3H summer school 2015

UNITY & DIVERSITY
BUILDING FOR CULTURAL
ENCOUNTERS
Auroville Green Practices
3H SUMMER SCHOOL 2015
© 2015 Auroville Consulting

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UNITY & DIVERSITY
BUILDING FOR CULTURAL
ENCOUNTERS
© 2015 Auroville Consulting
This publication documents the three-week Auroville
Green Practices 3HSummer School 2015‘Unity & Diver-
sity; Building for Cultural Encounters.The publication was
prepared in a collaborative way by participating students.
Those were: Alisha Jain, Anoushka Sharma, Anushree
Bhattacharjee, Astha Chopra , Bhairevi
Aiyer, Harshitha G, Kritika Sahu, Pragya Sharma, Ridhima
Khanna.
3H SUMMER
SCHOOL
2015
“YOU SEE THINGS; AND YOU SAY, ‘WHY?’ BUT
I DREAM THINGS THAT NEVER WERE; AND I
SAY, ‘WHY NOT’?”
– GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
Auroville Green Practices
3H SUMMER SCHOOL 2015

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FOREWORD
Africa, continent that has a lot to offer to the
rest of the world now keeps struggling to feed
its people and negotiate a position within
the highly globalizing world. Though Africa
is considered as the birthplace of mankind
and the first physical address for the Homo
sapiens, 4 centuries of active slave trade, a fol-
lowing period of scramble for African land and
resources, then post-colonial influences and
civil wars after independence in the 1960’s still
haunt the continent.
The Africa House, through mediums of space
and atmosphere, shows the other picture of
the continent. It claims that Africa is the future
if nations and the ‘civilized north’ are to undo
past misdeeds on the globe. Cultural Diversity,
majestic nature, simple living will have to reign
in order to guaran-tee peace and harmony
within the world. Africa-House has a vision of
becoming an ‘outside-hub’ of
spaces where nature is both a spectacle and
an everyday phenomena. Spaces of congre-
gation where man is at peace with nature.
Auroville is a unique venue in this world
where a spiritual dialogue with the environ-
ment and nature happens. The Africa house
aims to contribute to this dialogue by creat-
ing diverse spatial and formal elements in
harmony with each other and the environ-
ment. Africa is a collection of diverse people,
cultures, religion and geographic settings.
Africa as a continent has a potential to reveal
how collection of variety’s can coexist.
Involving education and practical building
technologies, the summer school is an impor-
tant chapter in setting cornerstones
for the gradual development and realization
of the Africa House. Temporality is by
itself an African reality. Seemingly small but
‘presently-relevant’steps are essential in order
toestablishgoodgroundsfortheAfricaHouse.
It is also important to see some of the‘tempo-
rary’ interventions as being part of the overall
vision of the Africa House. The city-building
process in Auroville has always been gradual.
So the building processes in the present time
will always be a conceptual endeavor to realize
the bigger and overarching goals of Auroville.
Brook Teklehaimanot Haileselassie
Delft, the Netherlands –
23rd July 2015

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
3H Summer School is the result of the dedicat-
ed work of Balu Ramalingam, Diego Zecchinel,
Eric Ntakirutimana, Fabian Ostner, Iraguha
Yves, Lavanya Pawar, Martin Scherfler, Tahir
Kadir, and Vimal Bhojraj. We would like to ex-
press our deep appreciation to the team of the
Auroville Unity Pavilion, for their encourage-
ment and support in providing a venue for the
program. Another special thanks Miriam from
the African Pavilion group for her support in
manifesting this program. Many thanks to the
countless Auroville resource persons that in-
teracted with the participants and shared their
expertise. The 3H Summer School 2015 was
made possible through support from Auroville
Consulting and the Auroville Unity Pavilion.
List of contributing resource persons:
Audrey Wallace-Taylor, Artist, Auroville Arts Services
Balu Sundaram, Director, Auroville Bamboo Research
Centre
Deepti Tiwari, Facilitator, Last School
Krishna McKenzie, Permaculturist, Solitude Farm
LaraDavis,Architect,Structuralmason,Faculty,Auroville
Earth Institute
Lucas Dengel, Executive, EcoPro
ManuGopalan,Founder,EartHauzArchitecture&Design
Martin Scherfler, Consultant, Auroville Consulting
Ribhu Vohra, Founder, WasteLess
Ross Elliot, Facilitator, Theater Sports
Suhasini Ayer-Guigan, Prinicpal Consultant, Auroville
Design Consultants
Samuka da Índia, Facilitator, Capoeira
Toine van Megen, Co-Founder, Auroville Consulting
Vikram Devatha, Executive, Auroville Consulting
3H SUMMER SCHOOL
The 3H Summer School program is an initiative
usingAurovilleanditsoutstandingexperience
in human unity & sustainable living as a plat-
form for the learning and personal growth of
students from around the world.
The program is based on the 3H approach that
nurtures hands (skills), head (competencies)
and heart (inner capacities) of all participants.
The 3H Summer School 2015 served as an ex-
perimentaleducationallaboratory,connecting
theoryandapplicationwithcorehumanvalues
suchasjustice,compassionanddignityaround
the lead theme of ‘Unity & Diversity; Building
for Cultural Encounters’. Nine students partici-
pated in this three-week program held from
12thJulyto1stAugust2015atAurovilleInterna-
tional Township in Tamil Nadu, India.
AUROVILLE
Auroville is a growing international township
near Puducherry on the Coromandel Coast
in India. Spread over more than 4000 acres
for an intended population of 50,000 resi-
dents, it is an inspiring model for sustainable
practices and ecologically responsible living.
Founded in 1968, Auroville is based on the
vision of The Mother from the Sri Aurobindo
Ashram and is endorsed by UNESCO and Gov-
ernment of India as an ongoing experiment
in human unity. The Auroville Foundation
was established in 1988 by an act of parlia-
ment of the Government of India to govern
its affairs. Over the years, Auroville has won
international acclaim for its efforts in social
andenvironmentalsustainability.Thecurrent
populationofAurovilleTownshipisover2200
residents from about 45 nations.

