Laurie Baker and his famous works

1. LAURIE BAKER
(THE BRICK MASTER OF KERALA)
Submitted By:-
Pragyaa
Vashishtha
Trishanjit Singh
Submitted To:-
Ar. J. M. Duggal

2. :
:

3.  LAURIE BAKER WAS AN AWARD-WINNING BRITISH-BORN INDIAN ARCHITECT, RENOWNED
FORHIS INITIATIVES IN COST-EFFECTIVE ENERGY-EFFICIENT ARCHITECTURE AND FORHIS
UNIQUE SPACE UTILIZATION AND SIMPLE BUT BEAUTIFUL AESTHETIC SENSIBILITY. IN TIME
HE MADE A NAME FORHIMSELF BOTH IN SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE AS WELL AS
IN ORGANIC ARCHITECTURE.
 HE WENT TO INDIA IN 1945 IN PART AS A MISSIONARY AND SINCE THEN LIVED AND
WORKED IN INDIA FOR OVER50 YEARS. HE OBTAINED INDIAN CITIZENSHIP IN 1989 AND
RESIDED IN TRIVANDRUM, KERALA, SINCE 1970, WHERE HE LATER SET UP AN
ORGANIZATION CALLED COSTFORD (CENTRE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FORRURAL
DEVELOPMENT), FOR SPREADING AWARENESS FORLOW COST HOUSING.

4. • BAKERSTUDIED ARCHITECTUREAT BIRMINGHAMINSTITUTE OF
ART AND DESIGNAND GRADUATED IN 1937,AGE 20.
• HISINITIAL COMMITMENT TO INDIA HADHIMWORKINGAS AN
ARCHITECTFOR WORLDLEPROSYMISSION, AN INTERNATIONAL
AND INTERDENOMINATIONAL MISSION DEDICATED TO THE
CAREOFTHOSESUFFERING FROMLEPROSY IN1945.
• AS NEW MEDICINES FOR THE TREATMENT OF THE DISEASE WERE BECOMING MOREPREVALENT, HIS
RESPONSIBILITIES WERE FOCUSED ONCONVERTINGOR REPLACING ASYLUMS ONCEUSED TOHOUSE
THE OSTRACIZEDSUFFERERS OF THE DISEASE - "LEPERS".

5.  BAKERFOUND HISENGLISHCONSTRUCTIONEDUCATIONTOBE INADEQUATE FORTHE
TYPESOF ISSUESANDMATERIALS HE HAS FACEDWITHTERMITESANDTHE EARLY
MONSOONASWELL ASLATERITECOWDUNGANDMUD WALLS
 BAKERHADNOCHOICEBUT TOOBSERVEANDLEARNFROM THE METHODSAND
PRACTICESOF THE VERNACULARARCHITECTURE.
 HE SOONLEARNEDTHATTHE INDIGENOUSARCHITECTUREANDMETHODSOF THESE
PLACESWEREINFACTTHE ONLY VIABLEMEANSTO DEALWITH HISONCE DAUNTING
PROBLEMS.
 INSPIREDBY HIS DISCOVERIESHE BEGANTO TURNHIS STYLEOF ARCHITECTURETOWARDS
ONETHAT RESPECTEDTHE ACTUALCULTUREANDNEEDSOF THOSEWHO WOULD
ACTUALLYUSEHIS BUILDINGS,RATHERTHAN JUSTPLAYINGTO THE MORE
"MODERNISTIC"TUNESOF HIS PAYINGCLIENTS.

6.  1938 ASSOCIATE OFTHEROYALINSTITUTE OFBRITISH
ARCHITECTS.
 1970 FELLOW OFINDIAN INSTITUTE OFARCHITECTS
 1983 MEMBEROF BRITISHEMPIRE.
 1987 FIRST INDIAN NATIONAL HABITAT AWARD
 1989 I.I.A. MEDAL FOROUTSTANDING ARCHITECTOF THEYEAR
 1990 GREAT MASTERS ARCHITECTOFTHE YEAR.
PADMA SHREE
 1992 U.N.O. HABITATSAWARD
U.N. ROLLOF HONOR
 1993 INTERNATIONAL UNION OFARCHITECTS(I.U.A.) AWARD
 1994 PEOPLE OF THEYEAR AWARD
I.I.A. BABU RAO MAITRE GOLDMEDAL
 1995 DOCTORATEOFUNIVERSITY OFCENTRAL ENGLAND.
 2003 BASHEERPURASKARAM.

