3H summer school 2013

SUMMER SCHOOL 2013

FROM HOUSE TO HOME BUILDING FOR DIGNIFIED LIVING

FROM HOUSE TO HOME BUILDING FOR DIGNIFIED LIVING

SUMMER SCHOOL

2013This publication documents the three-week Auroville Green Practices Summer School 2013 ‘Building for a Dignified Living’. The publication was prepared in a collaborative way by participating students and facilitators. Those were: Aakash Divanji, Aashman Goghari, Aishwarya Das, Carlotta Dabove, Chaitanya Krishna Kumar, Chirag Batra, Jasmitha Arvind, Karishma Asarpota, Manu Gopalan, Martin Scherfler, Nicole Soellinger, Parinitha Vishweshwar, Pragna Prasad, Pranav DM, Pranay Golecha, Priscilla Joseph, Richa Raut, Richard Kleinjans, Sarmistha Saha, Shefali Mendon, Siddharth

Chourasiya, Somya Gupta, Stefanie B. Overbeck, Sushruthi Krishna, Tania Poggi, Tapas Upadhyay.

The Summer School program is the result of the dedicated work of Balu Ramalingam, Gayathri Joag, Gilles Boulanger, Jane Mason, Manu Gopalan, Martin Scherfler, Menaka Gupta, Shefali Mendon and Stefanie Ovebeck. A special thanks to Vimal Bhojraj for photography, Bhaskar Patil for film making, Hashvardhan Upadhyay and Daniel Ojeda for graphic design, Garima and Kalsang for hospitality and the countless Aurovilians that contributed to the successful completion of this program.

The AGP Summer School 2013 was made possible through support from ACC limited, Ondulline India, Auroville Consulting, EarthHauz Design, Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research and University of Applied Science Northwestern Swizterland.

Special gratitude to Monica Sharma, Toine van Megen and Raghu Kolli for their mentoring and continuous inspiration.

About AurovilleAuroville 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 residents. 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 the Government of India as an ongoing experiment in human unity. The Auroville Foundation was established in 1988 by an act of parliament of the Government of India to govern its affairs.

Over the years, Auroville has won international acclaim for its efforts in social and environmental sustainability.

The current population of over 2200 residents from about 45 nations are devoted to community building and are actively engaged in all aspects of

township development: renewable energy, water harvesting, building materials, organic farming, forestation, architecture, governance, etc.

About Auroville Green PracticesAuroville Green Practices aims to bring together various stakeholders to envision future townships that offer a habitat that is ecologically, socially and economically nurturing.

About LighthouseLighthouse learning campus is locally global. Like its costal counterpart, lighthouse is a regional guideline for sustainable and equitable change, connecting the world through local tangible and measurable initiatives and results. From city to city, country-to-country, continent-to-continent lighthouse is a global cross-pollinating, learning-in-action constellation.

Summer School 2013

Acknowledgement

ForewardAs we get better off materially in our lives in this modern world, we lose something of real value. As we acquire refrigerators, air-conditioners and cars, we lose places for children to play and neighbours to lend us a cup of sugar or sit with us when we are not well. As we get better locks for our homes we are increasingly insecure. As we extend our life spans we are ever more reducing the quality of that life. As we have better roads and cars we waste yet more time in traffic jams. As we have more food to eat we grow unhealthy. And we get privacy for our nuclear families by losing friends and community.

By coming to this school to connect your Hands, Head and Heart to create a difference – you are changing the world we live in. You are inventing a way that would take us all forward, to the future, not a regression to our past – a future where we would again engage with our humanity without giving up the creature comforts provided by

modern industrial society. You are making a community for all of us to prosper and mature with while respecting the individuality within all of us.Make no mistake about it. By transforming yourself you transform the Culture of Consumerism into a Culture of Consciousness.

I wish it were possible for me to be a part of your change myself; instead, I send you my best wishes for having a great time, and hope you connect within and without in the most profound sense to your meaning of Sustainable Building and Design.

Sanjay PrakashPrincipal ConsultantSHiFt: Studio for Habitat Futures

As long as humans require air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, and shelter to live in, our lives and livelihoods are inextricably linked to our environment. Yet one could argue that it is impossible to live in the developed world without causing harm to our planet. We know we need to live and operate sustainably. The problem with sustainability is that it’s like being on a diet—we don’t want to give up the comforts of our lifestyles any more than we want to give up our favorite foods and we want to know exactly how much food we can eat and still lose weight. The concept of sustainability leads us to questions like “how much stuff can we have, how much energy can we use and be sustainable?” Our purpose in implementing sustainable practices is to minimize the damage we inflict on the environment.

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” – Buckminster Fuller

Instead of trying to minimize damage, what if we created a different way of living? What if we asked, “how can we live in a way that benefits Earth and her inhabitants? Through attending this course and connecting your Hands to your Head and to your Heart, you are creating a new way of being for 100% of this planet’s inhabitants. You are creating a future based on dignity, equality and justice for all by sourcing your innate capability, designing and implementing programs that shift the status quo, and delivering results. From this point on, you won’t just be designing and building sustainably, you’ll be designing and building shelter that supports the well being of communities (human and ecological) for years to come.

Kirsten Gallo, Ph.D.Program ManagerNational Park ServiceLas Cruces, NM, USA

Summer School 2013

Foreward

ContentsIntroduction 01 Design to Implementation 22

From House to Home 02 Participants’ Projects 33

Polimoney 03

Participants’ Profiles & Learning 04

Summer School 2013

IntroductionThis publication documents the endeavour of the Auroville Green Practices (AGP) Summer School 2013, to find solutions for today’s fragmented educational systems.

Higher education today is exclusively a skill & competencies oriented learning program. It produces, at its best, a recruitable work force for a market that operates on the premise that more consumption creates a better quality of life. What our current educational paradigm fundamentally produces is a perpetuation and acceleration of unsustainable development and inequality due to a fragmented educational system. Conventional educational paradigms do not address the entire human being and its place in the cosmos. It lacks the freedom an individual needs for inner growth and fails to cultivate principles of social and environmental justice and dignity for all.

foreign colleges and each one brought his or her specific strengths and skills into the workshop, contributing to a great and transformational learning experience, which we hope they will always carry in good memories with them.

Martin ScherflerCo-Founder Auroville Consulting

The AGP Summer School program is an initiative using Auroville and its outstanding experience in human unity & sustainable living as a platform for the learning and personal growth of students from around the world. The program is based on the H3 approach that nurtures hands (skills), head (competencies) and heart (inner capacities) of all participants.

This workshop has served as an experimental and cross-disciplinary educational laboratory, connecting theory and application with core human values such as justice, dignity and unity around the lead theme ‘From House to Home; Building for a dignified living’.

Twenty-two students and young professionals participated in this three-week program held from 21st July to 11 August 2013 at Auroville International Township in Tamil Nadu, India. Participants came from various Indian and

1Summer School 2013

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

- Albert Einstein

From House to Home: Building for a Dignified Living

Architectural education places the responsibility of designing a house on the Architect. However that of turning the `House to a ‘Home’ is out-sourced squarely to the User/Client. As if to say that it is beyond the limits of imagination of the Architect to incorporate dignified living into a house!

The fact of the matter is that the profession of architecture, as we perceive it, currently is a product of Industrialism. The primary need of the 20th Century was to mass-produce houses and other supporting buildings with uniform utilitarian features for the large herds of immigrant workers in industrial towns and cities. This trend in urbanization and industrialism still continues as urban centers grow at an alarming rate. With 300 million people living in metropolitan areas and an annual urbanization rate of 2.07%, India has one of the fastest growing urban engines the world has ever seen. Although architecture as a profession has a deep-seated western

origin, changing economic landscapes in eastern countries like India and China, make it is still relevant to preserve the traditional role of the architect as a cog-in-the-wheel of industrialism.

The new, steadily growing consciousness of human civilization in the 21st Century however, is that of collaboration, networking and open-source knowledge sharing. This has led students of architecture to hunt for new learning pastures hitherto unexplored.

The Auroville Green Practices Summer School organized at the SacredGroves Ecological-Affordable Housing site is one such. Here students are encouraged to look within for design solutions, to interpret dignity in life, to synthesize the same in their house designs thereby transforming them to beautiful livable homes! They are also encouraged to explore various building systems and services that make ecological living feasible

and affordable - a learning that they could apply in all future design projects with relative ease.For more information on the ecological building programme sparked off by the Auroville Green Practices Summer School, kindly visit the SacredGroves site near Centre Field beyond Centre Guest House in Auroville.

You may also see updates on the project’s blog:www.thesacredgroves.wordpress.com

Manu Gopalan Founder Earthauz Architechture Design

Summer School 2013 2

clever way to learn. In 2011, I started developing a game to explain, in a fun way, the working of a monetary city planning ‘experiment’ in Europe. It was meant to be a dynamic and interactive tool and a substitute to long passive lectures. The first idea led to more game ideas, which was eventually called Polimoney.

Stefanie B. OverbeckPrinicipal Architectzo2architecture

What is Polimoney? Poli – comes from the word Polis which in Greek means city. The urban city binds the fabrics of the built as well as social space. Money – a medium of exchange defined by a community.

Polimoney is an educational set of games, in which participants discover their own belief systems pertaining to money and experience the working of a complimentary currency system within the bounds of a neighbourhood and understand how it helps developing a sense of a community.

How is Polimoney designed? Polimoney is fun to play and in spite of the serious objective, participants don’t risk their existence or spend much of their personal time. The complexity of our daily life is reduced in all Polimoney games in order to understand the underlying principle.

How is Polimoney implemented in reality? The underlying principles of Polimoney can be adjusted to specific needs and the local context. By doing so, a better and easier understanding can be achieved. Polimoney however does not take over the role of stimulation of an actual system or situation nor the actual design of a local complementary currency. Polimoney stimulates people to think in their own context and design a method that can work within their own community.

What impact does Polimoney generate?These game have been designed so that participants not only learn through their thinking brain but also through emotional intelligence.

The experience of playing Polimoney changes the way we see ourselves, the way we use mediums of exchange in relation to the way we build and choose to live.I consider games to be the quickest and most

Polimoney


I stand for honesty, justice, self-expression, compassion and passion. I come from Kerala in south of India. My father used to work in the Indian Navy and so I have lived in different parts of the country from Mumbai to Delhi to Bangalore. At the age when my personality started to develop, I was in Bangalore. The city has taught me a lot, contributing to the way I would react to social situations, the way I dress and the way I carry myself.

My family taught me how to appreciate tradition, values and follow protocol in society. There are specific people I would thank for some interests and habits I have developed over the years. One would be my uncle, who at a very young age taught me to appreciate the beauty in everything. Finding order in chaos through most things, I like looking for the positive aspects and the simplest things make me happy. Both my parents work and I would say this has taught me how to take care of myself. The lady who took care of me growing up also contributed a lot to the person I am today.

I have always been a person who reflects on a situation. But most often I am clueless about how to organize these thoughts and make the best of a situation. Coming to the summer school has helped in many ways. I came expecting to understand just the practical ways of construction but I will be leaving with a whole new and more positive way of analyzing a situation.

Stating what I stand for, my strengths and my fears has definitely made me a more confident person. I learnt that I am capable of more than I think and I do have a decent set of managerial skills. I see a new strength in me to face my fears head on and learn from them. I learned that there is no need to know where to start. The important part is to reach the goal and stick to the path. Failing is ok as it teaches us something. My concepts on money and its importance have altered and I see how I can make a change in the world.

Many concepts brought about a positive change especially the one involving understanding the commitment behind the other persons complaint.

Overall, I would say that rather than being taught, I learn through multiple experiences.

I am quiet an expressive person. What I feel I say and if I don’t, my expressions say it for me. I also encourage people to express themselves. I show a fair amount of self-confidence but tend to lack self-esteem sometimes. I also tend to lose my temper soon but cool down just as fast.

My professional skills would include creativity and good managerial skills. I would say my purpose would be to create something that would make a positive difference to the world.

Areas in which I did not see too much of a change are in being able to get my point across in a better way and improving my practical skills. Overall there was more learning and a completely different approach to the classroom, which was appreciated. The summer school has definitely made a difference in my life and more than anything, it has taught me the virtue of patience and value in complete conscious decision-making.After the summer school I would take up an initiative that would allow me to implement what I have learned here and try my best to enroll people into the concept of dignisfied living. Thank you.

Participants’ Profiles & Learning

Aishwarya Das Learning

Summer School 2013

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that

we are powerful beyond measure.

