By: Ar. Anoop Sharma Astt. Prof; DoALD SMVDU Ar. LAURIE BAKER Low-Cost and environmental friendly Pioneer in Indian Architecture By: Ar. Anoop Sharma Astt. Prof; DoALD SMVDU

LAURIE BAKER Laurie Baker, an architect from Birmingham, now settled in Thiruvananthapuram, has effectively combined traditional techniques with indigenous innovations and has managed to bring down the cost of construction by half. His techniques not only use cheaper materialsbut also eliminate redundant details from the design. Concrete is sparingly used. Mangalore tiles areused for the roof which makes it light and inexpensive.

His approach and simple principles to low cost housing are Gandhian, which can be adopted by every builder. The following are the mainstay of design and construction of his houses. Planning of space– lesser walls, multiple uses of space,short spans of roof, agglomeration of building services, flexibility in growth. Local building material– bricks,tiles,line,surkhi,timber, thatch, stone,palm,mud. Bricks and jalis – play of light and shade,unidirectional vision. Unplastered walls. Lintels and arches. Attention to details.

Baker’s works include, private residences, some institutional buildings, like ‘center for development studies’, Kerala. He is very active in the works of all the building centers working in Kerala as well as in the other parts of country. Rather it was his initial effort to promote the low cost housing in India, where housing is a big problem. His techniques not only use cheaper materials but also eliminate redundant details from the design. Concrete is sparingly used. Mangalore tiles are used for the roof which makes it light and inexpensive. His projects for low cost buildings include Center for Development Studies – Trivandrum 'The Hamlet', Laurie Baker's home Thiruvananthapuram, Nirmithi kendra in Kerala

Center for Development Studies - Trivandrum -1975 Leslie Baker’s ‘masterpiece,’ the Centre for Development Studies in Kerala, is a 10 acre campus at a cost of Rs15 lakhs, demonstrated the effectiveness of his plan. The institute includes A research institute. A graduate school dedicated to utilizing the study of economics to help the poor.

Main features of this building: He designed the buildings at the Centre to practically cool them. He renders jalis, a perforated wooden screen found in traditional Indian architecture, in brick; The open grillwork allows cool breezes to waft into the interior while filtering harsh, direct sunlight. Some buildings include a series of small courtyards containing shallow pools in the center, whose evaporation helps cool the air. Paying close attention to the existing site as he began to design the project, Baker left as many coconut palm trees in place as possible to cast cooling shade onto the campus.

The Computer centre at the Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram. Here Baker evolved an innovative system of curved double walls to save on cost and to conserve the energy . In evaluating the campus for the Centre, Baker planned roads along the lower, while footpaths were routed along naturally occurring elevated areas; following the natural topography helps to limit erosion and despoilment of the environment.

Brickwalls were left unplastered and brick corbelling was used rather than more expensive concrete lintels. With his mastery over his medium, Baker creates a variety of textures and patterns by simple manipulation of the way in which bricks are placed in the wall. The architecture of this academic complex was conceived as a demonstration of economically responsible building practices.

BAKER’S HOUSE, “THE HAMLET” Baker’s own residence is called ‘The Hamlet’. It has been built in Thiruvananthapuram, built on a steeply sloping and rocky hillside that hardly had any vegetation when Baker started constructing. Baker has truly adopted his motto to “make low-costery a habit and a way of life” by reusing everything, from brick to glass bottles, as building materials. Key features of his house are: All the walls are made of mud bricks. Timber salvaged from an old boat jetty.

One of the other signature elements of his design includes the use of circular walls, which use far less brick than rectangular walls. In addition, when he does use concrete for a roof, he embeds chipped or broken terra cotta roofing tiles into the mixture. These tiles, which normally would be thrown away, contribute to the strength of the roof, allow less of the expensive concrete to be used, and reduce the structural load of the building. He used broken tiles for the outer paved area of his garden.

He made an extensive use of timber in his house, like in the living room of house, the detailing in wood and mud bricks are wonderful. The living room, An integration of new building and salvaged timber from traditional buildings that were being demolished. Baker's innovative use of discarded bottles, inset in the walls giving a very good effect of light and creating an illusion of stained glass.

QUOTATIONS "No innovative artist can hope to proceed in work without having gained an understanding of the local wisdom of a place.'' -LAURIE BAKER