
national levels in countries throughout the world, serving as a locus
for dialogue on the value of cultural diversity in all its local, national
and international forms of expression. Knowledge, understanding and
acceptance of both a nations history and its present standing are a
strong foundation upon which to build a positive future.
Image
It is the mandate of UNESCO to make a contribution in the areas of

education, science, and culture in order to promote peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. With the implementation of every project,
UNESCO is helping to rebuild and bring stability and capacity to this
nation and its people. UNESCO is contributing to reconstructing a
new foundation that will be significant to the future of Afghanistan.
The Bamiyan Cultural Centre will be a cornerstone in this foundation,
aiming to preserve culture, promote research and build community
around culture, and thereby create cohesion from a fractured cultural
context.
Bamiyan traditional dress
The land that served as a gateway to India, impinging on the ancient

Silk Road, which carried trade from the Mediterranean to China, has
School girls walking home
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Introduction
Landscapes of Bamiyan Province

1:
Aerial view of Bamiyan
2: Chasht Valley
3: Winter in Bamiyan Valley
4: Terraced mud houses on mountain side
5: Potato fields in late summer
6: Hindu Kush Mountains
7: Band-i-Amir during winter

8: Potato fields in early summer
9: Piemuri valley
10: Western Buddha niche
11: Waterfall at Band-i-Amir
12: Bamiyan Valley

13: Bamiyan Valley
14: Band-i-Haibat at Band-i-Amir
15: Foladi River

16: Baba Mountain
17: Shahr-i-Zuhak, World Heritage property
18: Bamiyan Valley

19: Wild horses in Bamiyan province
20: Bamiyan city from Buddha cliff
21: A view of Baba mountain
22: Remaining structure at Shahr-i-Ghulghulah
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Buzkashi - National game of Afghanistan, Ghulam Reza Mohammadi

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Mission
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Mission
Mission of the Bamiyan Cultural Centre

The current situation in Afghanistan is exacerbated by the geographic
isolation of some provinces, along with limited access to infrastructure and resources affecting many communities. As the ongoing rehabilitation process in Afghanistan continues, these issues need to
be addressed if the nation is to unify under the common objective to
create a society free from conflict and where ethnic diversity is recognized for its social, cultural and economic benefits, rather than seen as
a hindrance. Part of the solution to this problem lies in promoting positive public discourse and cross-cultural understanding. Cross-cultural
understanding and awareness can contribute to the broader goals of
reconciliation, peace-building and economic development in Afghanistan.
Boys playing
Girls in traditional dress
This process has not yet begun in earnest in Afghanistan and the main
obstacle has been an environment in which these concepts have been
barely explored, where conflict and factionalism have been used to
intensify existing ethnic tensions and rivalries. The Ministry of Information and Culture is aware of the potential of its institutions to
contribute to peace, reconciliation and reconstruction and is actively
pursuing the rehabilitation of museums in Kabul, Ghazni and Jalalabad
with the assistance of a number of donors, including UNESCO and
additional implementing partners.
The Bamiyan Cultural Centre will focus on promoting cultural
awareness among ethnic groups as a way to advance reconciliation,
peace-building in Afghanistan. It will challenge cultural barriers, reaffirm Afghanistans remarkable ancient history and enforce culture
as a foundational component to Afghan national identity. The Centre
will not only function as a facility to unify, represent and study Afghan
culture, but as a space to exchange ideas, congregate and establish a
vibrant community for the future.
The Cultural Centre will support the artistic and cultural process, using the institution as a platform to connect the public with Afghan
cultural practices. The space can also be envisioned as an incubator
for thought, history, art, music, literature and community interaction.
Horsemen in Bamiyan Valley

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The Centre will provide modern display spaces for archaeological and
ethnographic artefacts, and will also act as a multi-purpose state-of-
the-art cultural complex. The building will provide adaptable space

that can be used for a variety of purposes, ultimately benefiting many
stakeholders across a wide demographic, ranging from young school
children and visiting scholars, to national and international organizations wishing to hold conferences and local people who can gain skills
for employment in the culture information and tourism industries.
The Cultural Centre will run training programs throughout the year,
both on specific cultural heritage related expertise and public education,
especially for youth. Visiting scholars and national and international
organizations can hold trainings in conservation, arts and crafts as
well as in other skills for employment and the tourism industries. The
Cultural Centre will serve as a public space for civil society and the
general public of Bamiyan and its training programs will serve the
community as an institution dedicated to excellence in cultural
education.
Mission Key Concepts

To enrich community life through programs and cultural events such as festivals, films, drama, music, dance, etc., that reflect the culture
of the region and use these forms of communication to disseminate information and to raise awareness on cultural heritage.
To provide a venue and organize a variety of cultural, educational and recreational programs for the public to learn and appreciate different
facets of Afghanistans heritage, history and cultural context.
To foster and cultivate cultural exchange between different ethnic groups in Afghanistan in order to contribute meaningfully to the spirit
of multi-culturalism.
To promote the creation, performance and appreciation of arts by coordinating arts advocacy.
To serve the community by establishing, maintaining and operating a unique facility and provide services that contribute to the vitality of
the community.
To serve the democratic society by providing a public space for civil society.
Gathering at Silk Road Cultural Festival 2011

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Mission
Culture
1:
Tanbura instrument played by a Bamiyan musician
2: Wool spinning
3: Art exhibition in Bamiyan city
4: Music concert infront of Buddha site
5: Girls in Bamiyan
6: Local bread baking

7: Wrestling contest
8: Traditional carpet
9: Barak weaving in Bamiyan
10: Carpet weaving

11: Buddha cave painting
12: Traditional carpet
13: Spices sold at local market
14: Musicians at Silk Road festival
15: Buzkashi game

16: Girl in traditional wedding dress
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View of Kabul City, Ghulam Reza Mohammadi

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Context
23
Context
History of Afghanistan
Gold artefact, Afghan treasure, National Museum of Afghanistan / National Geographic, Greco-Bactrian period
Abdul Razzaq Mausoleum, Ghazni, Ghaznavid period
The written history of Afghanistan can be traced back to around

500 BCE when the area was under the Achaemenid Empire, although evidence indicates that an advanced degree of urbanized
culture existed in the land beginning between 3000 and 2000 BCE.
Afghanistan was the ancient Bactria, one of the provinces of the
Persian Empire under the Achaemenids. Alexander the Great and
his Macedonian army arrived in what is now Afghanistan in 330
BCE after conquering Persia during the Battle of Gaugamela. The
region was then ruled by Seleucid dynasty and the Maurya dynasty
of northern India.
History of Bamiyan
The Kushans, a group of nomadic tribes, ruled the region from the
2nd century BCE. They were patrons of the arts and religion and
were responsible for the introduction of Buddhist art in the Bactrian
style, which was influenced by Hellenistic art and by the Sasanians.
The Silk Road passed through Afghanistan and contributed to the
diffusion of Buddhism from India in this region in the 1st century
CE. The Sasanians controlled Afghanistan from the mid-3rd century, Central Asian nomads ruled in the 5th century, and a coalition
of Sasanians and Western Turks took the power in mid-6th century.
The Arab invasions influenced the culture of Afghanistan, as its Zoroastrian, Macedonian and Buddhist past had long vanished, or had
just started to decline. Turkic empire-builders such as the Ghaznavids, Ghurids and Timurids made the region, by then called Afghanistan, into major importance.
In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani unified the Pashtun tribes and created
the Durrani Empire, which is usually considered the beginning of
modern Afghanistan. In the late 19th century, Afghanistan became a
buffer state buffer between the British Indian Empire and the Russian Empire. On August 19, 1919, following the third Anglo-Afghan
war, the country regained full independence from the United Kingdom.
In recent era, a brief period of democracy ended in a 1973 coup
and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded
in 1979 to support the Afghan Communist regime, sparking a long
Minaret of Jam, Ghore, Ghorid period

24
and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless

pressure from internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. After a subsequent series of civil wars, in 1996 Kabul
fell to the Taliban, a hard-line movement that emerged in 1994 to
end the countrys civil war. Following the September 11, 2001, a US,
Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the
Taliban. The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a
process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a
new constitution.
The name Bamiyan derives from the ancient Dari word Bamikan, the
middle roof, and is first mentioned in the 5th century CE as the kingdom of Fan-Yang in Chinese texts. As a passage into the Hindu Kush
and an important subsidiary route of the Silk Road, the Bamiyan Valley
was for over two thousand years a centre for trade between east and
west and a place of cultural and religious exchange.
Believed to be the burial site of important saints, Bamiyan became a
Buddhist centre under the Kushan emperors in the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, when Buddhist culture rose to its apogee in Central Asia
and subsequently spread to China as well as to the West, influencing
early Christian iconography. Although it is probable that Buddhist settlements were located on the bank of the Bamiyan River, the monastic
community and the inhabitants of Bamiyan took advantage of the soft
cliffs to create cave shelters, sometimes decorated with ornamentation. These cave shelters were oriented southwards with balconies
and terraces to catch the maximum sun in winter. It is believed that the
monumental Buddha sculptures were carved into the cliffs of Bamiyan
between the 3rd and the 6th centuries CE. Historic documentation refers to celebrations held every year that attracted numerous pilgrims
and to offers that were made to the monumental statues.
Islamic art and architecture were introduced to Bamiyan in the 11th
century CE, when the central part of Afghanistan was under the rule
of Sultan Mahmud of Chazna (998-1030). The town of Bamiyan was
designed on the model of the Khorassan region of Iran. Under the rule
of the Ghurids (1155-1212), the development included the fortified settlements of Shahr-i-Bamiyan (later Ghulghulah), Shahr-i-Zuhak and
Shahr-i-Sarkhoshak.
The army of Genghis Khan ruined the town of Bamiyan and looted
the Buddhist monasteries in the early 13th century CE. The Mughal
emperor Aurangzeb (1618-1707) ordered his army to shoot off the legs
of the large Buddha. The valley was abandoned for a long period, but
at the end of the 19th century, the caves were inhabited and used as
shelters for domestic animals. As cooking and heating took place inside the caves, most of the painted surfaces were covered by soot and
turned black.
In the 19th century, Alexander Burnes and Charles Masson visited
Bamiyan and learned of the existence of the colossal sculptures without realizing that they were of Buddhist origin. In 1885, Milo George
Talbot, Pelham James Maitland, and William Simpson arrived in Bamiyan and surveyed the two Giant Buddhas and nearby Caves B,D, and
E. The first full-scale archaeological investigation of Bamiyan began
with the founding of the Dlgation Archologique Franaise en Afghanistan, under the lead of its first director, Alfred Foucher.
In 1922, the first phase of the investigations at Bamiyan was conducted by the architect Andr Godard and his wife Yedda, who were joined
by the archaeologist Joseph Hackin. In 1929, Hackin revisited Afghanistan, accompanied by his wife Ria and the architect Jean Carl. They
made important discoveries of mural paintings at Bamiyan and Kakrak
and conducted the first excavation of Cave G to the east of the East
Giant Buddha, uncovering mural paintings and fragments of Buddhist
manuscripts.
In 1932, the Japanese art historian Sennosuke Odaka from the Tokyo
Art Research Institute (later the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo) took a large number of valuable photographs
of the sites. In 1933, Hackin and Carl conducted the first surveys of
Caves J and K.
In 1936, a team from Harvard University led by Benjamin Roland con-
ducted research at Bamiyan, publishing new discoveries concerning

