As we all know housing is a big problem at the moment in Auroville. But with this new housing project there is light at the end of the tunnel. This project will provide 20 flats for single, couples and families starting from Rs 13 lakhs. There is also provision for modular office spaces. In this phase they will incorporate a new and innovative building technology called Light Steel Frame (LSF) for the structure. This technology is known for faster construction and its cost-effectiveness. Read more

After electrical fire two week back at the rooms of the Entry Service in Town Hall, the facilities are already restored, and beside only missing fans things work as usual. As members of the Entry Service Team explains it was due to the quick response of the several working teams as ACUR, Blue Light, BCC and Electrical Service, moral and enthusiastic support , and understanding of many that they have been able to return to their work in merely a week after the fire. Read more

Questo e' il secondo meeting di alcuni residenti che stanno lavorando al progetto del padiglione italiano ad Auroville. Ad Arka, nella rumorosa libreria adiacente alla Crown Roard, si sono riuniti italiani per discutere sulla eventuale possibilta' di vedere realizzato il padiglione in muratura. Durante la discussione e' emersa la difficolta' di realizzare di progetto 'reale' per cui il gruppo ha optato nel continuare le attivita' culturali sotto l'egida del padiglione 'virtuale'. Ascoltate la registrazione per capire di cio' che si e' discusso.

Jagran risiede ad Auroville da alcuni anni e recentemente si e' impegnato nel riproporre ai residenti italiani l'idea di avere uno spazio fisico che rappresenti in qualche modo l'Italia. Alla riunione e' emerso che l'idea del 'Italian Pavilion' non e' nuova affatto e che tante persone hanno gia' lavorato attivamente sia per la realizzazione di un edificio per ospitare 'il genio italiano' che nell'organizzazione di tanti eventi culturali. L'International Zone comincia a definirsi e forse questo e' il momento giusto per spingere tutti assieme. Read more

Un habitat simple, bon marche, facile a construire soi-meme, la yourte venue de Mongolie se propage en Europe. La semaine derniere, Gerard Delesque a anime un atelier de construction de yourte au Bamboo center, stage s'adressant a un groupe d'etudiants en architecture de Bombay leur permettant de rentrer dans le concret, la matiere et la realisation en leur presentant une forme d'habitat originale. Il nous fait part des raisons de son engouement pour les yourtes en tant qu'habitat alternatif, et ... sont elles envisageables a Auroville? Read more

At Auroville Bamboo Research Centre they've organized bamboo construction workshop for 1st years students of DY.Patil College of Architecture, Navi, Mumbai. 85 students have managed to construct a dome out of bamboo, were making instruments, toys, chair, geometrical dome and yurt, they did get to know many facts about incredible values/qualities of bamboo. Following is the interview with three of them- Mallika, Prateek and Vini. Each of them is full of enthusiasm over bamboo, and its uses...Nick talks on organizational part of the workshop. Read more

Recently published video Crownways in which they have tried to catch up the idea of dreamcatcher from 2007 on crown road, when money was donated to build it. As David explains this video is there to see the richness of ideas if one goes to collaborative process; the video is there for archive purposes. The idea to start developing the area from Solar Kitchen towards Central Guest house was never set to be a finish product, it was mere an alternative in supposed collaborative processes when it comes to the town planning. Read more

A very interesting presentation and a further discussion about the different challenges to achieve a smart housing culture. The pursuit of a balance between sustainability , budget, local materials, personal needs in local housing and other different variables that are included in the great challenge of innovation in the way we build and design our cities and buildings. Anumapa, with many years of experience on architecture and sustainability , offers a great presentation that opens an interest discussion. Join it! Read more

Auroville Radio is glad to show you the presentation of the last housing project from Satprem Maini, the Green Casbah, a complex of 40 apartments of different sizes. Located near Realization, Prayatna and The Solar Kitchen, the Green Casbah is planned to be finished at 2015, being a good option for Aurovilians and Newcomers looking for low cost housing based alternative and ecological constructive techniques. Here you will enjoy the audio, while taking a look to the pdf of the project plans. To download the presentation click here. Read more

Auroville Radio is glad to invite you to listen the Low Cost Housing meeting happening at Arka past monday 12/11/2012. Different architects and engineers from Auroville have met, and talked how to solve the increasing prices of housing, looking at the past and projecting to the future. At the meeting were more than 10 experts involved in different housing fields, from architecture to provision, with different backgrounds and experiences coming from different Communities in Auroville. Read more