- Marianne Williamson

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My name is Karishma Asarpota. I am originally from Mumbai in India and have been born and brought up in Dubai. Most of my extended family also lives there and it is home for me more than any other place. I have completed my under-graduate studies in Architecture from Manipal University in Manipal, India. I stand for honesty, inner-consciousness and inspiration. My way of expression reflects the values I believe in. I am keen on working towards strengthening these principles and inculcating them in my professional practice. Enrolling people towards working for a self-sustained lifestyle is what I believe will contribute to the betterment of communities and the environment.

attended the workshop. On-site work exposed me to side of my profession that I didn’t know much about. Seeing the translation of ideas to designs, designs to drawings and drawings to the actual structure was a completely new experience for me.

On the other side I felt that the organization of the construction on site was slightly lacking. As we were inexperienced and came to learn, there should have been a more rigid structure to follow considering the short duration of the course.

The Summer School has inspired me to look at things beyond what it appears to be at the surface. There is a need to move in the direction of sustainable growth and I hope to inculcate those principles in my life and work. I will be leaving this course knowing that I can make a difference and will strive to do that here onward.

I am planning to initiate a system that reduces the impact of waste on the landfills in Dubai. A large percentage of waste in landfills is contributed by

The first couple of days we had a few exercises focusing on introspection and making us think about what we stand for. Through this process I have come to realize that I stand for honesty and inner-consciousness of full potential. I believe that embodying these values can ensure that I make a significant impact in this world. I am more conscious of my wants and uses and will make an effort to consume only as much as I need. I am much clearer of what I believe in and what I want to work towards. I have also realized that I can achieve anything I set my mind to.

Our program was divided primarily into two sections – one focusing on us realizing our capabilities and the other on designing and building a sustainable home. The program concentrated on a different learning style that makes one think and explore new ideas. It was a great learning experience and provided a lot of exposure as I got to meet a lot of new people and learn about their work. I also learnt a lot through interaction and sharing of ideas with people who

bio-degradable wastes. My initiative would aim at designing a system that can segregate this waste and re-use it as compost for farming. This would reduce the load on the landfills and create a useful product from bio-degradable waste. I also see the potential to create self-sustained homes and other structures in Dubai through my practice.

Karishma Asarpota Learning


Having my parents from two corners of India has given me an exposure to a variety of people and culture. Coming from Chennai, I’ve been brought up in a very liberal environment where I have been given the opportunity to experience everything and anything that I wanted to. Sports being a very integral part of my life has helped me see life from different angles and appreciate each one for its own uniqueness. Every new thing I see and experience excites me. I believe in taking each day as it comes and making the best of it.

All these experiences have helped me understand that I tilt more towards honesty and genuineness as a person. Passion and compassion towards others comes naturally to me. For me, to be happy, independent and making others around me happy is the most important thing. As a student of architecture, I have learned that there are multiple ways of perceiving things and this aspect has helped me deal with life situations. Being a leader in various school and college activities, qualities of patience, understanding and confidence could be associated to me.

Parinitha Vishweshwar Learning Shefali Mendon

Summer School 2013

The past 21 days have been one of the most tiring as well as the most enriching. Each day was planned in such a manner that that learning took place at every moment, whether it was yoga, lessons on dignified living and sustainable housing or simply learning from one another.I came to this program with an open mind not expecting anything in particular, I just wanted to grasp everything I could. The programme has definitely given me a lot to learn.

Generally there is a lot of talk that happens sub-consciously which we tend to ignore. But here, the activities were designed in such a way that we were made to talk about it and realize how important it is to understand what is in our head and heart. So we learned how to express the things we usually leave unspoken.

Living in such a self-sustaining environment and so close to nature showed me that there is beauty in simplicity. For example, the rocket shower bathroom which was made nearly only out of bamboo.

The one important thing that I will take back from this program is to be sensitive to everything and everybody around me. Simple things like listening to each other could be a start.

The site work definitely increased my stamina to work in the sun and gave me practical knowledge about construction and materials. During the workshop, teamwork and proper planning were needed in order to successfully complete the project through which I learned a lot.

The concept of community living and eating together also really impressed me. Auroville to me is a system where there is healthy inter-dependence. I would definitely want to propagate this way of living.

I am Shefali. I stand for integrity and self-expression. I was born in Muscat, Oman as the second daughter to my parents. Growing up practicing two religions at home, as an expatriate in an Arab country, surrounded by Indians, I developed a world-view. The ideals and tolerance towards people and religion, instilled when I was a child, blossomed as I moved to India to study architecture when I was 17. Presently, being in Auroville, living and working with cultures from world around, has only helped nurture this seed that was planted in me as a child.

I express myself by moving out of my comfort zone and by using the skills I have, strive to find my footing there. I am always up for a challenge (but sometimes need a push). I draw inspiration from nature and the people around me by observing, exploring and then creating. Being a trained architect, dancer and painter, my mind thinks logically, but does not fall short on the imagination. You can count on me to be honest, to do my best and persevere to do better.

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I stand for respect and compassion. I am a student of architecture, living in Bangalore.I have spent most of my life in India but lived in the US for a short period of three years. This changed my perspective about life and made me a lot more independent and confident. I am not a very religious person.

My family has predominantly worked in the service sector in fields of art, teaching, management and information technology. This has moulded me to be a person who is always willing to help. Apart from this, my parents have never been imposing with rules or religion. This has helped in creating a sense of curiosity.Hence, I tend to explore all aspects of life. I believe I am introverted by nature. Although I enjoy the company of people, I still require time to be spent with myself. I am very reflective as I analyse most of my actions. Also, I try to overcome my fears as much as I can and face life as it come.

My personal way of expression is through movement and dance. It helps me connect with

I have learned to believe in my stance for respect and compassion. With regard to skills, I have learned a lot of new techniques in construction like carpentry, operation of power tools, tying knots with ropes on bamboos etc. In terms of personal development, I have learned to listen and control my background conversations.

I have noticed that I have developed a lot of patience especially while handling things or behaviours that I am not particularly fond of. I have also developed certain clarity of thought.

The difference that Summer School brought in my life is the understanding and working from the ‘heart space’. It helps me design and think from a space where I remain true to myself. It also provides a constant motivation and a great sense of achievement at the completion of every task.

I would like to pursue my dream project after Summer School - an Art Therapy Center and School wich provides holistic development for people of all ages and walks of life.

myself and for the few moments I dance, I am free and true to myself. Professionally, I have a good grip over softwares and also involve myself in the design process.

Things that worked really well are that we got a chance to understand ourselves better. It gave us an opportunity to introspect and become aware of ourselves. However, I do believe that the programme could be much better if the events are spaced out well and the planning is done in such a way that there is enough time to relate and deepen our understanding about new learning.

Sushruthi Krishna Learning


I stand for passion and optimism. I am an architect, graduated in 2011 from Academy of Archiecture, Mumbai, where I was also born and brought up.

The city plays an important role in defining my social profile of being respectful and compassionate. I take a flexible and spontaneous approach to life and keep my options open. My academic and professional experience has helped me evolve as a creative, passionate and responsible architect.

“Great changes are easier than small ones” - Francis Bacon

Change is inevitable. Change is good. Today I look at myself and I feel more confident as an architect and also as a person. The workshop played an important role in defining the inner strength of being a confident person and helped me realize my stand for passion and optimism. The process of design to estimation and procurement to

implementation has broaden my vision towards sustainable architecture.

The guest lectures, movies, theatre workshops, games, group discussions etc. were a different medium through which I learnt about sustainability, leadership qualities, fears and how to overcome my fears and trust.

The Summer School changed my perspective towards sustainable architecture, life - my perceptions and methods of learning. The Summer School gave us an opportunity to construct what we designed. It also gave us the liberty to select a method of construction, learn from the mistakes and come up with solutions and explore material options.

Since I have started teaching in my alma mater as a visiting lecturer, I will take up the responsibility of sharing my knowledge which I have gained from the Summer School with my students. As an architect I will apply the knowledge in my professional field and will practice sustainable architecture.

Richa Raut

Learning

Summer School 2013

My name is Jasmitha Arvind, I am originally from Chennai but I now study architecture in the Univeristy of Nottingham, where I have just completed my first year. I stand for justice, curiosity and empathy. From an early age I found freedom of expression in art and writing which has helped me break free from constraints. I am passionate about many social issues such as helping children with mental disabilities, women’s rights as well as environmental and animal rights. This stems from my belief in propagating justice and equality. I also believe in being open minded and I am open to change and new experiences.

My unique professional experience includes my developing skills in architecture and graphic design as well as my semi-professional experience in photography and writing.

In terms of inner strength, capacity and skills, I have learned that I stand for justice, curiosity and empathy. I also learned about the importance of

sustaining oneself in order to live a sustainable life. I noticed that I am more comfortable expressing myself and talking in front of a group of people and I also feel that I have more clarity in thought. I feel that I learned many new and interesting things in the course especially from the participants as they were mostly older and better skilled than I am. However I felt that parts of the course were rushed and we were not given enough time to design the structure or to build it as we did not have the appropriate skills prior to participating in the course. The Summer School, especially living in Auroville has inspired me to live a more sustainable and meaningful life and to put in my best efforts in whatever I attempt to do. It has also given me more knowledge into how the construction and design processes work. After Summer School, I will definitely continue with my personal project of introducing a new form of art therapy in Chennai. I also see my work in architecture school improving in terms of it being more sustainable and laying more emphasis on the principle of dignified living.

Jasmitha Arvind

Learning

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Summer School 2013

I am Somya Gupta. I am from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. I am pursuing architecture (3rd year) from Madhav Institute of Technology and Science. I was born and brought up in Gwalior and stay in a joint family. I stand for optimism and determination.

I think I am quite expressive and share my emotions and feelings through facial expressions and body language. I am an extrovert and I mingle with people easily and I like to talk. I am a lively person and I like happy company. Sometimes I am quite a pessimist, get pressurised easily and can be hyper and impulsive at times. I am more of a traveller than a tourist and I like adventure. I like experimenting with things and am a confident person. I am a good listener and a sensitive person. I like talking to new people and working in groups because it helps me have different opinions and perspectives about a topic and clears my thoughts. I don’t have any unique professional skills but I am quite good at swimming and I am melodramatic.

The past 21 days have been the most amazing days I have experienced and I am definitely going to cherish each and every moment spent here. I learned that my strength is that I am an extrovert and can express myself effectively. I can grasp new things, am always ready to learn and can adjust with new people and environments easily.

As far as my physical skills are concerned, I am quite active and always enthusiastic and learned that I was quite comfortable with learning new hands–on skills on site. The changes I noticed within myself include that I am happier here, that I do not worry about petty things, could easily concentrate on each and every activity during the programme, control my background conversations and work in a group. I even learnt that being away from home, I am actually responsible.

What worked for me was living in a community and the densely packed schedule that actually made me realise that a little change in schedule

makes a lot of difference. Working in different groups enabled me to communicate with everyone and I realised that there can be multiple solutions to a single problem.

What did not work for me were some of the technical sessions like the Polimoney talk where I could not relate to the issue. I also was unable to attend as many yoga sessions as I would have liked. By being a part of the Summer School, I was exposed to sustainability, low-cost construction techniques and experienced freedom while exploring Auroville.

After the Summer School, I think I can relate to the construction process well as I was able to learn a lot about construction techniques, budgeting and costing and practical skills.

In a nutshell, most of the architecture I learnt until now was in these last three weeks. I realised that almost everyone has same fears as mine and

I have to learn to accept them and act despite of them. I will now think of my life as simple and will try to think positive and make things happen.

Somya Gupta Learning

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I stand for clarity and ambition. It primarily entails a clarity of thought and lifestyle, whichwould hopefully imbibe in me an efficient way of life. As for ambition, it has been something Ihave always stood for and have now begun to establish in my creative pursuits.

I am originally from Ahmedabad, India, where I spent the first 12 years of my life. I then moved to Mumbai when I was 13 due to better educational and sport opportunities. Having played competitive tennis since the age of 7, I managed to get to the Asian and international stage at the junior (U 18) level, which probably explains where the strong sense of ambition comes from.

Due to tennis, I barely attended school and always had different sets of friends, coming from a variety of socialstratas and cities. This, when combined with my international higher education makes me someone who has always been in the company of a variety of people from different countries and backgrounds, thus making me accepting and open.

I am very satisfied with this Summer School program. I learned how to harness and channel my strengths in a way that is beneficial to me, while simultaneously attempting to suppress and eradicate my weaknesses. In terms of skills, I found the hands-on experience to be incredibly useful, especially since we mostly worked on the juncture between design and reality. Design without application, or reason, simply remains an (almost artistic) concept.

I now have a stronger awareness of materiality, efficiency, management and most importantly, the disparity between conception and reality. I feel that my thought process has become more streamlined, and I have learnt patience and team management. I have also begun to understand the value of efficiency and clarity in a wide range of aspects - ranging from the design process and its execution to the managerial efficiency involved in teamwork.

