Nepal, June 16 -- AG Krishna Menon is an urban planner and conservation consultant based in New Delhi who was invited to examine strengthening and rebuilding in Kathmandu after the 2015 earthquake. He calls it the most extensive and successful preservation campaign in South Asia, if not globally.

Coming from an architect with 40 years of experience, that says a lot. Menon worked with Eric Theophile of the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT) on the book Nepal Dialogues II: Architecture, Preservation and Living Culture and is a strong proponent of 'revitalist architecture' in culturally rich earthquake-prone areas.

The slim volume is a perfect companion to Tradition and Modernity in Patan: The Paradox of Architectural Preservation...