Here Tanmay Tathagat talks about the practical ways of designing buildings to minimise the use of embodied energy and to maximise energy savings. The affluent countries have to cut down on their resource use, while the developing countries must aspire for a better quality of life but without taking the same wasteful resource-intensive path taken by the affluent nations. To download the presentation click here. Principal, Edsglobal. www.agp.aurovilleconsulting.com/speakers Read more

Building Energy. Auditing & Management. Here Dr. Brahmanand Mohanty tells us how to move towards far more efficient use of energy in habitats. 4 areas to implement changes: individual lifestyles, architectural design and planning, use of energy efficient appliances, implementation of renewable energy systems. He shows us how it is possible for us to have comfort for better. To download the presentation click here. - Visiting Faculty, Asian Institute of Technology. www.agp.aurovilleconsulting.com/speakers

Energy efficiency in the building sector. Globally buildings account for 40% of the energy use. The total energy use in buildings is growing rapidly owing to economic development, increasing urbanization and improved lifestyles. In this talk Mili Majumdar introduces some energy efficient strategies and practices for urban settlements and buildings that are being implemented in India. To download the presentation click here. - Director, Sustainable Habitat, TERI www.agp.aurovilleconsulting.com/speakers

In the fourth of a series of dialogue between B and Luigi the focus touches upon the Galaxy and the Master Plan. What is the difference? How are they related? These two senior Aurovilians keep the ball rolling and learning comes with listening. And the International Zone is explored, the depth of its meaning, its importance. Stay tuned for further episodes on a weekly basis. Click here to download the International Zone map. Read more

Today's news features an introduction to the third interchange between pioneer Aurovilians B and Luigi on the topic of building the city, a green city, a dialogue that began at the beginning of this month and will continue on a weekly basis for some time. Check on the webpage to hear their entire dialogue of today, enlivened with friendly sparring. For more enlightenment on the timely subject of the building of the city of Auroville, the Auroville Master Plan can be found at www.auroville.info Read more

A lot of students come to Auroville to do a training. One of them, Salabh, talks to us about architecture. He's doing a training with Bankim, an urbanist who shares his perspectives about the relationship between the urbanists and the students or the volunteers of Auroville. Working in Auroville exposed them to a wider spectrum of architecture knowledge and it's a medium to work in a mixed international environment. Maybe working in Auroville can convince them to come back to the city to contribute! Read more

Yesterday's facilitated exchange organized by RAS at Unity Pavilion started with umbrella question - What question, if that question would be answered, would a neighbor ask as a community to agree on a shared way forward, and how to plan and build Auroville City? - which was meant to invite more questions, and not so much solutions and answers. Whole exchange was in a form of Fish Bowl Dialogue, which brought faster, and lighter dynamic to the meeting itself. One previous one was clear that community needs more to just talking to each other. Read more

In today's news we feature interview with Renu on yesterday's sharing of L'Avenir. We need to inform the WC and/or LMTF before the publication of any mail, message, petition on this topic in order to vet if any information confidential in nature that may be detrimental to the proposed exchange is not contained therein. As every 12 Th of each month of 2012 , the women circle meets at Unity Pavilion at 5 p.m. Breathing exercises to the Pachamama . Paneurrytmic , Eternity Game and everything you can bring to the Circle .Everybody Welcome Read more

Monography on Poppo Pingle work in architecture was literally "launched" by Poppo himself with the device he has constructed for that occasion, and with it brought smiles on the gathered faces. The book, authorized by Mona Doctor Pingel was released by Ms.Malika Sarabhai, one of the publishers and Dr.Karan Singh, and is first of the series of monographies on Auroville architects. Mona herself briefly explained reasons that inspired her and on what she has focused in it. The architects are following the Mother's words - Less talk, more work. Read more

On Friday workshop at conference Room in Town Hall, participants put on the table the fact that Auroville Township, Viluppuram, Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu and the districts of Puducherry are very closely connected to each other through natural resources, climate, historical links, culture, religion, language, tourism, trade or business, population and transportation. This tightly knit connection calls for a Regional Plan that would benefit this region not just in the urban areas but also the adjoining rural areas. Read more