On a holistic level, most things were fairly new and successful for me, such as the daily schedule, the

I also subconsciously tend to maintain aslightly different facade depending on my audience, almost as if to put them at ease and open up.

My personal way of expression would thus contain a certain set of constant and personalbeliefs and characteristics, which are then slightly tailored to each occasion. This phenomenonexists for each of my profiles, except for, probably, the wisdom profile.

My unique professional skills include the fact that I have a breadth of knowledge to offer (regarding general art, design and sciences). I also think I have an open and critical mind, and to a certain extent, leadership qualities.

general lifestyle, and the design-build process. As for the personal development aspect, I feel that the sentiment was valid, but the execution within the short timeframe, combined with the slight ‘group therapy’ feel that it had, was something of a ‘movie trailer’ for me.

The Summer School has brought about a keenness in me, which involves being more aware and responsive to the world around me. It seems to have influenced my values and made me more aware of myself and my abilities. I also enjoyed the company of my peers and thoroughly enjoyed the contribution of each facilitator and the other people I met on the way.

Aashman Goghari Learning


I stand for passion and joy. I think that my inner strength manifests in day-to-day life, when I try to overcome my fears. When I was young I was afraid of travelling alone and I was very shy. For this reason I went abroad to study where I was able to meet people from different parts of the world.

I am a very sensitive and approachable person, especially with my family and friends. I am a very good listener and I always help the people that need my help.

I come from Genoa in Italy and it is thanks to the education that my father gave me, that I have the curiosity to travel and to get to know other cultures. He taught me that it is important to get to know people from different cultural backgrounds and to appreciate diversity.

I am an extrovert and enjoy speaking with people and attempt to understand where they are coming from. I am a good collaborator and I always enjoy the challenges of learning new things.

to the traditions of my country, experiment with materials and remember that recycled materials are a good resource.

After the Summer School, I would like to return home and bring light to my personal project. I will also try to establish a little of this Auroville experience in Genoa even if it is only in small ways.

From these three weeks, I have learned that I am able to do everything I want. I can travel to another country where traditions and customs are completely different from mine, I can face my fears and I can trust people I do not know well. I have learned that there are a variety of cultures waiting to be discovered outside my country, from which I can learn many new and interesting things. I have also learned and understood the challenges that one faces when a design has to be executed on site.

I think that I have matured in this short period of time as I am able to recognize my limitations and strengths and I am motivated to explore my future.

I found the workshop very interesting and I liked that the site work was supplemented by the H3 lessons, even though it was tiresome. I found the atmosphere very positive and I will try to carry my learnings with me in the future to ensure that my mind will always remain open to new experiences and opportunities. I will also try to not be attached

I am Jane. I stand for justice, integrity and compassion. I was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. I grew up in a small suburban town with a beautiful home and family. We moved to the city when I was a teenager where I went to university and studied law. Obviously after this I pursued a different path in life :)

I express myself differently based on the situation at hand. When I was younger, I was very vocal. Over the years and through yoga I have learned and practiced many different ways of expressing myself but I now try to always come from the heart.

I do not really know what ‘professional’ skills I have. In everything I do, I try to tune into the individual and work with our own unique ways of being. I can always offer dedication, commitment and understanding.

Carlotta Dabove Learning Jane Mason


I stand for inspiration, compassion, dedication and honesty. Bangalore (India) is my place of residence.

Being in India, a land of vivid culture and heritage, my family has grown to fondly appreciate its authenticity. I have been brought up in the presence of my grand parents who have fed me with stories and facts about life and culture and hence I show immense interest in them. My childhood was filled with a lot of friends and family members whowere inclined towards music, movies and other interesting things so I was never deprived of any ‘fun things’. Throughout my schooling years, my interests focused on sports, studies, family, friends and a fair share of lesions due to my uncontrolled curiosity.

Eventually my interests streamlined into various forms of design such as product, interiors and architecture. My father being an architect, was my source to the fine work of radical architects and designers and hence I decided that the subject

The green practices workshop has been a very interesting and productive experience in terms of understanding and discovering both myself and the basic principals of green architecture. The importance of listening to your inner self came to light when we were part of several exercises and activities which go me thinking about my personality and character.

The fact that I am extremely competitive and that I would do anything to make a mark was among the things that I learned while doing a group activity. The various activities conducted made me realize the importance of listening and respecting another person’s opinion. I learnt the hard way that trust and harmony are essential for a group to function effectively.

Auroville as a community has completely changed my approach towards life and architecture. The people here live a life where service and simplicity overpowers greed and ego. The same principals are reflected in the architecture of this place. The flair to give back to nature and society is very

was ideal of me, based on my interests.

My approach to things and people is very straightforward. Some people consider my approach as blunt but most appreciate my honesty. Music and design are two subjects that go hand in hand as they require clear thinking, fresh perpectives and an imaginative approach to a subject, which I inherit partially from my father and my love for the subject.

My main skill is that I can be convincing with my words as I am confident about my beliefs and interests.

inspiring and the architecture at Auroville depicts nothing but that. The green practices workshop was a mind opener to green architecture and sustainability. The basics of climatology and integrating the environment with constructon was very useful and convincing. The most exciting part of the workshop was designing and building a green structure. The design was done entirely by us and hence construction a structure that I was part of designing was a wonderful experience. Being in the place of a construction worker was a very different experience as we were working with tools and heavy site materials.

The hands-on construction helped in understanding structures systems and intricate details such as wood joinery and the limitations of the materials used on site. Hands-on building made me look at problem solving with a whole new perspective and helped me resolve issues in the initail stages of design. The one mind block that I had was the EcoSan toilet which soon became the point of focus of my work as I was part of the sanitation group.

Pranav D. M. Learning


I am an architecture and civil engineering sciences and management student at the Technical University of Graz, Austria.

I was born in Austria and lived most of my life there. I feel very fortunate to be able to learn and experience live to the fullest and aim to support people who have not been as fortunate as me. I have worked in a variety of fields and gained different skills which I can apply in my future professional life.

The summer school taught me to be more creative with limited resources and that waste materials can be expensive. I learnt to construct with earth and bamboo and experienced the joys and difficulties of working with these materials. The laborers in the construction business have gained a lot of respect from me, the ones in unfavourable weather conditions.

The project is a good example for what happens when the planning process is considered less important than the building process. Which resulted in many changes on site, lots of confusion and wasted energy.

Additionally, I understood the importance of knowing information regarding the location of the site, availability of building materials, their sizes, costs and construction limitations, before the start of the planning process.In the past three weeks, I realized that working in a team can be an enjoyment, with the right team and can also be exhausting because of the multiple opinions that are raised.

Having the EcoSan toilets on the opposite side from where my room was located, in the building, I learnt that I like to have my toilet and bathroom close to my bedroom and that the seat needs to be placed in a convenient position.

Nicole Soellinger

Learning

Summer School 2013

My name is Priscilla Joseph and I am a third year architecture student at the University of Cambridge. I am originally from Chennai but have lived in Scotland for the past thirteen years. I stand for honesty and faith. As I have an introverted personality, I express myself mostly through my actions as opposed to my words. My professional skills are still in the development phase as I continue to progress through my degree. The aspects of my course that particularly interest me are graphic design and architectural research.

Being in Auroville has been a rewarding experience on many ways. It provided a friendly group environment for personal learning and reflection whilst engaging us with a wide range of topics. Sharing this time with the others in the programme has been a great deal of fun. As a result of this group work, my skill set, both on the construction site and in the design sessions, has vastly improved.

I feel that I have experienced first-hand, the

feeling of satisfaction that comes after a hard day of both mental and physical work. The application and adaptation of construction techniques on site encouraged us, as a group, to be innovative with our knowledge.

Although the project was not fully completed due to a time shortage, the value of the programme in teaching students and encouraging them to think for themselves is clear. Learning points for the future would be to always ensure a clear brief with all the necessary factual information in place before design work begins. This may perhaps have made the time management more efficient. However, this in itself is a valuable lesson for the future, when we might head our own projects and teams. Meeting with students from all around the world and engaging an exciting approach to sustainable architecture, in Auroville, has been a great experience and one that I will surely take up in the future.

Priscilla Joseph

Learning

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I am a 23 year old girl from Dehradun, Uttrakhand, India. It is the place I call home, for now. My family originally hails from the cultural heritage city of India, Kolkata. My parents have been on a constant move, from one place to another, mostly because my father’s demands it. So instead of making me switch between schools, my parents sent me to a boarding school. I grew up with children of different ages and cultures, some of whom are my closest friends. Boarding school taught me to be responsible for my actions from a very young age. I grew up learning to make independent decisions and depending on no one else, other than myself.

My personal way of expression would differ with respect to the people I am around or the situation I am in. I am mostly a reserved person, with regard to anything that is personal. I express myself the best through writing and running. Socially, I am friendly and enjoy spending quality time with people.

I stand for equality and perseverance. Equality because I respect people irrespective of their

cannot control everything and that it is ok to let go. My strength is my ability to dream big and work hard towards my goal. I will never underestimate myself.

“I stand for equality and perseverance.” Thank you Martin, for helping me find my stance.In the past three weeks, I observed that I do not need a cell phone or TV! Really! I was so happy not to use my cell phone much and because there was no TV, people made an effort to have conversations of quality.

After making a conscious effort, I saw that I can listen to someone. I also noticed that I enjoy making people happy. The best learning has been that I remember to breathe.“Follow your breath. It is important to breathe.” Thank you Jane.

We were ready to design a dream home which would be self-sustaining. I think we did a good job and tried to work well in groups, share our knowledge and come up with crazy ideas. What

name, income, position etc. Perseverance because I accept the fact that nothing comes easily and without perseverance, it is not possible to attain what one really wants. I am a recent graduate of architect and feel ‘new’ to the world. With the help of my inner strengths, I wish to bring about a change that matters to society, country and the world.My name is Sarmishtha Saha, but what’s in a name?

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” – William Shakespeare.

Living in Auroville has been a great experience. What I have learned from this three week workshop is difficult to squeeze into 250 words, but I will try.

I now understand myself a little better as I unearthed my fears as well as my strengths. I feared losing control over things and learnt that I

mattered the most was that we built with our own hands which helped us think of what dignified living meant.“Dignified and sustainable living.” Thank you Manu for giving us this opportunity to learn.

Very clearly I have exceeded the word limit, so to conclude, the Summer School has made me feel more confident about myself and with the help of the H3 project, I will stand firmly in what I believe and address the issue at hand. I believe that to practice sustainability, one must be able to first sustain oneself and hence I will try to do that when I return home.

Sarmistha Saha

Learning


My name is Stefanie. I stand for creativity, passion and freedom. I was born in West Germany into an academic, middle-class family, 13 years before the fall of the Berlin wall. However, growing up in the city of Munich with two older brother, my world was always protected and safe, with everything a child needs to grow up in peace. My personal way of expression is to move out into the world and assert myself. When a conflict arises, I tend to look for the problem, attend to it and fix it. As a practicing architect, I encourage people to become conscious of the environment on all levels and not just green design. Within our office, we provide everyone the freedom to tap into their own creativity and explore their personal styles. As a teacher, I support students in the idea of inter-disciplinary freedom of though, in the context of artistic, manual, technical and scientific projects. The next generation of technical designers need outside-the-box thinkers who act as global-aware citizens in their local culture and environment. Thus, their designs are not only acting from above but also and foremost from within.

I stand for what I say and always do my best to achieve it. In the context of education, I protect and hold a space for real learning and learning-in-action. Especially for that, I can be reached and counted on at all times.

I stand for compassion and deep listening to the voice of people, especially children. I come from a conservative family in Kerala and was brought up with traditional values of respect and gratitude, in a restricted society. Hence, my move to Delhi to pursue architecture studies was a big relief. I explored the world ever since and got in touch with many cultures and sensitivities. At Auroville, I currently experience the best incubating environment in the world, for new ideas. My personal way of expression is to listen, synthe-size, and react. My skills are architecture, using natural and recycled materials, hands-on building, participatory research appraisals, photography and theatre lighting.

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.

Stefanie B. Overbeck Martin Scherfler

Summer School 2013

My name is Martin. I stand for integrity and cour age to create. I was born in a small village settlement at the heart of Austria, Europe. I grew up playing in the local forests, running after the soccer ball and supporting (often reluctantly so) my parents in their daily farm work and their restaurant business.

Later, I went to Vienna to study and got to breathe freedom, social anonymity and fragmentation of an urban center. I pursued a masters degree in sociology but spent most of my student time wandering from one department to another, fascinated by all and everything. During this time, I got familiar with socialist ideas and interacted with political activists, which at the same time fascinated and repelled me, as I felt that there was something missing for myself.

