William Netter                                                           Gallery

WHEN DID YOU COME TO AUROVILLE?
During a visit to Puerto Rico, I felt a strong intuition calling me to India and went for a 6 weeks tour with some humanity professors from the New York area. I joined not long after that.

BACKGROUND, OR SOME INFO ON YOUR TRAINING
I graduated from Georgetown University, joined a Jesuit Order, was involved with CBS Television, N.Y. and taught literature. I was running a steakhouse in Greenwich Village, NYC, and attended New York's School of Interior Design at night.
A lot of designers go thru a lot of formal training, but I backed into this kind of work. My whole life just lead to it.

SOME DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURE OF YOUR WORK
The Trilon House
The second house I built in Auroville, is the non-house. Two hexagons, a pyramid, a ship deck, spiral staircase, lots of triangle shapes, white ceramic tiles, inside-outside and, of course, all in white. The minimal connects with the consciousness. If my work is successful, I'd like people to pause and lower their voices. Comfort is not a big deal with me.

THROUGH YOUR WORK, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO FIND, OR EXPRESS?
A quality of 'presence' found through the harmony of inner and outer spaces.

WHICH OF YOUR WORKS BEST EXPRESSES YOUR VISION, OR PHILOSOPHY?
1968:
Murray Weigel Hall at Fordham University in N.Y. Reviewed in the N.Y. Times and referred to as "monastic, 21st century".
1970:
Interior design for the central office building of the State Bank of India in Bombay.
1974:
Brief collaboration with Joe Stern in New Delhi at India International Centre.
1995:
Trilon House - Auroville

PLEASE GIVE SOME OVERVIEW OF THE EVOLUTION OF YOUR WORK, MILESTONES ON THE WAY
Milestones:
1. Minimalistic design in early works.
2. "Monastic 21st century" at Fordham
3. State Bank of India, Bombay
4. Trilon House, Auroville

WHICH ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT IN AUROVILLE OTHER THAN YOUR OWN DO YOU APPRECIATE MOST?
The Matrimandir is my favourite piece of architecture in Auroville. The inner room was the precise vision of the Mother.

williamnetter@auroville.org.in

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