Auroville Bakery and new extensions on which Jorren talks with Elumalai about it. In today's news we also feature interview with Emmanuele on his 4th issue of The Salt of Life free hand over comic magazine in which he reflects on virtuous sadhak in the context of aftermath of cyclone. At Pavilion of Tibetan Culture in International Zone Antonia Duende will open on 3rd of March at 5pm the exhibition of "Glagolitic Traces" with musical offering by Nikolai, Marina and Aurelio. At Bharat Nivas on 5th Bulgarian Cross-Culture Concert. Read more

Daniel of the working committee brings us updates on Auroville's 44th Birthday to be celebrated tomorrow, 28 February 2012, and the events line-up, hoping for peace and human unity. Daniel also gives important information on the cyclone relief situation pertaining to the cleaning up of tress, the coming-up auction of firewood, and the financials involved. As for the hot-topic of illegal buildings, he tells us about the on-going discussions with the l'Avenir and the other groups currently involved in the land protection work.

In January 2012, we spoke to Cristo of the l'Avenir d'Auroville about the work of the planning office with regards to the greenbelt masterplan and the recent cyclone. Cristo tells us the story of the development of the masterplan and also his own involvement in the project. We learn the aims, challenges, learnings, the laws and regulations of l'Avenir. There is much to be learnt here about the complexities involved in development of the 'land-use' plan and building standards, especially with regards to natural calamities like cyclones.

At Unity Pavilion in International Zone on 29th will be official inauguration of main hall, and Jaya shared with us the happy news, and the Bulgarian Pavilion will share with the community on htat day a Bulgarian 'Martenitsa' workshop with Antonia Duende which celebrates eagerly an ancient ritual, Baba Marta, exchanging martenitsa as a symbol of sympathy and friendship, ... In todays' news we also feature short excerpt of interview with Bridget on updates from L'Avenir d'Auroville, and full interview will be published later on. Read more

Andrea spoke with Daniel, a memeber of Working Committe member about last updates on different issues, and here's and excerpt of it, but the full interview will be uploaded on our webpage soon, and WC is informing us that they will keep an Open hour of the Working Committee every Monday from 11:30am-12:30pm to interact with Aurovilians. About serious matter of Laughing Yoga Stella interviewed Fif, one of the facilitators of today LAughter Session at 5pm at Sve-Dame, Butterfly Barn with invitation to a two day workshop next week. Read more

At the annual Auroville International (AVI) meeting 2012, held at the Multipurpose Hall (Unity Pavilion, International Zone) members of L'Avenir d'Auroville presented current situations, plans and problems. Presentation were extensive and following questions were many since town planning is one of the most vital and often a problematic issue. Another point of discussion for AVI members was that there should be more communication and interaction between working groups and the units. Read more

We feature interview with Gunasekaran, member of the new Auroville Council talking on housing issues. On Sunday at 5pm The Centre for Research in the Performing Arts (CRIPA) invites us all to an Opening Concert by the Auroville Choir, At Cripa Hall in Kalabhumi . CRIPA hall is nearing completion and it is meant to be a theatre, music and dance space for the exploration and development of these art forms. And on Monday 6th of February at 5pm Marc Vella will held his last concert in Auroville at CRIPA with Joy on Silence. Read more

Aurodhan Gallery at Pondicherry will present on Friday 3th of February an interesting "Pondicherry" exhibition of selection of fine art photographic images exclusively selected from the book launched at the same time. Sebastian shared with us some insights on the process of making the book, which is collaboration of photographic artistic view of life heritage of Pondicherry with written word of Pascal Bruckner, Akash Kapur and Amin Jaffer, all experts on their fields of exploration. "Pondicherry" is published in French and English. Read more

De una hispanica celebracion ha surgido este compilado de experiencias y reflexiones que nacen de entre los Aurovillianos tras el paso del ciclon Thane por Tamil Nadu. En este podcast los entrevistados nos ayudan a valorar la "solidaridad espontanea que ha surgido entre la comunidad", ha entender la necesidad de replantear los codigos de construccion de Auroville para evitar que "el techo no se vaya, que las ventanas no exploten" y Read more

In 2010 l'Avenir d'Auroville had commissioned to Luis Feduchi a study about the Residential Zone, sectors 1 & 2. In the mean time l'Avenir d'Auroville has also started a process of "participatory planning" with architects residing in Auroville. In November 2011 some members of the planning office went to Amedhabad to meet with Mr. Doshi, chairman of TDC / l'Avenir d'Auroville, to present the studies. The next step is to integrate the two researches. In February 2012 Mr. Doshi will visit Auroville to help in finalizing this integration work.