Vision and Intent
THE VISION
To build a sustainable community within the city which begins with the essence of a village and works toward being relevant, progressive and inclusive.
An ecovillage that…
- inspires its residents to make lifestyle choices that are synonymous with sustainable values.
- creates a sense of identity and belonging for the group that lives here, while being inclusive to others around.
- brings commonsense sustainable practices to mainstream thinking.
- prompts the values of higher thinking and simple living.
- explores alternatives in urban development that have the potential to influence and be adapted to different contexts.
- is one of the best places to live in Bangalore.
THE INTENT
- To build spaces that are climatically comfortable, human in scale and culturally relevant.
- To design with respect for land and nature.
- To create experiences that stimulate all the senses and heighten awareness of the environment.
- To promote the philosophy of community living through the caring & sharing of common spaces and resources.
- To question the idea of individual identity while allowing for individual expression in the architecture.
- To influence sustainable lifestyle choices in organic agriculture, holistic health and livelihood.
THE SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBORHOOD
An excerpt from an article that appeared in the Deccan Herald on April 12, 2012.
A sustainable neighborhood is one which creates spaces for the soul. It is where the individual home is integrated into a community, at a scale which is village-like. The sharing of open spaces, amenities, renewable resources and, most importantly, values becomes the core of the community.
In this context, it is important for every participant in the process to be proactive, committed and involved. From the user to the skilled craftsman, the unskilled laborer to the architect, the engineer to the maintenance person, all must share a pride, a sense of caring for the earth, and realize the importance of each one’s role in the entire development. Good Earth Malhar is such a community.
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Sounds ideallic and wish you the best. But is it sustainable? Your core village would be expensive, hence probably retired NRIs would be the majority. Meaning no disrespect, it should have been the youth that is the core.
Maybe the corona virus scare may bring them from the city.
Wishing you well
George
Thank you George.
Malhar is now almost a part of the city. While at present the land costs have gone up, raising the cost of the development from when we began, the community is definitely not made up of NRI’s. We have a good mix of age groups, young and old, especially young families with children. Yes, young adults starting their life are finding it difficult to purchase, but quite a few rent. The core in my opinion is a mix of many groups and not any single one to form a sustainable community. We are trying new ideas to bring down costs and to attract the youth, but are constrained by costs of land and decent proximity to the city. Sustainability from the cost perspective- we are reaching out to the upper and middle income group and have not yet been able to be accessible to a lower income group, which may need different solutions.