7.  “ A SITEIS IDEAL ONLY INTHE UNDISTURBEDNATURALSTATEAND A BUILDING
MUSTRENEWAND REINFORCETHE ORIGINALSITE CONDITIONSINORDER TOBE
ACCOMMODATED”
 “ THE ARCHITECTURESHOULD MERGE WITH THE SURROUNDINGLANDSCAPE,
RATHERTHAN STANDINGOUT.ITSHOULD NOTBE IN COMPETITIONWITHTHE
NATURE,BUTIN HARMONYWITHIT”
 “ THE ARCHITECTUREAT A PLACE SHOULD BE RESPONSIVETO THE CLIMATE,
CONTEXTAND THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES– ITSHOULD BE FORTHE PEOPLE, THEIR
NEEDS AND HOPES, IRRESPECTIVEOFTREND ORSTYLE".
 “ THE OUTERFORM ALONE IS MEANINGLESS, ITHAS TOBE COMPLEMENTED OR
OVERSHADOWED BYTHE INNERCONTENTSSINCE, THE SPATIALEXPERIENCE OF AN
INHABITANTIS MORE IMPORTANTTHAN PUREVISUAL FORMS”.

9.  ALWAYS STUDY YOUR SITE , SOIL, TOPOGRAPHY, WATER CLIMATE &
NEIGHBOURS (NOISY TEMPLES, SMELLY FACTORIES, ETC.)
 SEE POTENTIAL SERVICES – WATER, DRAINAGE,ACCESS, POWER, FUEL,
PHONE, ETC. IF NOT POSSIBLE OR AVAILABLE,WHAT WILL YOU DO?
 EVERY BUILDING SHOULD BE UNIQUE NO TWO PEOPLE, OR FAMILIESETC.
ARE ALIKE, SO WHY SHOULD THEIR HOMES ALLBETHE SAME?
 STUDY & KNOW LOCAL MATERIALS– THEIR AVAILABILITY,PERFORMANCE,
COSTS, TECHNIQUES & WORKMEN WHO KNOW HOW TO USE THEM.
 MAKE COST-EFFICIENCY YOUR WAY OF LIFE – NOT MERELY “LOW COST
FOR THE POOR”. PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH.

10.  ONE OF HIS INFLUENCESHAS BEENMAHATMA GANDHI, FOR
HIMPROPER DEVELOPMENTCAN BEDONE IF RAW MATERIAL IS
BROUGHTFROMA PLACE IN A RANGEOF 5-10 KMS.
 HE CRITICIZEDTHE WORKSOF LE CORBUSIER,HIS STRUCTURES
WERECHARACTERLESS. LAURIE BAKER’SARCHITECTUREWAS A
CONTEMPORARY VERSION OF THE VERNACULAR.
 ANOTHER INSPIRATION FOR HIMHAS BEENORDINARY MEN.

11. A MAN WITHOUT BORDERS
THE MAINCHARACTERISTICSOF BAKER
ARCHITECTUREISTHAT “SMALLISNOT ONLY
BEAUTIFULBUT ISOFTENESSENTIALANDEVEN
MOREIMPORTANT
THAN LARGESTRUCTURES”

12. THROUGHOUTHIS PRACTICE,BAKER BECAME WELL KNOWN
FORDESIGNING AND BUILDING LOW COST,HIGH
QUALITY,BEAUTIFULHOMES,WITH A GREAT PORTION
OF HISWORK SUITED TOOR BUILT FOR LOWER-MIDDLETO
LOWER CLASSCLIENTS.
HE DEVISEDHIS OWNSTYLETHAT HADHIS
SIGNATUREOF STRUCTURALHONESTY, DESIGN
INTEGRITYANDSUSTAINING QUALITY.HIS
WORKSAREANACTOF INITIATIONFROM
WITHINNOTOF INSTIGATION.

13. • HE USESEXTREMELYECONOMICALPRACTICES
WHICHTIMEHAS PROVEDTO BEGOODEFFECTIVE
ANDDURABLEANDALSOITISSENSIBLETO USE
ECONOMICALLYAVAILABLEMATERIALSWHICH
WOULDGIVEITANORIGINALCHARACTERTO THE
ARCHITECTURE.

14. • HE DESIGNSEVERY HOUSEGIVINGMINUTE
DETAILSTOALL THE CHARACTERSOF EACH
PERSONLIVINGINTHATHOUSE.FOR
EXAMPLEHE DESIGNANOPENINGOF BRICK
WORKFOR THE PET INTHAT HOUSE.INTHE
GIVENPICTUREWECANSEEADOGCRANING
ITSNECKTHROUGH THE OPENINGANDGETS
A0.GOODVIEWOF THE SURROUNDINGS.