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 in Auroville, I chose to make this my main area of activity. I am passionate about creating programs

Manu Gopalan

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My name is Chaitanya Krishna Kumar. I am a fresh graduate of architecture from Manipal University. I am originally from Kannur, Kerala. However, I was born and went to high school in Dubai, which is also where my parents are settled. Hence I would say I have two homes, Kannur and Dubai. My grandparents raised me from the age of 6 to 13, with my elder sister, in Kannur. Most of my childhood was spent in school or playing with my grandfather who was my best friend. I stand for compassion and sincerity. I have grown to believe in everybody’s right to his or her own choice and self-expression. I am not very expressive with words but use my actions to express my feelings. I am a listener and am comfortable around talkative people. My purpose is to develop a style of architectural design, which integrates sustainability and mainstream modern architecture for self-sufficient living without harming our natural environment. I have good organization skills and a professional nature. My other attributes would be an analytical mind and problem solving abilities.

During this Summer School, the most important thing that I have learned about myself is where my priorities lie. I have started giving thought to the kind of projects I would like to be a part of in the future and what kind of work I want to initiate. I have learned the importance of leadership and techniques to enroll people. I now know that great leaders are people who are self-aware and and hence, I will strive to know and control my thoughts and actions better. What worked for me are the sessions where we learnt about yin and yang and its manifestation in the world. The movies were also a great method for moral lessons. The technical sessions with people working in and around Auroville were inspiring, as they were live examples of the kind of responsible world-citizen I would like to be. I have learnt more about sustainable living and its need in today’s world through this Summer School. As a result, I will live more responsibly and also design with an awareness I did not have before. After the end of this Summer School, I intend to see my dream project to completion, which is introducing recycling in schools of Kannur, which is my

Chaitanya Krishna Learning

Summer School 2013

hometown. I will try to expand the project to other places following the success of the pilot project.

My name is Siddharth Chourasiya. I stand for passion and patience because I know that both these attributes are very necessary for achieving my aim. Basically, I am from Lakhnadon near Jabalpur Madhya Pradesh and now I am studying architecture in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. I spent most of my childhood in my native place Lakhnadon. I did my high school studies in Lakhnadon and then my higher secondary education from Indore. I wrote the entrance exam of architecture and was then selected for the school of architecture. My personal way of expression is my language, sketches and also my behaviour. I can express with the help of them very well.

I stand for honesty. I learnt so many things. I discovered myself, who I truly am . Second I gained much knowledge about sustainable practices and lifestyles. The overall program has been designed and organized well and has provided many insights. I feel that the Summer School will bring many positive changes to my life and equip me with a better focus on my future work. After this I will take up green practices and vernacular architecture and will include them in my work as a professional architect.

Siddharth Chourasiya

Learning

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Summer School 2013

change the world towards a more sustainable and simple lifestyle.

The H3 system of dealing with aspects really worked. Stephanie’s workshops were very good. Understanding the various emotional aspects of architecture, economy and the importance of value of money, economy and architecture, these topics were new and interesting. Discovering ourselves and looking deep into ourselves was something that I enjoyed. Discovering the various emotions, fears, qualities and characteristic of myself was surprising for me. The movies were a very good concept, which I enjoyed (but slept also for some parts). The technical sessions could have been a bit more prominent with hands on and a practical experience, especially landscaping, earth architecture and solar energy. There could be a bit more importance given to teaching the process and details than just a glimpse of them. A quality time with the experts was what I was looking forward for at this workshop, which did not work out really well. The design project was a good exposure, which definitely has made me more

I stand for Inspiration and patience. I am from Bangalore. I have been brought up in a joint family in Bangalore. Have enjoyed respecting and nurturing nature. I have had an inclination for art. I enjoy holidays and exploring new places. I am a religious person. I have always been taught to be helpful, caring and honest. Generosity and Simplicity have been imbibed in me. My aim or goal has always been to serve my country in some way so that the potential of the fellow citizens are channeled to improve the status of the nation. I would like to make a difference in society and make people realize that they are responsible for the way the world is.

Expression is very important to put forward your thoughts and views. Shying away and not sharing your perspective can shun you away from the limelight and the originality of the thought is lost. In my opinion the expression of a person should be very honest and genuine. The thought expressed should not be done with an intention of hurting others and their sentiments. Expressing your thoughts and feelings, clears your thought

skilled in construction and site work. There was a lot of ambiguity and vagueness at the beginning of the project, which resulted in an incomplete project. The entire course was very hectic which made us tired and the weather the suntan disappointed me! A little breathing time for some entertainment during the weekends would have made me more energetic.

The Summer School has definitely made a difference in my thinking and way of life. This course has taught me various organizing skills and efficient ways of working and functioning. I have begun to think differently which makes my work simpler and successful. I have learned to deal with problems in a cool manner and solve them with least damage and loss. It has also taught me that there are people with the same insecurities that I maybe facing, so one must be bold and venture out, listening to your heart and conscious. I am sure my work is going to be oriented more towards society that an individual.

process and lightens the heart. Writing, dancing, singing, talking, exercising, cooking, or any other activity can be expressive in my view. Unique professional skills: Managing events, trips, treasurer , can manage money in a organ ized way, convincing skills, easily adjust ing with different people and in different situa tions, flexible, patient and compromising with decisions. Where there is a will there is a way!

I learnt that there are many hidden qualities and personalities that every individual would have. I discovered that I have some inner strength that I had not recognized. There is a motive or stance that drives every activity of you. I can now say that I stand for patience and inspiration.

I learnt that I have a capacity to adjust to a whole new surrounding and blend into the new set-up. I understood that I have a strong urge to make a change in society and change people’s way of thinking. There is a part of me, which wants to

Learning

B Pragna Prasad

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I am Chirag. I stand for passion and power. I am currently pursuing a bachelors degree in architecture and am a social, optimistic and an extroverted person. Born and brought up in New Delhi, India, I feel blessed to be a part of a highly supportive and understanding family. My father has been my true inspiration. It is because of him that I am outspoken and have learned to take a stand in life.I am an opportunist and have attended various workshops, seminars and exhibitions related to architecture and sustainability that have made me believe that exposure can really refine my skills and give the necessary edge.Management and architecture are my professional accomplishments. Management is derived from the fact that I was a commerce student in school which I really enjoyed while architecture is something that always fascinated me. A blend of these two skills shall contribute towards my journey of becoming an efficient architect. I am ardently inclined towards the subject of sustainability and want to take it further in my career by pursuing a masters course in the same.

Summer School introduced me to Auroville which in itself is one of the greatest examples of community development. It taught me kinship, unity and identity. Being a social person, I could identify and connect, thereby leaving a big impact on my life. Being a part of this international workshop, I got the opportunity to interact with people belonging to different cultures and countries, sharing views, mentalities and their perception as designers which helped me develop more confidence. The daily programme schedule of the workshop included so many things that kept us so busy that I did not even realise that the workshop is coming to an end.What did not work for me is the fact that being located in the capital of India, I was already versed in the topic of sustainability and the use of bamboo, earth and other materials as construction materials through the medium of college and workshops. I presumed the whole part of the workshop to be focussed on construction instead of the self realisation sessions. Nonetheless, the workshop gave me the opportunity to introspect and I feel that I am taking back a lot from it and it was a complete success.

Chirag Batra Learning

Summer School 2013

My name is Tania Poggi. I stand for happiness, passion, simplicity, honesty and courage. I come from Genoa in Italy. I study in the University of Genoa in the Faculty of Architecture. The course is a five year programme and I am presently in my fourth year. My family taught me to be respectful and helpful and I learnt hospitality from my country. I am an extrovert. I like to travel the world to discover different cultures, meet new people and stay with people from different countries. My skills include analyzing and solving problems.

In this three-week workshop I was able to reflect on myself and recognize my fears, strengths and weaknesses. I learned that in a group, especially so large, it is important to trust, listen and respect each other. The early morning yoga classes greatly helped me to develop my inner strength and in reaching an inner balance. In the last days I have noticed that I became more self-confident and less shy. Thanks to the lesson being supported by experienced people, I was able to delve into

some sustainable technologies such as water harvesting, passive cooling, ecological landscape, waste water treatment and waste management. The subject of ecological sanitation was of particular interest for me. During the construction period on site, I learnt about the challenges of developing a project with a limited budget and time. I understood how hard it is to work physically on a construction site. Another learning that I will take from this Summer School is that I realized how many things one can construct with simple materials like coconut, bamboo,rope and recycled materials. In the future as a professional architect, I will attempt to reduce the usage of standard building materials by experimenting with more sustainable ones. On the whole, the organization was good but unfortunately the time was not enough to finish the on-site projects.

Tania Poggi

Learning

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I stand for equality, justice and patience because I care for all creatures and I feel that everyone should have freedom to live in their natural way and express their being. I come from a small town near Bhopal called Harda and was born in a religious family. Hence, I grew up seeing different religious rituals and truthfulness of my father and mother. It is from them that I have learned to be responsible and responsive to all creatures. From my childhood, I liked to paint, make things out of waste, like sculptures, to express myself.

I later found all my interests when I started studying architecture. My family wanted to make me the richest person on earth and as there is a lack of information in my town, they had no information about architecture. I hence had to struggle to convince them.

After my first year, I started to find a way to express myself through my professional work, especially buildings which responds to everything it is related to.

I explored myself as water: giving, adaptable and with the desire to meet the sea. I learned that I have infinite capacities and that I can learn any skills to reach the goals I set for myself.

Over the three weeks I observed many changes within myself such as: increased patience and concentration, the ability to listen to others and to openly share with them.

Things which worked out in Summer School are: discovery of my personal wisdom, an understanding of my responsibility towards this beautiful world, deeper understanding of my profession and its effects on humans and nature, deeper understanding of design and the need of being practical.

Things which did not work out are: No time to explore this beautiful place, tight schedule which lead to incompletion of several projects.

Tapas Upadhyay Learning

Summer School 2013

My name is Pranay Golecha; “Golecha” is a Marwari surname. I am Jain and vegetarian. I completed my middle school (10th) from Chennai’s CBSE School, Bhavans Rajaji Vidashram. I moved to Mumbai, to continue my higher education in the international Baccalaureate.

I stand for creativity, optimism and prosperity. I express myself through writing, humor, and everyday optimization and re-organization. I am skilled in management analysis, organizing, knife painting, photography, English communication, art installation, and graphic art.

The three -week summer workshop introduced me to sustainable living and ecofriendly building practices. I practiced sustainable living by adjusting with ecosan toilets that save water and energy. I learnt to use bamboo as a primary building material with the support of coconut fiber ropes for knotting.

The workshop on H3 facilitated my realization that I stand for creativity, optimism and prosperity. I learnt from the workshop on landscapes about the importance of environmental services. The visit to the organic farm increased my knowledge of self-sufficient agriculture. I have learned to accept and accommodate problems that surface in the form of shortage of materials, miscommunication and fatigue. I have decided to experiment with a sustainable model of indoor agriculture that will use bamboo as a primary building material supported by solar power and rainwater harvesting technology.

Pranay Golecha Learning

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I stand for inspiration and justice. I come from a working class background with both my parents being biodynamic farmers. I have been educated in standard state schools but my family’s environmentalism and interest in anthroposophy have broadened my thinking and lead me to have a strong passion for sustainability.

Through moving house many times and living as a foreigner I have become someone who is not very attached to place, I do not have a strong sense of ‘home’ and I don’t miss people easily. These experiences however have given me a strong sense of being an international citizen with global - not communal or national -obligations. What has also been a continuing narrative in my life is my interest in science and the pursuit for knowledge. This is also apparent in the way I express myself.

I am concise, direct, and rational in my answers and do not like to make things up. I try to be as academic as possible in the way that I think making me very critical and sceptical towards what people say and write. I express myself towards

during the workshopThe changes within myself that I noticed include that I realised what my strengths are and that I have a greater awareness if myself. What worked well in the workshop were the first week’s team building exercises which were very enjoyable. What worked less well was sticking to schedule during the period of the workshop with on-site building. This was due to the lack of free time.

I find it difficult to tell whether the workshop will make my life different let alone in what way. That is something I may find out after the workshop has finished. The initiative I will take up will be an urban agriculture project in my city.

others by showing a strong need for belonging, trying to be humorous and wise. However, I am also often drawn back and act as if I am indifferent or apathetic. Although I wouldn’t say I am a professional in anything yet, I would consider my greatest strength to be academic writing and research.

I learnt many different things during the course of the workshop. These include practical, social, technical and personal things.

