Housing developments

In November 2019, Auroville Today introduced UTSAV (meaning ‘Celebration’), a combined commercial and residential project which aimed to bring new energy on a major Radial of the Industrial Zone.

By the end of October, the last houses in the new community of Soffio in the Residential Zone were completed. Auroville Today spoke to architect Dorle.

Michael Gransitzki first came to Auroville in 2008 and joined six years later. Here he talks about the problems of architecture, contracting, and the economic situation of Auroville.

Across the road from Humanscapes, a Rs 15 crore (US $ 2.5 million) housing project is coming up, consisting of 42 different-sized apartments, four offices, a caretaker house, a gymnasium and a covered parking for 70 motorbikes.

The idea of Sanjana began in 2011, shortly after Gundolf had moved into one of the new apartments he had designed in the Surrender community.

The Sacred Groves project is an experiment in sustainable construction that is gaining recognition in the larger India. However, it has become the focus of controversy in the Auroville community as some feel that it has cost too much and delivered too little.

Hemant Lamba, a member of the Working Committee, has for many years been concerned about transforming our housing situation, particularly to meet the needs of youth.

In the recent years, a number of new communities have come up. But residents of Inspiration and Maitreye I and II, all built by Auroville’s Housing Service, complain about bad designs and bad quality of construction.