the iconographic interpretation of the ceiling mural paintings in the
niche of the East Giant Buddha. The team also sampled fragments of
the mural paintings in the caves surrounding the East Giant Buddha,
and carried out the first analysis of their pigments. The first comprehensive archaeological map of the Bamiyan sites was completed by
Jacques Meuni in 1936.
In 1952, the door was opened to broader international involvement in
archaeological research in Afghanistan, and a number of new studies
of Bamiyan were undertaken. In 1964 and 1969, a Japanese team from
Nagoya University conducted comprehensive measurement surveys
of all the mural paintings and caves. In 1973, another Japanese team
from Kyoto University commenced a comprehensive photographic
survey. In 1975 and 1977, a Japanese team from Seijo University studied
the mural paintings in all the caves at the Great cliff, including Cave
K. From 1969 to 1978, the Archaeological Survey of India, operating
with support from UNESCO, carried out a major program for the restoration and preservation of the Bamiyan sites, involving work on the
two giant Buddhas and their neighbouring caves, cleaning and stabilizing their mural paintings. The studies of Bamiyan by Zemaryalai Tarzi,
then the Director of the Institute of Archaeology in Afghanistan (1977),
and by Deborah Klimburg-Salter (1989) should also be mentioned.
Tomb of Queen Gawharshad, Herat, Timurid period.
From the 1970s, the area was used by the military and the caves were
abandoned, thus provoking further damage to the mural paintings.
During this time, the rich heritage of the Bamiyan Valley was exposed
to the decades-long armed conflict. In 2001, the Buddha statues were
deliberately destroyed. In 2003, the property was inscribed on theUNESCO World Heritage List.
After the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, and in the framework
of UNESCO projects funded by the governments of Japan, Italy, Switzerland and Germany, further conservation work has been carried
out. Interventions have been conducted for the preservation of mural
paintings, the consolidation of the Buddha cliff and niches, the conservation of Buddha fragments, the elaboration of the Cultural Master
Plan and Management Plan and the conservation work at the Islamic
citadel of Shahr-i-Ghulghulah.
Three of five standing Minarets, Herat, Timurid period.
25
erage temperature is 8 deg C. The maximum summer temperature is 30 deg C and the
nimum winter temperature is - 20 deg C. Thus, heating systems are necessary, but air
nditioning is not.
he atmospheric transmittance of solar radiation is high, with especially strong sunshine during
e summer. This solar energy can be utilized. The wind direction is mainly from the SSN in the
ea planned for the construction of the Bamiyan Museum and the wind speed is constant at 2
s with blast. The wind direction and speed should be taken into account in the design of the
tural ventilation system.
Humidity ratio [%]
Temperature [degC]
64Electric system
ElectricityElectricity is necessary because it is not available from a public electric supply. Thus, a
private electric generator must be installed. In addition, in order to reduce electricity use,
required maintenance, and costs, the capacity of the generator should be minimized
Lighting systemAn LED (light emitting diode) lighting system is recommended because of its long
operating life and low energy consumption. The maximum electrical consumption for lighting is
Context
estimated at about 10 W/m2.
2500 30
Telecommunication system Telecommunication will consist of personal computers and control
20
instruments. The maximum electrical consumption for telecommunication is 5 W/m2.
Socio-economic overview
Urban Plan of Bamiyan
City
OthersAdditional requirements will consist of ventilation fans and pumps for drainage and water
2m/s
supply,
and
induction
heating
(IH)
cooking
heaters.
Maximum
electrical
consumption for these
100
40
Bamiyan city retains its rural
character and its attachment to the land.
Afghanistan
has been a strategically important location throughout
Temperature
units is 5 W/m2. If the IH cooking system is necessary, heaters other than IH heaters should not
90
35
Humidity ratio
It
is
a
patchwork
of
mud-house
villages,
potato
and
wheat
fields,
with
history.
Sitting
on many trade and migration routes, Afghanistan may
be
used
because
they
have
low
energy
efficiency
and
require
a
large
capacity
generator.
80
30
Electricity
capacityRequired
electricity
is estimated at zone.
20 W/m2In
. The planned
of thethe
Bamiyan
a straight road defining
a local
market area
and municipality
bearea
called
Central Asian roundabout since routes converge from
70
25
Museum is 8000 m2 and has an estimated use of 160 kW of the electricity capacity. There will
60
20
the summertime, green fields
interweave in and out of the residential
the Middle East, from the Indus Valley through the passes over the
be two sets of 80-kW capacity generators or three sets of 50-60-kW capacity generators.
50
15
and commercial areas. With
limited
infrastructure
and
transportation,
Hinduenergy,
Kush,such
from
Procurable oil at the site will be used as generator fuel. Renewable
as the Far East via the Tarim Basin, and from the adja40
10
local community travel byphotovoltaics,
foot to and
from
the centre
of town.
Carsis considered,
cent
n and
steppe.
should
be adopted.
If wind power
generation
localEurasia
sandstorms
30
5
dustresources
should be evaluated.
and trucks bring in external
on recently paved streets with
20
0
Because the generator will be operating full time, it should be reliable and robust. Local
10
-5
Bamiyan is located at the centre of the Hazarajat, the traditional
integrated trench systemprocurement
design, that
are in effect
the beginnings of
of
maintenance
and support must be investigated and considered. A cogeneration
0
-10
homeland of the Hazara ethnic group. The Hazaras are Shia Muslim,
infrastructural development
in*2, the
The local
one long
system
whichcity.
uses exhaust
heat to market,
supply hot water,
should be investigated
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
a religious minority in Afghanistan. Currently, they represent the maroad that consists of stores lined in parallel adjacent to each other,
*2. A cogeneration system is a comprehensive energy-efficient system that utilizes unused energy, such as
provides the citys single source for resources.
exhaust heat from the electric generation of a hot waterjority
supply. of the population in Bamiyan city, followed by Tajiks. Since there
are no reliable population surveys in the area, the accurate number
of inhabitants is not known, but an approximate estimation refers to
Bamiyan province is located at the western edge of the Hindu Kush
60,000 inhabitants. Bamiyan is one of the poorest, most mountainmountain range, which runs east west in Central Afghanistan. It is
36
ous, and relative to other
provinces, the least agriculturally least prolocated approximately 120 km northwest of Kabul, at an altitude of
40
0.9
ductive area in the country. There is little agriculturally viable land in
2,500 m. The region consists of three main valleys: Bamiyan, Foladi,
Solar radiation (Monthly average of integrated value for 1 day)
35
Bamiyan, leading to significant migration to Afghan cities and to Iran,
and Kakrak, each containing a river with the same name. The World
Atmospheric transmittance
30
0.8
Pakistan, and countries outside the region, where many Afghans work
Heritage property refers to the cultural landscape and to a complex of
25
as unskilled laborers.
archaeological sites in the three valleys: the cave sites in the Bamiyan
20
0.7
Valley, Shahr-i-Ghulghulah, Shahr-i-Zohak, the cave sites in the Foladi
15
Bamiyan is primarily an agrarian-based economy that accounts for
Valley, the cave sites in the Kakrak Valley, as well as various traditional
10
0.6
approximately 80% of the citys revenue. Wheat and potatoes are the
built structures in the area of the three valleys.
5
staple crops. Fruit and vegetable stands align street-side for seasonal
0
0.5
produce generally brought from the surrounding provinces. Although
A
circle
of
surrounding
mountainous
terrain
pulls
the
city
together.
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
it is possible to conduct dry-farming on the slopes of the mountains,
The light cast on the landscape is bright and creates an iridescence of
Fig.50 Daily average values of air temperature and relative humidity
Fig. 50onDaily
average
of air2005
temperature
the majority of the population is engaged in irrigational agriculture.
(based
monitoring
datavalues
from August
to September 2006)
color and illumination of the mountains. This pristine natural environ
20052006
and relative humidity (based

on monitoring
ment has been an intersection of ancient cultures moving along the
data from August 2005 to September 2006)
No large forest exists in the valley, but plane trees, poplars, willows
Silk Road since the 1st century CE. The citys development has main Mukogawa Womens University Japan
structure
and mulberry trees represent important elements of the landscape.
tained a historic and small-scale identity that has allowed for the presnfrastructures, such as public electricity, water, sewerage systems, and gas, are not
Animal herding is also practiced, especially sheep and goats. People
ervation of Bamiyans natural beauty and historic landscape. Every
herefore, the museums infrastructure system should be self-sustained. It should be reliable
in the valley used to engage in seasonal transhumance, ascending the
based on the local maintenance management system, which must be investigatedpoint
and in the city has a visual or physical reference to the Buddha Cliffs.
small valleys from the main Bamiyan Valley with their animals during
It is a strong monumental datum that embraces Bamiyans patchwork
summer. With regard to commercial activities, there used to be a baof rural and agrarian fabric.
zaar in front of the Western Buddha, consisting of 300-400 shops.
However, during the periods of civil war and the Taliban regime, the
ric system
bazaar was destroyed and the commerce of the Bamiyan region reElectricity is necessary because it is not available from a public electric supply. Thus, a
ceived a devastating blow. A new bazaar has been recently built two
ate electric generator must be installed. In addition, in order to reduce electricity use,
km south-east of the old one.
uired maintenance, and costs, the capacity of the generator should be minimized
Fig.49
Monthly average values of air temperature and relative humidity
Atomospheric transmittance [-]
Solar radiation [MJ/m2day]
Fig.
49on
Monthly
average
values
of air
tempera(based
monitoring
data from
August
2005
to September 2006)
ture and relative humidity
(based on
monitoring
20052006
data from August 2005 to September 2006)