In terms of skills, I learned how to tie knots to join bamboo columns and beams and I learnt how to make concrete by hand for the foundation of the house. The capacities I gained include leadership for example during the concrete mixing I instructed a large group to maintain a fast and efficient pace of work. I discovered that my inner strengths include confidence and perseverance

I am Menaka. I stand for truthfulness, sincerity and commitment. I was born in Sasaram, Bihar. I grew up in a traditional Indian background. I learned to be independent from childhood taking inspiration from my mother who was a single woman, taking care of the family. I worked in publishing for several years as a client manager and later as a key accountant manager.Right now, I am part of the team in Sara Con, Auroville helping out with different projects.

My professional skills comprise of customer relationship management, account management, working under time pressure and being a team player.

I do my best to honor my commitment.

Richard Franciscus Kleinjans

Learning

Menaka Gupta


Summer School 2013

I stand for inspiration, creativity and realization of full potential.

I was born and brought up in Mumbai. I am currently pursuing Computer Engineering at Dwarkadas J. Sanghvi College of Engineering, Mumbai.

Having been raised in a traditionally Gandhian family, I have been taught virtues of truth, honesty and integrity. Respect for others, has been ingrained in me over the years. I believe that I tend to find the best in everyone, but quite often it results in me not being able to gauge people correctly. Environmental concern, patriotism and pride towards India have always been very close to me. I am inherently an introvert. However, having realized that communication and networking is a very important tool in today’s world, I am making a serious effort to improve myself in the same.

Like I said earlier, I have always been an introvert. I have always shied away from confrontation and even conversation; because of which I was never really able to express myself. I have found it easier

to mould my opinions based on others rather than form my own. I believe this comes from a deep sense of fear of whether it will be socially acceptable or not. However, off late I have started developing my own opinion and making a serious effort to express it. Furthermore, I have started confronting my fear of public speaking.

I am a solution oriented person. Rather than thinking about the problem itself, I immediately start thinking about how to solve it logically. I am a quick learner and a hard worker (especially when the project is close to deadline). Although I am a diplomat, which turns out in my favor most of the times, I often feel I’d rather be candid. I am tech savvy and enjoy exploring new technologies. I try to model on perfection in all my endeavors.

During the course of the workshop, I learnt that I possess this greed to achieve the most, even in the worst situations and that I don’t give up hope till the last moment. I discovered that I believe in realizing the full potential in every endeavor, quality is a non-negotiable for me. I enjoy the company of people and I love music. Surprisingly, I found that I am quite an entertainer and I have a high physical endurance (as I realized on site). I also realized the importance of documentation in any project and the difficulties in the same. I also learnt that sometimes, my interest in some things wane over time.

I have noticed a transition from being completely diplomatic, to somewhat candid. I have been more socially forward here than I am otherwise. Having been exposed to a decent amount of public speaking, although not in front of too many people; it has helped me, in what so ever small measure to overcome my fear of the same.I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop, especially because it was such a different experience for me, coming from a computer engineering background.

From the ample hands on experience, to the personal development, everything has seemed to benefit me. Another aspect of the program that I really appreciate is the hourly yoga session every morning, which has made a positive impact on my body in the short span of 3 weeks. If I were to talk about what didn’t work for me in the program, it would be the jam packed schedule which left no room for personal time.

I was also slightly disappointed that we were mainly restricted to bamboo and coconut fiber rope, when it came to variety of materials to work with.

All in all, attending the summer school has made me do a lot of personal introspection, and learning more about myself has been a pleasant experience. I plan to take up a project with my father, ‘Green Getaway’; intended to complete in -20 months. Knowing my weaknesses will enable me to work on them; and learning about my strengths, I will be able to use them to my advantage in such future endeavours.

Aakash Anuj Divanji Learning

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Design toImplementation

Participants designed and built a volunteer accommodation at the SacredGroves Housing project in Auroville. The accommodation was designed to host up to four volunteers that will contribute their time and work for the building and development of the SacredGroves Housing project. The accommodation is self sufficient in terms of operational energy, it has an active rainwater harvesting structure, a compost dry toilet, a passive cooling system and a plot for vegetable cultivation.

All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration

- Oraibi, Arizona Hopi Nation

To design a water system for a sustainable home, built for a family of four.Issues to be considered are water harvesting, storage, pumping, irrigation, purification and recycling. A daily amount of 280 litres is needed assuming that each person consumes 70 litres per day.

•Purification:a) Grey water purification (e.g. plants, fish)b) Visit to Centre for Scientific Research regarding DeWatts purification system •Tank:a) Overhead tankb) Ground level tank c) Construction methods (e.g. masonry, Ferro-cement, pre-manufactured tank) •Rain water Harvesting:a) Roof form for collection (e.g. gabled roof, hipped roof)b) Plumbing (closed loop circulation, green wall irrigation)

d) Pumping methodse) Mechanical (e.g. treadle pump, dynamo)d) Electric pump

•Materials:a) Bamboo (split and wound in a basket)b) Chicken wire (for reinforcing the cement)c) Cement d) Jute (for tying bamboo together)•Construction:a) Bamboo frame for base b)Vertical bamboo posts weaved through base framec) Vertical posts lifted and tied with jute e) Chicken wire fixed on interior and exterior of basket f) Concrete base poured (basin shape for basket to rest)g) Cement hand- rendered onto chicken wire to form Ferro-cement

Design Brief

Research

Summer School 2013

Pani puri

Implementation

Sketches and Design

23

•Teamwork and management•Listening to others •Discussing options together •Time management •Problem solving•Researching a topic in depth •Working within a given set of constraints•Hands-on construction skills•Cement mixing, pouring, rendering •Tank •Bamboo joinery•Roof construction

Evaluation


Sr. No. Source Cost (Watts) No. of fixturesNo. of Hours/ fixture

Total Consumption(watthours)

1 Lights 105 -‐ 4 4202 Fans 50 5 7 17503 Washing Machine 500 1 1 5004 Laptops 3 3 24 2165 Television 123 1 4 4926 Mixer(Kitchen) 300 1 0.25 757 Inducuction heater 100 1 0.25 258 Miscellaneous -‐ -‐ -‐ 1009 Water pump 372 1 0.25 93

3671

Innovative Ideas to reduce load on primary energy provider1 Fibre optic cable lighting2 Bottle Light

Total

Bolt

Summer School 2013

Solar Panels:We decided to use this renewable system to harvest energy and considering the location it is the most economical and ecologically feasible source of power.

Design a cost-effective, self-sufficient energy system for a residence that is capable of conserving as well as harnessing energy in normal conditions and is able to provide for basic necessities in the case of a calamity. The design should be functional and realizable within the time limit of 10 days.

In order to develop an energy efficient building, we explored different options of self-producing the energy. These include solar energy and wind energy. However, we decided to rule out wind energy, as it wasn’t possible to set up a system, which produces wind energy, as it wasn’t within the budget. So we decided to explore the idea of using solar panels as the main unit of producing energy. However the energy requirement we calculated for the house required a 3578 watt hours for which most of the energy is produced through solar panels. However to reduce our dependence on solar panels, we also explored other alternatives for producing energy.

The other sources we explored include:•Solar Cooker to reduce energy consumption in the kitchen. •An alternative zero energy-consuming fridge. •And mechanical energy. (which we later decided to discontinue as we did not have enough time or capital to implement the idea)

Solar Cooker: The solar cooker focuses the energy of the sun to foci of the parabola and use it to produce heat in order to cook the food.

Fridge:The idea is derived from a traditional method of storage of perishables and it works on the principles of evaporative cooling. It is constructed by two terracotta pots which fit inside each other with a gap and the gap is filled with sand and the sand is kept wet and as the water evaporates it cools the inner pot and keeps the temperature inside the fridge approximately ten degrees lower than the external temperature.

Design Brief

Research

Table: Energy audit

25

Summer School 2013

Energy consultants visited the site to discuss in detail the setting up of the solar panel system to harvest energy. According to our electrical audit they suggested the amount of panels and batteries we would require. We worked in collaboration with them to finalize the position and method of the fixing the solar panels on the roof. To construct the ‘Zeer’ – our fridge – we require two terracotta pots of the different sizes in such a way that one fits inside the other. We visited a few potters around Auroville and explained our idea to them. We got the pots custom made to our required size and shape. For the solar cooker we visited the market in Pondicherry to acquire all the materials we require to build it. Once we found everything we needed we built our very own solar cooker on site.

For the fridge we assembled our pots and packed the gaps with sand. We also placed some dry rice at the bottom of the pot to reduce the moisture. As the base of the outer pot has to be raised above the ground we constructed a stand to hold the fridge with bamboo. For the solar cooker we decided to use ply wood and composite pipes to create the structure and the parabola. On this we nailed an aluminum sheet that reflects light to the foci of the parabola. At the focus we placed a stainless steel rod that transfers heat to the clamp that holds the pots and pans.

Procurement Implementation•Innovation to another level, with ideas such as converting mechanical energy from the push o a door into electricity! However, in the end we decided to stick with solar cells, solar cooker and building our own fridge.

•We learned about our energy needs in our daily lives and how much resource is spent in actually meeting those needs.

•We learned not to give up when things get tough and believe in our ideas and go on even though its not conventional.

Learning

26

Project Name 4

Dil Garden Garden

To sustain the food supply of two adults (4000 calories) during a calamity, using locally available materials. The garden must be completed within 10 days.

Objectives The module will have the following features:Survive during natural disasters that may occur in the specific geographic location of the building. E.g. cyclones in coastal hot and dry climatesProvide sufficient food (2000 calories per person per day)for a given minimum duration

The module will need appropriate:· Lighting· Irrigation· Space for growing· Nutrient sourcing

It will need to be constructed using locally available materials within a 10 day time frame

1. Formulating a design brief for a retrofitable module to provide a house with asustainable food supply.

2. We considered different systems including:a. Rooftop gardenb. Indoor gardeningc. Aquaponicsd. Stacked gardening e. Grey water irrigation

3. We had to consider:a. Soil depth, available space, irrigation needs for fruits and vegetables in a hot and humid climate b. The orientation towards the sunc. The types of fruit and vegetables that are have high calorie and nutritional content that thrive in hot and humid conditionsd. Which types of vegetables can benefit from urine irrigation and grey watere. The types and costs of necessary materials to construct food production systems

Design Brief Research & Design Sketches


Summer School 2013

•The importance of effective cooperation and communication within and between working groups•The usefulness of sharing ideas and knowledge and critiquing each other•The extent of integration of plumbing system i.e. the treated grey water for irrigation and urine as a nutrient provider for closed loop system. •How to design and implement a stacked gardening system •Plant types that grow well in hot and humid climate.•Process of planting. Soaking, type of soil, use of old twigs, leaves etc. as mulch, amount of water and time, exposure to sunlight and requirement of humidity for different plants.

4. Final Decisiona. Stacks of crates (stacked gardening system) along the south side of the house for larger plants e.g. spinach and sweat potatoes etc. This was the final decision as it would be cheap and retrofitable.A rooftop garden was impossible due to the slope and the use of solar panels, indoor gardening may have encouraged insects and it stop the use urine irrigation, aquaponics would have been too expensive and complex to set up. b. Vertical bamboo panels reusing materials like bottles for smaller plants such as herbs. These are cheap and reuse materials.c. Use of urine as part of the irrigation system as well as grey water. These methods are good ways of making use of used water and to provide a supply of essential nutrients to the plants.

Evaluation

28

Eco -‐ Sanitation toilets Flush toilets

Pros • does not require connection to water supply • collect urine undiluted • can be home built, low cost simple design • results in easy to handle dry faeces

• requires hardly change in user behaviour • no significant odour risk

Cons • prone to odour • requires paradigm shift for those who are used to

flush toilets

• requires to be connected to reliable water supply and sewer system

• requires treatment step for faeces-‐water mixture • more expensive

Potty poopers

Summer School 2013

Our main concern was the mixed opinion of people regarding the Indian and western toilets. Each had benefits of hygiene and convenience. So our main aim was to find combination of the two in our design. As a result we came up with a module that can be used as sitting as well as a squatting toilet.

For its use as a seating toilet, we incorporated three steps that would raise the toilet seat to a height of 0.45m which is the standard dimension for a human seating posture . also the steps could be used to access the platform if people preferred to squat. We also looked into methods of pouring saw dust over the solid waste which would be more efficient and hygienic to use. Thus coming up with a more mechanical solution to it.

To design a modular sanitation system for a retrofit house for two people under the given constraints of money and time ( 10 days) that is efficient with minimum usage of water and energy.

Eco - san is a form of sanitation which usually involves urine diversion and the recycling of water and nutrients contained within human wastes into the local environment.

The main objectives of ecological sanitation are :

•to reduce health risks related to sanitation , contaminated water and waste•to prevent the pollution of surface and ground water•to reuse nutrients or energy contained within wastes

Since we were looking at an efficient system for sanitation using minimum water and energy, theeco - sanitation seemed like the most feasible idea compared to the conventional sanitation methods.