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TABLE OF CONTENT
PARTICIPANTS PROFILES & LEARNING 10 - 21
FROM DESIGN TO MANIFESTATION 22 - 29
DESIGN CHALLENGE 30 - 39
OUR FUTURE COMMITMENTS 40 - 51

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PARTICIPANTS
PROFILES &
LEARNING
“TO CHANGE SOMETHING, BUILD A NEW
MODEL THAT MAKES THE EXISTING MODEL
OBSOLETE.”
– BUCKMINSTER FULLER

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ALISHA JAIN
My name is Alisha Jain, born and bought up in
Delhi. I am currently pursuing Architecture from IP
University and have completed my second year.
I stand for equality, serving and compassion. I
personally like to express myself through verbal
communication. I am good at conceptualizing,
detailing and graphic designing. I am passionate
about issues related to children, especially educa-
tional facilities. The best part of the program was
knowing my individuality through different self-
introspection sessions which helped me accept
my fears and mistakes and helped me grow as a
person .I learned a lot about sustainability, design
and construction processes through the hands on
sessions. It inspired me to follow a more sustain-
able lifestyle and do my bit for the environment.
I will incorporate different design strategies that
I have learned here, in my work to improve it and
come up with a better design- a sustainable one.
TAHEER KADIR
My name is Taheer Kadir, from Ethiopia. I work
as a builder, along with organizing workshops
for training students in construction. My child-
hood consisted of school, helping my family in
the farms, and starting work in bamboo con-
struction at the age of nineteen. I have always
liked expressing myself through dance and
music. Playing drums is also one of my favou-
rite hobbies. I stand for freedom and human
unity, which is resonated in what I liked best
aboutthisprogram–workingwithpeoplefrom
different backgrounds and seeing them smile. I
havelearntsomethingneweveryday,including
the realization that time flies. I was overloaded
with different projects but that has taught me
how to manage time and work. The change
that I have seen in myself is becoming more
hardworking, and I have started to appreciate
teamwork.Taking feedback from others is what
I have started to work on.
ANOUSHKA SHARMA
I am Anoushka Sharma, pursuing architecture
from MBS SPA, Dwarka, New Delhi. I have com-
pleted my third year. I stand for determination,
compassion and passion-as giving. I have been
brought up in a nurturing environment and I
emulate my family and live by values of helping
people. I express myself through music and dance.
Networking and public relations are soft skills that
help me professionally. This programme has been
a beautiful turn in my life where I have grown as
a person not just an architect. I have enriching
experiences by exploring unique spaces, interact-
ingwithAurovilliansandworkedwithcapableand
skilledmentors.Ihaveobservedthatwithgenuine
intention and efforts we can realise our dream
project. I have grown more as a human being
and architecture student. I got courage to be an
independent being a type 1 patient. I would like to
practice sustainable architecture and never want
to stop learning.
ERIC NTAKIRUTIMANA
My name is Eric. I am from Africa United. I stand
for unity and peace. My upbringing taught me
to spread happiness. My way of expression
is to spread joy. I do construction work and
plumbing. I love to play football and cook food
for people. My best part in program is to help
all on site and to see Africa and India together.
I learnt how to make others and myself happy.
I don’t like to change myself. Since there is
no change in me so I will be the same, always
spreading happiness and bringing smile on
other people faces.

