A vibrant and active neighborhood hub
For nearly three years, Restoration Works International, with the support of our volunteers, partners, and crew, has been restoring the Bichli Haveli (a traditional courtyard-style townhouse) in Udaipur, India. The close of the project is in sight, and with it, planning for the end use: a Heritage and Community Resource Center.
One of the primary objectives of the Project is to demonstrate to the surrounding community, urban development professionals, and conservationists the viability of restoration as a tool of community renewal and sustainable development.
The Bichli Haveli Heritage and Community Resource Center will comprise approximately 40 percent of the building space. Open to the public, the Center will serve a number of functions and have a variety of programs. Functional spaces being considered include:
Upon completion, the building will become a center for both community members and visitors to interact in a variety of ways, such as:
- Public meeting space and YouthSquad (teen organization) headquarters
- D-I-Y repair workshops
- Heritage events and conferences
- Artist residencies
- Exhibitions
- Neighborhood tours, cooking classes, yoga sessions, pop-up dinners
- Shop for local handicrafts, foods, gift items
ABOUT THE BICHLI HAVELI PROJECT
The Bichli Haveli Project is a three-year project launched in July 2017 to rehabilitate a 140-year-old haveli (traditional courtyard-style townhouse) in a dense and diverse section of Udaipur’s “old city” containing residences and small local shops. The Bichli Haveli Project’s rehabilitation is transforming a long-vacant building into a vibrant and active neighborhood hub that will include the Community and Heritage Resource Center supplemented with long-stay accommodation for visitors that will support the ongoing operations and maintenance.
YOUR GIFT IS A CHARITABLE DONATION
Restoration Works International, a registered US-based 501(c)3 charitable organization, works with communities in under-served areas to help them restore their historic spaces, and in doing so advances sustainable development, economic benefit and celebration of their unique culture and history. If you are an American tax payer, you may be entitled to a charitable contribution deduction against your income tax.