Journey of a Sustainable Architect in India with Vinu Daniel | AG 26

Podcast Shownotes

03:00 How Vinu got into Architecture?
05:00 Experience studying Architecture in College of Engineering, Trivandrum
“The best part of being in College was that I was in the vicinity of a master Architect, Laurie Baker.”
07:45 His experience at Auroville
10:40 Vinu’s first project – “A Wall”
13:30 How Wallmakers got their name?
14:30 Being poor and how he managed his finances during the initial years?

“We are heading towards a lifeless & waterless situation if we continue building like this.”

18:10 When someone is already sufficient, why do people work towards making more money?
19:20

“For me, building a space should be a transcendental one, it shouldn’t be a mundane existence because we’re here for a short period of time?”

20:00 How Vinu got his first major breakthrough?
21:30 Maintenance in buildings
22:40 The IHA Residence

“The first question that bothers me is that why should I do that project?”
“What I didn’t build in IHA is what I am more proud of than what I built.”

26:00 Playing with earth materials
28:20 The big divide between the Architect & the mason.
30:10 How more Architects can adopt Earth techniques to build?
37:30 Vinu’s take on Architectural Education
42:30 Doing Masters in Architecture
46:30 Future plans for Wallmakers
48:30 Quickfire Round with Students of Vinu Daniel
53:00 Advice for young Architects and students

Notable Mentions

Projects Mentioned
  •  Pallikoodam by Laurie Baker
  •  IHA Residence by Vinu Daniel

 People Mentioned

  • Shaji TL
  • Architect Eugene Pandala 
  • Satprem Maini
  • Laurie Baker
  • Shailaja Nair
  • PB Shajan
  • Costford
  • Jitish Kallat
  • Riyas Kornu
  • Bose Krishnamachari
 

About Vinu Daniel & Wallmakers

Vinu Daniel completed his B.Arch in 2005 from The College of Engineering Trivandrum, following which he worked with Auroville Earth Institute for the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Post-Tsunami construction. On returning from Pondicherry in 2007 he started ‘Wallmakers’ which was christened thus by others, as the first project was just a compound wall. By 2008 he had received an award for a low cost, eco-friendly house from the ‘Save Periyar’ Pollution Control Committee for the house which was constructed for a cancer patient. Many such eye-openers in the course of his practice prompted him to resolve to devote his energies towards the cause of sustainable and cost-effective architecture.

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