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ANUSHREE BHATTACHARJEE
My name is Anushree Bhattacharjee, I was born
and raised in Delhi. I am currently pursuing archi-
tecture at IP University, Delhi. I stand for clarity of
thoughts, freedom of expression and positivity. I
have been a part of various workshops and envi-
ronment protection drives since childhood which
has always raised my concern towards the protec-
tion of nature. I find freedom of expression in
singing, writing and designing. I aspire for making
people aware of their environment and preserve
it. My professional skills include my developing
knowledge in architecture, leadership and com-
munication. The Summer School made me realize
the importance of providing for oneself minimally
in order to live a sustainable life. This program has
helped me become better at accepting my faults.
Interactions with people from different cultural
backgroundsfusedwiththepricelessenvironment
of this city contributed to one of the many unfor-
gettable memories in my life.
IRAGUHA YVES
My name is Iraguha Yves, and I come from
Rwanda, the Heart of Africa. I was born in the
capitalcityofKigali,butgrewupinthecountry-
side. Growing up, we did what kids normally do
– things like chasing animals and playing in the
mud. I have studied Economics and I want to
pursue PhD in the same, from Delhi. I am also
skilled in building construction and designing,
and my hobbies comprise of playing guitar and
football. I also like producing electronic music.
I believe in freedom and generosity. I have had
new experiences during this program which
include becoming almost an expert in bamboo
construction. The tea time and the African
Dinner night have been my favourite parts of
the program so far. Working for the pavilion
has stretched my limitations, making me more
open to a sustainable life, while also honing my
professional construction skills.
ASTHA CHOPRA
My name is Astha Chopra, and I am from Delhi. I
am currently pursuing architecture, and starting
my third year in IP University, Delhi. I’ve always
found it easier to express myself through writing,
which I consider one of my skills. Apart from this,
evolving ideas through graphics and semi-devel-
oped knowledge in spatial planning are what my
professional skills comprise of.
I stand for courage, justice and mutual respect,
which resonate with my strong beliefs in gender
equality and a fairer world. I have always been a
bit resigned in taking the initiative for new experi-
ences-thisprogramhashelpedmeovercomethat,
by giving me a chance to finally learn cycling and
try new varieties of food. I have also learnt a lot
in terms of design and construction. Auroville has
provided me with a new perspective- that of living
sustainably, and inspired me to become a better
person.
DIEGO ZECCHINEL
My name is Diego. I came to Auroville from
Switzerland in 1981. I abide by unity, diversity,
equality. I have worked as a building construc-
tion contractor. Being a workaholic, apart from
projects, I do projects given by people, prepare
material for the next work in hand, take care of
vegetation in Samrithi and a lot more. I spend
time with nature, repair the roofs, machines,
tools etc the remaining time. We have experi-
mented with the central pillar of the pavilion.
We were overburdened initially. But with the
workshop students, it has been an interesting
learning experience. The girls are more eager
to learn. Next time, we should start earlier as
we know bamboo takes time to get harvested.
About the world, there is too much consumer-
ism nowadays.The planet wants to survive, but
we are heading for disaster because we are
polluting. In Auroville, we earn and live sus-
tainably, which is a good thing.

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BHAIREVI AIYER
My name is Bhairevi G. Aiyer and I abide by sin-
cerity, centredness and humility. I am someone
who expresses through art, music, writing and
acting on my beliefs. As a civil engineer graduate
(’15 batch) from VIT Vellore, I’ ve gained a basic
understanding of structures, waste management
and technical softwares. But this program opened
my eyes to sustainability. I’ ve met creative, pas-
sionate, pro-active people with a vision for a
sustainable world. Auroville is a hub for actual,
eye-opening innovation in any field from music,
art, agriculture, product design to architecture
and sustainable infrastructure development. I was
verythrilledtolearnfromandnetworkwithprofes-
sionals from sanitation, waste management and
construction fields. I’ve gained courage to embark
on an unconventional path to pursue my passion.
But I will convert this to action despite fear. I plan
to improve my technical base by visiting Auroville
again to work volunteer.
BALU RAMALINGAM
My name is Balu Ramalingam, I have been born
andboughtupinAuroville.Ihavebeenworking
with Auroville Consulting for the past 3 years.
My educational profile includes schooling at
Auroville and further studies at Puducherry
University,whichhascontributedingenerating
awareness with respect to my surroundings. I
standforconfidence,determinationandsincer-
ity. I aim at providing maximum number of stu-
dents the kind of exposure they expect to get at
Auroville in terms of educational experiences.
I personally like to express myself through
verbal communication. I am good at organiz-
ing and managing workshops. Best part of the
program was that the students were sincere
andhardworking.TheSummerSchoolprogram
has inspired me to evolve my role not only as a
coordinator but also as a participant.
HARSHITHA G
My name is Harshitha. Brought up in Bangalore,
I have currently finished my 3rd year of archi-
tecture in MSRIT, Bangalore. I truly believe that
compassion, honesty, integrity, passion, courage,
wisdom and acceptance are qualities needed for a
purposeful life. I express myself by writing, mostly
poetry and articles, painting,, drawing and colour-
ing which help me look at the world more cre-
atively. My unique professional skills include my
understandingofspaces,contours,aimofprojects
and sensitivity towards existing landscape. My
skills in writing, AutoCAD and Revit also help me
professionally. My favourite part of the program
was interacting with new people from different
places and backgrounds, learning their cultures
and sharing ideas. I learnt how to listen and work
in a group. The workshop has changed my way of
thinking, and changed me as a person. I am going
to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.
FABIAN OSTNER
My name is Fabian. I am born in the South Ger-
man city Munich, later on studied architecture
in Bremen and Berlin. Already during my stud-
ies I travelled to India for longer periods which
ultimately brought me to Auroville in 1994 for a
training. This experience and two subsequent
long-term visits brought me to the decision to
join Auroville in 2000. Since then I am living
and working here – passionate about archi-
tecture and its meaning in today’s world, the
organization of Auroville, its master plan, the
land and the cultural references of Tamil Nadu
and India. It has been a great learning experi-
ence on many levels and Auroville’s quest to
manifest an actual human unity is something
which inspires every day. The summer school
with participants from various countries and
backgrounds is one of these experiences which
beautifully contribute to Auroville’s growth.

