At first glance, it appears as if a gust of wind can knock it down to the ground. It is a visual pell-mell of Tetra Pak sheets and bamboo ladders, forming a two-storey house on wheels. Resting on a white tractor trailer is a house for six people, complete with a mini kitchen, washing machine and space for a toilet.
Appropriately called ‘The Ladder House’, this was the first built element of the SacredGroves housing project base camp. It is a quirky resting place for volunteers and interns who come to SacredGroves in Auroville.
A ramp made of Tetra Pak sheets and plywood planks leads up to a red metal deck that is conspicuous against a backdrop of brown and grey. A tiny door leads into a kitchen, which was recently turned into another bedroom.
Adjacent to the door is a ladder that leads up to a bedroom. A double-height space gradually opens up as you ascend, appearing surprisingly spacious.
Tucked away on three sides are beds at two levels, while the fourth presents a close-up vista of tree canopies and the garden below.
The Ladder House is an example of minimal and satisfactory living. It sways slightly in the night breeze while the moonlight shines into the upper storey, turning an eccentric place into a piece of fantasy.
The writer is a final year architecture intern at Auroville, Puducherry.
