Unveiling the masterplan for Gelephu Mindfulness City at the Bhutan Innovation Forum, Bjarke Ingels, founding partner and creative director of BIG, said the city will become a gateway between the world and South Asia. Upon completion of the Gelephu International Airport, the mindfulness city will be directly connected with four continents. The city’s masterplan encompasses railway links, a hydroelectric dam, and public spaces, all of which reflect Bhutan’s commitment to a greener and sustainable future.
Presenting the designs and the architecture for the GMC, architect Bjarke Ingels highlighted that the city is poised to become a gateway between the world and South Asia, with direct international flights connecting the city and Bhutan with four continents. He also mentioned that a new airport is being built next to the current one over the next five years, offering enhanced accessibility.
“Once it is open, it will have expanded the runway to be able to land the largest planes. The phase one will cater to 1.3 million passengers. And once expanded to phase two, 5.5 million passengers per year, making it a veritable hub in the region.”
He further added infrastructure and architecture in GMC will incorporate local building typologies inspired by Bhutan’s “Gross National Happiness” development philosophy (GNH), emphasizing well-being, health, education, and cultural diversity. The city will be built using locally sourced materials such as bamboo, timber, and river stones, combining tradition with modernity while cultivating resilient, self-sustaining communities.
Bjarke further highlighted that the GMC has the potential to become the global capital of Vajrayana Buddhism, as the city’s spiritual and cultural foundation will be deeply rooted in Bhutan’s Vajrayana Buddhist traditions. This will invite people from around the world to come together to nurture compassion, kindness, and inner peace.
Financially, GMC is expected to have a robust and transparent financial sector led by three core principles—clarity, co-creation, and customer friendliness. The core team also revealed that plans are underway to introduce a new currency called “Ter,” which will be used across the Gelegphu Mindfulness City.
Hobeng Lim, Managing Director of Finance, GMC said “So, the idea of this new currency is based on blockchain. Blockchain is transparent and you can see where it is at any point. it is cheaper and more efficient as well. The new currency Ter will fully be backed by physical gold.”
Additionally, ORO, a fully digital, full-reserve global bank will provide the city’s banking services. The legal framework in GMC will follow Singapore’s business-friendly laws to facilitate ease of doing business.
On the legal front, the core team explained that the GMC’s legal framework will be modeled after Singaporean law, which is grounded in international Common Law principles. It will also incorporate elements from other legal systems, including an independent judiciary.
According to the GMC short-term development masterplan, the Special Administrative Region is expected to grow into a small-scale world-class tourism, business, and education destination between 2025 and 2035.
Kinzang Lhaden and Passang Dorji