15. ANOTHERSIGNIFICANTBAKER FEATUREIS IRREGULAR, PYRAMID-LIKE
STRUCTURESON ROOFS,WITH ONESIDELEFT OPENAND TILTINGINTO
THE WIND.
BAKER'S DESIGNSINVARIABLY HAVE
TRADITIONALINDIANSLOPING ROOFS
AND TERRACOTTAMANGALORE TILE
SHINGLING WITH GABLES AND VENTS
ALLOWING RISINGHOT AIR TO ESCAPE.

16.  THE DESIGNOF THE CENTREFOR DEVELOPMENT
STUDIESDEMONSTRATESHOW BAKERISABLETO
TRANSFORMVERNACULARARCHITECTURETO
SUITTHE REQUIREMENTSOF AMODERN
ACADEMICINSTITUION.
THISBUILDINGCONSISTSOF ALL THE ELEMENTS
CHARACTERISTICOF BAKER’SSTYLE :-
 THE JALIS
 THE TRADITIONALROOFS
 THE STEPPEDARCHES
 THE OVERHANGINGEAVES
 THE SKYLIGHTS

17. FILLER SLAB :
– 20-35% LESS MATERIALS
– DECORATIVE, ECONOMICAL & REDUCED SELF-LOAD
– ALMOST MAINTENANCE FREE
– 25-30% COSTREDUCTION
JACK ARCH :
– ENERGY SAVING & ECO-FRIENDLY COMPRESSIVE ROOFING.
– DECORATIVE &HIGHLY ECONOMICAL
– MAINTENANCE FREE
MASONRY DOME :
– ENERGY SAVING ECO-FRIENDLY COMPRESSIVE ROOF.
– DECORATIVE &HIGHLY ECONOMICAL FOR LARGES SPANS.
– MAINTENANCE FREE
FUNICULAR SHELL :
– ENERGY SAVING ECO-FRIENDLY COMPRESSIVE ROOF.
– DECORATIVE &ECONOMICAL
– MAINTENANCE FREE
MASONRY ARCHES :
– TRADITIONAL SPANNING SYSTEM.
– HIGHLY DECORATIVE & ECONOMICAL
– LESS ENERGY REQUIREMENT.

18. BAKER’S ARCHITECTURAL CREATIONS EXPANDS FROMA REMARKABLY
VARIED SPECTRUM OF PROJECTS RANGING FROMFISHERMEN’S VILLAGES
TO INSTITUTIONAL COMPLEXES & FROM LOW COST MUD HOUSING
SCHEMES TO LOW COST CATHEDRALS.
HIS WORKS INCLUDE FORTYCHURCHES, NUMEROUS
SCHOOLS, INSTITUTIONS,RESIDENCES & HOSPITALS

19. WORKS
 The Hamlet (his residence)
 Fishermen’s village
 Centre for Development Studies, Ulloor
 Loyola Chapel and Auditorium, 1971, Sreekaryam
 Leprosy homes for Mission to Lepers across India
 Pithoragarh house, school and hospital complex
 Allahabad Agricultural University
 Loyola Women’s Hostel, 1970, Sreekaryam
 Neetas House
 HUDCO Suresh
 International Leprosy Mission, Faizabad

20. Works

22. • Key features of his house are:
 All the walls are made of mud bricks.
 Timber salvaged from anold boat jetty
 One of the other signature elements of his design includes the use of
circular walls,which use far less brickthan rectangular walls.
 In addition, when he does use concrete for a roof, he embeds chipped
or broken terra cotta roofing tiles into the mixture.
THE HAMLET

23.  These tiles, which normally would be thrown away, contribute to the strength of the roof, allow less of
the expensive concreteto be used, and reducethe structural load of the building.
 Heused broken tiles for the outer pavedarea of his garden.
 The living room, An integration of new building and salvaged timber from traditional buildings that were
being demolished.
 Baker's innovative use of discarded bottles, inset in the walls giving a very good effect of light and
creating anillusion of stained glass.