Mukogawa Womens University Japan
stemAn LED (light emitting diode) lighting system is recommended because of its long
ating life and low energy consumption. The maximum electrical consumption for lighting is
mated at about 10 W/m2.
nication system Telecommunication will consist of personal computers and control
ruments. The maximum electrical consumption for telecommunication is 5 W/m2.
26
Bamiyan
Cultural
Centre
Brief
dditional requirements
will
consist of
ventilation
fansCompetition
and pumps for
drainage and water
ply, and induction heating (IH) cooking heaters. Maximum electrical consumption for these
s is 5 W/m2. If the IH cooking system is necessary, heaters other than IH heaters should not
sed because they have low energy efficiency and require a large capacity generator.
capacityRequired electricity is estimated at 20 W/m2. The planned area of the Bamiyan
Nature
The conflict years in Afghanistan resulted in significant deforestation
and decline in formerly viable areas of economic productivity in Bamiyan, such as dairy, livestock, wool-based handicrafts, and fruits and
nuts.
Bamiyan is also arguably one of the most progressive parts of the
country, and the people there are particularly receptive to change
and development interventions that will improve their lives. People
in Bamiyan have been highly supportive of the democracy transition
and international interventions that have occurred in Afghanistan
since 2001 and the province has a reputation for being secure and
future-oriented. Bamiyan had the first, and so far only, female governor in the country and the population is keen to embrace education
opportunities. Tourists are welcomed and there is a diversified fledging tourist industry that ranges from sight-seeing to skiing. The social
norms that prevent women from moving around freely and engaging
in education and income generation are much less onerous in Bamiyan than other parts of the country. People are very hopeful that the
future will be brighter, if not for themselves, than for their children
and grandchildren. Most people in Bamiyan take the long view, and the
Bamiyan Cultural Centre represents an opportunity to be part of their
hopeful vision for the future.
Sustainability
As mentioned, most people in Bamiyan rely on the land for their livelihood, and their lives are closely entwined with the rhythm of nature
and cycle of the seasons. Creating and adapting to the environment in
Bamiyan requires understanding of the climate and available resources. Environmental sustainability is a major issue in Bamiyan and the
quality of project planning can ensure that the project continues to
deliver benefits to the local community for an extended period after
donor financial support has been terminated.
Local climate:
The Bamiyan site is located at 2,500 m. The climate is dry with little rainfall. The yearly average temperature is 8 deg C. The maximum
summer temperature is 30 deg C and the minimum winter temperature is - 20 deg C. Thus, heating systems are necessary, but air
27
Context
Band-i-Amir, Jake Simkin

28
conditioning is not. The atmospheric transmittance of solar radiation

is high, with especially strong sunshine during the summer.
Infrastructure:
Primary infrastructure, such as public electricity, water, sewerage
systems, and gas are not available. Therefore, the Culture Centres infrastructure system should be self-sustained. It should be reliable and
robust based on the local maintenance management system, which
must be investigated and explored later at the design development
stage.
Electric system:
Electricity is necessary because it is not available from a public electric supply, and in fact electricity is a not reliable source of power
in Bamiyan. The city-run network ensures electricity for around six
hours per day, usually in the evening. This has forced the habitants to
search for alternative solutions for power. Benefiting from a climate
with many sunny days around the year, the use of solar panels has
been successfully implemented in surrounding areas.
Local Materials:
While selecting the construction materials the participants should aim
to achieve energy and resource efficiency. To accomplish this, materials that require a production process with a low environmental impact
and low energy requirements should be used. Moreover, to protect
the landscape heritage values of the site, preference should be given
to traditionally used materials that require less energy for production
and transportation. Reliance on traditionally used materials also creates local employment and these materials would be easily obtained
in the future.
The main local materials available in and near Bamiyan consist
primarily of concrete, stone, masonry, sand and certain wood. Sand,
which is used in all mud construction, comes in a variety of colors
and is supplied from different regions.
Water Supply:
Well water will be utilized. Based on an investigation of the amount of
water available, the capacity of the water receiving tank and other necessary systems will be determined during a more in-depth site survey.
Ecology:
The building must protect the ecology of Bamiyan and increase its ecological value. The construction land is designated to be a future Green
Zone in the Bamiyan New Development Plan. Therefore, participants
should pay special attention to landscaping. Participants should avoid
use of any building materials that can infiltrate the ground and pollute
water springs. Special attention should be paid to the reinforcement
of the slope next to the construction land to avoid possible landslides
in the future. In order to avoid light pollution, only light sources lighting upwards (directed or adequately shielded) can be installed on the
planned building. The emphasis will be on comfort, efficiency, landscaping and disaster mitigation.
29
CONTEXT
30
Bamiyan City
Kabul
Bamiyan
City
Map of Afghanistan and 34 provinces
Bamiyan province
Bamiyan City
Source: Bamiyan Masterplan Campain 2005
Band-i-Amir
Koh-e-Baba
Satellite image of Band-i Amir and Bamiyan City
31
Context
Site
Aerial satellite image of Bamiyan City and Cultural Centre site location
32
Source: UNESCO/ Japanese Funds in Trust Project for the safeguarding of the Bamiyan site
33
East Buddha
West Buddha
Site
Legend
N
34
Road
River
Building
0m
Wall
200m
400m
600m
Source: UNESCO/ Japanese Funds in Trust Project for the safeguarding of the Bamiyan site
35
Buddha cliff at sunrise, Muzafar Ali

36
UNESCO
World Heritage
Property:
Bamiyan Valley
37
UNESCO World Heritage Property: Bamiyan Valley
UNESCO World Heritage property status of the Bamiyan Valley
Kakrak Valley Buddha before and after destruction
In 2003 and two years after the tragic destruction of the Buddhas, the
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley
was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This area, representing artistic and religious developments from the 1st to 13th centuries, will be the location of the Bamiyan Cultural Centre. The Centre
will reinforce the UNESCO World Heritage mission which is to assist
states parties in safeguarding World Heritage sites by providing technical assistance and professional training; providing emergency assistance for World Heritage properties in immediate danger; supporting
public awareness-raising activities for World Heritage conservation;
encouraging participation of the local population in the preservation
of their cultural and natural heritage; and encouraging international
cooperation in the conservation of the worlds cultural and natural
heritage.
Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what
we pass on to future generations. Cultural and natural heritages are irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. They are our touchstones,
our points of reference, our identity. What makes the concept of World
Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites
belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on
which they are located. The 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, by which countries
recognize that the sites located on their national territory, and which
have been inscribed on the World Heritage List, without prejudice to
national sovereignty or ownership, constitute a world heritage for
whose protection it is the duty of the international community as a
whole to cooperate.
Without the support of other countries, some of the worlds outstanding cultural and natural sites would deteriorate or, worse, disappear,
often through lack of funding to preserve them. The Convention is
thus an agreement, ratified almost universally, that aims to secure the
necessary financial and intellectual resources to protect World Heritage sites. How does a World Heritage property differ from a national
heritage site? The key lies in the words outstanding universal value.
All countries have sites of local or national interest, which are quite
justifiably a source of national pride, and the Convention encourages
Remains of tower in Shahr-i-Ghulghulah

