Laurie Baker was a British-born Indian architect who worked in India for over 50 years. He is known for his low-cost and sustainable architectural designs that used local materials and techniques. Some key aspects of his work included using indigenous construction methods, improvising designs based on each site, focusing on cost-effective designs suited to lower income groups, and promoting simplicity. A notable project was the Centre for Development Studies in Trivandrum, which used many of Baker's signature design elements like filler slabs, rat trap bond masonry, and brick screens.

1. LAURIE BAKERLAURIE BAKER
British-born Indian architectBritish-born Indian architect
•He worked in India for over 50 years
•He obtained Indian citizenship in 1989 and resided in Trivandrum,
Kerala.
•In 1990, the Government of India awarded him with the Padma Shri in
recognition of his meritorious service in the field of architecture.
•Baker studied architecture in Birmingham and graduated in 1937.
(March 2March 2,, 19171917 –– April 1April 1,, 20072007)
• Worked as an architect for an international and interdenominational
Mission dedicated to the care of those suffering from leprosy.
• Focused on converting or replacing asylums once used to house the
ostracized sufferers of the disease - "lepers".
• Used indigenous architecture and methods of these places as means to
deal with his once daunting problems.
Contribution to IndiaContribution to India

2. Initial work
• Baker lived in Kerala with Doctor P.J. Chandy,
while Laurie continued his architectural work and research accommodating the medical needs of the
community through his constructions of various hospitals and clinics.
• Baker sought to enrich the culture in which he participated by promoting simplicity and home-grown
quality in his buildings.
• His emphasis on cost-conscious construction,
• An ideal that the Mahatma expressed as the only means to revitalize and liberate an impoverished India
• Baker sought to enrich the culture in which he participated by promoting simplicity and home-grown
quality in his buildings.
• His emphasis on cost-conscious construction,
• An ideal that the Mahatma expressed as the only means to revitalize and liberate an impoverished India
• Baker was often seen rummaging through salvage heaps looking for suitable building materials, door and
window frames.
• Baker's architectural method is of improvisation.
• Initial drawings have only an idealistic link to the final construction, with most of the accommodations
and design choices being made on-site by the architect himself
• His respect for nature led him to let the idiosyncrasies of a site inform his architectural improvisations,
rarely is a topography line marred or a tree uprooted.
• This saves construction cost as well, since working around difficult site conditions is much more cost-
effective than clear-cutting
• His responsiveness to never-identical site conditions quite obviously allowed for the variegation that
permeates his work.

3. Architectural style
• Designing and building low cost, high quality,
beautiful homes
• Suited to or built for lower-middle to lower class
clients.
• Irregular, pyramid-like structures on roofs, with
one side left open and tilting into the wind.
• Baker's designs invariably have traditional Indian
sloping roofs and terracotta Mangalore tile
shingling with gables and vents allowing rising hot
air to escape.
• Curved walls to enclose more volume at lower
material cost than straight walls.
• Baker created a cooling system by placing a high,
latticed, brick wall near a pond that uses air
pressure differences to draw cool air through the
building

4. LOW COST CONSTRUCTION
Filler slab
Jack Arch
• 20-35% Less materials
• Decorative, Economical & Reduced self-
load
• Almost maintenance free
• 25-30% Cost Reduction
• Energy saving & Eco-Friendly compressive
roofing.
• Decorative & Highly Economical
• Maintenance free

5. Masonry Dome
•Energy saving eco-friendly compressive
roof.
•Decorative & Highly Economical for
larges spans.
•Maintenance free
Funnicular shell
• Energy saving eco-friendly
compressive roof.
• Decorative & Economical
• Maintenance free
LOW COST CONSTRUCTION

6. Masonry Arches
• Traditional spanning system.
• Highly decorative & economical
• Less energy requirement.
LOW COST CONSTRUCTION

7. Awards
• 1981: D.Litt conferred by the Royal University of
Netherlands for outstanding work in the Third World
• 1983: Order of the British Empire, MBE
• 1987: Received the first Indian National Habitat Award
• 1988: Received Indian Citizenship
• 1989: Indian Institute of Architects Outstanding
Architect of the Year
• 1990: Received the Padma Sri
• 1990: Great Master Architect of the Year
• 1992: UNO Habitat Award & UN Roll of Honour
• 1993: International Union of Architects (IUA) Award

8. • 1993: Sir Robert Matthew Prize for Improvement of Human
Settlements
• 1994: People of the Year Award
• 1995: Awarded Doctorate from the University of Central England
• 1998: Awarded Doctorate from Sri Venkateshwara University
• 2001: Coinpar MR Kurup Endowment Award
• 2003: Basheer Puraskaram
• 2003: D.Litt from the Kerala University
• 2005: Kerala Government Certificate of Appreciation
• 2006: L-Ramp Award of Excellence
• 2006: Nominated from the Pritzker Prize

10. The Hamlet
• This is Baker's home in Trivandrum.
• This is remarkable and unique house built on a plot of land along the slope of a rocky hill, with limited
access to water:
• However Baker's genius has created a wonderful home for his family
• Material used from unconventional sources
• Family eats in kitchen
• Electrical cabling is not concealed

