The brochure
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Concept of the German Pavilion
July 2002
On August 15, 2001, an inauguration
ceremony for German Aurovilians and their friends marked
the beginning of the real planning and construction phase
of the German Pavilion in Auroville. Since then, the Pavilion
group of Auroville International (AVI) Germany published
a brochure describing certain aspects of the 'German soul'
and showing the design of the future building. As nothing
as yet is finalised or 'frozen', the text of the write-up
may continue to evolve.. You find some excerpts here below.
First concept of the design
The idea to start work on Auroville's
German Pavilion first emerged in 1992, after which a group
of interested people have met regularly for intense workshop
sessions during weekends. Support for this group and the
Pavilion Initiative in Auroville is from
AV International (AVI) Germany e.V. - a recognised public
association.
Combining aspects of the German culture
The remarks of Sri Aurobindo about
Germany that are found in his book 'The Human Cycle' have
served as a reference with regard to the contents of the
German Pavilion. According to these insights, the fulfillment
and future task of the German soul lies in the happy realisation
of both the idealistic and pragmatic aspects of its nature.
Pre-eminent aspects of the German culture may be on one
hand philosophy/vision and music, and on the other hand
a dispassionate and rational attitude towards research and
production. Hence the need for a Pavilion model that will
fulfill the full spectrum of these qualities. The Pavilion
is not to embody only the German soul aspects in a symbolic
way, but should also be of practical benefit to a vital
and essential aspect of Auroville.
Need for an integral guiding idea
The German Pavilion is to adapt itself,
of course, to the existing concept of the International
Zone with its campus character, and has to fit into it in
a way that it makes sense at each stage of its development.
This demands that the concept not only be modular and adaptable,
but should also be easy to extend. Herein lies the challenge
that the pavilion does not grow in a piecemeal fashion,
but should have worked out its overall and central themes
from the very beginning.
With respect to the aspects of the German soul described
above, and the resulting synthesis to be derived from these,
the aim is to create a building that is based on an integral
guiding idea, which would also be suitable as the core for
further development.
'Water' as central theme
 Members
of the German Pavilion Group defined 'water' as a possible
guiding idea. It was chosen, on the one hand, for its qualities
as the creator of life, and its expression of the joy of
life and beauty, - and on the other hand as a medium that
carries an energy whose possibilities to date have hardly
been explored. This guiding idea of water should find its
expression in or on the building in an artistic/creative
way, as a combination of light, water and sound.
Today, more than ever, a careful handling
of this precious resource is crucial and many new insights
into its secrets may emerge. Space and equipment dedicated
to different kinds of water research is required. Besides
for instance development of alternative (appropriate) technologies
for the desalination of sea water, it could also include
leading edge scientific research of specially processed
water to potentially carry information.
Music Hall
A further part of the building would
provide an acoustically highly adaptable hall, which would
be suitable for concert performances and for use by music
schools or study groups. Here, a 'concert' would not only
mean a performance of work by German composers, but of Indian
and other composers as well, always with its focus on more
classical music styles. The quality of the technical specification
of this hall can be anywhere from its basic structural acoustic
function up to, and including, sophisticated high tech equipment.
An additional workshop for the production and maintenance
of musical instruments is also foreseen. (see Impression)
German vision & philosophy
Finally, a separate area should represent
the vision/philosophy of Germany in an adequate manner.
In this space both exhibitions and lectures should be made
possible.
Miscellaneous
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Additional space requirements: two
to three single- room guest apartments; caretakers flat;
reception area and a small Café
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Ornamental gardens around the building,
possibly in connection with a fountain
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No free-standing building, but integrated
into a 'European plaza', with possible links to neighbouring
buildings (e.g. French or Russian pavilions)
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