Design Brief

Table: Comparison of sanitation systems

Research

Sketches and Design

Device for pouring saw dust

29

Summer School 2013

•that it is produces odour when solid waste is mixed with water•urine is a good nutrient because it comprises of nitrogen and phosphate•it is more economical •more hygienic because there is no handling of unsanitized waste faeces•requires low maintainance

Learning

Seating & Squat toilet

30

Passive house - Aria

Summer School 2013

Design a cost effective comfortable cooling prototype for 4 people in hot and humid climate condition in 10 days that resist calamities. The design parameters were: 1. Cost: The prototype should be constructed within the budget of 1,80,000 INR. The total estimate includes the material and the construction cost.2. Time: The period of the construction was restricted to 10days.3. Labour: The team for the design and construction were unskilled 22 people from various backgrounds.

Climatic data: It is included in the sub-humid tropics and situated on a plateau region with its maximum elevation of 32 mtr above sea level located in the Matrimandir area. The annual rainfall average is 1.200 mm mainly from the SW monsoon (June to Sept.) and NE monsoon (Nov to Dec) with a dry period of approx 6 months. The average maximum temperature is 37.2° C (89.96°F), average minimum 20° C (68 °F).

Design Brief Research Sketches and Design

Foundation Floor Structure

Floor Cover

Wall Structure

Wall fillings

Roof Structure

Roof

Tires filled with earth Wood Coconut wood

Wood Nippa mats Wood Corrugated tetra pack sheets

Tires filled with concrete Bamboo Bamboo cement

Bamboo Fabric Bamboo Half-‐spilt bamboo

Bamboo in concrete foundation Bamboo ladders Bamboo mesh and earth Clay Bricks Nippa Mats

Brick/steel/pvc and concrete combitions

Combinations of bamboo and vertical ladders

Bamboo spilt Chicken wire/coconut fibre: waddle and daub

Rammed earth Crossed Plywood panels

1.2 x 0.2 x 0.01M

Table: Material options

31

Summer School 2013

In this summer school we learned how to structure the design process and the importance of the process itself. Our design process was as follows:

1. Step: Assessment of climate 2. Step: Main effects on thermal comfort3. Step: How to enhance thermal comfort with architecture4. Step: Defining wind direction5. Step: Orientation of building6. Step: Rough layout of building7. Step: Information of available building materials, cost and sizes8. Step: Rough calculation9. Step: Integrated Design10. Step: Thinking about structure and design11. Step: Detailed calculation12. Step: List of building materials and tools needed

The available building materials and the cost were of high importance to the project and affected our project very much, therefore we were confronted with a different experience compared to the general architectural education. Planning and building the structure later, gave us a different perspective and made us realize the importance of our profession to the labourers who will realize our buildings later. We additionally gained a lot of respect for builders.

The analysis was leading our group to search for solutions to increase the thermal comfort. Most important factors were the high humidity and temperature. To reduce the humidity we were increasing the ventilation from the south-east through an open living area and the set back bedroom has windows to the south and north. Additional we were implementing in the floor ventilation slits to move cooler air from below the structure into the bedrooms.

The roof has an angle of 10 degrees from south to north to implement the PV-panels and creating a ventilation area under the roof. We elevated the building to create ventilation and cooling from all sides of the building.

Our group decided to keep the direct sunlight away from the living area to limit heat. A roof overhang and an added green wall which will act as cavity wall to the east and west to protect the walls from overheating through direct sunlight.

Implementation Evaluation

32

Participants’ Projects The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating.

- Peter Ellyard

Committed to sustainable and equitable development par-ticipants have chosen projects close to their heart and interest which the commit to implement over the next three years.

SVIKRITI Background“The world has seen so many civilizations and still hasn’t learned to love” This is a dialogue from a movie that got me thinking. What exactly is love? To me the simple act of acceptance and support could be love. It is true that today we live in a world that is filled with judgments, dishonesty and other negative energies but it is also true that the possibilities are endless, beyond imagination. A positive change is possible.

My project is a simple solution of introducing a platform for self-expression.Small changes like mistakes being appreciated and a push to follow ones passion can create a huge impact. Statistics have shown that 80% of the world’s population is not happy with their jobs. It has also been proven that stating ones fears, strengths or interests helps illuminate their roots in the brain and hence gets one thinking.

If every individual were to be open and true to oneself about their passions, likes and dislikes the percentage of people who are happy would definitely rise. The project proposed should bring about a positive support system within communities. Negativity would be reduced and the general happiness factor would be raised.

ObjectiveTo create a platform for self-expression that nurtures human beings.

If every individual were to be open and true to oneself about their passions, likes and dislikes, the percentage of people who are happy would definitely rise. The project proposed should bring about a positive support system within communities. Negativity would be reduced and the general happiness factor would be raised.

StrategyTo start with, I would like to bring together my community and explain to them the concept of dignified living, open their eyes to the possibility of solutions through constructive criticism and

Summer School 2013

set a pattern within the community to meet every Sunday for an hour or so and include an incentive like lunch etc.

Once the concept is explained, I would encourage them to get outside their comfort zone and enroll them into stating their positive and negative aspects and facing them. Through this process they would realize different ways to express themselves or even different passions that they have not pursued.

I would encourage the community to support each other with their visions through constructive criticism and practical help. They need not have a project. It could start with a simple discussion and an appreciation to each individual’s points of view.

The concept can then be taken to a higher level. It could be introduced into schools and other institutions.

When introduced to the lower income communities many other factors need to be considered and hence it is important that other than the children, the parents also understand and follow concepts

of dignified living and encourage their children to follow their heart.

by Aishwarya Das

34

Introduction of sustainable waste management program in schools of Kannur

Issue Recycling is not widely practiced in Kannur. No thought is given to what happens to the waste once it’s out of sight. I feel that the responsibility of taking care of your environment should be inculcated in children at a young age, so that they grow up learning that sustainable disposal of waste is the only way to go. Like they say, ‘Old habits die hard’.

There is also a need to educate people about rates of consumption and wastage. Schools are centers of learning where children from different areas, class etc. come together and interact. They learn things that they go back to their homes and share with their parents and friends. This is an effective way of propagating healthy practices in the society. Schools also have an existing infrastructure into which recycling can be incorporated. Objective

•Introduce a sustainable waste management program in the schools of Kannur.•Reduce the volume of waste disposed in landfills by minimizing waste, re-using and recycling.

StrategyThe schools that will participate in this project have to be identified after discussions with the authorities. The basic requirements for the school would be availability of space and cooperation of the school itself. The schools become centres for collection of recyclable waste, as there is a school in almost every locality and would be convenient for the people living there. I would also have to hold talks with other organizations with similar interests to invest in this project. The funds raided would be used for transportation of recyclable wastes from the schools to the recycling plant.

Summer School 2013

Actions to be taken up first are:

•Creating a picture in peoples’ minds about the change that will be visible in the society and its benefits.

•Research on the types of recycling methods and availability of these methods in Kannur.

•Enroll students by screening ‘Story of stuff’ in the schools and arranging visits to landfills for the students so they can witness the harm it does to the environment.

By Chaitanya Krishna Kumar

35

Re-cycling of bio-degradable waste in the food industry (hotels and restaurants) in Dubai, U.A.E.

BackgroundU.A.E. is one of the highest waste generator, per capita in the world. In 2006, each person was gen-erating 2.8 kg of waste per day which reduced to 2kg in 2009. Waste management is one of the biggest concerns in the region. Efforts are being made to ensure proper segregation and re-cycling of wastes such as plastic, glass, paper and metal. However 36% of waste generated in households is contributed by unused food and kitchen waste which are bio-degradable.

Hotels and restaurants in U.A.E. follow very strict norms when it comes to food storage. After a products shelf life has expired, it is disposed with all the other waste. Therefore a large part of our landfills are filled with bio-degradable waste that can be separated and used as raw material.

Dubai depends on the landfill located in Ghusais to dispose their waste. According to a recent sta-tistic, within 7 years the landfill will no longer be sufficient to handle the waste generated by Dubai. By taking this initiative we can try to reduce the load of waste in the landfill by separating bio-de-gradable waste and generating compost that can be used for farming and plantation.

ObjectiveDesign and implement a self-supportive system of segregation, transportation and re-use of bio-degradable waste at the hotel and restaurant lev-el.

Strategy I have chosen to introduce this change with ho-tels and restaurants as they are one of the high-est generators of this kind of waste. This will aid in spreading awareness of the issue and offer a solu-tion to taking care of bio-degradable waste from their kitchens.

Summer School 2013

The following actions will be implemented:

•Approach local nurseries and farms and enroll them to replace their chemical fertilizers with compost.

•Approach hotels and restaurants and explain the need to reduce bio-degradable waste. Offer them a solution for disposing their bio-degradable waste – generation of compost.

•Work with municipal and local environmen-tal bodies – such as Dubai Municipality and EEG (Emirates Environmental Group) – to push for in-centives for both the restaurants as well as farm-ers to help make a significant impact.

By Karishma Asarpota

36

Re-use, Re-cycle, Rescue

BackgroundDumfries and Galloway currently only has paper recycling. The issue of waste disposal is under local jurisdiction. As such the Dumfries and Galloway Council makes the regional decisions.

ObjectiveMy aim is to provide composting bins and glass recycling collection for the region.

What will change visiblyLess waste will occur, but on a wider scale people will be more aware of sustainability issues and more willing to cooperate in other areas of their life i.e. cutting down on energy waste in term of lighting.

Systems that need to shiftThe local council and Member of Parliament has to be canvassed and advertising and fundraising events arranged. The possibility of the local Tesco branches getting involved in glass recycling collection also exists as Tesco already has glass

recycling facilities. The current deterrent for large scale glass recycling is the distance to these stores. The issue of composting bins has not been dealt with as yet.

ActionsThe first action will be to get in contact with the local MP (Member of Parliament) and raise the issue, informing them of the possible options in terms of getting private help through the Tesco store, as this is where people currently recycle glass. An incentive for these stores to get involved would be the fact that the current view of them is negative amongst the community. They are seen as crushing local business and not contributing to the community in a positive way. Through a benevolent and helpful gesture the store will garner some positive publicity. The next issue would then be to raise awareness of the issue locally so that any opposition within the council is counteracted by popular vote.

By Priscilla Joseph

Summer School 2013

Just Recycle!

BackgroundIn Italy we have a problem with waste disposal. Many of our cities do not have a functional system of waste segregation, collection, recycling and disposal. This leads to environmental pollution and wastage of valuable resources. The main challenge is one of behavioral change as people are not accustomed to have different containers for waste segregation at their homes and offices.

Objective Introduce a functional waste segregation, recycling and disposal system at the University of Genoa.Change the mindset of students, faculties and employees and cultivate a responsible waste management among them.

Systems that need to shiftThe mindset of people and their attitude towards waste disposal and recycling needs to shift.We need supportive government policies for

implementing an enlightened and responsible waste management

StrategyTo implement, a functional waste management system based on the 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) at my university in Genoa and promote this for other universities in Italy, I will need to:Create awareness amongst the students and faculty regarding sustainable waste management.Mobilize and enroll students to collaborate and implement these ideals.Identify solutions for proper re-use, recycling and disposal of waste.Raise funds to procure containers for waste segregation and identify suitable locations for their installation.Enroll the media and create incentives for the University to support this initiative.Find partnering universities and student representatives from other educational institutions for replication and scaling of this project.

By Carlotta Dabove

37

Demonstrative module of sustainable and social development in the rural area (outskirts of Mumbai)

BackgroundFarming is still one of the main occupations of rural India. The technologies and methods that are widely used are unstainable as they depend on electricity to pump water for irrigation, pesticides to avoid infestation, conventional techniques of farming that lead to decreased soil fertility and do not implement ground water recharge and rain water harvesting systems, amongst many others.Apart from this, the living conditions of the farmers is pitiable and unhygienic.

ObjectiveThe aim of this project is to create a prototype of a sustainable and social change in my own farm which will sprawl in the entire village. The farmers working for us will get involved in the sustainable technologies. The module demonstrated in my

farm will be replicated in the neighbouring farms and can impact a change on the macro level.Farmers which are the integral part of the project will have a better standard of living and can benefit from the natural resources to meet the basic requirements.

Systems that need to shiftThe systems involved in the project are my grandmother, owner of the farm who will allow to demonstrate the module.

Farmers, who work on our farms and will benefit from this change.

Neighbouring owners and the respective farmers after the completion of the module, who can implement the prototype.

Summer School 2013

Strategy•Enroll my grandmother and the farmers in my project of the sustainable and social change.