38
them to identify and protect their heritage whether or not it is placed

on the World Heritage List sites selected for World Heritage listing are
inscribed on the basis of their merits as the best possible examples
of cultural and natural heritage. The World Heritage list reflects the
wealth and diversity of our collective cultural and natural heritage.
The inscription of Bamiyan on the World Heritage List was justified
under five out of the six cultural criteria. The justification for the criteria provided in the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value adopted
in 2011 for the World Heritage property is the following:
Criterion (i): The Buddha statues and the cave art in Bamiyan Valley
are an outstanding representation of the Gandharan school in Buddhist art in the Central Asian region.
Criterion (ii): The artistic and architectural remains of Bamiyan Valley, an important Buddhist centre on the Silk Road, are an exceptional
testimony to the interchange of Indian, Hellenistic, Roman and Sasanian influences as the basis for the development of a particular artistic
expression in the Gandharan school. To this can be added the Islamic
influence in a later period.
Criterion (iii): The Bamiyan Valley bears an exceptional testimony to
a cultural tradition in the Central Asian region, which has disappeared.
Criterion (iv): The Bamiyan Valley is an outstanding example of a cultural landscape which illustrates a significant period in Buddhism.
Criterion (vi): The Bamiyan Valley is the most monumental expression of the western Buddhism. It was an important centre of pilgrimage over many centuries. Due to their symbolic values, the monuments
have suffered at different times of their existence, including the deliberate destruction in 2001, which shook the whole world.
However, two issues need to be highlighted with regard to this justification.
The first one is that the brevity of the justification does not fully convey the way Bamiyan meets each criterion.
For example, the explanation provided for criterion (i) does not clarify
the reason why the cave art is outstanding.
The justification for criterion (ii) does not reflect the complexity of
the interchange of human values conveyed in the mural paintings. The
uniqueness of the cave art in the Bamiyan Valley resides not only in
the fact that five major artistic styles from the surrounding regions
can be recognized, but also and particularly in the fact that a new style
was born out of their fusion. In other words, Bamiyan mural paintings
are of immense value as a precious cultural legacy expressing both
the broad cultural contacts among the peoples of antiquity and the
creation of new cultural forms as a result of those contacts.
The justification for criterion (iii) refers to a cultural tradition without providing further clarifications.
The explanation provided for criterion (iv) does not explain in what
way the interaction between people and the natural environment (representing the value of a cultural landscape) in Bamiyan is exceptional.
In the nomination file submitted by the State Party in 2003, the features of the cultural landscape of Bamiyan were explained as follows:
The Bamiyan Valley is a landscape which has evolved through geological
formation and human intervention, and the process of evolution in their
form and component features are still visible today. Even today, one can
witness the landscape being continuously used, which retains an active social role in contemporary society of the local communities.
Attributes represent the focus of protection, conservation and management. They constitute the concrete manifestation of abstract
values; for example, in Bamiyan an abstract important interchange
of human values is concretely expressed in the outstanding mural
paintings, which convey such an interchange.
The accurate selection of attributes represents one of the key premises for the conception of a management system and for the elaboration
of a management plan. The identification of the object of conservation
and management favours the assessment of the factors potentially
affecting the property and the determination of management objectives, which in turn allows a better definition of a clear management
strategy.
The attributes are the tangible or intangible aspects of a property

which are associated with or express its Outstanding Universal Value.
Par. 82 of the Operational Guidelines indicates a range of types of
attributes which might convey Outstanding Universal Value, including:
Form and design
Materials and substance
Use and function
Traditions, techniques and management systems
Location and setting
There are additional attributes to the Bamiyan Valley that contribute

to its significance as a World Heritage property. They are as follows:
The second issue is that the justification does not provide a clear identification of the attributes of the World Heritage property, per criterion.
Language, and other forms of intangible heritage

Spirit and feeling
Its significance as an expression of an agro-pastoral way of living

based on seasonal transhumance. During the survey conducted
by the National Research Institute of Cultural Properties in 2004,
inhabitants of the region mentioned that the people of the valley
used to engage in seasonal transhumance, as people ascended
the small valleys from the main Bamiyan Valley with their animals
during summer. Actually, the distribution of caves in the region
can be understood as a large winter camp for pastoral nomads:
local inhabitants traditionally spent the winter in caves in the
downstream areas of wadi valleys and spent the summer in tents
in the upstream areas of the wadi valleys. While such a lifestyle
was abandoned after the Soviet invasion and the civil war that
followed, its importance in the configuration of the Bamiyan Valley as a cultural landscape remains.
The first use of drying oils in painting in the mural paintings of
the Bamiyan caves. In 2008, research carried out by the National Research Institute of Cultural Properties revealed that paint
Fig. 1 The Eastern Buddha engraving after P.J.

Maitland, in: The Illustrated London News, Nov. 13,
1886, p. 535
Fig. 2 Sketch of the Western Buddha, M.G. Talbot
and P.J. Maitland, The Rock-Cut Caves and Statues
of Bamiyan, in: Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society
XVII, 1886
Fig. 3 View of the cliff with Eastern Buddha, M.G.
Talbot and P.J. Maitland, The Rock-Cut Caves and
Statues of Bamiyan, in: Journal of the Royal Asiatic
Society XVII, 1886
Fig. 4 Sketch of the Eastern Buddha, M.G. Talbot
and P.J. Maitland, The Rock-Cut Caves and Statues
of Bamiyan, in: Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society
XVII, 1886
39
samples from some of the caves contained drying oils, most

likely walnut and poppy-seed oils, which are key ingredients in
oil-based paints. In the ancient Mediterranean world, drying oils
were used in medicines, cosmetics, and perfumes. Scholars long
believed they were first added to paints much later in medieval
Europe. The Bamiyan samples are the only material evidence of
drying oils being used in paintings before the 12th century CE
anywhere in the world, until now. This is one of the most important art-historical and archaeological discoveries ever made,
according to expert opinion, and indicates more complicated material and technical interconnections in this area than previously
thought.
Caves in Foladi Valley
The importance of the presence of a possible Zoroastrian cemetery site in the Zargaran area, east of the Great cliff. A pot-burial
with an entire human skeleton was discovered from the cemetery
and such burial pattern strongly indicates the presence of Zoroastrianism. The discovery of this cemetery not only indicates that
various beliefs and religions were present among the indigenous
population before the arrival of Buddhism, but also provides clues
on how Buddhism was influenced by local beliefs and religions.
The associative significance of Bamiyan as a place connected to a

complex of myths, legends, stories and traditions. Certain place names
and folklore elements, as well as stories and myths related to historical events or religious leaders create a distinctive imagination of the
Bamiyan landscape within the memories of the people living there.
For example, the fortress of Shahr-i-Zohak is associated to a number
of traditional tales, in particular those concerning the legendary King
Zohak. The Islamic City of Shahr-i-Ghulghulah is associated to legends
concerning its destruction by the Mongol hordes led by Gengis Khan.
From 1939, Ria Hackin, with the cooperation of the curator Ahmad Ali
Kohzad of the Kabul Museum, began to collect folktales passed on by
the people of Bamiyan concerning sites sacred to Islam in the area,
as well as legends associated to Shahr-i-Ghulghulah; this work was
published in 1953 as Lgendes et coutumes afghans This chapter
presents the features and the World Heritage history of Bamiyan,
from the presentation of the first nomination file in 1979, to its inscripView of the old bazar in Bamiyan
40
tion on the World Heritage List and on the List of World Heritage in
Danger in 2013, to the adoption of its Desired State of Conservation
in 2007 until the elaboration of the Bamiyan Valley Management Plan
in 2014. Understanding the circumstances under which the property was inscribed on the World Heritage List and the configuration in
which the Bamiyan Valley was nominated represents an indispensable
premise to assess its current management and to conceive corrective
measures.
A first nomination of Bamiyan to the World Heritage List was called
The Monuments of Bamiyan Valley and it was submitted in 1982 to
UNESCO by the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. The International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) reviewed the nomination and recommended the inscription of the property after the
definition of a sufficiently broad zone of protection. In June 1983, the
Bureau of the World Heritage Committee recommended the inscription of the property on the condition that the authorities define a
large perimeter of protection which would include the cliffs and the
valley, and provide a map indicating the delimitation of this zone. In
December 1983, the World Heritage Committee deferred the nomination, as the requested information was not submitted on time. The
subsequent events in Afghanistan and years of military conflict interrupted the nomination process.
In 2001, the destruction of the giant statues of Buddha in the Bamiyan
Valley drew the attention of national and international communities.
The need to preserve this exceptional heritage for the whole humankind and for future generations, resurrected the World Heritage nomination process.
Nevertheless, it was only in 2003 after the fall of the Taliban regime
that a new nomination was prepared and submitted to the World Heritage Centre by the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan. The
scope of the nomination was broadened, with the intention to include
the cultural landscape value of the property, which was proposed as
the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan
Valley. However, the request put forward by the Bureau of the World
Heritage Committee in 1983, to define a large perimeter of protection
which would include the cliffs and the valley, remained unfulfilled,
because eight individual areas were selected and nominated.
The nomination of the property was prepared on an emergency basis
in post-war conditions. At the time of its drafting, neither the administrative framework nor the management system of the property could
be examined. The process was anticipating the recovery of the overall
national system in order to begin implementing a program for cultural heritage protection. The World Heritage Committee inscribed the
property on the World Heritage List, and on the List of World Heritage
in Danger (on the account of the numerous threats that the property
was facing), in June 2003. The main features of the site as a World Heritage property are presented.
Restoration of two Islamic shrines in Bamiyan City
Scaffolding at Buddha niche for arch restoration
Ceramics found at Shahr-i-Ghulghulah
Re-used ceramic tiles for restoration
41
Historical Architecture & Artefacts

1:
Ceramic ornament, Ghulghulah, 13th century, Bert Praxenthaler
2: Shahr-i-Ghulghulah restoration project, Buddhist and Islamic era

3: Buddha statue found in Buddha niche, Bert Praxenthaler
4: Buddha painting in Foladi Valley caves.
5: Kufic carving in Khoja Sabz Posh shrine, Bert Praxenthaler
6: Relic wrapped and sealed with horse stamp, discovered in Buddha niche,
Bert Praxenthaler
7: Foladi Cave
8: Buddhist cave at Buddha cliff
9: Hand writing, Khoja Sabz Posh, Bert Praxenthaler
10: Ancient bronze bracelet, Bamiyan valley, Bert Praxenthaler
11: Chehel Burj (Forty Towers), Bamiyan province

12: Copper coin, Bamiyan Valley, Bert Praxenthaler
13: Remains of a fort Guhar Chean
14: Ceramic sherds, Ghulghulah, Bert Praxenthaler
15: Remains of a tower in Kakrack

