What was your background ?
I did my training at ‘Beaux Arts’ in France, and came to Auroville in 1968 at the age of 26. Mother asked me to work with Roger Anger in the Office of Architecture, which I did for many years. It was a very special period for me, a time of grace.
The atmosphere was delightful, and very creative, thanks to the talents of Roger, who also had the power to bring all the people to work together, guided by the influence of the Mother.
At the time there were no disagreements amongst Aurovilians about the town, the zones, or the Matrimandir; whether to have discs, petals, etc. Mother was there, and everybody was at the right place doing the right thing. I learned a lot and attained a certain maturity. I am grateful to Roger and Mother.
What projects have you been responsible for ?
- Centre for Research in Communication and Publication (CRCP), Fraternity;
- Surrender community - a residential collective housing project;
- the Pavilion of Tibetan Culture in the International Zone;
- Shradhanjali & Auromode commercial units, both in the Industrial Zone;
- the school at New Creation.
Through your work, what are you trying to find or express ?
I try to express beauty and harmony, which is automatically linked with functionality.
Which of your works best expresses your vision or philosophy ?
Auromode factory and my own residence in Auromodèle, because in both cases I didn’t have to make any concession to clients.
Please give some overview of the evolution of your work, and milestones on the way.
When I came to Auroville, everything was new here. We didn’t have any experience about the climate for instance. The materials for building were very poor. Slowly, after committing many mistakes, we progressed. Personally, I progressed most when I started working with models in 3 dimensions.
Which architectural project in Auroville do you appreciate most ?
The Matrimandir, which is an expression of beauty and force.
Pavilion of Tibetan Culture
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