Sustainable Design Workshop: Building for Responsible Consumption, Auroville India. 2014
Auroville, the city of dawn is an experimental township in the south of India. It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa also known as "the Mother" and designed by architect Roger Anger. It is a self-sustaining environment that follows the principles of closed loop systems.
“Auroville is meant to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realize human unity.”
Through the bamboo construction workshop I learnt the importance of vernacular architecture and how that leads into closed loop systems. How the waste from one field becomes food for the other. A concept which seems ideal at first but knowing that it is possible and it needs to be a radical change from the manufacturing or the origin of the product was an eye opener. At the same time understanding the value of waste as a part of a larger system. As a part of a group of 24, we learnt about team dynamics, allocating jobs and time management.
Bamboo as a material is very interesting and is considered as one of the marvels of nature, so light and yet so strong. We learnt about bamboo construction tricks and things to be considered while making an exhibition kiosk which is now used for design exhibitions.