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KRITIKA SAHU
My name is Kritika. I am studying architecture in
Delhi. I stand for dedication, equality, respect and
generosity. My mom always wanted her child to
learn and explore everything. So she made me
learn every form of art, sports, music and dance.
After learning everything my family gave me full
freedom to select anything. I am passionate about
everything that makes me happy. There are so
many things that I love to do are photography,
sports, sketching etc. I kept on thinking but I was
unable to select one particular thing that is my
best part in this workshop. Because all moments
are so unique that they can’t be expressed. What
I learnt here, there is no point in telling until I
implement things in my future. That day I am
gonna shout so hard because of joy. As a person, I
am just getting better day by day by experiencing
things and meeting new people.
LAVANYA PAWAR
My name is Lavanya. I was born in Pune which
was transforming from city to cosmopolitan
city, driven by curiosity I explored art, science
and nature. I saw people struggling all life to
get a roof on their head to survive. This im-
pacted me deeply how I can make their lives
better. I studied Electronics Engineering and
Architecture. My dream project is to design a
Smart Self sustainable island. Inspired by steps
taken towards green and sustainable architec-
ture I chose to do my architecture internship
in Auroville. I am passionate about discovering
beauty in design and architecture, And like to
spread knowledge that I know to all who want
to learn. The African Pavilion project was good
opportunitytoshareknowledgeandexecuting
it with same enthusiasm throughout the pro-
cess of design and construction.
PRAGYA SHARMA
My name is Pragya Sharma. I am an architecture
student from Delhi. I stand for self-confidence,
excellence and optimism. I express my thoughts
andvaluesthroughpaintingsandmyarchitectural
designs. I’ve learnt 5 technical softwares which I
enjoy working on. My interest in art and photogra-
phy help me professionally as well.
The best part of this program was to see the pas-
sion in people regarding their work and how they
mentored us to learn, experiment and grow. I’ve
learnt so much about sustainable architecture,
unity in cultural diversity. I’ve become clearer
in my thoughts and expression. My approach to
problem solving has become more methodologi-
cal. All these experiences have given me a vision.
I am going to start working on it and make people
aware of consumerism and environmental issues
and educate them about the solutions. I definitely
want to live a sustainable life now onwards.
MARTIN SCHERFLER
My name is Martin. I stand for integrity, com-
passion and courage to create. I was born in a
small village settlement at the heart of Austria.
I grew up playing in the local forests, running
after the soccer ball and supporting (often re-
luctantly so) my parents in their daily farm work
and their restaurant business. I hold a masters
degree in sociology.
In 2005 I moved to Auroville, India where
I have been living and working since. Inspired
by some of the environmental and educational
work done at Auroville, I chose to make this my
main area of activity. I am passionate about
creating programs and projects that contribute
to environmental and social justice and give
participants a sense of completion. I love to
share this passion with students, volunteers
and interns of all ages and backgrounds.
People can count on me for being responsible,
doing what I say I will do and for me trying to
do the best I can.

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RIDHIMA KHANNA
My name is Ridhima Khanna and my inner
strengthsareacombinationofcreativity,empathy
and receptivity. Born and brought up in the capital
city of India, I am currently pursuing Architecture
at MBS SPA. I find peace in reading books along
with dance, art and writing as other reflectors
of my personal expressions. Metaphorically, I
believe my personality is similar to the visual play
between 1/3rd ice formations of an iceberg above
water while the remaining rests deeply. Under-
standing spaces, evolving strategies for a design
project and graphic design account for few of my
professional skills. Other than the architecturally
relevant learning, the summer school program
has taught me to evolve myself as a better citizen
on humanity grounds. This course has embedded
a fresh breath of life within the very roots of my
existence, which has further motivated my actions
towards a better and well nurtured future for gen-
erations to come.
VIMAL BHOJRAJ
My name is Vimal Bhojraj. I stand for creativ-
ity, joy and helpfulness. I come from Ooty,
the Queen of Hills. When growing up I was a
stubborn young boy at home, then I went to
boarding for high school, which helped me to
discover what life is. In 2004 I came to Auroville
with the intention to stay for two months only,
but I stayed on and made Auroville my home.
My joy is the learning that I experience in every
project I take on and completing a project as
imagined is what makes the most flourishing
experience. My work at Auroville Consulting
broadly involves communication design in the
form of photography, film making and graphic
design. I enjoyed the process of producing the
video and photograpic documentation in this
Summer School. I have learnd that I would like
to be better prepared the next year’s program.
MANI
My name is Mani. Born in a village and brought
up in Auroville I strongly believe in equality and
compassion. My deep rooted affection of planting
trees shows my humanitarian nature. From a very
early age I have been helping village students and
engaging in social activities. I express myself by
dancing, cooking, climbing, trekking. I love stroll-
ing through the forest with my dog and cycling
with him. My skills include bike racing, rock climb-
ing,carpentry,andfarming.The3hsummerschool
program has taught me a lot about bamboo
construction and improvisation on site and tech-
niques on making a structure stand. It was a very
different experience as I saw myself become more
humble and open to other people’s ideas. I am
a better team player now and my willingness to
learn has increased. The best part of this program
was making new friends, learning new ideas and
gaining knowledge.
SATYAVAN
Born in the arms of warm Red Auroville soil, my
nameisSatyavan.Myunderstandingonvarious
subjects in life owes to the education I pursued
at Auroville. Diplomas in EEE, hardware and
software and mobile technology are a part of
my interests in technology. I stand for serving
people, spreading happiness and positivity.
Interacting with new people helps me grow
as a person. The summer school workshop
contributed to a unique experience in terms
of understanding bamboo construction tech-
niques and learning about new cultural back-
grounds. The best part about the program was
making new friends and trying to learn Hindi. I
feel my sensitivity grow towards a sustainable
tomorrow along with a hope to enthusiastically
participate and volunteer in more workshops.

