In the heart of Auroville, a unique and visionary community has been taking shape, one that seeks to redefine the way we live and interact with our environment. Galaxy City, an ambitious project, is Auroville’s blueprint for future living. This article explores the innovative design principles and holistic philosophy behind Galaxy City, shedding light on the path toward a sustainable, harmonious, and conscious future.
Continue readingGalaxy City: Auroville’s Vision for Sustainable Urban Development
Step into the future with Auroville’s innovative project, Galaxy City, a shining example of sustainable urban development. In this article, we explore how Auroville’s forward-thinking vision is transforming urban planning and creating a blueprint for sustainable, eco-friendly cities.
Continue readingMatrimandir and Galaxy City
Leaving the Matrimandir after a meditation and walking through the gardens a reflection came to me that compared the Matrimandir with the Galaxy plan of the City.
I thought with deep gratitude about the realization of the Matrimandir. First and foremost to Mother for having the vision at the center of the City of this space for concentration and connection with our true being, with our divine spark.
And secondly, to the human beings who participated in its design and construction: Roger for collecting the essence of the project from Mother and being faithful to the ideal of beauty and spirit, for guiding every detail with the greatest care. Then to Piero for supervising the construction indefatigably, to so many Aurovilians who contributed in one way or another to its manifestation and to all the donors who made this miracle financially possible.
And I thought that if all those Aurovilians had wanted to design and implement popular ecological and aesthetic considerations, changing them according to the times, now we would not have this Matrimandir or live the unique experience of breathing into that magical chamber and watching the golden sphere change color with the sky.
I imagined the Aurovilians with all their good will saying ‘we are not against having a Matrimandir, but it has to be collaborative and taking into account the ecological parameters’ I imagined endless new designs, criticizing the cement, whether bamboo instead of concrete, and maybe not even a building, only a forest around the banyan tree. And with all that good will and with all those apparently undeniable ecological theories, the Matrimandir experience would have been lost, because Mother had that building built to channel Her Force and that’s what matters.
Going back to the comparison with the City and the plan for the Galaxy that Mother approved with such joy, I thought that if we stopped questioning and talking about changing the design, giving prominence to all our opinions and just started doing it all together, each one with their capabilities, surely one day, walking through its streets and observing its buildings, we would understand why it had to be like this, and we will have an even more complete experience of Mother’s Force in action. If we consented to be the instruments and not the directors of the work…
Steps to Develop Auroville’s Green Network Plan
Auroville’s Master Plan, as per the Galaxy Plan, consists of four main parks – Mahalakshmi Park, Mahasaraswati Park, Mahakali Park, and Maheshwari Park. These parks are situated between different zones, with connecting corridors and green lanes linking them.
Continue readingRoger Anger: The Architectural Visionary Behind Auroville’s Sustainable Community
Roger Anger is a name that is synonymous with the creation of Auroville. Without his vision, dedication, and perseverance, Auroville may not have been possible. Anger was an architect who worked tirelessly to bring Sri Aurobindo’s vision to life, and his contributions to Auroville are still felt today.
Continue readingAuroville: The Utopia That Never Was” by Joss Brooks, Vice, September 2016
Auroville, the utopian community located in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, has been a subject of fascination and intrigue for decades. Its unique ideology, which centers around the idea of human unity and spiritual growth, has attracted people from all over the world to live and work together in a shared vision of a better world. However, Auroville’s journey has not been without its challenges, and some critics argue that the community has not lived up to its lofty goals. In this article, we will explore the history of Auroville and examine some of the criticisms that have been leveled against it.
Continue readingThe Dangers of Converting Auroville: How Neglecting the Original Principles Can Affect the Community and Environment
Auroville is a unique community that was founded on the principles of sustainable living, human unity, and cultural diversity. Its original vision was to create a township that provides a high quality of life for its residents while minimizing its impact on the environment. However, in recent years, there have been concerns about the potential conversion of Auroville into a commercial hub, holiday destination, or party zone. This shift away from the original vision of Auroville could have serious consequences for the community and the environment.
Continue readingDetailed Description of the Galaxy Plan
Auroville is a unique town. It will receive people who, from different parts of the world, will come with the determination to live together in an atmosphere of harmony and mutual understanding. Traditional social and human relations will have no place there. Competition and struggle will give place to emulation, collaboration and brotherhood.
This shows how inadequate are the standard techniques and the vocabulary of Town planning. But this inadequacy should not exempt us from carrying out a research on the leading principles of organisation and working of the urban space. The philosophical and humanitarian purpose, as well as the will to fit the architecture to the framework of life is confronted with demographic, economic, technical and financial exigencies of all such endeavours.
Continue readingTHE GALAXY: A PEDESTRIAN-BASED CITY
Car-free cities will probably become the norm this century due to energy constraints. It seems appropriate, therefore, that Auroville should be willing to take a lead in this. But how can we design Auroville as a city which could function without cars and motorbikes?
