Paolo Tommasi, architect
Paolo Tommasi, 92, an Italian architect who played a crucial role in designing the Matrimandir and the gardens surrounding it in the international township Auroville, died of Covid-19 on July 16, 2020, in Puducherry.
He was a resident of Sri Aurobindo Ashram in the Union territory and was admitted to Jipmer after he tested positive in the last week of June.
Born in Ancona, Italy, Paolo emerged as a leading architect in Europe in the 1950s. He had a true passion for architectural interiors, design, theatre and painting.
Paolo visited India in his thirties and met Sri Aurobindo’s spiritual collaborator Mirra Alfassa, fondly revered as the Mother, just before the inauguration of Auroville in 1968. He played a crucial role in assisting French architect Roger Anger in...