How Earth Blocks in Architecture & Lime Plaster Are Redefining Modern Indian Homes

India’s brick industry alone produces over 150 billion bricks annually and is the second largest in the world—contributing to 9% of India’s total CO₂ emissions. (Source: Centre for Science and Environment) This staggering statistic reveals how deeply entrenched the use of fired bricks is in the construction sector—and how urgently we need a sustainable alternative. At Auroma Architecture, led by visionary Architect Trupti Doshi, this transformation is already underway—one earth block at a time.

The Hidden Crisis in Conventional Construction

The modern urban skyline may dazzle the eye, but beneath its surface lies a silent crisis. Conventional materials like cement, steel, and fired bricks are depleting our natural resources and damaging the environment. These materials are energy-intensive, non-biodegradable, and often sourced in unsustainable ways. The environmental cost of one tonne of cement includes the emission of nearly a tonne of CO₂. Meanwhile, brick kilns across India are responsible for widespread deforestation and topsoil erosion.

The tragedy deepens when we consider that these materials not only harm the planet, but often create buildings that are thermally uncomfortable and acoustically jarring. We spend over 80% of our lives indoors—shouldn’t these spaces nourish us rather than drain us?

Rediscovering the Beauty of Earth Blocks in Architecture

Architect Trupti Doshi has spent decades studying and building with materials that reconnect us with our environment. Through projects like the UN-recognized Sharanam Rural Development Centre and the award-winning Auroma French Villaments, she has demonstrated the extraordinary potential of vernacular building materials like earth blocks. These are not mud huts—they are precise, high-performance structures crafted with scientific accuracy and artistic sensibility.

Using earth blocks in architecture allows us to replace energy-guzzling cement and bricks with natural, breathable materials. Unlike fired bricks, these blocks retain the earth’s thermal mass, keeping homes cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Their carbon footprint is a fraction of conventional alternatives. They are also aesthetically rich—variegated textures and colors lend each structure a distinct personality, rooted in the very soil on which it stands.

More than a material, earth blocks represent a philosophy. They anchor the home to its environment and culture, reduce embodied energy, and empower communities through local sourcing and skill-building.

Why Lime Plaster is Making a Comeback

Once prized across India for its durability and cool finish, lime plaster is experiencing a powerful revival, thanks in no small part to pioneers like Trupti Doshi. She had to travel over 250 km to find an 83-year-old lime artisan for one of her projects—a telling sign of how much we’ve forgotten.

But this forgotten art is more relevant than ever. lime plaster naturally strengthens over time by absorbing carbon dioxide and converting to limestone, making it one of the rare construction materials that sequesters carbon. It resists mold, allows walls to ‘breathe’, and offers a soft, luminous finish that no synthetic paint can replicate.

From a health perspective, lime plaster improves indoor air quality, prevents dampness, and requires zero chemical additives. From an aesthetic perspective, its timeless appeal has graced everything from Chettinad mansions to Mughal palaces. In Trupti’s projects, lime plaster is often used alongside earth blocks to create a balanced, breathable envelope that ages beautifully over decades.

Designing with Vernacular Building Materials at Auroma

What sets Auroma Architecture apart is not only the use of eco-friendly architecture but its approach to it. Trupti Doshi and her interdisciplinary team view buildings as living beings. Whether it’s reclaimed timber, earthen floors, oxide finishes, or natural roofing systems, every material is chosen for its harmony with the local ecosystem and its emotional resonance with human life.

Take the Auroma French Villaments project near Auroville. It draws from French and Tamil building wisdom to create earthen homes that are climate-responsive, culturally rooted, and community-centric. These homes harness rainwater, process their own waste, grow their own food, and breathe—literally—through walls made of earth blocks and finished with lime plaster.

Why Sustainable Design in India Must Lead the Way

India’s climatic diversity and architectural heritage make it the ideal laboratory for sustainable innovation. Yet we’re at risk of losing our traditional wisdom to steel-glass boxes and concrete jungles. At Auroma, sustainability isn’t a marketing gimmick—it’s a lived philosophy that considers the full life cycle of a building: from how it’s born to how it lives and eventually returns to the earth.

This is why Auroma sustainable methods focus on material authenticity, passive cooling, natural ventilation, and user-centric layouts. They empower families to live in spaces that heal—not harm—our planet and ourselves.

Reimagine Your Home with Architect Trupti Doshi

The modern Indian homeowner stands at a crossroads. One path continues the unsustainable march toward carbon-heavy, lifeless constructions. The other leads to a future where homes become sanctuaries—alive, breathable, rooted in nature. With Architect Trupti Doshi and Auroma Architecture, that future is already here.

If you're inspired to craft a home that nourishes your body, mind, and spirit while honoring the planet, book a consultation today. Simply fill in the form, and our team will help schedule your session with Architect Trupti Doshi.

Let your home be your legacy. Let it be a mother, a teacher, a healer.