Continue readingThe Auroville Universal Township Master Plan
| prepared by: | Auroville Foundation with the assistance of Town & Country Planning Organization Government of India Ministry of Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation | |
| This Master Plan is approved by the Ministry of Human Resource Development via letter No. F. 27-3/2000-UU, Dated 12th April, 2001 |
| INTRODUCTION:– Message from Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Minister of Human Resource Development, Government of India. – Foreword by Shri Jagmohan Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Government of India – Preface by Dr. Kireet Joshi, Chairman Auroville Foundation | ||
| FOREWORD The Auroville Universal Township envisaged by the Mother is one of the unique examples of manifestation of human unity in diversity. The township founded on a barren plateau devoid of any blade of grass in 1968 has become a green area shaded with a variety of trees and plants. The architectural designs, appropriate building technologies, conservation approach, rainwater harvesting, re-use and recycling of water resources, solid waste management, land re-generation, community participation are some of the areas where innovative models and techniques have been developed and adapted in the township.As per Charter, Auroville belongs to the humanity as a whole and the one who is to live in Auroville must be willing servitor of Divine Consciousness. It is in this background the growth of Auroville needs to be seen. The township designed for an ultimate population of 50000 in an area of 2000 ha. would be a viable functional entity. Although the character and set up of the township may not be the same as that of any other town of similar size, functionally it requires to be a self contained township. The Master Plan of the township has, therefore, rightly envisaged development of economic zone alongwith residential, cultural and institutional areas. The provision of green belt around the built up portion of the township would be an important environmental safeguard. Auroville is a different township from development management point of view and the Master Plan exercise has rightly recognised its uniqueness.I am sure, Master Plan would channelise the future growth and development of Auroville as per the envisioned charter. Its development may provide a good model for emulation in other towns and cities as well. Contributions made by the Resident Assembly and the various other Aurovilian Working Groups in formulation of the Master Plan are praiseworthy symbolising active involvement of community groups in Master Plan exercise. I compliment Town and Country Planning Organisation of this Ministry and Auroville Foundation for drawing the Auroville Master Plan of international significance.Dated : 25 Jan., 2001JAGMOHANMinister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Government of India PREFACE Sri Aurobindo and the Mother have diagnosed the contemporary crisis of humanity as an evolutionary crisis which can be resolved only if the consciousness of universal fraternity can manifest and bring about actualisation of human unity. In order to aid this difficult objective, the Mother founded Auroville on 28th February 1968 as a Universal Township, 150 kms. south of Chennai in south India and gave it a Charter. This Charter declares that Auroville belongs to humanity as a whole and that to live in Auroville one must be a willing servitor of Divine Consciousness. It further declares that Auroville will be the place of unending education and constant progress, a bridge between the past and the future, and that it will be the site of material and spiritual researches for a living embodiment of an actual human unity. The Mother envisaged the Auroville township of an ultimate population of 50,000, with Matrimandir as its centre and soul. Since its inception, the township has been growing steadily and today it has about 1,500 residents representing 35 nationalities. The Auroville Foundation Act, 1988, enacted by the Government of India, is one of the important milestones in the development of Auroville. It provides a statutory support for preparation of Master Plan of Auroville to ensure orderly and planned development of Auroville. The Auroville township is designed to be in an area of 2000 ha. in a circular form of which about 850 ha. have already been acquired by the Auroville Foundation. The Master Plan envisages systematic development of the Township and prevention of any non-conforming developments in the area. The Master Plan based on the original concept given by the Mother envisages intertwining of four major functional zones, namely, Residential, Cultural, International, and Industrial, — around a Peace Area in the centre. About 25% of the township would be built up portion, surrounded by a green belt based on the concept of eco-friendly and sustainable development. Innovative models and techniques in the field of afforestation, land development, water conservation, rainwater harvesting, building technology, community participation, energy saving, etc; incorporated in the Master Plan would be integral to the township development and management. Integrated urban and rural development strategies have also been envisaged. Auroville is a unique township, the fundamental thrust of which is centred on research, which is comprehensive and which transcends all creeds, all politics, and all narrowing ideologies. It encompasses the areas of the East and the West and human unity, of science and spirituality, of arts, crafts and technologies, and of all that pertains to the evolution of humanity through a process of evolutionary mutation leading up to the development of a new humanity or superhumanity. It can be described as a Centre of Advanced Research. I appreciate the contributions made by the Residents Assembly of Auroville and its various groups. I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to the Planning Team of the Auroville Foundation, Mr. Roger Anger, Chief Architect of Auroville, and a number of individuals who have worked day and night to bring the Master Plan (Perspective: 2025) into its final form. I am particularly thankful to Shri G. Dattatri, Urban Advisor, who has inspired our Planning Team and devoted a good deal of his precious time by visiting Auroville frequently and working on this Master Plan (Perspective: 2025). My special thanks are to Shri D.S. Meshram, Chief Planner, Town and Country Planning Organisation, Government of India, and his colleagues, Shri J.B. Kshirsagar and Shri M.L.Chotani for their advice and collaboration in formulating this Master Plan (Perspective: 2025). It would be relevant at this stage to record with great satisfaction that in our endeavours to develop the township and particularly in promoting and in establishing foundation for sustainable development, we have received great support from the Governmental and Non-governmental Organisations, besides national and international agencies. It is also noteworthy that UNESCO has passed five Resolutions at its General Conferences to express its support to the establishment and promotion of Auroville. I would also like to record with gratefulness the constant goodwill, encouragement and involvement of the Government of India, as also of the Governments of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. I am happy that this Master Plan (Perspective : 2025) has been prepared jointly by the Auroville Foundation and the Town and Country Planning Organisation of the Union Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation. KIREET JOSHI Chairman Auroville Foundation |