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FROM DESIGN TO
MANIFESTATION
“FREEDOM IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF COMMIT-
MENTS, BUT THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE - AND
COMMIT MYSELF TO - WHAT IS BEST FOR ME.”
- PAULO COELHO

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AFRICAN PAVILION
In order to create awareness of the ideals of Auro-
ville among the new generation of young Africans,
it was proposed that an ‘Africa House’ should be
built in the International Zone of Auroville. The Af-
rica House would accommodate African students
and guests and allow them to directly experience
Auroville. At the same time, the House will present
Africa to the international audience of Aurovilians.
The approach is to create a complex of buildings
thatwillhouseactivitiesandpresentationsrelated
to all the countries and cultures of the African
continent. A proposal for the layout of the Africa
House was made in 2005 by BrookTeklehaimanot,
ChairoftheArchitectureDepartmentofAddisAba-
ba University, Ethiopia. The Africa House project
collaborates actively with African student groups
in Tamil Nadu, arranging cultural programmes
and work sessions on the site itself. It also wants
to support the possibility for African students to
come for studies and internships in Auroville.
TEMPORARY STRUCTURES
To accelerate the manifestation of the African
House temporary structures that can host
events and accommodate visiting students are
beingplanned.The3HSummerSchoolprogram
2013 supported the African Pavilion Group in
thedesignandbuildingoftemporarystructures
such as a community hall for events, a kitchen,
a compost dry toilet, a open to sky bathroom
and three student cottages.
YoungAfricansandIndiansworkedtogetheron
the construction of some temporary structures
of the African House. We hope that this will at-
tract well-wishers and collaborators in order to
swiftly manifest the African House project and
to be able to share African Culture with Auro-
ville and the world at large.
AFRICAN ARCHITECTURE
When I – a non-expert on topics of African culture,
architecture, history beyond a normal general
knowledge – was asked to work on the temporary
structure for the African pavilion and in this line
write and present about “African architecture” it
soon became clear that it would be an impossible
task if aiming at a concise summary. Looking
through different sources the vastness of the con-
tinent with its so varying landscapes of incredible
dimensions, the cultural diversity, the millennia
of historical references still determining much of
today’s built environment is fascinating and over-
whelming . Images deeply embedded in our hu-
man psyche, places and landscapes so powerful in
thewaytheystimulateourimaginationandinspire
our dreams today as they did throughout the ages,
manifoldexpressionsofbuildingsservinghumans
to cope with climatic extremes, protect them and
their animals and crops, express their social,
culturalandreligiousvaluesandtheirunderstand-
ing of the world … all these impressions left me in
a dream-like state with my head swirling and
intoxicated … wanting to see, explore, listen,
understandmoreofAfrica…Outofallthiswhat
fascinated me most were the many simple
dwellings of normal people – dwellings which
independent of their geographical location
are based on a shared perception of sustain-
ability: Perfect examples of an efficient use of
resources paired with an overall humility and
artful expressions of marking one’s status and
existence and with that in mind not so different
in the basic philosophy from dwellings in other
continents. The examples of modern architec-
ture in Africa then touching me the most were
modern translations of this basic understand-
ing of sustainability – buildings to protect,
to educate, to transform, to bring humans
together celebrating their lives, their culture,
their aspirations and connect them with the
great spirit …

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DESIGN
CHALLENGE
“OTHERS HAVE SEEN WHAT IS AND ASKED
WHY. I HAVE SEEN WHAT COULD BE AND
ASKED WHY NOT. ”
- PABLO PICASSO

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Design Brief
Design a space of about 12,56 m2 that can be
used to accommodate visiting students, volun-
teers or care takers. The structure will be a tem-
porary one with a life span of about 10 years. It
should address following parameters:
- keeping in mind minimal needs of occupant
- sustainable and efficient in use of resources
- material choice to be taken by participant: op-
tions include bamboo, light weight wood frames,
earth materials, natural stones etc.
- easy maintenance and adaptability to change,
expansion, relocation
- natural topography and water drainage to be
considered
- master plan constraints (proximity to road, en-
trance...) to be considered
- reference to simple architectural traditions of
Africa
Expected are well-thought out solution which can
inspire the project holders and help them in fur-
ther fundraising efforts. The design concepts may
be built in future or will serves as a comprehen-
sive idea collection and case studies to answer
the growing need of temporary and cost efficient
shelter at Auroville.