16: Painted niche in Khoja Sabz Posh shrine, Islamic era
17: Restored Khoja Sabz Posh shrine, Islamic era
18: Interior of Khoja Sabz Posh shrine, Islamic era
19: Shahr-i-Ghulghulah restoration, Buddhist and Islamic era
20: Hand writing, Khoja Sabz Posh shrine, Bert Praxenthaler
42
10
12
13
17
11
14
18
19
15
16
20
43
Description of the eight components of the property:
Buddha cliff
Bamiyan Cliff
The northern side of the Bamiyan Valley is honeycombed with thousands of caves. The main part of the cliff is characterized by its perpendicular sharp cut cliff, reaching up to 160m above the valley level.
This main part spans over a length of two kilometres and it is the core
of the Buddhist remains in the Bamiyan region. The Great cliff consists of the two empty niches of the destroyed Giant Buddha figures
(the East Giant Buddha was 38 m high and the West Giant Buddha
was 55 m high) and several smaller remains of seated Buddha figures,
cut out from the soft cliff conglomerate. These principal niches are
surrounded by more than 1,000 caves, some of which still bear traces
of spectacular mural paintings and rock-carved decorations. The two
Giant Buddhas were destroyed by the Taliban regime in March 2001
and a considerable number of mural paintings were severely damaged
or destroyed in the same period.
The dating of the archaeological remains at the Great cliff is still a
matter of scientific debate. Results from the ongoing research from
ICOMOS Germanys safeguarding project for the Bamiyan Buddha
fragments indicate that the construction of the Giant Buddha figures
took place from the middle of the 6th century until the beginning of the
7th century CE. The conservation of the mural paintings at the Great
cliff has been conducted jointly by the National Research Institute of
Cultural Properties of Japan (NRICP) and the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture, in the framework of the UNESCO/ Japan-Fundsin-Trust project for the safeguarding of the heritage of Bamiyan. The
C14 analysis on the organic material of the murals executed by NRICP
supports a dating in between the 5th and the 9th century for the mural
paintings of the main cliff. The survey of the mural paintings has also
revealed that the cave sites were not only used during the Buddhist
period, but also during the Islamic period. The cleaning of the cave
sites has unearthed Buddhist manuscripts, as well as Islamic glazed
wares dating back to the 12th century. The Great cliff was gradually
abandoned during the Islamic period.
Eastern Buddha before the destruction (T. Higuchi 1983/84)
44
Kakrak Valley
The Kakrak Valley is located three kilometres southeast of Bamiyan,
at the eastern part of the central Bamiyan basin. The entrance to the
valley is at the confluence of the Kakrak and the Bamiyan Rivers. The
mountains from north and south of the valley get close here narrowing the profile of the valley. The archaeological remains in the
Kakrak Valley are found on the eastern slope of the valley. From north
to south, the archaeological remains comprise around 100 Buddhist
caves and some fortification remains from the Islamic period. Thirty
metres above the riverbank there is a 10 m high niche. This niche contained a 6m standing Buddha figure (known as the Kakrak Buddha),
that was also destroyed in 2001. In the front part of the niche there is
a small open terrace and in the back wall of the niche cave there was
a tunnel leading around the backside of the niche from one side to the
other. This was the original circumambulation path around the feet of
the Buddha figure (pradakshinapata) used for worshiping practices in
Buddhist times. This is the only known Buddha niche in the caves of
the Kakrak Valley.
Qoul-i Akram and Kalai Ghamai Caves in the Foladi Valley
The Foladi Valley is the largest valley in the entire Bamiyan basin. It is
located to the southwest of the main Bamiyan Valley approximately
two kilometres west of the main Bamiyan cliff complex. There are numerous caves all along the vertical cliff range that can be seen from the
Foladi Valley road. According to the nomination file, the Foladi Valley
contains around 30 man made caves dating from the Hephtalo-Sassanian (5th-7th centuries CE) to the Turkic and pre-Mongol periods (7th13th centuries CE). It is argued that most of the caves are connected
by tunnel-like passageways to watchtowers on the hills and probably
served as an observation and defence complex to guard the Bamiyan
Valley from the south. The main caves with important decorative features in Foladi Valley are located in the Qoul-i-Akram and Kalai areas.
Many of the caves are square-shaped decorated with rock carving or
wall painting. However, their state of conservation is very poor and
conservation measures are required to safeguard the remaining heritage assets. The buffer zone of the Foladi Valley includes numerous
archaeological areas that are not yet fully excavated and researched.
Shahr-i-Zohak
The fortress of Shahr-i-Zohak is situated on a steep hill, over an area
of approximately 18 hectares, with visible structures for at least six
hectares. Its topographical character separating the Kalu and Bamiyan
Rivers, 15 km east of Bamiyan, provided an excellent natural fortification for defence and control of the valley. The site is believed to
have been founded already in the 6th-7th centuries CE and then fortified during the Islamic period. The first historical record of this site
(the Ain-e Akbari), dating from the 16th century CE, gives a detailed
account of the Empire of Akbar and mentions that the fortress was
in good condition. A number of legends are associated with this site,
including the story of the legendary King Zohak.
Qala-i- Kafari A and B
The Qala-i-Kafari monuments are situated twelve kilometres east of
the Bamiyan Cliff and Kafari B and some four kilometres west of the
ruins of Shahr-i-Zohak. The river comes close to the southern cliff of
the Bamiyan Valley, filling a large alluvial plain with gravel. The ruins
consist of two clusters of fortified walls (A and B), located some 60
meters above river level with some caves located directly below the
fortification complex. These ruined towers are part of a larger defence
system of more towers and citadels at the entrances of side valleys
to the Bamiyan river basin. The structures seem to have been built
with un-burnt bricks and consist of a tower in ruins with attached
rectangular annex buildings. The remaining structures are three-level
high, but due to debris covering the ground, the original floor plans are
hardly recognizable. The walls do not show any decorative elements
and they have hardly any opening towards the outside.
grief or City of sobbing) and the destruction of the citadel to the

siege of Genghis-Khan in the 13th century. Numerous caves exist to
the west and south-west of Shahr-i-Ghulgholah and the remains of
city walls and cemeteries could be identified on the plateau directly to
the west of Shahr-i-Ghulghulah.
Shahr-i-Zuhak (Red City)
Shahr-i-Ghulghulah
The fortified citadel of Shahr-i-Ghulghulah covers an area of 400m
x 400m. It is located on a natural hill in the centre of the Bamiyan
Valley, where the Kakrak Valley joins Bamiyan Valley overlooking the
cliff to the northwest. It is assumed that the city dates from the Islamic
Ghurid or Ghaznavid period (11th-12th centuries CE). New scientific
findings of a Buddhist stupa in the immediate surroundings of the hill
have provided evidence of the importance of this site at least since the
6th century CE. Local sayings associate the name of the city (City of
Buddha painting on ceiling of Foladi cave
45
Image
1
5
4
3
World Heritage Protection Zone

1. Buddha Cliff
2. Kakrak Valley caves with niche of

standing Buddha
3. Qoul-i-Akram Caves in Foladi Valley
4. Qoul-i-Ghamay Caves in Foladi Valley
46
5.
6.
7.
8.
Shahr-i Zohak
Qala-i-Kafari A
Qala-i-Kafari B
Shahr-i-Ghulghulah
Legend:
UNESCO World Heritage Property Buffer Zone
UNESCO World Heritage Core Zone
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Buddha Cliff
Kakrak Valley caves with niche of standing Buddha
Qoul-i-Akram Caves in Foladi Valley
Qoul-i-Ghamay Caves in Foladi Valley
Shahr-i-Zohak
Qala-i-Kafari A
Qala-i-Kafari B
Shahr-i-Ghulghulah
Site
Legend:
Site
UNESCO World Heritage Property Buffer Zone
UNESCO World Heritage Core Zone
World Heritage Protection Zone and Cultural Centre site location

N
0m
250m
500m
750m
1000m
47
World Heritage property proposed Cultural Master Plan, Bamiyan

N
48
World Heritage Protection Zones:

1. Buddha cliff
2. Kakrak Valley caves with niche of
standing Buddha
3. Qoul-i-Akram Caves in Foladi Valley
4. Qoul-i-Ghamay Caves in Foladi Valley
5.
6.
7.
8.
Shahr-i-Zohak
Qala-i-Kafari
A

Qala-i-Kafari B
Shahr-i-Ghulghulah
Legend
UNESCO World Heritage Protection Zone
UNESCO World Heritage Site Property (inscribed area)
UNESCO World Heritage Site Buffer
1 ... 8 UNESCO World Heritage Site Area ID
UNESCO World Heritage Site Benchmark
Archaeological Heritage Protection Zone
Shahr-i-Ghulghulah
Site
Archaeological Area
Archaeological Remains
Caves
Historic Cemetery
Historic Mausoleums
National Heritage Protection Zone
Monuments
Religious Building
Cemetery
Traditional Settlement
Landscape Protection Zone
Afforestation Area
Pasture Protection Area
Rivers
Canals
Natural Hazard Flood Area
Regulated Development Zone
Restricted Development Area
Urban Development Area
Public Development Area
World Heritage property proposed Cultural Master Plan, Bamiyan

N
0m
250m
500m
750m
1000m
49
Shahr-i-Ghulghulah,
50
Typologies of
Architecture
51
Typologies of Architecture
Typologies of Architecture
17
Terraced timber construction housing
Certain typologies can be identified in characterizing the vernacular

architectural language of Afghanistan. The types described here are
available from local resources and have developed out of local conditions and across hundreds of years. To a large degree, successful
construction and design in Afghanistan is dependent on building in
terms of existing conditions, where resources are limited though deep
in possibility. The typology references the spaces created by carved
rock, pakhsa (pressed mud), baked or mud brick, wood framing and the
courtyard. These types of construction are present in Bamiyan province and in Afghanistan more generally. They represent design motifs
that have been influenced by necessity, whether for safety, privacy,
pleasure, or temperature and light control. Temperature variations are
considerations in construction not just in terms of seasonality, but the
semiarid climate results in great temperature variation throughout the
daya very hot summer day can end in a surprisingly cool evening
and night, and a mild winter day can end well below freezing at night.
The suns radiation itself, and not just its heat, is a similarly important
consideration.
Carved spaces
To many, carved and cave architecture is the primary feature of the
architecture of Bamiyan. Most of these caves are the result of human
construction rather than natural formation. They are cut into the sides
of cliff faces and are typically positioned well above the surrounding
valley floor. Artificial caves are a main characteristic of Buddhist architecture and are seen as spaces conducive to retreat, contemplation and seclusion. Carving spaces into cliff sides for habitation and
monastic retreat persisted in Bamiyan for millennia. Caves were also
often decorated with elaborate murals. With the introduction of Islam
to Afghanistan, the tradition of cave complexes as religious centres
came to an end, though caves continued to be used for domestic and
defensive purposes. Carving and etching techniques are also typical of
many craft forms in Afghanistan, most notably using wood and metal.
18
Hill side terraced housing
52
Pakhsa or pressed mud

