While studying architecture, Lawrence went on a cycling expedition to Europe with friends. The experience deeply impacted him to resolve that earning money would never be his motto. He served patients in China during the World War II. On the way back to England from China, he came down to India.
In India, he met Mahatma Gandhi who asked him to stay back to take care of leprosy patients. He travelled all over India helping repair leprosy homes and build new ones. He was exposed to indigenous architecture and discovered simple materials that could put up buildings with refined aesthetics and lasting qualities.
In 1970, he finally moved to Kerala and became the fountainhead of alternative building technologies that would provide housing in a cost effective manner. Rejecting designs alien to the place he used local tiles and bricks in construction. A peaceful co-existence involving nature, man and home came across in his work.
‘Padmashri’ Laurie Baker passed away on 1 April 2007. Although he built no big monuments, he is regarded as a great architect because of his high values and simple style of alternative architecture. Baker looked beyond limited perspectives because he had travelled not as tourist but by involving in deep experiences. And he had the courage to commit to his chosen vision by involving in consistent mission.
So often, so many of us involve in experiences that expose us to alternative vision or trigger it in our mind. So often, so many of us do not make the commitment to the mission of realising that alternative. But if we do, like Laurie Baker, we shall lead fulfilling lives of aligning to the alternative.
Move beyond the appealing vision
Turn the alternative into a mission
- Pravin K. Sabnis
In India, he met Mahatma Gandhi who asked him to stay back to take care of leprosy patients. He travelled all over India helping repair leprosy homes and build new ones. He was exposed to indigenous architecture and discovered simple materials that could put up buildings with refined aesthetics and lasting qualities.
In 1970, he finally moved to Kerala and became the fountainhead of alternative building technologies that would provide housing in a cost effective manner. Rejecting designs alien to the place he used local tiles and bricks in construction. A peaceful co-existence involving nature, man and home came across in his work.
‘Padmashri’ Laurie Baker passed away on 1 April 2007. Although he built no big monuments, he is regarded as a great architect because of his high values and simple style of alternative architecture. Baker looked beyond limited perspectives because he had travelled not as tourist but by involving in deep experiences. And he had the courage to commit to his chosen vision by involving in consistent mission.
So often, so many of us involve in experiences that expose us to alternative vision or trigger it in our mind. So often, so many of us do not make the commitment to the mission of realising that alternative. But if we do, like Laurie Baker, we shall lead fulfilling lives of aligning to the alternative.
Move beyond the appealing vision
Turn the alternative into a mission
- Pravin K. Sabnis
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