CONTENTS Foreword BalkrishnaV. Doshi 8 Author's Note 10 The Context: Auroville-Unfolding of a Vision 14 I From Germany to India Cacatum non est aedificatum 22 Formative years and early influences 26 Asa carpenter apprentice 27 Studying and working 28 Coming to India32 Architect-artisan 36 Archaeology 37 II Selected Works Village Houses in Rammed Earth 44 Fraternity Workshops and Kindergarten 52 Miraonevi Nivas 64 Mukuduvidu and Studio Naqshbandi Durganand Balsavar80 Udavi School Durganand Balsavar 100 Quiet Healing Centre and Apartments 112 Afsanah Guest House PoonamVermaMascerenhas 128 Suryamandalam:Tamil Heritage Centre and Museum 150 Ill Personal Perspectives Poppo: The development worker Franz-Joseph Vollmer 162 From part to the whole Preeti Chopra 165 Poppo: The anecdotal man Suhasini Ayer-Guigan 169 'My Material Guru': Poppo and Hugo Kuekelhaus ElmarSchenkel 171 Unfamiliar messages-Architecture between Intuition and Craftsmanship Brigitte Jacob & Wolfgang Schaeche 177 Chronology of Works 187 Contributing Writers and Image Credits 200 Bibliography 201 Acknowledgements 202