Pakhsa, like thick brick bearing walls, reduces the impact of great diurnal variation in outside temperature by acting as efficient insulators
and heat collectorswhen it is hot outside, thick walls retard heat
from migrating inside, but during the winter and cold nights the heat
captured during the day migrates back into the inside rooms. Brick
requires skilled masons to lay while pakhsa uses materials freely available at the building site and is a technique that can be learned fairly
quickly.
Baked brick and mud brick
Bricks can be baked in kilns or sun-dried (khesht-i-kham). Brick construction is more expensive than pakhsa, and is therefore found more
often in relatively wealthier urban areas in Afghanistan. Islamic architecture in Afghanistan, such as the Mausoleum of Timor Shah, makes
much use of brickwork and can be so exacting as to give the illusion of
cement construction.
Wood frame
Wood construction is most associated with Eastern Afghanistan, especially Nuristan. Yet wood features load bearing roof construction
and decorative details, especially geometrically patterned doors and
window frames. Poplar poles (ketyaba) are used in roof construction
in parts of the country where wood is abundant and when people can
afford it. Otherwise, where wood is scarce or too costly for people,
especially Northern Afghanistan, domed and vaulted roofs are more
common.
Courtyard and landscaping
Courtyards and landscaping are prominent aspects of the built environment in Afghanistan, and social life in the evenings in summer
often takes place outdoors. Afghans, quite simply, love their gardens,
flowers, and outdoor relaxation. The orientation of rooms and courtyards is designed to maximize light and warmth in all seasons. Gardens and courtyards extend the built lived environment, obscuring the
distinction between indoors and out, and extending the space of sociability beyond built structures.
Credits
Fig. 1,2,3: Architectural Survey of the Buddhist Caves. UNESCO / Japanese Fund in Trust, 2014
Fig. 5,7,12,14: Afghanistan, An Atlas of Indigenous Domestic Architecture, Albert Szabo & Thomas J. Barfield, 1991
Fig. 8,9,11,13: The Monuments of Afghanistan, History, Archaeology & Architecture, Warwick Ball, 2008
Fig. 10,15,16,17,18: The Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme, Strategies for Urban Regeneration, 2011
Carved spaces
Pakhsa or pressed mud
Baked brick & mud brick
Wood frame
Courtyard & landscaping
5
Qala/ Fort, pakhsa exterior wall
Cave plan at Buddha cliff
11
Wood framed skylight
14
Qala/Fort with interior courtyard configuration
8
Ivan in Dewal e Khodaydad in Nimroz
6
2
RCP of cave, Fig. 1
Pakhsa housing in Bamiyan valley
6
12
9
Illustration of wood framing housing
An example of brick coursing with perforation
15
Section of cave, Fig. 1
4
Eastern Buddha niche with caves
Terraced gardens of Bagh-e-Babur, Kabul
7
Qala/Fort tower
10
Timur Shah Mausoleum, Kabul
13
Light shinning through wood framed skylight
16
Bahge-e-Babur landscaping plan, Kabul (fig. 15)
53
Site
View of Cultural Centre site from Buddha Cliff, Koukaba Mojadidi

54
Architectural
Guidelines
55
Architectural Guidelines
Critical Principles of Design for the Bamiyan Cultural Centre

Create an innovative design.
Create a vital centre for the cultural community of Bamiyan
allowing individuals to commune and share ideas.
Integrate the Bamiyan Valley view into the building design
and create a positive visual impact on the Cultural Landscape
of Bamiyan Valley.
Integrate an environmentally conscious design, which in the
Bamiyan context should consider locally resourced materials,
climate and efficiency.
Connect to the historical context of the World Heritage property.
56
Urban Plan
Site Plan
The Site
The Cultural Centre site is located on the plateau of Chawni Hill, neighboring an Afghan National Police station, a television station and the Cultural Heritage Department. The leveled area of the site is approximately 26,000 m2. The building site has a high and low elevation that has an
approximate ten meter difference. Should your design consider any excavation, grading or backfilling for this multi-teared terrain, plan for
the proper efficient usage, subtraction and addition of the material.
The north and west site overlooks expansive views of the Buddha Cliffs and
Buddha niches, a point of paramount importance to residents and tourists
to the Bamiyan Valley. Its northern and western boundary line is defined by
the Foladi River as the boundary line at the base of the mountain. The eastern and southern part of the site borders local municipality buildings with a
main entrance road approaching from the south. The building site is also at
a higher elevation than and overlooks the Bamiyan local market. There is a
pedestrian pathway connecting the south approaching road down to the local
market, creating a special pedestrian path from the market to the Cultural
Centre building. The land is accessible by car from Shahid Mazari Square.
The site analysis portion of this guideline includes drawings and images describing the site and its relationship to the surrounding environment.
Legend:
Property Line
Farm Land
Index Contour
Perimeter Boundary Wall
Intermediate Contour
Road
Foot Path
2517
Contour Value
River
2555.50
Spot Elevation
Ex. Building
Demo. Building
Note: All existing buildings on Cultural Centre site will be demolished.
N
0m
100m
150m
200m
300m
57
Site Analysis
Building Zoning Requirements
Section A-A
Only a one story building is allowed on the highest elevation of the site with a maximum building height of eight (8) meters. At the lowest elevation of the site, the building height should not exceed beyond the building
height of the sites highest elevation and can only be two stories. (refer to plan on pg. 59)
58
Zoning Site Plan
Legend
Property Line
Perimeter Boundary Wall/ minimum 3 meters high
Max. One Story Building at 2555.50m Elevation
Max. Two Story Building at 2545.00m Elevation
Building Setback / Landscape Zone
Site Main Entrance approach to site.
Road
Foot Path
River
Ex. Building
Demo. Building
Farm Land
Index Contour
Intermediate Contour
2517
Contour Value
2555.50
Spot Elevation
0m
50m
100m
150m
59
SITE VIEWS
60
Site View Key Plan
14
View from
Buddha cliff
13
1
2
4
6
7
5
9
11
12
Site Views
View 1
View 2
61
Site Views
View 3
View 4
62
View 5
View 6
63
Site Views
View 7
View 8
64
View 9
View 10
65
Site Views
View 11
View 12
66
Site
View 13
View from the Buddha cliff
Site
View 14
View from street level looking east
67
Building Regulations
Building Program
UNESCO expects subtle and relevant proposals that will

help to create a harmonious accord with the landscape of
Bamiyan. The scenic views and the quality of this pastoral
site shall be preserved and enhanced. The projects must take
the heritage value of the site into consideration. The main
principal for building new structures in and around World
Heritage properties is consistent for properties all around
the world which states: No negative impact (material or visual) on the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage
property.
The Cultural Centres functions are to create an epicentre

for the community of Bamiyan and to represent the diverse
heritage of Afghanistan to enrich consciousness, preserve
history and develop new ideas. The Centre will provide
space to exhibit tangible and intangible cultural works, conduct archeological research and gather the community together for performances, lectures and social events. Due to
the Cultural Centres location, the building will have a significant impact on the citys rural fabric and will attract both
national and international visitors. The building will include
spaces for exhibition, education, research and performance.
All areas must be accessible to disabled persons.
Building regulations require the building to adhere to the

following guidelines:

Only a one-story building can be built on the high

elevation of the site with a maximum building height of
eight (8) meters. At the low elevation side of the site, the
building height should not exceed the building height of
the sites high elevation. Only a two-story building can
be built on the low elevation of the site. (See section
drawing A-A)
The building must have a minimum 15 meter setback

from the boundary/perimeter wall.
Use of colors and materials on the exterior facade

should adapt to the urban and natural landscape.
The building must be handicap accessible, following the

general requirements for international disability guidelines.
68
Exhibition Space
The exhibition space will provide facilities for a wide range
of artifacts and ethnographic displays showcasing the history of Afghanistan in a tangible format. The exhibition area
will include a designated space for permanent and temporary
collections, including display of traditional and contemporary arts such as photography, drawing, painting, sculpture,
crafts, video as well as intangible cultural events. Storage
will be provided to house the collections used in exhibitions
and for research. The storage areas prohibit the use of natural light and may be located underground with access to an
art loading area. The exhibition area should satisfy varying
needs and exhibition modes by offering flexible spaces of
different scales.
Education
Education will be one of the primary directives of the Bamiyan Cultural Centre. This may be in the form of awareness-raising for children through museum tours and study
days or providing dedicated technical courses for university students and young Afghan professionals provided by
both Afghan and international experts. There are currently a number of NGOs and other groups providing a limited
number of these types of training. The modern facility made
available through the construction of the Cultural Centre
will enable the growth of such programmes, and support the

development of an arts-related skilled workforce. Art education for the youth will be planned in the form of seminars,
workshops or classes on artistic skills inorder to encourage
creative cultural industries. These courses can also be linked
with a programme of ongoing research that might include
ethnography and archaeology, and that should attract students and professionals from around the world.
Research
With respect to cultural heritage, conservation and art conservation focuses on the protection and care of tangible cultural heritage, including artwork, architecture, archaeology,
and museum collections. Conservation activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and collections care,
otherwise known as preventive conservation. As a technical
discipline, conservation of cultural heritage is supported by
conservation science research concerning materials, design,
techniques, and aesthetics, and conservators/restorers require specialized training in conservation and restoration
techniques. Future research projects in the region are likely
to produce material that requires professional conservation
and storage. Currently, there are also plans to compile an
extensive library of contemporary, historic and technical literature relating to both Bamiyan and the nation more generally. The Cultural Centre could provide a space for what will
become an important national and international academic
resource.
Performance Hall
A performance hall will facilitate all programmatic needs of
the main Cultural Centre areas, such as exhibition, education, and research department, assisting in lectures, assemblies, music performances and heritage events. This space
will be the first of its kind in Bamiyan city.
Building Requirements
In order to meet the strategic goals of the Bamiyan Cultural
Centre, discussions were held with local Bamiyan Municipality representatives, including the Governor, Deputy Governor, Mayor and officials from the Ministry of Information
and Culture. The following needs were identified and inform
programmatic requirements within the estimated implementation budget of 2.5 million USD. Public and private spaces
must meet both circulation and functional needs.
The specifications for the spaces are as follows:
Total building gross area shall not exceed: 2,220 m
Exhibition space
public

