Leaking roofs, lack of privacy, plenty of sound pollution (AV today # 319)

Dear Auroville Today,

I’m quite disappointed to see the article about ‘Leaking roofs …’ in the issue of February 2016 No.319. I’m a regular reader of AV Today and look forward to know about the efforts and achievements of the community as an Aurovilian. Although the disclaimer says ‘Auroville Today does not necessarily reflect the views of the community as a whole’, it does create an impact on its readers through the topics it focuses on. While using this platform, enough research of all the aspects is necessary if one wants to highlight a sensitive issue which may have manifold angles.

This article does not do justice to the subject it’s talking about. Financial sustainability of residential buildings and their maintenance is an important issue and much needs to be done about it at social, economic and planning level.

The article mentions only three projects described being undertaken by Housing service in recent years while such matters have occurred in many past and contemporary projects. Out of the three projects, Maitreye was neither funded by GOI grant nor undertaken by Housing Service. I happen to be the architect of Inspiration and Maitreye 1 - whether this is a coincidence or a deliberate choice is debatable. The choice of the case study is surely a prejudiced approach and fails to convey the facts at the community housing level.

The context of the projects is not explained at all which will give the overview to the readers e.g. Inspiration project has 11 single bedroom of 45 sq.m. and 2 double bedroom apartments of 90 sqm. spread over 4 residential blocks of ground + 2 stories. Accessible by a single staircase each floor houses 3 apartments in two wings. The ground floor includes a common hall and a laundry and the top floor has a common roof terrace. The total cost of the project is Rs. 213 lakh, including the infrastructure at the cost of Rs.17,750/- per sq.m. for 1200 sq.m. of built up area. The project houses 15 inhabitants.

Without such information, it will leave the people disillusioned about the very essence of the article.

Experimentation and innovation are important aspects of architecture and building in Auroville. In continuation of the research in building, Maitreye 1 involves many passive design features in building technology and was designed as a low cost housing at Rs. 12,000/- per sq.m. Building Auroville remains a complex and challenging task over the years and the team which takes up this job can best explain the hurdles and constraints of the process.

The views of the same are missing in the article while the interview of a single resident in each project – who seems like handpicked – is described as free expression allowing him/her to make statements without confirming the realities. This not only lacks deep understanding but also is unfair to the people and the funding agencies who have put in a lot of energy and hard work in the realisation of those projects.

Surprisingly, the interviews fail to clarify what proportions of funds have been spent in maintaining the buildings and what steps are taken by the appointed caretakers for meeting the running expenses. This could have been the crucial link and would help the future projects to reserve some funds or create spaces which can cover these running costs. Instead the petty points like switches and toilet heights given as a list of complaints become the prominent part of the information. Moreover it is very disturbing to hear that the residents who signed up for communal living, while rejoicing in usable space at this prominent location where land is an important factor, are not ready to interact with the neighbours even on the common passageways, designed for enhancing the interaction among the residents.

Care needs to be taken while announcing statements like these which can be motivated and targeted with some personal vendetta and surely a monthly publication like Auroville Today need not be misused as a medium for the same.

Overall, a valid topic of discussion which can educate the community and prepare our working groups if well described with facts and figures, remains nothing more than the subjective opinions of certain individuals and leaves the readers more confused and dissatisfied.