His Majesty The King of Bhutan has recently honored Jonathan Rose, a Director at Prior + Partners, with the prestigious Druk Thuksey (The Order of the Beloved of the Thunder Dragon) Medal. His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck awarded Jonathan for his exceptional services to the country of Bhutan, with recent work including his instrumental role in the newly adopted Thimphu Structure Plan, a framework for sustainable development in the country’s rapidly urbanizing capital city.
The Thimphu Structure Plan, which was formally adopted by the Bhutanese government in October 2023, provides a measurable, comprehensive guide to growing the city of Thimphu, utilizing regenerative building strategies and balancing essential human needs within the limits of responsible ecological stewardship.
Over the past twenty years, Thimphu has experienced rapid population growth and accelerating urbanism, which has placed acute pressure on the region’s natural and cultural resources, resulting in a declining quality of life for many urban residents – falling short of Bhutan’s foundational aspiration of Gross National Happiness, which has been enshrined in its constitution since 2008.
In 2017, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck engaged fellow medal recipient Jonathan F.P. Rose, Founder and President of Jonathan Rose Companies and an expert in sustainable development and regenerative communities, to bring together an international team of experts to address these challenges. The team was co-led by Prior + Partners Jonathan Rose alongside a consultant team including Arup and Gerald Eve. Over the next five years, the team spent substantial time on the ground in Bhutan, collaborating with planners in Bhutan’s Ministry of Works and Human Settlement.
“It is a huge honor to be recognised as a Heart Son of Bhutan by His Majesty and all our friends,” said Jonathan Rose, Director at Prior + Partners. “We are only at the beginning of our work together here. Now it’s all about determination and pulling together to reveal the full potential of His Majesty’s vision and deliver against the promise of the Thimphu Structure Plan.”
“Jonathan Rose Companies has been dedicated to regenerating the environmental and social qualities of communities to create Communities of Opportunity across the United States,” said Jonathan F.P. Rose, President of Jonathan Rose Companies and Chair of the International Advisory Board. “It is a privilege to bring this experience to a nation so deeply committed to the core principles of environmental and social wellbeing.”
