Ecologically Sensitive Building

The workshop will entail hands-on guided participation in the construction process, supplemented with 2 hours or so of talks/readings/viewings/discussion on most days. (Some sessions may feature guest speakers, or may be self-organised by the participants themselves.) More details of the proposed workshop content, and the plan of construction, are provided below.

Advance registration is required by filling in and submitting this online Google form, which also provides payment instructions. We plan to enroll a maximum of 15 people.

The requested contribution for the workshop is:

1)    Rs 9,000 per person for all 11 days (including simple vegetarian food, stay, and some photocopied reading material/notes);

2)    Rs 900 per person per day for a minimum stay of 5 days

3)    Rs 1,000 per person per day for less than 5 days

Those keen to attend, who find the requested contribution a little steep, are welcome to tell us, and we would try to accommodate you. Please do not let the money be a deterrent! (Those who can pay more are urged to do so. It would indeed be helpful!)

The two weekends, Jan 16-17 and 23-24, will also feature a festival of singing and music – to suffuse the house with its warm energy; and to raise the funds needed to complete its construction.  (Saturday: 6 pm to 11.30 pm; Sunday: 6.30 am to 10 am) Please spread the word, and join us with your friends, even if you cannot attend the workshop.

(Requested contribution: Rs 1,000 per adult per day (24 hours); and Rs 500 per child per day.) You are also welcome to help in the building work during the day, and listen in on any talks/discussions.

The nights get quite cold! Please bring along woolens and a warm sleeping bag; also a tent (if you can). And of course, your music instruments and song books too! We plan to have 2-3 hours of music every evening post dinner; and lots on the weekends.

If you cannot attend the workshop or the weekend music festival, please consider financially supporting the building of the community house which would be used for a variety of gatherings and ongoing initiatives. In order to make your contribution, please follow this linkto fill in your details and select payment options.

We look forward to your presence/support!

CONTACT

Vanvadi Vanutsav team (vanutsav@gmail.com)

 Core subjects of the workshop include:

1) Ethics in tribal housing practices.

2) Ecological and sociological dimensions of construction techniques.

3) Building Materials as part of a regenerative process.

4) Construction processes such as:

(i) Earth mortars, stabilizers

(ii) Building systems: Load bearing, framed and composite (the system we’re using for the house we’re building)

(iii) Random rubble masonry

(iv) Brick masonry: a) Brick bonds; b) Use of: water level tube, plumb bob and line

1) Rough stone masonry in mud mortar – 2 ft below ground and about 2 ft above

2) Burnt brick masonry in mud mortar – 3ft above plinth

3) Mud bricks/adobe masonry above burnt bricks

4) Installing door and window frames

5) Mezzanine framework in wood

6) Roof woodwork and clay tiles

7) Mud/cowdung plaster.

Apart from clay tiles for the roof, we plan to source all our building materials from the land itself, or nearby. The construction work will be done along with 10-12 local adivasis, including Bua, Daulat and family.

Learn more about the Vanvadi collective: Where the wild things are