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The Auroville Architects Monograph Series documents the pioneering work of the architects whose vision shaped Auroville, a unique international township in southeastern India. This monograph, the second in the series, is a comprehensive record of the work of Piero and Gloria Cicionesi, whose architectural legacy translates Auroville’s philosophy of community living into built form.

Piero (b 1935) and Gloria (b 1933) Cicionesi hail from the magical town of Florence in Italy. They arrived in Auroville a week after its inauguration on 28 February 1968 and have since made it their karma-kshetra. This unique International Township based on the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother is a source of inspiration to many architects around the world.

This publication brings together essays, drawings and photographs to demonstrate the elegant legacy of Piero and Gloria Cicionesi, for whom architecture is not only a search for beauty but also has a deeper social aspiration.

This book has been enhanced with 7 augmented reality videos, each linked to a photograph marked with the symbol. These videos include interactions with Piero and Gloria as well as documentation of their journey and work in Auroville. The videos are available through the BooksPlus mobile app. To play the videos, please follow the instructions given on the copyright page.

Contents: Foreword. 1. The Context. 2. Silent Sentinels. 3. Formative Years. 4. The Florentine DNA/Pinoo Marchese. 5. Selected Works. 6. Manifesting Matrimandir 1972–1991. 7. Divine Workers/Dr. Chamanlal Gupta. 8. Residential Projects 1969-2009. 9. Institutional Projects. 10. What Architecture Cannot Be/Poppo Pingle. 11. Chronology of Works.