The exhibition galleries should be adaptable with

flexibility for future space planning to accommodate
tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
There will be a focus on an ethnographic collection and
historical artefacts by providing one major and one minor
space for a permanent and temporary collection, respectively.
The exhibition space should have a connection to the
outdoor spaces creating a unique relationship between the interior exhibition space, the outdoor green
area, and integrating views of the Bamiyan Valley.
The outdoor area should provide areas for displays,
sculptures and performances that will act as an extension of the exhibition space.
The use of natural indirect light is recommended for
the exhibition space as well as for the remainder of the
buildings programmatic spaces.
Provide a public restroom within the exhibition zone.
Provide a Tea House within the exhibition zone for 30
indoor seats and 40 outdoor seats in a shaded area
during for the summer season. The Tea House should
allow easy access to the public restroom and main entrance.
Provide a Retail Store for visitors.
Provide Storage that can be accessed from the exhibition space and adjacent to the Research Centre.
Performance hall
public

The performance space will accommodate 200 seats

for lectures, public events, musical concerts, cinema
and performances.
Provide a dressing area(s) or off-stage area with a
private bathroom.
The hall should make use of natural light with the ability
to convert the space into a black box on occasion.
Reception/Lobby
public

The reception area should be located near the main

entrance.
Allocate area for security screening of public visitors.
The exhibition space needs to be adjacent to the reception area to keep the public flow of traffic contained
from designated private areas.
Provide public restrooms located near the main entrance.
Workshops and Studio space

public/private

Provide an open space with natural lighting for artists

and artisans.
Provide a practice room for musicians.
Classrooms
public

Provide four classrooms, each able to seat 25 people.

Use flexible furniture to create a variety of seating arrangements.
Administration offices
private

The zone for administration will include eight offices,

seating a maximum of three people in each space.
Provide one communal kitchenette for the administration area.
Conference room
private

Provide one large conference room seating 30 people.

Provide movable partitions for flexible room layout.
Exterior requirements
public

Provide landscaping.
Provide pedestrian circulation.
Provide parking for 30 cars
A boundary wall three meters tall is on the existing site
plan and will encompass the perimeter of the building
site. The boundary wall shall not obstruct the buildings
view towards the Buddha Cliff from the site.
Mark an area on the site for a future 1,000 square
meters building expansion.
Research centre and Library

public/private

Provide one open space to accommodate ten laboratory

workers.
Provide one private office.
Provide three designated quiet rooms for private
working group sessions or reading. Each room should
be able to accommodate a maximum of four people.
69
PROGRAM
70
Building Area Analysis
ss area
0.0%
20.3%
1.6%
3.6%
5.0%
12.6%
0.9%
5.9%
notes
permanent and temporary collection
25-30 indoor seats
200 seats
provide male and female
4.5%
1.4%
0.5%
open space, flexible partitions
3.6%
0.7%
1.8%
0.5%
2.3%
10 lab workers
2 staff
3 rooms, 4 people per room
10.8%
4 classrooms, 25 students each
5.1%
0.3%
0.5%
8 offices, 3 staff / per room

4.1%
30 seats, movable partition walls
14.4%
elimate the use of elevators
100.0%
gross area is required to be 2,220 sm.
Building
Program
Building
Program
EXHIBITION
SPACE
EXHIBITION
SPACE
exhibition
space
exhibition
space
retail
store
retail
store
house
tea tea
house
collection
storage
collection
storage
PERFORMANCE
HALL
PERFORMANCE
HALL
performance
performance
hallhall
stage
area/private
restrooms
off off
stage
area/private
restrooms
RECEPTION
/ LOBBY
RECEPTION
/ LOBBY
reception
reception
lobby
lobby
main
public
bathroom
main
public
bathroom
entrance
vestibule
entrance
vestibule
WORKSHOP
STUDIO
WORKSHOP
STUDIO
workshop
studio
workshop
studio
musician
performance
room
musician
performance
room
private
restrooms
private
restrooms
RESEARCH
CENTRE/
LIBRARY
RESEARCH
CENTRE/
LIBRARY
research
room
research
room
office
oneone
office
quiet/
study
rooms
quiet/
study
rooms
private
restrooms
private
restrooms
library
library
CLASSROOMS
CLASSROOMS
classroom
classroom
ADMINISTRATION
ADMINISTRATION
offices
offices
private
restrooms
private
restrooms
kitchenette
kitchenette
CONFERENCE
CONFERENCE
conference
room
conference
room
UNASSIGNED
AREAS
UNASSIGNED
AREAS
circulation,
mechanical,
electrical,
plumbing,
loading
circulation,
mechanical,
electrical,
plumbing,
art art
loading
area,
stair,
interior
cirulation
ramp,
structure,
partitions
area,
stair,
interior
cirulation
ramp,
structure,
partitions
netnet
(sf)(sf)
included
included
included
included
included
included
1,1841,184
3,014
3,014
215 215
gross
gross
gross
areaarea
netnet
(sm)(sm) gross
(sf)(sf) gross
(sm)(sm) gross
0.0%
0.0%
20.3%
450450
20.3%
35 35
1.6%1.6%
3.6%
80 80
3.6%
5.0%
110 110
5.0%
notes
notes
permanent
temporary
collection
permanent
andand
temporary
collection
25-30
indoor
seats
25-30
indoor
seats
12.6%
12.6%
0.9%
0.9%
5.9%
5.9%
seats
200200
seats
provide
male
female
provide
male
andand
female
included
included
included
included
included
included
included
included
280280
20 20
130130
included
included
included
included
included
included
included
included
1,076
1,076
323323
108108
100100
30 30
10 10
4.5%
4.5%
1.4%1.4%
0.5%
0.5%
open
space,
flexible
partitions
open
space,
flexible
partitions
861 861
161 161
431 431
108108
538538
80 80
15 15
40 40
10 10
50 50
3.6%
3.6%
0.7%0.7%
1.8%1.8%
0.5%
0.5%
2.3%
2.3%
10 lab
workers
10 lab
workers
2 staff
2 staff
3 rooms,
4 people
room
3 rooms,
4 people
perper
room
provide
male
female
provide
male
andand
female
2,583
2,583
240240
10.8%
10.8%
1,2161,216
5.1%5.1%
0.3%
0.3%
0.5%
0.5%
8 offices,
3 staff
/ per
room
8 offices,
3 staff
/ per
room
provide
male
female
provide
male
andand
female
108108
113 113
7 7
10 10
969969
90 90
4.1%4.1%
30 seats,
movable
partition
walls
30 seats,
movable
partition
walls
Total
Building
Area
Total
Building
Area
3,444
3,444
320320
14.4%
14.4%
23,896
23,896
2,220
2,220
100.0%
100.0%
provide
male
female
provide
male
andand
female
4 classrooms,
25 students
each
4 classrooms,
25 students
each
elimate
of elevators
elimate
the the
useuse
of elevators
Gross
area:
Includes
to the
outside
(exterior)
surface
of the
wall.
Gross
area:
Includes
the the
areaarea
to the
outside
(exterior)
surface
of the
wall.
area:
Includes
to the
inside
(interior)
surface
of the
wall.
NetNet
area:
Includes
the the
areaarea
to the
inside
(interior)
surface
of the
wall.
of the
individual
spaces
should
be within
(+/-)
5 -%8of%the
of the
specified
square
meter
or square
total
building
gross
is required
to 2,220
be 2,220
TheThe
areaarea
of the
individual
spaces
should
be within
(+/-)
5-8
specified
square
meter
or square
feet.feet.
TheThe
total
building
gross
areaarea
is required
to be
sm.sm.
71
Ski competition in Bamiyan Ghulam Reza Mohammadi

72
Competition
Submission &
Regulations
73
SUBMITTAL
74
Competition Submission
The launch of the design competition is on 15 November 2014. All
entries for the design competition must be received by UNESCO via
the competition website by 22 January 2015, 23:59 (GMT). This is a
paperless submission.
Project Timeline
November 15, 2014 Start date
January 22, 2015, 23:59 (GMT) - Competition closes, Entries due
January 25-31, 2015 Jury
February 7, 2015 Results announced
Submission Panel Requirements
Participants are required to submit the following text and drawings:
Text:
A text describing the design concept. Explain how the design addresses each of the Critical Principals of Design mentioned in the competition brief. (Maximum 1000 words)
Drawings:

Master Site Plan Drawing
1:1000
Floor Plan Drawing for each floor
1:200
(2) Building Elevations
1:100
(2) Building Sections 1:100
(1) Typical Building Wall Section
3-d Renderings:
Illustrate the light quality, space and materiality of the internal
1:20
and external building.

