Bjarke Ingel’s slide and video presentation on the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) at the Bhutan Innovation Forum spelt out some additional details on the infrastructure, monuments and layout of the GMC.
The presentation showed that a traditional Dzong will be built on the current Gelephu viewpoint, with a traditional stupa not far from it and other structures and infrastructure.
The Governor of the GMC Dasho Dr. Lotay Tshering said the city will have a replica of the Paro Dzong on the higher side overlooking the airport. “If you face Samtse from Gelephu then the Dzong will be on the right side.”
He said Gelephu will be the Vajrayana global capital and have mindfulness and the Dzong will give a Bhutanese look.
He said that currently whenever people land at the Paro airport foreigners marvel looking at the Paro Dzong.
It will be same size and replica at Gelephu. The conventional Dzong where a Dzongda normally sits will be based in the upcoming Sarpang Dzong. The GMC Dzong is expected to serve modern purposes too like Dungkar Dzong.
The Dzong is being granted by His Majesty The King to GMC.
The Vajrayana monument which Bjarke showed is his design and will serve as a museum.
The Governor said that a replica of Boudha Chorten will be granted by His Majesty and it may be a touch bigger even with very precious nangtens.
On land acquisition, the Governor said there will be three options that are being looked at.
One is replacement which will be value based and the replacement can be anywhere in the country.
“Until now it is from the same locality and you cannot go outside as NLC will not allow. Now this one can be anywhere in the country based on the value of the land. So Sarpang land replacement from Thimphu will be smaller but from Punakha it will be bigger and if it is from Pemagatshel, it can be 10 to 20 times bigger.”
The second option is for the land to be monetized and here it will be based on the current market value and not the government PAVA rate.
“The third option is tokenization of the land and in that case even if your land comes under the highway you will continue to be the owner and you will take token bids. The token bids value will be dependent on GMC’s GDP growth. It is a kind of leasing but far more than leasing as the token will be in block chain.”
The Governor listed two advantages of tokenization. “Theoretically you can be paid every hour. You would be getting something for the rest of your life and even future generations can get something.”
“The other advantage is that you also become the owner of GMC and the value can go up as more investments come in. So everybody becomes party to the GMC growth. Otherwise (normally) nobody is bothered with Thimphu and Phuentsholing’s growth.”
When it comes to possible investors the Governor said as of now the legal structure is evolving and that first needs to be drawn up. He said there is no publicly declared and named investor right now.
When asked what will happen to the current buildings as Bjarke’s presentation does not show them prominently, the Governor said, “There is no decision taken. For the ones that are permanently built, I personally feel a guideline will come like changing a bit of the façade and the outlook outside. This drawing is for generations and that is ultimately how GMC should look like, but not tomorrow.”
Giving the example of Norzin Lam he said it used to be different in the 1960’s and 70’s and now there is a big difference.
“It will change by itself. When we build, we build as per the plan. If it is already there let it be. The owner may one day decide that my building is no more in demand; I have some money, and will build a new one.”
Bjarke in his presentation said the architectural design of the city, will incorporate traditional Bhutanese elements with modern technology.
GMC will have a mix of residential and commercial areas, each with its unique character and it will have a central promenade, connecting all parts of the city and serving as a cultural and public space.
The international airport is at the planning and design stage which is being done by NACOS (Netherland Airport Consultancy) and it is being vetted by Changi Airport. NACOS is an airport and engineering consultancy firm headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands.
The current airport is not a part of the upcoming airport and so the new site is more towards the western site or towards the Army Welfare Project (AWP). The new runway will be 3.5 km long, enough for an Airbus 350.
The current one for the ATR is 1.5 km.
The airport is being extended westwards as an expansion eastwards would have meant a 48-meter high wall to ensure the right elevation for the airport. The western extension will only require a 10-meter high wall.
A part of the airport will be over a small river, which is dry in winter but flows in summer.
The Governor said that the airport cost is not yet known as the budget will come out only after the planning and design is done. He said that a formal airport with the whole eco system will cost more than just a runway and the terminal.
Bjarke’s presentation said the the new airport will expand its capacity to 1.3 million passengers in phase one and 5.5 million passengers in phase two. The airport will be designed with locally sourced materials, creating a lush, tropical environment.
The airport will connect Bhutan to four continents, enhancing its global reach and also make it a regional hub.
Apart from the Kokrajhar to Gelephu rail connection and a railway station the plan in the long run is to have an internal rail network. Trams will be there under public transportation.
The other major infrastructure will be road and bridges of international quality.
The bridges as shown in Bjarke’s presentation will not only be a functional bridge but it will have a healthcare bridge, connecting eastern and western medicine, and an agricultural bridge showcasing best practices.
GMC will have a Vajrayana Buddhist center, a museum, and a temple, each serving as a cultural and spiritual destination.
Bjarke Ingels said there will be public spaces in the city, including parks, promenades, and bridges, designed to integrate cultural and spiritual elements.
The city will have a marketplace and a cultural center, promoting local traditions and crafts.
Bjarke Ingels says GMC will have a tailor made administrative system, legal framework of Singapore, financial framework of Abu Dhabi and a new currency called TER.
The 7 types of businesses and institutions at the GMC are Spiritual, Health and Wellness, Education and Knowledge, Agriculture-Tech and Forestry, Green Energy and Tech, Finance and Digital Assets and Aviation and Logistics.
Bjarke said GMC will be attractive for businesses, for foreign investments and also retain local talent.
Bjarke said abundant hydropower will fuel AI, Data Centers and other energy intensive industries, finance and digital assets. He said a large hydro station will produce all the power of the city, and excess power can be stored using hydrogen.
The Governor said that Bhutanese contractors will not have the skills and equipment to build the bridges and so initially while an international company gets the work they will have to work with Bhutanese contractors for various works but that the company’s office will monitor. He said Bhutanese contractors can use such opportunities to learn.
In the meantime Tareythang has been given back to the Gyalsung for the Agricultural based Gyalsung Center.