•Start with simple methods: Rain water harvesting. Explain how this can be implemented in the farm and can be used and stored.

•Upgrade the existing house with proper day lighting and ventilation.

•Build an EcoSan toilet and explain the need for it and its benefits.

•Explain the concept of organic farming.

•Install and harvest solar energy.

•After the completion of the module by using rain water harvesting, solar panels and EcoSan toilets, enrol the neighbouring owners and farmers.

By Richa Raut

38

Urban Agriculture in The Hague

BackgroundIn the developed world today, many people have become ever more distant from their sources of food; distant not only in the sense of food miles, but rather distant in terms of their understanding and attitude towards food. This is especially true for cities where most foodstuffs are bought in supermarkets in bulk. The problem of disconnection to food sources manifests itself in multiple ways. First of all, people are more wasteful, they assume a limitless supply and therefore don’t appreciate what they have enough to ensure they use everything. Secondly, there is a decline in the quality of the food people eat which is visible through diet related illnesses. Lastly people are unaware of what it takes to grow plants for food in practical terms and therefore do not realise the importance of maintaining an unpolluted environment. This urban agriculture project will aim to tackle some of these problems through increasing urban farming in the city of The Hague.

ObjectiveTo increase the amount of sustainable urban farming that takes in the city of The Hague leading to less food waste and increased appreciation of the value of good quality food.

Systems that need to shiftSystem shifts should take place at several of the leverage points: •First of all the project will aim to change the structure of material stocks and flows through localising food production reducing food miles and waste.

•Secondly, information regarding the urban farming possibilities and methods must be dispersed.

• Thirdly it would be desirable to change the ‘rules of the systems’ through getting a policy change which would make urban farming much easier through providing spaces in existing and new buildings as well as land allotment.

Summer School 2013

•Lastly the project aims to change the goals of the system from one that is oriented to maximising consumption to maximising quality of food and harmonious living.

StrategyFirst of all I will need to communicate with existing urban agriculture projects to learn about their experiences. Then I should survey my target population to find out about potential interests and receive suggestions about what would incentivise them to take up urban farming.

After that I will communicate with the local city council to brainstorm possibilities and options for implementation. Depending on the type of backing and interest I will receive from the council and local people, I will implement the project. This may make use of a prototype urban farm where courses can be given.

By Richard Kleinjans

39

Freedom of expression and alleviation of stigma towards mental disabilities through art therapy.

Background Growing up in Chennai and suffering from anxiety attacks myself, I always felt a sort of stigma toward me and people like me going through similar problems. Taking art therapy at a young age helped me break free from these problems and allowed me to express myself better.

Art therapy includes introducing users to the freedom of expression and breaking free from various mental constraints by exploring different forms of art encompassing painting, writing and dance. There will be tutors involved, teaching the different art forms. The students will be allowed to choose the form of therapy they would like and they will be exposed to techniques of self-expression through these arts.

ObjectiveTo introduce art therapy in educational institutions in Chennai, at different levels, either as part of the curriculum or as an extracurricular activity. This project would first target children in schools, to aid in improving self-expression and gradually children with minor mental disabilities could be introduced to this technique.

It is best to rectify and work on mental disabilities at the earliest stage and hence this project would be first implemented in pre-schools and kindergartens and later in higher levels of education.

Systems that need to shiftThe systems which need to shift include the stigma that society has towards mental disabilities and the acceptance of alternative forms of therapy and education.

Summer School 2013

StrategyTo start with, I would first propose weekly trail classes to introduce this concept and to see if it could be incorporated into the curriculum of the school.

Campaigns to spread awareness would also be used to ensure the propagation of this method of healing.

I will be contacting people who have experience in this form of healing in order to receive proper guidance from them in terms of conducting the classes and forming a non-profit organization.

This organization will be formed by a group of volunteers who want to be a part of this movement.

By Jasmitha Arvind

40

Second life

IssueThere is a high demand for materials for model making, woodwork, drawing, painting, metalwork, glass, apparel, textiles and printmaking at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). All these materials are currently purchased off the shelf from two major supply stores, the RISD store and Utrecht supplies. The result is a huge misallocation and wastage of semi used, quality materials.

ObjectiveMy project aims to reduce wastage of art and design materials at the college I study in, at Rhode Island, USA, while fostering a culture of reuse, recycling, sharing and sustainability.

Systems that need to shiftA system that needs to change is the general awareness regarding recycling and sustainability.

This project would thus become a subset of a general campaign of sustainability awareness at RISD.

Another system shift is the attempt at including the current school currency system (which uses RISD points for food, printing etc.) and thus eliminating the concept of a retailer (of second hand goods) while incentivizing the purchase of said goods.

StrategyI am working on a forum that can help in the reuse and appropriate reallocation of the above mentioned resources. Currently, there is a student run store called second life which accepts donations and resells them at a low cost.

What I would like to do is eliminate the middleman by allowing students to directly contact each other and barter or purchase from each other based on an agreed price or exchange agreement.

What will happen is that people would be able to not only get materials for a lower cost, but also have the chance of procuring these materials at

Summer School 2013

any time of day or night, since it is simply a matter of directly contacting the person who has the desired supplies.

People would thus be able to upload photos or details of materials, and also give a method of contact, which would allow them to meet directly and with ease.

People would be drawn to this due to lower prices, an intuitive user interface and the social/sharing based ideology. Such a beginning will attract interested students and faculty alike, thus facilitating further progress.

By Aashman Goghari

41

Green GetawayBackgroundIn order to maximize profit and minimize the time of completion, most building projects compromise severely on design and implementation. Side effects of this include environmental impact, excessive resource consumption and inadequate social connection (disconnection from our neighbours). Furthermore, it leaves most consumers with the feeling that sustainable living and dignified living are mutually exclusive.

ObjectiveTo demonstrate a sustainably integrated habitat, essentially for well-to-do individuals, which does not compromise on the quality of life in terms of comfort and facilities. This, in turn, is intended to have a positive impact on the mindset of these individuals, and help them bridge the gap between dignified and sustainable living.

Systems that need to shiftThe methodology adopted for these building projects; from idea, to design, to implementation.As mentioned above, the existing mindset

of individuals, which believes dignified and sustainable living are mutually exclusive.

StrategySince the plot of land for the project is already available, the next step would involve extensive research, which encompasses the climatic, topographical, social, and historical data of the surrounding area and analysis of the same.This will be followed by design, which will be climate and topography sensitive. An attempt to integrate indigenous building practices with modern ones will be made. With the intent of developing a community atmosphere, job opportunities for local farmers will be provided, by offering them a patch of land to grow organic food for consumption by the residents. In addition to this, an attempt to address the issue of lack of entertainment for the locals shall be made by organizing occasional theater nights.Finally, in order to spread the word about this project, documentation and publicity will be done. It will begin with publishing articles in Ritikaa Wood’s (Father’s company) newsletter, which is circulated among the company’s client base.

Summer School 2013

Organic Green House

BackgroundMy name is Pranay Golecha and I stand for creativity, optimism and prosperity. I live in Chennai and I feel that my city people are not eating healthy food and therefore to provide high quality healthily organic food for the urban people of Chennai. I have decided to build greenhouses in the Kilai village of Sriperumbadur.

My project Organic green houses will produce, distribute and market organic food crops in and around Chennai. The project would immediately benefit many local farmers and would create employment opportunities for people near Kilai village. The greenhouses will be built across an acre of land and will have solar energy, solar pumps, and wind energy.

The organic produce will be marketed by the name Dharti Dhaan- organic farm produce. I would be spending 30-40% of my project budget on marketing of the brand across print and Internet

media. I have selected 50 stores in Chennai that will retail my branded produce. The branded produce would also be supplied to cafes and restaurants. I feel that their customers would not hesitate to spend 40-50% more for the same food made using organic food.

I know that society at large needs to demand healthy good and be willing to be a premium for it. But despite the challenges I remain optimistic about organic food.

By Pranay

By Aakash Divanji42

Call for Action; New Housing and Infrastructure Plan for Indian Shanty Towns

Background Today, globally about 1 billion people live in precarious conditions. In India alone, it is estimated that 94 million people live in shanty towns without basic services such as access to clean water, proper sanitation, electricity, health care and educational opportunities. Since the population in most of the emerging countries in increasing annually at a two- digit rate, we are facing the challenge of providing adequate housing and dignified lives for everybody.

ObjectiveIncrease the quality of life (health, housing, education, etc.) of the urban poor.

Systems to shiftThe government needs to give more importance to an inclusive and sustainable development paradigm that improves the lives of all, by looking

at long term results instead of concentrating on ‘quick fix’ solutions. Through a “Robin Hood” tax, financed by the more affluent persons, the government can finance the construction of standardized low cost buildings in strategic locations in order to relocate the inhabitants of all the shanty towns. All these new villages will be connected with the most important towns through a new system of infrastructure (mostly public trains) in order to take this low cost work-force to the town, daily.

Strategy •Submit a thesis proposal to my mentor at the college of architecture in Genoa.•Identify areas of intervention in a shanty town at Mumbai•To prepare an attractive project proposal to the Government, demonstrating the benefits of a socially equitable and sustainably integrated development of a shanty town in Mumbai.•Collaborate with NGOs and government institutions working on slum development projects.•Implement a demonstration project.

By Tania PoggiSummer School 2013

Urban Farming for Community Building and Self Sufficiency of Food

BackgroundIn the locality I live in, Sadashivanagar (Bangalore), absence of community life is predominant. The extent of interaction is limited to small groups of people who know one another. The locality being a residential one does not enjoy the complete and lively participation of the residents, which has the potential to be a self-sufficient, green community. There are groceries and markets in the vicinity within a 1km radius to which people generally commute in vehicles resulting in fossil fuel utilization. This also adds to the traffic and consequently each person spends a lot of time.

Objective•To develop and nurture a vibrant community through sustainable urban farming practices and sharing of food produce. •To create awareness about the food system.

•To create respect for farmers and their work•Indirectly this can help in reducing in energy consumption for transport.Systems that need to shiftThe general public should be made aware of the importance of sustainable urban farming and the advantages it has in various contexts of life. Organic farmers and their hard work needs more appreciation from the general public. There could be a bylaws passed to reserve a percentage of built up area for urban farming. Such compulsions can bring about a change. Incentives to structures which participate in urban farming can be an encouraging factor.

StrategyImplementing the entire system of sustainable urban farming at the locality I live in, to inspire others forms one of the first steps in the strategy. Awareness programs and drives about the importance of sustainable urban farming is another important part in action taking. Training and knowledge about the techniques of farming is necessary to make the people aware that the process is a rewarding one. By Pragna Prasad 43

Passive Housing - An alternative

In the German regions “Das Passiv Haus” (The Passive House) has been considered as a solution for a sustainable future. But is it not possible for us to do better? Is being dependent on mechanical ventilation and a thick layer of insulation derived from fossil fuels the only salvation for the future?

My thesis in Architecture aims at rethinking norms - the way we live, think, design and build. I will challenge established systems to create a better, cost-effective, healthy and sustainable lifestyle with a new building form.

After completing my thesis, I will enroll in competitions and present this project.

I will also start fund raising and consider TED Talks or Kickstarter as a portal.

Integrative Design Process

The design process in architecture, does not consider the typology of materials, their sizes and technical installation requirements at the onset. It is important to think beyond the basic design requirements and integrate all the aspects of architecture, especially the type of building material as it influences the structure and can optimize cost in the construction process.

A part of my thesis in Civil Engineering Sciences and Management will analyze this topic further. After completion, I will present this research to other architects through publications, conferences and education programs.

By Nicole Soellinger

Summer School 2013

Education for Full Potential

BackgroundIndia has one of the largest populations in the world and many of them are young adults and children. Today more than 60% of India’s population lives in rural areas where no proper educational opportunities are provided to the children. Those children only have the Angan Badi (government school) in which proper learning is not provided, most of the children eventual end up in child labor or migrate to cities where they will increase the number of urban poor and slum dwellers.

ObjectiveTo provide holistic educational opportunities to children in the villages

Systems that need to shiftThe mind set of the village people, the government, teachers and parents need to be changed because most of them do not have trust in education.

StrategyMy objective is to create a culture of understanding

and appreciation of the importance and learning and education in village. I will identify one village in my close vicinity as a demonstration ground where I will start implementing a more holistic educational program. The visible changes will be documented.