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CONCEPT
- Derived from everyday architecture of
Africa.
- Combination of essentials derived from a
diverse culture.
- Fractal scaling
- Simplistic and symbolic architecture

MATERIALS USED
- Granite columns emerged in water for
raising the base at a level of 600mm
- Wooden flooring of work tree (acacia)
- Wattle and daub for wall infill
- Bamboo and thatch roof
CONCEPT 1
By Alisha, Astha, Anushree, Ridhima

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CONCEPT
- Shape and windows similar to African architecture
- Decorative element on outer walls
- Mud clay and coconut fibre walls to maintain temperature
- Pakamaran leaves as floor slab
roof similar to African with bamboo and cement jute bags
CONCEPT 2
By Anoushka, Bhairevi, Harshitha, Pragya

/ 53 Page 39 / 53
CONCEPT 3
By Kritika
CONCEPT
- Vaulted roof
- Openings in walls beneficial for daylighting and
ventilation
- Openings to be covered with mesh so that no
insect can enter inside.

/ 53 Page 41 / 53
OUR FUTURE
COMMITMENTS
Participants voluntary projects
“WE ARE ALL INTERESTED IN THE FUTURE,
BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE PLAN TO SPEND
THE REST OF OUR LIVES.”
- VILLAIN IN SUPERMAN COMIC BOOK EPISODE

/ 53 Page 43 / 53
DIMENSIONS
“Dimensions” focuses on empowering mentally
handicapped children by developing solutions to
integrate factors that impact them in their most
vulnerable situations. One in every 10 children is
born with or acquires mental, physical or sensory
disability which calls upon a necessary shift which
our ‘World society’ must endure towards a bet-
ter tomorrow. Gauri, for example, a 16-year-old
Autistic child is blessed with immense artistic
talents waiting to be explored if only she is given
the opportunity to express as freely as any other
student of her age. ‘Every Child is Special’. The
same holds true for disabled children, also but not
many think so, including.The Constitution of India
as it applies uniformly to all citizens irrespective
of whether they are mentally healthy or not. This
demands a new policy making program which
clearly states and identifies special needs as a
separate category touching multiple‘Dimensions’
in the lives of these children, based studies for the
type of
disability, IQ levels, sensitivity and triggers.
Educational systems can improve with a better
rating system for schools’ specializing in edu-
catingspecialneedsstudents.Targetinggroups
like parents, teachers and residential societies
can generate public awareness to help special
children to live a healthy physical, mental and
emotional life. Commitment to watching docu-
mentariesandattendingawarenessworkshops
by parents, educating teachers for handling
children with care and community gatherings
can lead to a fresh and positive hope which
can be instilled in many students like Gauri,
ultimately, projecting compassion and respect
as figments of a highly evolved species.
Ridhima Khanna
HUNGER
India with a population of over 1.2 billion, has
seen tremendous growth in past 2 decades. Food
grain production has increased almost 2 times.
While India produces sufficient food to feed its
population, it is unable to provide access to food
to a large no. of people, especially women and
children.194.6millionpeopleareundernourished
population in India. By this measure India is home
to quarter of the undernourished population in
world. Malnourished children have a higher risk
of death from common childhood illness such as
malaria. 1 in every 4 children are malnourished in
India.The main issues I see are:
Unhealthy food given to children or sometimes
children don’t have required amount of food ac-
cording to their needs.
Shifts I want to see:
- I want that every child in this country should
get proper nourished food.
- I want that people should make donations so
that food produced in India can be supplied to
the poor children.
I will bring a small change by working on this
issue. So I will work in my area only. I stay in
Pitampura, Delhi. Firstly I will collect funds from
people. There are so many societies so I will
be able to get funds easily. There are 2 govern-
ment schools in my area where all the slum
children go and they don’t get proper food. So
I will hire some people who will cook healthy
food for those children and then supply that
food to the schools. In this way children who
sufferbecauseofhungerandmalnutrition,that
will not happen in my area. In this way I will be
able to decrease this problem. It’s a small ef-
fort that can bring change in mindsets of other
people. So that they can also do something like
this.
Kritika Sahu

/ 53 Page 45 / 53
LOST SPRING
Street kids in India have always been regarded as
a big ‘problem’ by the urban population. Street
kids comprise mostly of runaways or orphaned
kids whose lives lack basic amenities like health,
education, etc. There are some who are sold off by
their parents and coerced into begging at streets.
‘Lost Spring’ refers to kids being deprived of a
childhood that is deemed ‘proper’; where they
have to fend for themselves and cannot experi-
ence a nurtured upbringing. There are about 100
million street children in India who do not attend
any school and spend most of their time on the
streets.Their age ranges from 6-15 years generally.
They are prone to high health hazards, and get
involved in activities detrimental to their health.
Today’s youth is India’s future, and to ensure a full
development we cannot leave the unprivileged
behind – they cannot hide behind the rising urban
population, nor can only the latter comprise of
India’s development.
I wish to bring smiles on the faces of these dis-
advantagedstreetchildrenbyhelpingtocreate
an environment for their holistic development
in order to enable them to become a part of
mainstream society. My aim is also to nullify
the stereotypical mind-set that these children
get about them being different, at an early age.
There are many NGO’s and activists working
towards the same goal as mine. By taking their
help, I want to build small homes in as many
localities as I can to act as night shelters for the
street kids. My next step would be providing
basic education and health facilities freely, and
giving these kids a space to interact and grow
in a nurtured environment. I also want to push
for policies that will help secure the lives and
futures of the street kids.
Alisha Jain
ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE
Transparency In Architecture
Radical transparency means that all the organi-
zational data/processes are open to access. This
approach has the potential for new technologies
to reveal the eco-impact of products ensuring
that consumers make informed decisions and
companies reform their business practices. There
is a need for transparency in every avenue today
to eradicate corruption and unjust methods from
being adopted.
A slight variation of this method can be adopted
into architecture, making architectural educa-
tion more sensitive in terms of environment, and
ensuring awareness in architects and clients both.
In Delhi, for example, there are builders and con-
tractors who get paid for building residences in a
comparatively faster time with less detail to struc-
ture. These buildings are not safe for the residents
and are generally not eco-friendly. The education
on average is sub-par, and more attention is paid
to aesthetics than to the lifetime cost and envi-
ronmental effect of the building a student is
making.
I wish to see a change in the education we,
as future architects, are provided with; fur-
thermore I want architects to realize that it
is their duty to be forthcoming about their
methods, and educate clients about terms like
lifetime costs and payback. Being eco-friendly
is the need of the hour, and infrastructure is
a big part of it. I want to start with organizing
‘Awareness Programs’that will be open for both
students and professionals educating them
about the state of the world today and how to
address them with alternative and sustainable
techniques that we as architects can adopt to
do our bit for the environment. I would also like
to push for a policy that makes it mandatory
for presenting reports after every construction
that includes all information of the building
processes.
Astha Chopra