11. GROUND FLOOR
FIRST FLOOR

12. Main entry to the Hamlet House

13. STEPS DIRECTLY CUT IN ROCK
ENTRANCE HAS SMALL SITTING AREA
FOR GUESTS

14. THE WALL IS DECORATED FROM BROKEN
POTTERY, PENS, GLASS
A CALLING BELL FOR VISITORS TO ANNOUNCE
THEIR PRESENCE

15. A MORNING AT HEMLET

16. USE OF NATURAL LIGHT
INNER COURTYARD …CLOSE TO NATURE
NEVER CUT TREES INSTEAD ADAPTED HIS
DESIGN ACCORDINGLY

17. Brick House in Wada
Project Title: Brick House
Location: Wada, Thane, Maharashtra
Client: Mr. V G Dupare
Architects: iSTUDIO architecture
Design Team: Prashant Dupare, Shriya Patil, Amit Patil
Site Area: 2 Acres
Built Area: 2500sqft
Civil Contractors: Local Masons supervised by iSTUDIO
Carpentry Contractors: Mr. Jayprakash Sharma
Project Estimate: Rs 20 lacs
Initiation Year: 2009
Completion Year: 2013
North Side Elevation

18. • Designed by iStudio Architecture, the architects were inspired by the creations of architects Laurie Baker and Nari Gandhi.
• The fascinating brick façade of the house is harmoniously integrated into the natural environment.
• Its curvaceous form takes on the form of a plant that organically emerges from the ground and opens up to the sky.
North Side Elevation

19. • The house has a very organic plan that defines spaces through small gestures – walls, openings, pivots, change in levels and
textures.
• A set of curved walls creates a fluid enclosure at the center of which stands a tree in a court.
• Composed of oxide floors, brick and stone walls, free-standing timber columns, timber and split-bamboo ceilings and a set of
warped ferro-cement roofs;
Main Entrance
The two bedrooms
are scooped out of
the plan and
separated by
complementing walls.
While the living and kitchen
are composed of a
continuously curving wall
around a court
-1.2 m
-0.4 m
-0.8 m
-0.4 m
0.0 m
0.0 m
-0.4 m
0.0 m

20. As one enters into the structure, one is greeted by the
soft sunlight falling to the central body of water and the
coolness within the structure.
The interior space is dominated by the two huge arches
of brick and stone, opening to vistas of farms and hills.
The furniture seems to rise and fall from the walls or
floor dramatically leading one's eyes to play of materials
against each other.

21. Main door is made of wooden planks which are tiled at differing angles so that
it fits in place and merge the flow of adjoining walls and roof.
Each space flows into another along
curved lines, leading into a seamless
space held by the central courtyard with
cooling water feature and a tree planting
The observer begins his journey along the
curved jali brick wall offering tantalizing
glimpses of the interior, thus drawing him
into dramatic compositions of light and
shadows.
. The open-plan space is surrounded by a
living room and kitchen with a raised
platform painted teal to create the
illusion of an extended water pool

22. The interior is organized around a
central courtyard with a cooling water
feature and tree planting.

23. • A staircase leads up from
the central space to an
upstairs study and bedroom.
• Zoning of activities
responding to the climatic
conditions and views was
achieved with the use of
levels leading to a single yet
distinct living room, kitchen
and dining. South-west
position of first floor
bedroom provides shade to
courtyard and keeps water
body cool.

24. Metal grilles which follow
the language of the house
and ensure safety.
Wooden louvered shutters
are used for bedroom
windows which ensure
safety and provide
flexibility regarding light,
ventilation and privacy.
A staircase leads up from the
central space to an upstairs
study and bedroom. The master
bedroom is located behind the
staircase through a large
wooden door decorated with a
tree detail.

25. Wall, Ceiling ,windows
and concrete ledges
Mirror – set in the curve

26. Articulation of junctions – a glass-mosaic and a MS grille. Articulation of forms – the corner opening and louvers
that ventilate the bath.

27. • The roof of the building is a unique composition.
•Built mostly by using ferrocement in conjunction with bamboo( teqnique used in Auroville), parts of the roof have been cast as filler
slab (in-situ) with earthen pots occupying the filler space. The seemingly amorphous roof sits lightly on the structure.
•Bamboo as structural tensile material
•Many ideas were explored on site and complex conflicts like fenestrations, movements and connections were resolved through changes
in materials and textures.
•At some places, heavy timber logs take the weight of the roof while in instances; the load is taken by a twisting brick column. Walls are
made in Laurie Bakers’ rat-trap bond – one of the rare instances where walls in this bond are curved.

28. • At some places, heavy timber logs take the
weight of the roof while in instances; the
load is taken by a twisting brick column.
Walls are made in Laurie Bakers’ rat-trap
bond – one of the rare instances where
walls in this bond are curved.
• bricks are placed in vertical position instead
of conventional horizontal position and thus
creating a cavity (hollow space) within the
wall. Rest of construction method remains
same as any other conventional brick
masonry. Curve is achieved by varying the
gaps between bricks in outer and internal
face.
Pouring concrete for the filler-slab around inverted earthen pots.
Rat-trap bond

34. LAURIE BAKER’S CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES (CDS), TRIVANDRUM
The 10-acre research institute campus, stretching across a heavily wooded site
houses the Library, Computer Centre, Auditorium, hostels, guesthouses and
residential units for the staff., is Baker’s masterpiece, located in a residential area
on the northern outskirts of Trivandrum.
Filler slabs, rat trap bond, the brick lintels, and brick screen walls.