Community Spaces of Kathmandu

Nepal¿s adoption of new planning policies in 1976 has led to significant transformation of urban management practice in Kathmandu. Neglecting issues of larger communal interests, new planning policies have focused on providing individual homeowners with the right to build higher structures. These new planning policies depend on generic height restrictions to control building height in community spaces regardless of their varying shape, size, and orientation. One outcome of these regulations has been loss of minimum level of solar access in community spaces. This is particularly important since in Nepal solar access in community spaces is integral for the socio-cultural functioning of such public places. This book proposes the incorporation of solar access analysis in Nepal¿s building bylaws to control the height of buildings in community spaces. Such policy would ensure minimum level of solar access in community spaces, which in turn would support community activities and be beneficial to the entire community.