/ 53 Page 47 / 53
UNLEARN
According to the Webster’s dictionary Unlearn
means to forget or stop doing something (habit)
in a deliberate way because it is bad or incorrect.
But how do you unlearn something if you cannot
determine if it’s right or wrong?
I verily believe in passion, courage, compassion,
wisdom and acceptance as qualities one must em-
body to lead a better life. The issue I would like to
approach is mainly a change in the education sys-
tem in India. Schools play a key role in developing
children into responsible adults which is why they
must have a holistic approach in learning. Nowa-
days students are taught to gain a degree but not
to become better beings. For instance, the suicide
rate of students in India is the highest compared
to any other country in the world. This is largely
due to the academic pressure, worry over grades,
parentalpressureandcompetition.Manystudents
have breakdowns, burnouts and depression.
The shift I want to see is that students must be
made aware of various career options, so that
they can decide what they want to take up
further in life without any parental or societal
pressure, all of which must be treated with the
same respect. Children must learn other fields
like art, culture and environmental science,
animal rights and sustainability.
My contribution as a start towards achieving
this vision is that I want to conduct seminars
in various schools and motivate children to
change conventional norms. Field visits and
workshops will help children learn better about
asustainableliving.FrommyexperienceIknow
the effect the seminars given by passionate
speakers in the related fields have had over
me. I believe in the change it will bring in the
mind-set of children. Moreover, I think that
adults are just outdated children so they will
catch up.
Harshitha G
ANKUR
Ankur is a Sanskrit word which means new life.
Everyone wants to live a respectful and dignified
life. It is this need that I want to address.
I was in class 2 when my friend with hearing and
slight speaking problems used to be hit by the
teacher. Along the same time, I had a friend who
was of the transgender sex, which was unac-
ceptable to his family, and he was taken out of
school; and I’ve never heard of him since. Such
incidents of discrimination strongly impacted me
and I decided to make a difference. My project
focuses on a new beginning where they don’t feel
left out of the society. It emphasizes on a centre
where transgender, differently abled children
along with society claimed‘normal’children learn,
grow, study and play together. I am passionate
about this cause because I have witnessed their
problem.
There is finally an official count of the third
gender in the country- 4.9 lakh, out of which 74%
is illiterate. whereas the total number of dif-
ferently abled people is 18 million, where only
45% is literate.
Usually, transgender don’t get the basic
education because of societal differences,
so they end up dancing, begging and singing
for a living when they are capable of other
professions. Differently abled children don’t
get admission in schools because of societal
preferences. They usually only interact with
themselves and rarely get to mingle with ‘nor-
mal’ children. Therefore the shit I want to see
is that they get their basic education like other
children and live a respectful life. I want to
conduct an hourly workshop after and before
school timings where they can mingle with
everyoneandlearnthroughgameswhichisthe
best way to understand, connect and interact
with each other.
Anoushka Sharma

