A model blueprint for Ecoliving inspired by Laurie Baker wriiten by Miss Natasha Iype Director of GoodEarth

by Shrutee K/DNS

Can we change the character of our cities and the direction in which they are going today. Can we reduce crime rates, manage garbage and be sensitive to each other as human beings and to the environment. We see all around us in cities today, efforts to revive community life, provide luxurious amenities and conveniences to the users, undertaken by builders and real estate developers. At GoodEarth, the dream has been to influence the direction of urban development and bring about positive change in the way people live in our cities.

GoodEarth Malhar is an eco-village located at Kengeri, Bangalore. The project has been developed in phases and will have a total of 500 homes once finished. It is being built in smaller communities of 60- 90 homes. There are already two communities that are completed and about 60 families have made Malhar their home. The campus is built being sensitive towards the environment. Materials & techniques which make the spaces more comfortable and impact the environment less have been used. Natural resources are conserved and the design works to reduce energy consumption. Rainwater is harvested and ground water recharged. The Sewage is recycled and the water used for flushing and gardening.As the communities take shape, it motivates us to see resident initiatives towards cultural activities and garbage management, sports activities like cricket clubs arising spontaneously and not promoted by the builder but by the community.

The eco-village sets up a platform of open spaces & parks which prompt different activities whether it is a home baker setting up a stall with baked goods once a week or community gatherings with cooking sessions. Interactive spaces, an edible and indigenous landscape which prompts grandmothers to reminisce about the foliage in their growing up years. Rather than creating communities with “amenities” provided, we hope to inspire the community to come together to be more participative and involved in their surroundings, not just within the walls of the community, but outside too.

Apart, from the open spaces, a community club in each of the development becomes a venue for celebrating festivals, for meditative yoga sessions, for dance classes. A Sports club, which will feature spaces for swimming, basketball, billiards, Table tennis, football is also being planned. The Club promotes the sportive spirit with the community rather than being focused on competitive sport. It would be a place to encourage fitness and a community spirit which discourages a “mall” culture and encourages people to be outdoors and engage with each other. With Good Earth Malhar, we hope to set a benchmark for the quality of life in the city.