Creativity

Creativity is a new collective housing project in the residential zone of Auroville and is intended to be both a social research endeavour and a dynamic experiment in sustainable urban living. It aspires to be a model with relevance and significance, not just for Auroville but for all places that grapple with the question "how can people who are different live together in peace and harmony?"

Social research

As a social research endeavour, it seeks to be a model of how Auroville's aims can be reflected in the details of home life by allowing a deliberately culturally diverse group of approximately 50 Aurovilians, Newcomers and guests to live together in a moderate density (ground + 2) residential settlement. There will be a high emphasis on shared common facilities such as kitchen and recreational areas and modest, simple living spaces will be provided to create a healthy household mix between singles, couples and families. All intending residents agree to a Residents' Charter, which is a tool for alignment around the values of no personal ownership of spaces, sharing and contribution and the wish to explore ways to realise intercultural harmony.

Sustainable urban living

As an experiment in sustainable urban living, it will become a demonstration site for eco-technologies and the integrated management of human and natural resources in a residential setting that has features of both urban and rural settings. The community will endeavour to use alternative forms of energy such as solar power, harvest rainwater and have a living wastewater treatment plant. Eco-friendly building materials will be used in keeping with Auroville's commitment to these values. 55% of the site will be green and a kitchen garden will grow organic food for consumption within the community.

An answer to problematic trends

The need for this project has arisen at a time when Auroville is facing an acute shortage of housing. Particularly affected are those without the personal financial means to build a house. In planning this project, the project design and management team - all Aurovilians, most of whom will be future residents and have lived in communities in Auroville - have attempted to address the problematic trends that have been slowly emerging in Auroville in relation to housing.

Specifics

Creativity has been designed to:

• offer cost-effective, attractive, functional housing of environmentally low impact, suitable for a wide variety of residents;

• offer a positive alternative to the growing trend of individually funded, private housing;

• experiment with guidelines for preparing the community for harmonious living that can be applied to future housing projects; and

• serve as a model of human unity in cross-cultural diversity.

Reference for future collective housing

Since June 1999 when planning began, every stage of the development of Creativity is being documented: each meeting, issue, planning session, setback so far has been outlined and filed. This information will be available with the Auroville Housing Service and Auroville Archives as a reference for planning and financing future collective housing projects, and for the interest of those researching intentional communities worldwide. This information will have particular relevance for places that experience any of the following conditions:

• scarce natural resources such as water and energy

• participants from low socio-economic background

• ethnically or culturally diverse participants

• publicly managed social housing schemes.

Progress as of March 2001

The site has been approved - between the settlements Vikas and Prayatna in the Residential Zone, architectural plans complete - design by Anupama, and about 25 intending residents are meeting about once a month getting to know one another and working out the internal guidelines that will hopefully influence the emergence of what we want to emerge. A foundation ceremony was held on Diwali dayin 2001, but construction has been postponed until we have secured a significant amount of the needed funds.

Significant challenge

Fundraising has been a significant challenge as this is a pioneering attempt in Auroville to raise major funds for housing for those who are committed to the ideals of the experiment but without personal means (about 1/3rd of the committed residents so far). We anticipate that construction will begin sometime in May 2001.

Ambitious, pioneering project

This is an ambitious project and like much of what is happening in Auroville, an attempt to align 'software' and 'hardware' dimensions with the highest ideals of Auroville. Creativity aspires to be a model with relevance and significance, not just for Auroville but for all places that grapple with the question "how can people who are different live together in peace and harmony?".

Contact: housing@auroville.org.in