/ 53 Page 49 / 53
RAW EARTH
Vernacular architecture means something that
is local or vernacular to a region and is one of
the descriptive elements of a cultural landscape.
The fact that vernacular settlements reflect the
culturalvalueofthecountryandbuiltaccordingto
bioclimatic characteristics make them even more
important.Rawearthaimsatworkingwithwhatwe
already have rather than trying to get something
artificial; it focuses on building from the raw over
synthetic. Conservation of vernacular texture in
rural landscape is an important issue in today’s
world. Old practices and traditions have been
replaced by consumerism and foreign trends. A
poorly designed structure which doesn’t consider
environmentalorvernacularfactorscanultimately
cost the occupant – in addition to the environ-
ment. There is a need for training and skill acquisi-
tion of the students in the subjects such as con-
struction practice, design and sustainability. The
effectiveness of climate responsive architecture
is evident over the course of its life in lessened
costs of utilities and maintenance. Vernacular
architectureprovidesvitalconnectionbetween
humans and the environment. I want to see a
shift in the architectural education, by way of
incorporating modern trends into vernacular
techniques. Recognition of regional building
methodology over contemporary ways is the
need of the hour. I would like to incorporate
this by organizing hands on workshops which
would help students in getting back in touch
with their surroundings and start respecting
their regional flora. I want students and pro-
fessionals to be aware of this issue, working
towardsmakingvernaculararchitectureaman-
datory subject and pushing for policies that
would help my issue. So by applying vernacular
strategies to modern design a structure can
ideally achieve net zero energy use, and be
wholly self – sufficient building.
Anushree Bhattacharjee
GREEN STEPS TOGETHER
It is time we change our goal from “more” to
“better”. With firm belief in sincerity, humility,
centeredness and compassion coupled with skills
learnt during civil engineering, I made the choice
of living a life of purpose to serve our environment
and the people together.
India has a lot of scope for sustainable develop-
ment. To highlight this, India is facing major
waste management issues and is experiencing
water security problems. Moreover, there is lack
of active communication among enterprises,
institutions and students aiming to work in the
field of sustainable development. Thus, I decided
to build a platform to create a growing community
of inspired, educated people working effectively
towards a beautiful, environmentally and socially
sustainable world. This will be a creative online
space called “Green Steps Together” for expres-
sion, awareness, questioning, sharing and build-
ing on ideas.
My journey in the last few months, especially
my stay in Auroville, has opened my eyes to
the numerous activities of experst workin on
sustainability related issues. I wish to bring
their innovations and initiatives to the world,
throughwrittenblogentriesorvideointerviews
and messages from them.
Sharing of sustainable creative solutions of day
to day eco-friendlly practices by the readers
will be encouraged. A database of educational
institutions/ companies/ workshops/ seminars
working in this field will be regularly upfdated
with genuine experiences of people attached.
In long term, I wish to create a think tank and
lead small and large scale community projects
through the network formed. This will lead to a
moreawaregenerationwiththerightresources
to create a beautiful space by exemplifying liv-
ing the green way, together.
Bhairevi G. Aiyer

/ 53 Page 51 / 53
LESS IS MORE
High living standards are affecting our lifestyle,
leading to more consumption of goods and ser-
vices in a less logical manner. But is it necessary
to follow it blindly without questioning it or not
taking action even if we question it? This is when
the issue of NEED VS GREED comes into play. With
the current rate of consumption, we will need
resources equivalent to five earths. This greed is
depriving many people of their basic needs.
For instance, India is growing at around 10% annu-
ally. Overall, the developing countries are growing
at around 7% per year, and the developed econo-
mies at around 2%, yielding a global average of
around 4.5%. Thus, in one view, rapid economic
growth in developing countries is helping to al-
leviate poverty. But our planet will not physically
supportthisexponentialeconomicgrowthifwelet
greed take the upper hand.
So it is very necessary to live by the saying
“Don’t use a lot where little will do”. Lower
quantity allows more time to focus on quality
.It’s not about building a large community, it’s
about fostering the engaged one. According to
me, there is no greater success than that. Most
importantly, this makes us less harried and
more present. In retrospect, isn’t this what we
want? It’s not just the goals we visualise; it’s
the happiness and satisfaction when we’ll get
there that we imagine.
The change I wish to see is the adoption of
minimalisticlifestylebyconductingworkshops,
where people learn to satisfy their needs over
greed. It can be a painful step for those who
have strong attachment to their belongings. So
the start should be slow and intentional. Any-
thing one can do without must be hidden away,
to create distance to be able to let go. That
motivation will lead to decluttering as steps to-
wards one’s dream, minimal lifestyle. People must
beremindedthatstrippingawayunnecessarystuff
will make it easier to seek simplicity and experi-
ence freedom.
Pragya Sharma

/ 53 Page 53 / 53
COLLABORATORS
Auroville Green Practices aims to bring together various stakeholders to envision
future townships that offer a habitat that is ecologically, socially and economically
nurturing.AurovilleGreenPracticesismanagedbyAurovilleConsultingaunitunder
the Auroville Foundation.
White Ant Studio is a design unit based in the International City of Auroville and
headed by Fabian Ostner. Born and educated in Germany, Fabian works since sev-
eral years in India and – after three years in Bangalore (where he worked with a re-
nowned architectural firm as project architect) – has relocated to this exciting place
on India’s eastern coastline, just 150km south of Chennai.
TheUnityPavilionismeanttobeacatalystforthedevelopmentoftheInternational
Zone.Itwillbeopentoallnationspresentingculturalactivities,andinthiswayiniti-
ate the realization of the national/cultural pavilions. In this context, the Unity Pavil-
ion’s objective will be to promote understanding between people, individuals and
cultures, and in that way work towards an understanding of human unity that is the
basis for realization of world peace.
Auroville Consulting provides comprehensive consulting and advisory services for
project developers, manufacturers and policy makers engaged in ecologically and
sociallyresponsibledevelopmentareas.Usingamulti-disciplinaryapproach,wecre-
ateuniquesolutionsinthedomainsofsustainableresourcemanagement(energy&
water) and sustainable management practices.
AurovilleConsulting

“WE MAY HAVE ALL COME ON
DIFFERENT SHIPS, BUT WE’RE IN
THE SAME BOAT NOW. ‘
- MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

3H summer school 2015

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