Volontariat Homes for Homeless Children
200best ES
Anupama Kundoo architects
2010
Type
Social
Tags
community infrastructures, new ecological paradigm, transitional housing , community resilience, back to earth , 200Best
Visitability
Allowed
Description
Close to the Indian utopia of Auroville, this orphanage reflects the spirit of this utopian city through socially and environmentally responsible architecture. Instead of resorting to industrialised solutions, minimalist houses are built with innovative techniques based on the use of locally available materials, for example clay, which is used in this project. Once in place, it is baked on site, temporarily turning the house itself into an oven, hence its oval shape. The house is finished baking after three or four days. By using local materials, costs are reduced almost entirely to labour. In this way, architecture brings work and training to the community, thus increasing its resilience. This basic module has been combined into groups of different sizes to respond to different reception situations.Recycling is present throughout the process and the local community has always been involved in its development. For instance, bicycle spokes were reused for the window frames and glass bottles were used as structural masonry units in the toilet areas. This project is a prime example of the work of Anupama Kundoo, whose committed and down-to-earth architecture is very inspiring for reflecting on the role of contemporary architectural practice.