2020.2.29 Stoller teahouse preservationFrom:Sophia Stoller
To:Brandt, Clare
Cc:Anton Relin; Cholpon Minbaeva; Gavhar Asimova; David Heath; Jeffrey Magnunson; Miriam Allen; Cholpon
Kozubekovna Minbaeva; Peter Stoller; Nathan Paul Jones; Rett Ertl; Gavhar Osimi; Joe Stepanek; Aldona; Maya
Vakhobova; Peter Kleinman; Carolin Maertens; Lenny Martinelli; Simon, Mark; Bob Yates; Vern Seieroe; Mary
Axe; Jancy Campbell; Shawhin Roudbari; Anton Relin; Cholpon Minbaeva; Gavhar Asimova; David Heath; Jeffrey
Magnunson; Miriam Allen; Cholpon Kozubekovna Minbaeva; Peter Stoller; Nathan Paul Jones; Rett Ertl; Gavhar
Osimi; Joe Stepanek; Aldona; Maya Vakhobova; Peter Kleinman; Carolin Maertens; Castro, Joe
Subject:Teahouse Landmark meeting
Date:Saturday, February 29, 2020 9:20:43 PM
Attachments:teahouse preservation.pdf
External Sender
Dear Clare,
Please find attached a letter I have written to share with the Landmarks Board
regarding the upcoming meeting March 4th about the Boulder-Dushanbe Teahouse.
My husband and I will be out of town March 4th on family business and will not be
able to attend the meeting.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Sophia Stoller
Boulder City Landmarks Board
March 1, 2020
Dear Landmarks Board Members,
My name is Sophia Stoller. I have been involved with the Boulder Dushanbe
Sister City relationship since the early 1980’s. My husband, Peter, and I have been
very involved with many exchanges and hosting of Tajiks over the years and are
currently on the Boulder-Dushanbe Sister City board of directors.
I am writing regarding the proposed Land marking for historic preservation
of the Boulder-Dushanbe Teahouse.
We all want to protect the Boulder-Dushanbe Teahouse. It is a gem. I also
want to protect the living relationship that the Teahouse is part of. The Teahouse
was envisioned during a people to people exchange. It’s final design is a
collaboration between Tajik architect Lado Shanidza and Boulder architect, Vern
Seieroe. It was erected in Boulder by both Tajik artisans and Boulder carpenters and
builders. The Tajik artisans over the years who have visited Boulder have shared
their artistic tradition with Boulderites at workshops and most recently at CU with a
course that was taught at ENVD on Central Asian Design and Teahouse Restoration.
Tajik artisans have learned from Boulder professionals as well. Our community has
been enriched by these visiting artisans and collaborations between them and
people in Boulder. When Facilities Management and Teahouse operator, Lenny
Martinelli expressed concerns about the Teahouse entrance and need for a possible
airlock as well as concerns over the deteriorating concrete sidewalk. a member of
BDSC visiting Tajikistan explored the possibility with an architect in Khujand and
artisans who have worked on the Teahouse over the years. They were excited about
traditional designs that they thought could address the entrance and the sidewalk
issues. Continuing collaborations between Tajik artisans, architects, Boulder
professionals and institutions, .are part of a long tradition going back to the building
of the Teahouse.
Protecting the Teahouse also needs to protect and facilitate these dynamic
relationships between our communities. This is what sister cities is about,
relationships. This building is not something to be put in a glass box. It is an aspect
of a living, evolving relationship between communities that needs to be supported
and nourished. It is a building greatly valued both by our community, and by the
Tajik community here and in Tajikistan where wonderful Teahouses are still being
built. It is more than a “Boulder” landmark.
We need to respect the great beauty and historic importance of the Teahouse
to our community but we also need respect the cultural connections between our
communities that it has been part of. We need to allow room for issues concerning
the building to be creatively addressed through our established cultural
collaborations between Boulder citizens, institutions, and Tajik artists, artisans,
architects and builders that have been facilitated through the Boulder-Dushanbe
Sister City organization. I believe Boulder Land marking needs to acknowledge the
importance of this relationship in any historic preservation effort. It is already a
challenge for Boulder-Dushanbe Sister Cities and the other organizations to work
with Tajik artisans and other professionals because of great distance, language,
culture and institutional and government differences. I ask you to not add to this
challenge.
Please leave room for ongoing cultural collaborations between our sister
cities involving the Boulder-Dushanbe Teahouse and its surroundings that will
benefit the Teahouse and our communities.
Thank you,
Sophia Stoller
764 Sunshine Canyon Drive, Boulder, 80302
sophiastoller@yahoo.com