24. DRAWINGS
GROUND FLOOR
FIRST FLOOR

25. STEPS LEADING UP TO
FRONT DOOR A VIEWFROM THEOPPOSITE
SIDE
STEPS DIRECTLY CUT IN ROCK

26. ENTRANCE HAS SMALL
SITTING AREA FORGUESTS
THE WALL IS DECORATED
FROMBROKEN POTTERY,
PENS, GLASS
A CALLING BELL FOR
VISITORS TO ANNOUNCE
THEIR PRESENCE

27. USE OF NATURAL LIGHT

28. INNER COURTYARD …CLOSE TO NATURE
NEVERCUTTREESINSTEADADAPTED HISDESIGN
ACCORDINGLY
BAKER’S FONDNESS OF ARCHES

29. COURTYARD HAS MANY
GARDENS AND PONDS
Pitched roof made of
Mangalore tiles

30. GABLES FORPROPER AIR
CIRCULATION AND
VENTILATION
GRILL MADE OF
BITS AND PIECES

31. COST EFFECTIVE BAKER’S
WINDOW
Louveredwindow typical of baker’s
type
STAINED GLASS
EFFECT

32. WATER TANKFOR
STORINGRAIN
HARVESTED WATER

33. CHALLENGES:
 Severity of environment in which the tribal's live.
 Limitation of resources
 Conventional architects stayed away from these projects
 Dealing with large insular groups, with set ideas and traditions.
 Dealing with cyclones
FISHERMEN’S VILLAGE
POONTHURA ,TRIVANDRUM(1974-75)
Area of each unit : 25 sqm

34.  Exposedbrickworkandstructure
 Slopedconcreteroof
 Opennessindesignandindividualunitsoffseteachother
 Continuouslatticework
 intheexposedwalls
DESIGN STRATEGIES
Construction

35. • Low sloped roofs and courts serve as wind catchers
• Open walls functionto dispel it
• Long row of housingreplaced by even staggering
• Frontingcourts catch the breeze and also get view of sea
DealingWith Cyclones:

36. • Little private rectangle of land in between houses for drying nets , kids
play,
• Provides sleeping lofts within and adequate space outside for mending
nets and cleaning and drying fish
OpenSpaces

37. PLAN

39. CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
ULLOOR, TRIVANDRUM, 1971
Themostimportantprojectof baker’scareer.The
significanceofthis assignmenthadless todowithsize
andbudget,thanwiththeidea ofexhibiting arange of
conceptsappliedto buildings ofvaryingfunctions,
scale anddimensions. Anareaofnine acres
accommodatesadministrativeoffices, acomputer
centre,anamphi-theatre,a library,classrooms,
housing andothercomponentsofaninstitutional
design.
The Computer centre, Centre for
Development Studies, Here Baker evolved aninnovative
system ofcurved double walls tosave on cost andto
conserve the energy that goes into airconditioning a
building of this scale andpurpose

40. Here, atthesummit, thelibrarydominatesthecentre witha seven-storeytower;theadministrative
officesandclassroomsarescatteredin arandomnessdeterminedbyeach one'spositionon theslope.
However, thebuildings remain tightlyconnectedthroughcorridorsthatsnakeupwardstothe library
alongbreezywalkwaysandlandscapedcourts.

41. Building textures,configurationsandspanningelements demonstrateBaker’seasymanipulationof
brick,all ofwhich weremadeclose tothe siteandfiredwithlocally-availablecoconutpalmwood.All
surfaces,whetherinsideorout,in the dormitoryorclassroom,areexposedtopatternsshowing varying
hondingtechniques andjaliwork.Openingsarearched,corbelledorspannedwithbricklintels.Wall
thicknesseschangeon differentfloors,depending onthe loadingandrequirement.

43. LOYOLA CHAPEL AND AUDITORIUM
SREEKARAYAM, 1971
TheLoyolacomplex containsa high schoolandapost-graduate
complex, bothsharinga commonchapelandan auditorium.Itwas
herethatBaker's
skills ofcost-reductionmet theirgreatestchallenge, asitrequired a
seating capacityof onethousand.In ordertoincreasethe lateral
strength
ofthe high brickwall, withoutthe introductionofanysteel or
concrete,Bakerdevised awide cavitydoublewallwith cross-
bracingbrick.

44. Windowless cavity wall
Boththe walls werepiercedwitha continuousfloor-to-roofpatternofjalis,sothatthechapelwas
adequately,thoughsomewhatmysteriously,lit-andventilated.Despiteits tallproportions,the
acousticsofthehall wereremarkable-theexposedsurfacesandthe openpatternsofbrickwork
controllingthe reverberations.

45. Thetotalcoveredareaofthe chapeland
auditoriumandthegallery is approximately930
squaremeters.Thecostin 1970-71,including the
furnitureandappurtenances,lighting and
sanitationwaskeptwithin theoriginal gift sumof
1.75lakhrupees
1. Chapel nave 2. Sanctuary
3. Narthex 4. Sacristy
5. Chapel 6. Terrace
7. Auditorium 8. Stage
9. Green room 10. Toilet