namje and thumki, nepal are two small villages in the foot hills of the himalayas. the immediate context is that of a village economically  dependant upon the terrace farming through out the region. their built environment is a rustic assortment of cmu and corugated steel construction, typical for an area that did not have running water till a few years prior. The goal of the project is to create a learning center, a place for locals and foreigners to live and learn about permaculture farming. learning grounds is intended to fortify the villages cultural and economic identify as foreign developers introduce sprawl and western planing to the remote villages.

conceptually the project revolved around the notion of infinite path and return, a metphor derived from the hindu and budhist heritage of the villages.  The proceess of leaving the perimeter buildings  for the central agriculture zone, and the return to the function and housing areas becomes a mantra for the users.  there is a spiritual and cultural ethos to the programing and function of the learning center. additionally, the layout of the buildings conicides with farming techniques used in permaculture framing.