Alternate Building Materials-Arga

When researching and developing sustainable building materials, it is always worth looking beyond conventional approaches. In the past, various cultures have used a wide range of mineral-based building materials, which remain of interest today due to their unique properties.

In the Himalayan region, a natural building material called Arga has been used for hundreds of years. According to tradition, Arga consists of compacted materials made from carbonate rocks and clay. These materials are manually applied using traditional tamping and compaction techniques and are then polished. Due to its waterproof nature and durability, Arga is widely used throughout the Himalayas. It is particularly admired in temple complexes, where this centuries-old building material can still be seen.

Current microscopic investigations of Arga’s raw materials aim to provide insights into both the historical and recent spread of Arga, as well as the material’s technical characterization. Initial results shed light on the selection criteria and prerequisites for suitable raw materials. Four structural base types have been identified so far, all of which have been used with similar techniques across the region from Tibet to India. This finding highlights not only the geographical expanse but also the significant cultural influence of Arga.

More information on the topic of Arga:

Feiglstorfer, Hubert 2019. Mineral Building Traditions in the Himalayas: the Mineralogical Impact on the Use of Clay as Building Material, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter.

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110591330/html

Feiglstorfer, Hubert 2022. Material Aspects of Building and Craft Traditions. Spatial Programme - Building Material - Natural Environment. A Himalayan Case Study, Vienna: Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, doi:10.1553/978OEAW82184.

https://www.austriaca.at/?arp=0x003d4c43