International House

The unique structures feature earth and waste material construction, solar power, rain water collection, and compost toilets; they include two large dormitories and a number of smaller rooms.

The name “International House” replaced its former designation as the “American Pavilion” when the location for the latter shifted to the other end of the International Zone as a result of a changed plan for the International Zone, designed to accommodate a greater number of pavilions. The International House remains a project of the US Pavilion group with the support of Auroville International USA. 

The first stage was designed by the architecture department of the University of Washington (Seattle), and students and faculty began the construction as the first volunteers on the project. The second dormitory, completed in 2011, is an experiment in the use of recycled and local materials, in keeping with the intention of the original building to be as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.