Dharmesh Jadeja                                                Gallery
Gujarat, India

Born: 1967

My first trip to Auroville in 1992 was to explore the concept. The way Auroville has existed through its past and enjoys unique status in India , was enough to take a decision to be part of this adventure.

My formal education was as a Civil Engineer from Birla Engineering College . Since early years, indigenous building materials, techniques and locally appropriate aesthetics have been field of my interest. To bring these techniques in the mainstream rather than patronizing them as alternative is my dream. Now I am looking forward to network with similar organizations around the country that are doing similar work and trying to bring back the traditional knowledge of designing and building in India to suit the contemporary needs. In 1996 -97, I worked under Ray Meeker at Golden Bridge Pottery as an apprentice for Architectural Ceramics and fired house technique. This experience greatly enhanced the design sensibilities in my work.

Working in Auroville has been a process of unlearning and search rather than of any expression or achievement. Here your ideas and work evolve with you as an individual and the rate is rather accelerated. The challenges that you face here are fascinating and your outer work reflects your inner search and conflicts. Challenges you face in your work are usually opportunities to overcome your own shortcomings.

I like exploring almost all forms of design, ranging from architecture, interior design and landscape to product design, calligraphy, graphics and architectural ceramics & pottery. My search somehow has always been to combine the various fields of design through the work I do and explore how all these fields relate to each other and enhance the quality of the work. I like combining all these with strong aesthetics rooted in our culture and using them in not so obvious ways. To me a good design is one which incorporates, absorbs and relates to other forms of design and materials in it regardless of the field it belongs to. Architecture in its various possibilities is one of such fascinating fields of design.

Our work reflects the needs, aesthetics and life of the user rather than our expression of design expertise or techniques. Our design processes are very intensive and the forms, very basic, simple and non intrusive to the local aesthetics. Our design encompasses the spaces that are conceptually rooted in Indian architecture yet contemporary in feel. Our approach to design is inclusive rather than an exclusive one.

Through my architecture, I try to go beyond it, almost become one with it and be part of that process in totality. This way you merge the boundaries between the designer and the user, almost becoming non existent when the user feels that it is their space, their creation.

Aims and objectives of our office Build aur :

•  to achieve a synthesis between the traditional ways of designing and building the living environment, and contemporary ways of life.

•  to promote eco-friendly, climatically appropriate, energy efficient, cost effective building materials and techniques that utilize locally appropriate inputs and aesthetics.

•  to work together with a team of professionals from various fields of design and at the same time learning from each other's expertise to widen the base of its knowledge.

•  to propagate the use of sustainable building technologies and innovations by working together with like minded organizations, NGOs, institutions and individuals, so as to form a network of knowledge centers throughout the country.

• to use the arts, crafts and design in its work to create an aesthetic and holistic living environment for the soul and the spirit of its users.

•  to dedicate ourselves to the ideal of unending education by various ways of learning & acquiring knowledge through research, interactions and enquiry.

•  our architecture is inspired by the ancient Indian wisdom and art of building where the form is the creation of the spirit and draws all its meaning and value from the infinite spirit.

Works in Auroville and around

•  House for Self, Petite Ferme

• Atithi Griha guest house

•  Kala Kendra, adaptive reuse, Bharat Nivas

•  Indus Valley

•  Arka (original concepts)

•  Kottakarai Organic Food Processing Unit (original concepts)

•  Swayam, residential project, under construction

Various architectural and design projects outside Auroville.

dharmesh@auroville.org.in

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