Baker explained to me what his idea of a low cost house is, "I try to reduce the cost even when I am designing the building." He looked at every component, from digging the ground for foundation to the plinth to the walls to the windows to the doors to the roof to every aspect in a house and asked the question, is it really necessary?Another question he asked was, is it necessary to have plastered walls in all the rooms? He preferred plastered walls only in the kitchen because he felt it would be difficult to rub down because of the smoke. Otherwise, it was a big 'no' to plastered walls in bed rooms, bath rooms and drawing rooms.
About windows also, he had certain ideas. He would ask each customer of his, do you really need a big elaborate window with grills, shutters etc in every room? Why not have something simpler, like a jalli wall? If the client said, yes, he would like to have it, Baker would ask, if you are ready to spend a few thousands for it, have it.
"It is not only a question of cost; it is a question of energy too. You should think of the amount of fuel that is used to convert limestone into cement or convert iron ore to steel. We don’t have that much fuel or energy to waste. So, why waste it unnecessarily?"
The ideal house, Baker told me then, "...is one where people who live in it feel comfortable. It is a house where I feel comfortable, where I can relax, where I can work and do my entertaining, where I feel secure, where I can bring up my children and grandchildren in good surroundings and where nature is all around you."
As I walked up to his house situated on a small hillock, I had noticed that the path was shaded on either sides with huge trees. Sun’s rays could only peek in through the thick foliage. Even when the temperature was above 30 degree centigrade, the gentle breeze made the whole atmosphere cooler. Inside his house also, there were not many windows; only the jalli work. One did not feel the need to have fans at all; it was so cool.
Another house designed by Laurie Baker which one cannot forget is the famous cartoonist, the late Abu Abraham’s. It was a marvellous house designed for a writer, a cartoonist and a man who loved books. Like Baker said, it was a house that made people living there and visiting there extremely comfortable.
Two ideas -- low cost and environment friendly -- went hand in hand for Baker as he used only locally available materials while building a house. He also believed that an architect should have good manners while building a house. "If you put up a structure that does not go well with the other structures, it will remain like a sore thumb. And that is bad manners on our part. Once you build such a building, it will remain there permanently shouting at everyone, hey look how terrible I am."
Caption: Craft exhibition at Dakshinachitra
Advertisement
