Dr Kumar Mahabir
THE Indian diaspora has long been rooted in climate-conscious building practices, with contemporary architects and builders drawing from traditional methods to promote sustainability. Rosie Paul and Sridevi Changali at Masons Inc Studio are leading heritage conservation efforts in India, emphasising sustainable development and reducing carbon footprints.
In Suriname, John Mohanlal Ramnandanlall’s traditional house, named Bap & Mai ka Ghar, mirrors the homes of indentured Indians, while David Fojo in Trinidad incorporates Vastu Shastra principles, blending ancient philosophies with environmental harmony.
Together, these individuals embody the Indian diaspora’s commitment to traditional, climate-conscious building practices that prioritise both cultural heritage and environmental sustainability.
These are excerpts from an Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre (ICC) Thought Leaders Forum (September 15, 2024) supported by Rose Mohammed and her Team of 12 Friends. The programme was chaired by Shakira Mohommed and moderated by Shalima Mohammed, both from Trinidad.
ROSIE PAUL of India said: “At Masons Inc, we believe that holistic sustainability is important.
[caption id="attachment_1133593" align="alignnone" width="768"] Rosie Paul -[/caption]
"When thinking of sustainability, it is not just about the environment, but it is also about cultural impacts, and socioeconomic impacts. You need to look at all the four pillars when you want to really be sustainable, and that is something that we are trying to do.
“We also believe that looking at the vernacular can really give us clues to the challenges that we are facing today, and how we need to intervene to respond to our future challenges. Why is it that we are struggling to make our buildings last?
“We believe that innovation is necessary when using traditional materials. It is pointless to not learn from the knowledge that existed in the past, and what was very interesting is, they found low-carbon adaptive solutions when they were building.”
SRIDEVI CHANGALI of India said: “I think architects do have a bigger responsibility of creating greener livelihoods and helping communities. When stakeholders themselves are part of the building process, it becomes a really lovely place to be on site; and it is really nice to feel the intermingling of energies – and there is a great ownership that comes from including the stakeholders in the building and design process.
[caption id="attachment_1133594" align="alignnone" width="768"] Sridevi Changali -[/caption]
“We feel that it is very important, since we are in a niche sector, to educate and impart knowledge to younger generations and people even outside of our profession. We take outreach and skill-building very seriously, and we do a lot of workshops.
“Masons Inc is seated at the crux of a lot of things that are important today in terms of cultural heritage and climate change. We are an organisation that believes in the importance of creating an awareness of cultural heritage and climate cha
