Título: Laurie Baker
Seção: Architecture
Background: Baker was born into a staunch Methodist family, the youngest son of Birmingham Gas Department's chief accountant, Charles Frederick Baker and Millie Baker. His early schooling was at King Edwards Grammar School. His elder brothers, Leonard and Norman studied law, and he had a sister, Edna who was the oldest of them all. In his teens Baker began to question what religion meant to him and decided to become a Quaker, since it was closer to what he believed in.

Conteúdo: While at Pithoragarh, Baker found his English construction education to be inadequate for the types of issues and materials he was faced with: termites and the yearly monsoon, as well as laterite, cow dung, and mud walls, respectively, Baker had no choice but to observe and learn from the methods and practices of vernacular architecture. He soon learned that the indigenous architecture and methods of these places were in fact the only viable means to deal with local problems.  Inspired by his discoveries (which he modestly admitted were 'discoveries' only for him, and mere common knowledge to those who developed the practices he observed), he realized that unlike the Modernist architectural movement that was gaining popularity at the time denouncing all that was old just because it was old didn't make sense. Baker adopted local craftsmanship, traditional techniques and materials but then combined it with modern design principles and technology wherever it made sense to do so. This prudent adoption of modern technology helped local architecture retain its cultural identity and kept costs low due to the use of local materials. It also revived the local economy due to the use of local labour for both construction of the buildings and for manufacture of construction materials such as brick and lime surkhi.  Baker built several schools, chapels and hospitals in the hills. Eventually, as word spread of his cost-effective buildings more clients from the plains started to contact Bak

user: What was her first acrhitectural goal

assistant: While at Pithoragarh, Baker found his English construction education to be inadequate for the types of issues

user: What was the issue with the product

assistant: materials he was faced with: termites and the yearly monsoon, as well as laterite, cow dung, and mud walls,

user: What did this mean to his cost

assistant: Baker had no choice but to observe and learn from the methods and practices of vernacular architecture.

user: What did he learn

assistant: He soon learned that the indigenous architecture and methods of these places were in fact the only viable means to deal with local problems.

user: What was so crazy about this

assistant: Inspired by his discoveries (which he modestly admitted were 'discoveries' only for him, and mere common knowledge

user: What inspired this change

assistant: Baker adopted local craftsmanship, traditional techniques and materials but then combined it with modern design principles and technology wherever it made sense to do so.

user: Why was this so crazy

assistant: because it was old didn't make sense. Baker adopted local craftsmanship, traditional techniques and materials but then combined it with modern design principles

user: What did this do for him

assistant: This prudent adoption of modern technology helped local architecture retain its cultural identity and kept costs low due

user: What kept the cost down

assistant: local labour for both construction of the buildings and for manufacture of construction materials such as brick and lime surkhi.