Tales of the Man

Laurie Baker was left handed. This is important to his story. India has stipulations towards the process of eating, greeting, and perhaps other life events. These must be done with the right hand. The right hand is clean, the left used primarily for visits to the toilet room. This did not phase the man who continued to use his god-given talent of being a leftie. 

Returning from China and Burma, where he was positioned as a paramedic, he spent 3 months in Bombay, where he met the great teacher, Gandhi. A tall British man in Chinese shoes approaches Gandhi. Interested by the unique sandal, composed of a layered sole with scarfs tying the sandal to one's foot, the teacher asks for a closer look. Mr. Baker, removes his shoes and with his left hand gives them to Gandhi. Impressed by this man, Gandhi requests for him to visit with him and in conversation calls for Baker to come to India and use his building skills to help change the way of life for the poor. 

His role in the architecture of Trivandrum is not immediate, but after some time Laurie Baker comes to Kerala, with his wife Elizabeth, a Keralite, and quickly develops a name for himself, which is today carried on by the organization COSTFORD, as well as numerous other non-profits which have been inspired by his measures. 

COSTFORD, Center of Science and Technology for Rural Development, was began in 1985 by a Former Chief Minister Shri C Acutha Menon, the Laurie Baker, Dr. K N Raj, and TR Chadra Dutt. This non-profit was not purely architecturally based, but had a broad range of activities from advocacy work, to research and development to dissemination of information, especially in empowering poor communities. 

Recently, in 2010, the Laurie Baker Center for Habitat Studies was set up on a piece of land chosen by Baker himself, who passed away in 2002. This complex sitting on 3.5 acres, once a granite quarry, consists of several workshop spaces, a residence, dormitory and dining block. The area of land has been reforested since its days as a quarry and 2.5 of the acres of site are green. This land was purchased by the government in dedication to Laurie Baker. This center has become one of my favorite places, with winding stairs, walks through wood, various structures making up lecture space, dining, even a meditation space.