Architecture by humans for humans: the non-profit Made in Earth used colors and bamboo to design a foster home for HIV-positive children in India.
When really designed for people, architecture improves the environment and supports human lives. Guided by this overall aim, in 2010 the Italian non-profit Made in Earth (MiE) has started collaborating with the Indian NGO Terre des Hommes Core Trust: they are currently creating an integrated network of buildings and activities for needy local communities.
Settled in a green environment at Anaipirandhan Village, Tiruvannamalai, the Casa Rana project is part of a special care program that follows disadvantaged children from early childhood and beyond. The foster home hosts fifteen HIV-positive children in a loving family atmosphere where they are also engaged in vocational trainings and educational activities. The building structure is composed of two monolithic concrete slabs, the raised plinth and the walkable roof. Within them, five brick colored boxes are freely disposed and contain all required functions: three dormitories, mummy’s bedroom, kitchen, bathrooms and storage. Interior empty spaces between boxes define gathering and distributive spaces. Colored small volumes stretch out from the wide flat roof as skylights and chimneys for natural ventilation, looking like construction toys. The whole building is wrapped by a bamboo curtain, which creates shaded areas between indoor and outdoor spaces.
The project layout takes care of different needs: children feel protected and free to play, while mummy can be confident to manage their conduct. The design program aims to restore and revitalize traditional materials and building systems to preserve cultural diversities. Furthermore, building activities were carried on as auto-construction by local workers and have involved all community members to promote social inclusion and gender equality.
MiE offers architectural services for humanitarian projects and acts to connect beneficiaries, local organizations and donors willing to fund projects of development cooperation. MiE finds resources, coordinates activities, blends local skills and its professional expertise to assist community-driven programs. Until now, the organization has developed four projects in Tamil Nadu region: the training center Paul Institute, the Community Hall, the children foster homes Casa Rana and Vellore House. All these are small-scale projects that can be well managed by communities ensuring sense of ownership and strengthening local identity.
A fundamental goal for every project is to combine ethical and aesthetic values in order to protect people dignity, with a real attention to match their needs. In this way, architecture becomes a chance to pursue bigger goals: this is our idea of sustainability.