(4) Interior Views
(4) Exterior Views (one rendering from Buddha cliff)
Additional Guidelines:

File size is limited to 20 MB.
Applicants will submit the text and drawing requirements on

3 panels @ A0 size - landscape format.
The panels to be submitted as a single PDF document.
Place your username (ex: BCC01) on the front and top right hand
corner of every panel.
No indication of the applicants name should be on the submitted

panel. This will be an automatic disqualification.
Each participant or group of participants may submit a single

design to be sent in its final form.
All documentation submitted should be written in English.
Competition website downloads:

Competition Brief
Bamiyan Cultural Centre Competition Brief.pdf
CADD Files
Site Plan.dwg
Site Section.dwg
Site Analysis.pdf
Panoramas
Far site view.jpg
Main view from cultural centre site.jpg
View 1_site.jpg
View 2_site.jpg
View 3_site.jpg
View 4_site.jpg
View 5_site.jpg
View 6_site.jpg
View 7_site.jpg
View 8_site.jpg
View 9_site.jpg
View 10_site.jpg
View 11_site.jpg
View 12_site.jpg
View 13_site.jpg
View 14_site.jpg
View Key Plan.jpg
Satellite Imagery
Satellite Image 16000_Plain.jpg
Topographic Map 16000_Plain.eps
Competition Regulations
The competition is organized in accordance with the Guidelines,
Rules and Regulations set out in the present document. It
may also be guided by the 1978 Revised Recommendation
concerning International Competition in Architecture and
Town Planning which was adopted by the UNESCO General
Conference at its 20th session and by common practice of
open international competitions.
This is an open international architectural design project
competition conducted in one stage.
By participating in this competition, the participants accept
unconditionally the Guidelines, Rules and Regulations set out
in the present document and affirm that they are acquainted
with and will strictly abide by the time table. Nothing in or
relating to the competition regulations, specifications and
program shall be deemed a waiver of any of the privileges
and immunities of UNESCO. Submission of an entry constitutes acceptance of the decisions of the Jury which shall
be final.
Basic principles of the current competition are equal
opportunities for all applicants, assessment of the
applications exclusively in accordance with pre-defined
and non-discriminatory selection criteria, assessment of the
submitted concepts in an independent jury with no conflict
of interest and anonymity.
Eligibility
This competition is an open call for proposals based on an
anonymous design submission. Architects, engineers, designers and students can develop and submit a proposal for
the Cultural Centre in Bamiyan, as individuals, companies
or joint ventures. One team member must be a registered
architect.
UNESCO insists that candidates may only enter the competition
once, which excludes any possible variants of the project.
Evaluation Process
A expert jury selected by the UNESCO and the Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan will review the submissions.
The evaluation of the designs will be based on the critical
principles of design. The selection process consists of finding an adequate approach to the specifications and programme of the competition. The feasibility of the project will
be assessed. The Jury will also consider the proposed budget
when selecting the winner.
Critical principles of design

Create an innovative design.

Create a vital centre for the cultural community of Bamiyan
allowing individuals to commune and share ideas.
Integrate the Bamiyan Valley view into the building design
and create a positive visual impact on the Cultural
Landscape of Bamiyan Valley.
Integrate an environmentally conscious design, which in
the Bamiyan context should consider locally resourced
materials, climate and efficiency.
Connect to the historical context of the World Heritage
property.
Prize of the Competition
Four runner-ups will be awarded 8,000 (USD) by UNESCO

with funding from the Republic of Korea.
The winner will be awarded 25,000 (USD ) by UNESCO with
funding from the Republic of Korea.
Copyright and Right of Ownership
Any person submitting a design within the framework of the
competition certifies and warrants that his/her proposal does
not violate the rights of a third party and/or any copyright.
UNESCO recognizes that each competitor will own the copyright to his/her competition submission but, as organizer,
reserves the right to exhibit or publish all entries, while ref-
erencing authors, without cost. Due to the anonymity of the

competition, publication of entries prior to termination of the
competition will not be allowed.
The competition submissions may be used by UNESCO and
by the International Union of Architects (UIA) for press, exhibition, publication or other marketing of the competition and
its outcome. By submitting an entry, each competitor hereby
grants UNESCO a worldwide perpetual royalty-free license,
with the right to publish, reproduce, display and publicize any
of the submitted entries or any part thereof, with the name of
the author.
The winner(s) shall enter into an agreement with UNESCO,
confirming the terms and conditions on ownership including
all intellectual property rights and the award he/she will
receive, as defined in the Guidelines, Rules and Regulations
set out in the present document, and setting forth the terms
and conditions on the construction of the piece, time frame
for execution, use of artist name and related promotional activities.
UNESCO may require the winner(s) to collaborate with another architect of his/her choice approved by UNESCO.
The winner(s) will receive as compensation a further sum
equal to the amount of the first prize if no contract for carrying out the project has been signed within twenty-four
months of the announcement of the jurys award. In so
compensating the first prize winner. UNESCO does not
acquire the right to carry out the project except with the
collaboration of its author.
Upon the lifting of anonymity and the publication of the
Jury report, candidates shall refrain from using UNESCOs
or the UIAs name or emblem for anything pertaining to the
competition, for promotional purposes or any other purpose, without prior written agreement from UNESCO or
the UIA.
75
Western Buddha with Qala

76
Exhibition of Entries
All designs, including those disqualified by the jury, will be exhibited
on the competition website, for three weeks, together with a copy of
the signed report of the jury. The planned date of the exhibition is
March 2015.
Language
The official language of the competition is English. All entries are required
to be submitted in English.
Secretariat for the Competition
UNESCO Kabul Office
House 647, Jami Watt, PD-10, Shahr-e-Naw
Kabul, Afghanistan
bc.centre@unesco.org
Competition Questions and Answers
Competitors will have the opportunity to ask questions to the Secretariat by e-mail to: bc.centre@unesco.org. This is the only method
of communication for participants. Enquiries by telephone will not be
answered. Do not contact UNESCO or any member of the staff directly. A question-and-answer log will be compiled and uploaded to
the competition website. The deadline for submitting questions is 10
January 2015, 23:59 (GMT).
77
Sisters Koukaba Mojadidi

78
Acknowledgments
79
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments
UNESCO would like to thank the institutions and people
who generously contributed their time and resources
towards the development of the Bamiyan Culture Centre
project and design competition.
The Republic of Korea, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
H.E. Mr. Cha Young-cheol, Korean Ambassador to Afghanistan
Seung-buhm Lee, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kabul
Daesung Kang, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kabul
Kyucheol Kang, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
Ministry of Information and Culture
H.E. Dr. Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, Minister
Kabir Dadras, Director of Information and Culture in Bamiyan
Bamiyan Province Municipality
H.E. General Wahdat, Governor
Mohammad Asif Mobiliq, Deputy Governor

Khadem Hussain Fetrat, Mayor
Eng. Mohammad Tahir Ataee, Director of the Department of
Agriculture and Livestock in Bamiyan
Eng. Hamidullah Lali, Director of the Department of Mines in Bamiyan
International Union of Architects (UIA)
Emily Bonin, Assistant, International Competitions Program
UNESCO Headquarters, Paris
Eero Porko, Financial Policy and Compliance Section
Judith Van Zalen, Deputy Chief, Building Section
UNESCO Kabul Office
Paolo Fontani, Director and Representative
Masanori Nagaoka, Head of Culture Unit
Sara Noshadi, Project Officer
Koukaba Mojadidi, Project Architect
Source: Architectural Survey of the Buddhist Caves. UNESCO / Japanese Fund in Trust
80
Salim Rafik, Architect

Nazifa Noor, Project Coordinator
Ghulam Reza Mohammadi, Project Coordinator, Bamiyan Office
Nikelina Bineri, Architect
Bert Praxenthaler, Conservator
Mujtaba Mirzai, Conservator
Brendan Cassar, Head of Culture Unit (2009-2014) for
preparing the original UNESCO proposal of the Bamiyan
Cultural Centre
Photo Credits
Muzafar Ali
Khaliq Bamyani
Chad Dear
Mehdi Mehraeen
Latif Azimi
Hamid Mohammadi
Mohammad Ali Sheida
Bert Praxentahler
Jake Simkin
Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Afghanistan
Ajmal Maiwandi, Director
Dr. Najimi, Architect and Conservator
Shafiq Mashall, Communication Officer
Afghan Graphics for Competition Website
Abdul Motaal Mosleh, Graphic and Web Designer
Meconopsis Films for Short Video
Ben Bruges, Director and Editor
Mohammad Ranjbar and Jacob Simkin, Filmed
Ali M Latifi, Research
Peter Griffin, Narration
Adam Nicolas, Music
Research
Information prepared by the following files/entities has been
referenced in the competition brief.
UNESCO World Heritage Property: Cultural Landscape
and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley
Nomination File
Bamiyan Valley Management Plan
Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan
Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan
Aachen Center for Documentation and Conservation
RWTH Aachen University, Germany
Institute for Urban Design and Regional Planning RWTH
Aachen University, Germany
National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
Tokyo
International Council on Monuments and Sites Germany
Department Of Architecture Mukogawa Womens University Japan
Special Thanks
UNESCO would like to extend its special thanks to the Bamiyan community for their tremendous contribution and
unforgettable generosity during the development of this
Cultural Centre design competition. We would like to acknowledge the following individuals and institutions for their
contributions to the project:

Help Organization
Naser Sorush and Nasuruallh Tawakoli, musicians
Silk Road Hotel
UNAMA, Bamiyan
Participants in the Bamiyan Silk Road Festival 2014
Band-i-Amir, National Park
Bamiyan Municipality
81

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Bamiyan Cultural Centre

A nation stays alive when its culture stays alive