‘Reduce carbon footprint in all possible ways’

Thiruvananthapuram: Sustainable designing was not just about deciding how to build, but more about deciding how to live, said Sathya Prakash Varanashi, a conservation architect from Bengaluru. He was delivering the Laurie Baker Memorial Lecture organized by Swadeshi Science Movement, Kerala at Trivandrum Hotel on Thursday.
“There is a need to focus on principles of sustainability, controlling the cost and using natural material. It is our responsibility to reduce carbon footprints in all possible ways,” said Varanashi, who runs Sathya Consultants.

Recounting that he was inspired by great architects like Laurie Baker, Shankar Kanade, K Jaisim, A G K Menon and K T Ravindran as well as Mahatma Gandhi, he said Gandhi and Baker were similar because their ideas were not immediately accepted by people. Referring to Babu Kuti, where Mahatma Gandhi lived and house of Laurie Baker in Vagamon, he said, “I never met him (Laurie Baker), but share a Dronacharya kind of bond with him. When I started my career, I didn’t want to create conventional buildings and was inspired by aesthetics of sustainability, promoted by Gandhi and Baker.”

Introspective interior, architecture of conviction, humble ambience, need-based design and minimum possession are some of the areas of focus in Varanashi’s works. He urged architects to consider few matters before stating construction, such as light, air, space, material and services; aesthetics of owner, developer, worker, designer, builder and manufacturer and also the aesthetics for user, observer, caretaker, etc.

The event held in association with Institution of Engineers, Kerala Centre, Indian Institute of Architects, Thiruvananthapuram and Habitat Lab, also had a talk on Patrick Geddes, Scottish biologist and sociologist. National organising secretary of Vijnana Bharati, Jayant Sahasrabudhe spoke about the contributions of Patrick Geddes to India, who had an inclusive approach with regard to town planning.

“Basically Geddes was a scientist, but went to work as town planner with his vision. He used to take the people to the top floor of Outlook Tower in Edinburg, to interact with them about plans to transform the city. His contributions in the city of Indore are also among noted works,” said Jayant, an electronics engineer.

Architect G Shankar, chairman of Indian Institute of Architects Saiju Mohamed Basheer and secretary of Vijnana Bharati Vivekananda Pai also spoke.