The following steps will be taken:Research in order to understanding of the process of child development.Create an education program, which will draw inspiration from Shri Aurobindo’s and Rabindranath Tagore’s philosophy of education.Seek approvement from the government, to include selected program activities in the regular syllabus Organize regular workshops to generate awareness among parents and teachers.Redesign the Angan Badi module in a cost effective way ensuring universal human values are reflected

By Tapas Upadhyay 44

Development of skilled labour in India

Background Design and execution are the two things that are required to build a worthy structure. India is not deprived of good architects but has a major shortage in skilled labour and hence the execution is extremely poor in most cases. India has an immense pool of talent but there has been a dilution over time that has almost wiped out the community of skilled labour due to various reasons. The lack of exposure and education for manual workers causes the client to bare a lot of losses. This project will help develop a skilled community of workers and bring their social status to a respectable position.

Issue•India is a developing country and a majority of the population fights for survival on a daily basis.•The prevailing education system does not support or encourage vocational training and hence India

does not have universities that teach plumbing, electrical, carpentry, masonry, etc. Consequently, masons and construction workers are not exposed to the new and emerging building techniques and technologies of the world.•The workers do not have a professional training in their subject and hence there is a problem in understanding the demands of the architects and builders. •They do not have a good command over technical and construction related language and hence there is a misunderstanding on site which results in low self-esteem in the workers.•The notion in society that the work of a labourer is extremely easy and lacks intellect and expertise influences families to persuade the next generation of manual workers to streamline into engineering or medicine.•The meisthry is the biggest problem in most cases. The PIMP.

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Systems that need to shift•Workmanship must be accepted as a dignified profession

•Formal training and certification of skilled construction workers

•Tradition of day labourers needs to be shifted

•Building traditions to be conserved and modernized

Actions•Create a forum of supportive architects, designers and builders.

•Everyone in the forum contributes to the cause either financially or by knowledge.

•Workshops will be held to the present generation of labourers to make them aware of the current unjust situation and the importance of education in the field.

•Free education must be provided to the future

generation of construction workers.

•Information campaigns on current injustices and bottleneck regarding constrution workers will be organized.

•Enroll media partners.•Promotion of this project among schools and colleges.

By Pranav DM

45

Dance Therapy – Holistic Development for All

BackgroundIndian culture uses an array of art forms as a medium of self-expression, method of religious celebration and tool for healing. This understanding and appreciation for art is slowly dying out with the urban population believing the process of consumption as their ultimate goal. Man has also learned to differentiate between caste, gender and various other factors. Art however, has the power to work despite these differences and it instills a sense of unity and bonding. The issues I will be addressing here is lack of self-awareness, self-confidence, poor interpersonal skills and inability to provide an outlet for expression.

ObjectiveTo create a dance therapy centre and school that provides holistic development for people of all ages and walks of life.

Systems that need to shiftThe system changes that would be required to execute this project include shifting the mind-set of society. People need to understand that creative expression is an integral part of a holistic life as it has the capacity to transform an individual. It helps release anxiety, stress, and various other social issues that people face. It also helps people connect with themselves through movement and understanding of the body.

Strategy My project aims at providing an opportunity for people from all walks of life to explore the possibility of nurtured, holistic growth and therapeutic healing through the medium of art, particularly dance. It will originally be implemented in Bangalore and when the prototype is successful, it will expand its reach.

The therapy (also known as Dance Movement Therapy) is based on a basic principle, “The body and the mind are inseparable”. Every change that occurs in the body through movement creates a change in the functionality of the mind and vice

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versa. Thus I would like the program to enable empowerment, elation and expression.

To kick off the project I will first need to find people with the required talent and compassion and willing to take part in this initiative. They need to believe in the cause and must commit to it. Also, I will require funds to start a school and then develop a sustainable economic system that helps in maintaining the organisation. It must be such that the service is made available to people who are in need without suffering a loss. Thus, it will have to be a charged service to those who can afford it and the profits must be used to provide the service to the ones in need.

By Sushruthi

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DUST –BUST

BackgroundDust kicked up by vehicles travelling on roads may make up 33% of air pollution Road dust consists of deposition of vehicle exhausts and industrial exhausts, tire and brake wear, dust from paved roads or potholes, and dust from construction sites. Road dust represents a significant source contributing to the generation and release of particulate matter into the atmosphere. Control of dust is a significant challenge in urban areas, and also in other spheres with high levels of vehicular traffic upon unsealed roads such as mines and garbage dumps.Unpaved roads and heavy traffic In Gwalior contribute significantly to the citie’s dust pollution as does the absence of roadside trees and green cover on arable land.

ObjectiveTo minimise the level of the dust in the city and hence providing a more cleaner and greener environment for living.

Systems required•The Gwalior Municipal Cooperation

•Citizens of Gwalior

•Construction Industry

•Pollution Control Board

•Department for Town and Country Planning

Strategy•To give a section of public parks for plantation of indigenous trees by the local citizens and naming the tree after them.

•Pave all the unpaved roads

•Plant road side trees along the cities streets

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•Introduce a green cover an all arable land within the city

•Covering the construction site with meshes, and preventing the tracking of dust onto adjacent roads.

•Introduce a rule to cover the personal land or plots (within the city) with vegetation till the time no construction is being done on the land.

•Introduce a rule that construction sites obtain permits to conduct earth moving

•Regular monitoring of dust levels

Visible changes•More greenery and increase in forest cover.

•Clean environment.

•Improved and better soil cover.

•Practise of doing plantation and vegetation will encourage people to grow their own food to some

extent.

•The naming of tree after the citizens will develop a bond between the tree and the person which will in turn drive him/her to look after the tree personally.

•Less of skin and respiratory diseases.

By Somya Gupta

47

Kadambadi Village; A centre for traditional games, Mahaballipuram , East Coast Road

BackgroundMost of us grew up playing hop-scotch, kabbadi, lagori etc. but the culture of playing these traditional games is dying out slowly especially in the big cities and towns. The expensive games like cricket and tennis have replaced them. There is a need to revive these games and to understand their social and cultural significance. Each game has a very strong root attached to it and it becomes more interesting to play them if you know the story behind its origin.

These games are not only inexpensive and require minimum of resources but also helps in the physical and mental growth of oneself.Some of the benefits of bringing traditional games back to life include:•Bringing-together of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people

•Help reconnect urban Indigenous youth to their culture•Promote reconciliation•Provide essential training in social interaction•Enhance physical health•Develops qualities like self-defense, discipline and team work•Art of balancing and self control

The traditional games are also a strong indicator that the culture can survive. In this way traditional games not only help the youth to get physically fit but also inspire older members of the community and creates nostalgia.

The Issues identified are•Traditional games is a dying art in India.•lack of awareness on the culture of Tamil Nadu•Not enough encouragement and proper facilities given to the disabled in the sports arena

Objectives:To create a centre for excellence in traditional sports leading to integration of vernacular knowledge in physical training, martial arts,

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traditional healing methods, music, dance folklore and language. The centre will cater to the differently - abled as well, making them a very important part of the program. To create a self-supporting center through revenue from cultural tourism.

Strategy•To study the various traditional games played n south India and the connect it has with the youth today.

•Study the facilities for the differently- abled in the arena of sports and support them with the necessary requirements to attract them into this field.

•To revive traditional games by creating an audience. This will create interest amongst the local people to take up these traditional games as a professional sport.

•To provide equal opportunity to the differently - abled by providing them with cure for their

disability and having games particularly for them. This will not only make them feel good and integrated with the system but will also make the others realize that they are special in their own ways.

•Get the tourist footfall in Mahaballipuram from the Mahaballipuram tourism office

•Propose the idea to the government and request them for land to develop the project

•Talk to the nearby villagers and hire local resources.

•Identify partners and collaborator for manageing the centre

•Collaborate with the sports university and paramedical studies

•Enroll the Ministry of Human Resource Development

By Parinitha

48

Improving the Reach and Level of Primary Education in India

Background“When a mother does not want her child to suffer from a hygiene related disease she needs to know the basics of hygiene, When a farmer wants to prevent his crops from getting damaged, he needs to know his crops well.”

Knowledge is a crucial part of life. Basic education is an investment which clearly pays off. It gives your life more meaning. Educating children is one of the biggest steps we can take to eradicate poverty and other problems we face in our day to day lives in a developing country like India.Poverty antagonizes mankind not only in terms of health but also education. Child Labour is one of the barriers to education in India. The poverty and vulnerability shackles are driving little innocent kids into working in food stalls, construction sites, as servants in upper middle class homes to earn a meagre income in order to support their families. Education is the birth right of every individual

therefore, these child labourers deserve to be educated. To chant rhymes, use their little fingers to count and do math, dirty their clothes in mud and colour instead of toiling in workplaces.Another issue barricading education from becoming fluid is Sex Discrimination which again is a result of lack of education. Women in India are the most disadvantageous group in the society. They possess their personal set of impediments which includes child marriage, early pregnancy, expectations related to domestic labour, security problems and poor sanitation facilities. Moreover, the patriarchal society of India believes that a girl will eventually get married and sent to another household and her sole duties are maintaining it and raising children. Therefore, education of girls is perceived as a waste of wealth. According to the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), women are particularly vulnerable to the spread of HIV/AIDS from rural to urban areas.

System shifts neededTherefore, basic primary education holds immense importance. The Indian government lays emphasis on primary education up till the age

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of 14 years. However, the goal is being hindered by factors such as economic disparity and social conditions. In a developing country like ours, education is unaffordable for many families followed by shortage of basic amenities like classrooms, toilets, drinking water, blackboard and chalk. The government to some extent has succeeded in increasing primary education in India but the quality learning is missing. In order to ensure this, appropriate teaching methods should be implemented followed by the employment of enthusiastic and motivated teachers. This can be achieved by bridging the gap between the government and NGO’s. It is the government that has funds for the goal while the NGOs possess the will and zeal for the same.

StrategyImparting knowledge at the primary level, would boost an individual’s productivity and help him recognize his full potential resulting in self confidence and a drop in unemployment and crime rates. Investing in education would lead to human development via which issues like hygiene and cleanliness will also gain recognition thereby

contributing to a green and clean environment.Primary education will help us annihilate issues like poverty, child labour, gender bias, health issues thereby contributing towards the economic development of our country.

Therefore, these are few among many actions that needs to be taken:

•Collaboration between government and NGOs

•We, as individuals, can teach in our spare time through different campaigns

•Spreading awareness specially in the youth sector

•Making sure that every child is getting a free quality education

•Opening of more schools where needed

•Make sure that law is being followed properly in terms of child labour By Chirag

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THE ECOLOGICAL DRIVE –

ECO-TOURISM FOR DEHRADUN

BackgroundDehradun is a tourist destination, known for wildlife, adventure and pilgrimage. Tourists from all over the country come to experience a bit of all the above and have a pleasant time. According to statistics maintained by the Tourism Board, the estimated tourist visits in Uttarakhand during 2006 were about 18.99 million by domestic tourists and 0.1 million by foreign tourists. In the case of holiday/sight seeing tourists, the main sources of attraction were scenic beauty for 59 percent, spiritual centers for 52.1 percent, trekking for 51.3 percent, wild life and nature trails for 16.2 percent and hill resorts for 14.5 percent of the tourists.

The impacts of this growing tourism industry are directly affecting the environment of the city, its economy that is under the constant pressure and the inhabitants of the city. The negative impacts

of tourism development can gradually destroy the environmental resources on which it depends. The main issue addresses the negative impacts that occur because the level of visitors is increasing as compared to the ability of the environment to cope with it. It’s also a main reason for the increase in the pollution levels of the city as well as constant pressure on the construction industry for more number of accommodations, which leads to deforestation.

Objectives•To educate the travellers about the city and it existing environment.•Help and encourage the government to fund conservation projects and training programs.•Saving the environment and the biodiversity and preserving the natural luxuries of the city.Systems that will help allow this change are as follows:•Programs that minimize the adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people.•Initiatives by hospitality providers to promote recycling, energy efficiency, water reuse, and

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the creation of economic opportunities for local communities are an integral part of Eco-tourism.

Systems that need to shift•The government needs to co-operate and promote eco-tourism in a healthy and beneficial way for the city and it’s people.•The local people need to work together and encourage travellers to stay at their homes or sustainable homes, which help the tourist to experience the natural luxuries of the city.•Local inhabitants and the tourists need to start respecting the city’s natural environment and its biodiversity.

Strategy •I need to address the negative impacts of the eco-tourism, such as huge waste generation, by introducing a sustainable waste management system focusing on waste reduction, re-use, recycling and safe disposal

•Introduce social and community services that focuses on environmental programs such as waste management, reforestation etc.

•Encourage sanctity to be observed in at sites of worship and pilgramage

•Educate the local people on negative and positive effects of tourism and eco-tourism via newspaper articles in the local newspapers and Facebook.

•Contact the tourism department of the city and create informative brochures about the city and its environment to help educate the tourists.

By Sarmistha

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Summer School 2013

Partners

Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.

- Leonardo da Vinci

3H summer school 2013

Education

Transcript of 3H summer school 2013