The Hindu : Kerala News : On master builder's 89th birthday

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 03, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

On master builder's 89th birthday

The occasion was veteran architect Laurie Baker's 89th birthday, but Thursday's function was a subdued one as the man to be feted was unwell. A shamiana to seat 50-odd guests had been put up in the courtyard of `The Hamlet', Mr. Baker's archetypal home at Nalanchira in the city.

The function was at 10 a.m., kept informal to Mr. Baker's liking, and was to be followed by a discussion on rural housing. Social activist Eliyamma Vijayan, Psyche Abu Abraham and economist Saradamani were among the early birds. K.N. Raj came, conveyed his best wishes and left.

At around 10.45 a.m., joint director of Centre of Science & Technology for Rural Development P.B. Sajan announced that "Daddy" (those close to Mr. Baker call him so) would not be attending the function. Costford director T.R. Chandradutt then suggested that Elizabeth Baker stand in for her husband.

Obligingly, Dr. Baker blew out the candles and cut the huge chocolate cake, flanked by her son and granddaughter. As the slices of cake and paper napkins were being handed out by Costford staff, Mr. Chandradutt initiated a free-wheeling debate.

Most of the speakers found time to hark back to their association with Mr. Baker and recount anecdotes connected with him. Noted architect Gerard D'Cunha said that after leaving college in 1974, he had spent one year at `The Hamlet' under Mr. Baker's tutelage. "It was from him that I learnt what it means to be sensitive to the land, to the people for whom we build, and to locally available material," he said. Another architect, Keith Seldanha, said he admired Mr. Baker's boyishness, humour and spontaneity a lot.

M. Harish Govind

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