Innovation is the prime requirement and the success mantra for today’s youth. The life of N.G Arun Prabhu, a young architect from Tamil Nadu who built a portable house on top of an autorickshaw has changed after a single tweet from entrepreneur Anand Mahindra saying ‘Connect me to him’. That single made Prabhu become the new trend in social media. A native of Namakkal near Salem in Tamil Nadu, Prabhu completed his B.Arc from Chennai and started an Architectural firm in Bangalore with 5 others. Now what Prabhu has to say to the world is..
Our organization focuses on research and development in design and space planning. The work is aimed at raising awareness about compact space habitation. So my Solo 0.1 is an experimental and conceptual design.
Prabhu says the minimum area requirements for a living space is 6X6 feet. The prince’s goal was to make people aware that even the size of a cabin could be made habitable. The concept of Solo 0.1 comes from the state of slums in our country and from the nomadic tribes and gypsies. Basic needs are limited in the lives of slum dwellers and nomads. Solo 0.1 was born out of the desire to create a system that requires the least amount of space, is habitable and travelable. Solo 0.1 is a modified auto. The portable house is as good as a 1 BHK house with a bathtub, solar panel power, washing and driving area, a living room, work space, a bedroom and a 250 liter water tank for water above the autorickshaw. It was built on a budget of one lakh rupees.
Each of these are an attachment that can be connected to other vehicles. But the autorickshaw was chosen because it is the least expensive compared to cars. Solo 0.2 is now Prabhu’s next target. This time it is planned to have 2 bedrooms and a capacity of more than two people. Homes like Solo 0.1 are best suited for the Covid era. Prabhu says he never expected Anand Mahindra would appreciate my project like this. Mahindra tweeted that Arun did this to show the relevance of small spaces. The Mahindra Group chairman also asked Prabhu if he would like to design one for the Bolero pickup. Anyway, Arun doesn’t even have time to pay attention to these inquiries and hustle and bustle on social media. Because this talented young architect is working on Solo 0.2.
